Lt. Gov. Suzanne Crouch testifies on Senate Bill 1
STATEHOUSE (Jan. 26, 2023) – Lt. Gov. Suzanne Crouch testified in front of the Senate Appropriations Committee today in support of Senate Bill 1 (SB 1), legislation which will strengthen the direction Indiana takes in assisting Hoosiers suffering with behavioral health issues, including mental illness and addiction.
Authored by Sen. Michael Crider, R-Greenfield, SB 1 will transform the current 988 Crisis Hotline into 988 Response Centers and direct Indiana’s Family and Social Services Administration to apply for support from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to expand the network of Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics (CCBHC) in Indiana.
It is unusual for a sitting Indiana governor or lieutenant governor to testify in front of a committee on behalf of a specific piece of legislation.
“As co-chair of the Indiana Roundtable on Mental Health, I could have justified speaking on behalf of this bill. But for personal reasons, I was compelled to testify,” said Lt. Gov. Crouch, who also is Indiana’s Secretary of Agriculture and Rural Development. “One in five Hoosiers suffers from mental illness or addiction, and my family is no exception. My mother suffered from depression throughout her life, and my younger sister died by suicide in her 20s.â€
If enacted, SB 1 will create 988 Crisis Response Centers, allowing mobile crisis teams to be dispatched to assist in a severe mental health crisis. SB 1 also addresses funding and sustainability for CCBHCs, which are designed to ensure access to coordinated comprehensive behavioral health care. There are currently 19 pilot CCBHC sites in Indiana.
“The cost of untreated mental illness and addiction cases to the state of Indiana exceeds $4 billion annually,†said Crouch, who has been an outspoken supporter of behavioral and mental health initiatives throughout her career. “In addition to the cost of life, can Indiana afford not to do more for Hoosiers suffering from mental illness and addiction?â€
The Senate Appropriations committee is expected to vote on SB 1 at its next meeting.
Another Morning Cup Of “Coffee News†The Circus Returns To Washing, D.C.
By Dannie McIntire
January 18, 2023
If you watched the spectacle of Representative Kevin McCarthy finally ascending to the role of Speaker of the House after 15 rounds of voting then you are well aware that the circus is back in Washington.
As a republican I was dismayed witnessing the dysfunction within the Republican Party that was on full view in front of the American public. After the recent election I would have hoped the Republican Party could take control of the House as a unified party.Â
Well at the moment if doesn’t appear that will happen. To obtain the House leadership role Kevin McCarthy had to surrender too many demands of the extreme right faction of the Republican Party. Â
One procedural rule change he had to agree to in order to secure the support of the extreme right of the party was to allow any one House member to make a motion to elect a new speaker. The old procedure required a minimum of five house members to file a motion to elect a new speaker.
The old five member rule was reasonable. Now you will have the one member rule and you can expect having constant motions from both sides of the aisle to elect a new speaker. If you thought the House was dysfunctional before I believe instead of getting down to work for the American people much time will be spent on frivolous motions to elect a new speaker.Â
Another concession by Kevin McCarthy was to agree to bring to a vote on term limits. Many people are for term limits while many are against having a limitation on terms. The downside to having a term limit is “retiring†a member who may be an effective and fair lawmaker. In my opinion a term limit already exists, it’s called elections. The “people†just have to have the collective will to vote the bad apples out of office.
However, in my opinion not all the concessions Kevin McCarthy had to make were bad concessions.
I was happy to see that the right wing of the Republican Party stood firm or a promise that no bill would be brought to the floor for a vote until 72 hours had passed. That gives lawmakers time to read the proposed bill to know what’s actually is in it. No more “Pelosi†you have to pass it to know what’s in it.
I also like that the speaker elect had to agree to try and adopt a budget resolution that would balance the budget in ten years and a cap on fiscal year 2024 spending that would not exceed the 2022 level.
Our national debt is out of control and needs to be lassoed and brought back into the “sensible corralâ€. Our current national debt stands at 31ttiliion dollar;’ that’s a debt of $94,257 per U. S. citizen. Our government operates on borrowing and that needs to be controlled. The current rate of excessive government spending is saddling our future generations with unsustainable debt. Â
One thing is certain; you can look for the 118th Congress to be another year of “welcome to the circusâ€. Â
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Evansville African American Museum Receives $100,000 Check From The “American Rescue Plan” Funds
Evansville, IN— 1/26/22— On Monday, January 23, Commissioners Cheryl Musgrave and Ben Shoulders presented the Evansville African American Museum with a $100,000 Check from the American Rescue Plan funds.
Kori Miller, Executive Director of the Museum stated he is thankful to the Vanderburgh County Commissioners and Vanderburgh County Council for understanding the significant contributions of the culture and arts community to our city and that these funds will definitely help offset funding lost during Covid, and with the completion of the Porterhouse renovation project.
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Share a special valentine’s with a community heroÂ
Evansville, IN, January 26, 2023 – The Evansville Vanderburgh Public Library invites the community to share a message of thanks to local nurses, doctors, officers, firefighters, and other heroes during the library’s initiative, Hearts for Heroes.Â
Hearts for Heroes, a continuation of EVPL’s annual Valentines for Veterans, offers the opportunity to write a special valentine with a message of thanks, encouragement, or support to individuals who serve our community.Â
“Valentine’s Day is a wonderful opportunity to take a moment to express our thanks to those who have dedicated their lives to giving back,†EVPL CEO-Director Scott Kinney said. “Hearts for Heroes offers the opportunity to recognize the sacrifice, service, and resilience of our local heroes.â€Â
Valentines are available at any of the eight EVPL locations and on evpl.org. Homemade cards will also be accepted and should be delivered to any EVPL location by Friday, February 10.Â
The Evansville Vanderburgh Public Library has served our community for more than a century. With eight locations throughout Vanderburgh County, immediate access to hundreds of thousands of digital resources, and a dedicated team of library professionals, EVPL strives to create opportunities for you to discover, exploÂ
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 2022-2023 ALL SIAC BOYS’ SWIM TEAMÂ
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EPD DAILY ACTIVITY REPORT
FOOTNOTE: Â EPD DAILY ACTIVITY REPORT Â information was provided by the EPD and posted by the City-County-County Observer without opinion, bias, or editing.