Democratic Primaries
Related: About this forumAmy Klobuchar releases $100 billion plan for substance abuse and mental health
PBS, May 3, 2019
https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/klobuchar-releases-100-billion-substance-abuse-mental-health-plan
Klobuchar releases $100 billion substance abuse, mental health plan
CHICAGO (AP) Democratic presidential candidate Amy Klobuchar has released a plan to spend $100 billion over a decade to improve mental health care and fight substance abuse, an issue the Minnesota senator has faced firsthand as the daughter of an alcoholic who struggled with addiction for years before getting sober.
The wide-ranging plan, released Friday, includes funding for early intervention of mental health disorders and drug use, a national suicide prevention campaign, better access to opioid addiction and other types of treatment and recruitment of health care workers to underserved rural areas and cities with the highest need.
Klobuchar also says that as president she would prioritize mental health and substance abuse treatment over incarceration for nonviolent offenders, noting she supported drug courts as an alternative to jail when she was the lead prosecutor of Minnesotas largest county.
Klobuchar speaks often about her fathers alcoholism and the impact it had on her life, and she says its one of the issues she hears most about from people as she campaigns for the 2020 Democratic nomination in a crowded field of candidates . She says her father got real treatment after his third arrest for driving while intoxicated. He has remained sober with support from friends, family and his faith, what he calls being pursued by grace, she say
primary today, I would vote for: Undecided
DesertRat
(27,995 posts)than to stroke the ego of the orange narcissist who uses racism and fear to waste money on an unnecessary wall!
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
flamin lib
(14,559 posts)step up with a plan BUT if more drug company executives were treated like those at Insys Theraputics the problem wouldn't exist.
This isn't a slam at Klobuchar and won't affect any support I will lend to the nominee, only a comment on the inherent privilege of wealth. Perhaps we learned a lesson from the banking industry failure that almost destroyed the world economy yet no one went to jail.
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
left-of-center2012
(34,195 posts)The $100 billion would come largely from opioid manufacturers ...
Klobuchar would impose a new fee of 2 cents per milligram of the active ingredient in a prescription pain pill.
You do know that the opioid manufacturers will pass that cost along?
The cost of medicine will go up.
So, patients and our insurance will pay for it.
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
crazytown
(7,277 posts)A super tax on big Pharma would be more like it.
primary today, I would vote for: Undecided
DesertRat
(27,995 posts)primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden