Sweetser News & Events

Sweetser Rallies in Augusta Against Proposed Budget Cuts

Posted on 12/14/2011 at 10:00 am

Sweetser employees, clients and friends are gathered in Augusta today in conjunction with people from many other non-profit organizations across Maine, protesting Governor LePage's proposed budget cuts.

You can follow updates on Sweetser's facebook page!

Contact those in the legislature!

We are urging you to contact legislators – they want and need to hear from you. Contact members of the Joint Committee on Health & Human Services and the Appropriations & Financial Affairs Committee and tell them:

• I cannot support the wholesale elimination of services including: PNMI, crisis services for anyone deemed without persistent mental illness, Non-Cats (childless adults), Children and young adults aged 19 and 20, High-Fidelity wraparound.
• The governor’s proposed cuts affect services which are proven effective, and prevent the need for higher cost treatments. These services are ultimately, life savers and cost savers. 
• I do not support removing an estimated 70,000 Mainers from MaineCare coverage. 
• People with serious and persistent mental illness and those with co-occurring substance use disorders and their families need access to a core set of services in order to remain safe. These include: medication management, supported housing, supported employment, assertive community treatment (ACT), peer and family supports, and integrated care for mental health, substance use, and physical health. When they are acutely ill, they need inpatient hospital services of sufficient duration. Lack of access to these services leads to incarceration, extensive use of emergency rooms, and death.
• Over 6,000 Mainers live in residential settings, and many of them are persons experiencing mental illness. Closing these residences would force them into homeless shelters. 
• These cuts also have the potential to eliminate jobs across the state and may affect every community in Maine, putting both public health and the state’s economy at risk .

You can also fill out an electronic postcard

Go to http://www.mainepeoplesalliance.org/cuts,  enter information into the fields and your comments (you can use the bullet points above to craft your message).