Dear CCHR Supporters, Volunteers and Incipient Volunteers,
We need your help on a matter of vital grass roots involvement in human rights!
If you live in Missouri and/or have relatives or friends in Missouri, please pass this along to others in Missouri. It is important that YOU TAKE ACTION in your state’s legislative process regardless of where you live, but we particularly need your involvement if you are a voter in Missouri.
Please mail or email Letters To The Editor to Missouri newspapers, and call, mail or email Missouri legislators, expressing your opinions about the following bills. (SB = Senate Bill; HB = House Bill, SS = Senate Substitute)
Writing, calling and visiting your legislators is not only your primary way of influencing their votes, it is also your civic duty. That “government by and for the people” thing is the real deal, and you are “the people.” But each of you has to DO it! Let us know when you’ve done it!
VERY BAD BILLS
Bill # Topic Sponsors
HB 387 and
SS SB 94
Requires the development of a quality rating system for early childhood and before- and after-school programs that are licensed by the Department of Health and Senior Services. These bills call for the Department of Mental Health to have a hand in setting the standards for quality child care, to ensure proper “emotional development.” This gives them an open door to come in with their screenings and drugs, on children as young as age 2 or 3 or even younger!
Rep. Robert Cooper, Sen. Jolie Justus
HB 536
Licenses psychologists to prescribe psychotropic drugs. Allows them to order lab testing. This bill is a BAD idea because it is another overt attempt to expand the use of psychotropic drugs by expanding who can prescribe them.
Rep. Bob Dixon
Additional information regarding HB 387 and SS SB 94:
Missouri Department of Health already has licensing and inspection procedures in place through statue and by rule. This legislation will:
§ Add another layer of bureaucracy
§ Grow bigger government to become the “play parent “ state
§ Drive up cost – for parents and the State of Missouri
§ Use taxpayer dollars on a private “for profit†industry
§ Be a foot in the door for expansion of subsidized day care and control over an industry that should remain driven by free market principles
This action perpetuates the myth that we can make institutions the same as mom with more tax dollars and rating systems. Once this system is in place is the next step removing the exemptions for religious day care facilities? How can another layer of bureaucracy contain cost?
We urge you to CALL YOUR LEGISLATORS and ASK FOR A NO VOTE on HB 387, SS SB 94 and HB 536.
VERY GOOD BILL
Bill # Topic Sponsors
SB 534
Requires coroners or medical examiners to perform testing for the presence of psychotropic substances in the blood of individuals who commit suicide and report the findings to the Department of Health and Senior Services.
Senator Scott T. Rupp (Republican, District 2)
This bill is a GOOD idea because:
We know that psychotropic drugs can cause violence and suicide. Collecting this information is another way of showing the Missouri government who the responsible parties are for the increasing senseless violence and suicide in society.
oOo
It’s time to TAKE ACTION! Our legislators have been introduced to the horrors which psychiatry has created by the Psychiatry: an Industry of Death touring exhibit. Now they need to hear from you, their constituents. Spread the word – let them hear from all over the state that the citizens aren’t going to put up with this fraud and abuse any more.
Let us know when you send your letters out and to whom you sent them.
The letter can be very short and simple. Here is an example (you should write the letter in your own words):
Dear Sir (or Editor, or Ma’am, or Senator, or Representative, or Honorable Legislator, etc.),
Sincerely,
oOo
Thank you for your help!
Check out other bills of interest to CCHR St. Louis on our web site at
http://www.cchrstl.org/moleg.shtml
Missouri General Assembly website: http://www.moga.mo.gov/
Check http://www.senate.mo.gov/llookup/leg_lookup.aspx to find out who are your own Missouri legislators. Go to their web page to find out how to contact them.
Some Missouri Newspaper Email addresses:
letters@post-dispatch.com
mailbag@timesnewspapers.com
info@wordnews.com
info@stlwomensjournal.com
editorial@stlouistimes.com
slreview@stlouisreview.com
stlouislight@stllight.org
letters@stlamerican.com
letters@riverfronttimes.com
Independentnws@aol.com
CommNews@mail.com
can@catholicactionnetwork.org
editor@archcitychronicle.com
editor@tribmail.com
editor@newstribune.com
letters@kcstar.com
news@therolladailynews.com
letters@semissourian.com
letters@springfi.gannett.com
news@westplainsquill.com
This is in response to HB536 being stated as a bad bill. First, the intention of this bill is not to an attempt to expand the use of psychotropics. The bill is actually an excellent bill since it will help people obtain more appropriate treatment. Clinical Psychologists are doctoral level providers with at-least 5 years post-graduate training. In order to prescribe, these psychologists would have to have an additional 2-years of training in neurosciences, psychopharmacology and other subjects in order to have the background to prescribe. They then would have to have another year of supervised experience, pass a national test, and then maintain collaboration with a physician after that. The total training post-bacherlor’s would be about 8-years before any medication could be prescribed. This type of training provides many safeguards. Psychologists are prescribing safely and effectively now in New Mexico, Louisiana, Guam, and the military. Psychologists have much training in the assessment, diagnosis, and treatment of many disabling psychiatric conditions. Right now, most of the psychiatric medication is being prescribed by the family physicians. Having trained psychologists being able to prescribe will help ensure that the appropriate medications are given to the appropriate people. I encourage you all to support this bill since it is a very positive step in the right direction.