Jackson Free Press

JACKSON — Below is a verbatim open letter some legislative Democrats and the formal mental health department director sent to Gov. Phil Bryant:

Dear Governor Bryant,

It is no secret that the state of Mississippi has had to make difficult budgetary decisions this legislative session. We understand that there are sacrifices that all Mississippians are called to make, and no one is more aware of this reality than the men and women who work in the field of mental health.

Speak with any of Mississippi’s hard working mental health workers, and they will acknowledge that they have stretched to make things work. However, this recent round of cuts has simply gone too far. Mississippi is in serious danger of losing its matching federal funds for services. We are in crisis; there is no other word to describe it.

With the loss of matching funds will come even more consequential cuts to necessary services. People in need of rehabilitation and medical care will instead end up in prison, where they will not receive treatment, but become an additional burden on the taxpayers of Mississippi. These cuts will undoubtedly lead to significantly more costs—economic and human-- in the very near future.

Accordingly, we, the undersigned members of the Mississippi legislature, feel compelled to ask you to call a special session for the purpose of finding additional funding to deal with this crisis.

Sincerely,

Ed LeGrand, Former Executive Director, MS Dept. of Mental Health

Senator John Horhn, District 26, Senate Minority Leader

David Baria, District 122, House Minority Leader

Sonya Williams-Barnes, Legislative Black Caucus Chair

Senator Juan Barnett, District 34

Senator Barbara Blackmon, District 21

Senator David Blount, District 29

Senator Hob Bryan, District 7

Senator Albert Butler, District 36

Senator Deborah Dawkins, District 48

Senator Bob Dearing, District 37

Senator Hillman Frazier, District 27

Senator Robert L. Jackson, District 11

Senator Sampson Jackson II, District 32

Senator Russell Jolly, District 8

Senator David L. Jordan, District 24

Senator Sollie B. Norwood, District 28

Senator Derrick T. Simmons, District 12

Senator Willie Simmons, District 13

Senator Bill Stone, District 10

Senator Angela Turner, District 16

Senator Tammy F. Witherspoon, District 38

Rep. Jeramey D. Anderson, District 110

Rep. Willie. L. Bailey, District 49

Rep. Nick Bain, District 2

Rep. Earle S. Banks, District 67

Rep. Christopher M. Bell, District 65

Rep. Edward Blackmon, Jr., District 57

Rep. Cedric Burnett, District 9

Rep. Credell Calhoun, District 68

Rep. Bryant W. Clark, District 47

Rep. Alyce Griffin Clarke, District 69

Rep. Oscar Denton, District 55

Rep. Jarvis Dortch, District 66

Rep. Tyrone Ellis, District 38

Rep. Bob Evans, District 91

Rep. Michael T. Evans, District 45

Rep. John G. Faulkner, District 5

Rep. Karl Gibbs, District 36

Rep. John W. Hines, District 50

Rep. Steve Holland, District 16

Rep. Gregory Holloway, Sr., District 76

Rep. Kevin Horan, District 34

Rep. Robert E. Huddleston, District 30

Rep. J.P. Hughes, Jr., District 12

Rep. Lataisha Jackson, District 11

Rep. Robert L. Johnson III, District 94

Rep. Kabir Karriem, District 41

Rep. America “Chuck” Middleton, District 85

Rep. Tom Miles, District 75

Rep. David W. Myers, District 98

Rep. Orlando W. Paden, District 26

Rep. Willie J. Perkins, Sr., District 32

Rep. Tommy Reynolds, District 33

Rep. Omeria Scott, District 80

Rep. Rufus E. Straughter, District 51

Rep. Preston E. Sullivan, District 22

Rep. Kathy Sykes, District 70

Rep. Sara Richardson Thomas, District 31

Rep. Kenneth Walker, District 27

Rep. Percy W. Watson, District 103

Rep. Adrienne Wooten, District 71

Rep. Charles Young, Jr., District 82