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I will be voting for Rick Bennett for governor because I believe he is way ahead in vision, courage, and experience both in business and legislative leadership.
But, let me be specific on one massive injustice. For 61 years, the federal government has followed the Institution for Mental Diseases (IMD) Exclusion law, which bans the use of federal dollars by state hospitals and psychiatric facilities with 16 beds or more for psychiatric services. No other illness has this requirement. I believe it was a terribly unintelligent decision in part because there was also insufficient funds for what was proposed in the community.
In addition, the mislabeling of these various illnesses has resulted in catastrophic widespread injustice, which costs close to $300 billion a year in America.
After years of traumatic neglect by so many at several levels, state Sens. Joe Baldacci and Rick Bennett had the vision to bravely work together in the Legislature for several years to seek a waiver for “mental illness” in the discriminatory federal IMD law for Maine. LD 563 did not pass but their advocacy encouraged the Maine Department of Health and Human Services to include elements of this bill in Maine’s Whole Person Care Waiver so that Maine will have more progressive treatment teams in the community.
We all have expressed concern about the homelessness problem and its continuing tragedy. Thank Heaven Baldacci and Bennett sought treatment for Mainers in most need rather than ignorant abuse at so many levels. That is one major reason why I urge all to vote for Rick Bennett for Maine governor.
Joe Pickering Jr.
Bangor