"The State’s decision to RIF these 80 state hospital caregivers does absolutely nothing to help alleviate Vermont’s very serious mental health crisis"
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”We all knew Governor Douglas had an affinity for laying off state employees, but we never witnessed him laying off 80 employees at one time.”
"We have an opportunity to help some of our most vulnerable population whose lives were severely impacted by the storm."
Article kind of strikes a blow to all the "Vermont is bad for business" Chicken Little’s running around our state.
St. Albans Tech firm to add 150 new jobs
“Our concern was not with how the companies manage or operate their business, but with the service that the companies offer. We believe that profiting from incarceration is contrary to Church values."
Link To National Prison Divestment Campaign
Last night, in a 3-2 vote, the Senate’s Health Committee rolled back the number of acute mental health beds at a new State Hospital from 25 to 16 beds. The senators did so after hearing the same testimony as House members who approved 25 beds. The 16-bed proposal now moves to several other Senate committees before possibly ending up on the Senate floor and then in conference committee. VSEA is hopeful the number can be raised again somewhere in the upcoming process.
Health Committee Senators voting to reduce beds from 25 to 16:
Claire Ayer (D-Addison)
Hinda Miller (D-Chittenden)
Kevin Mullin (R-Rutland)
Health Committee Senators voting to keep beds at 25:
Anthony Pollina (D-Washington)
Sally Fox (D-Chittenden)
VSEA thanks Senators Pollina and Fox for their leadership!