Dec 5, 2015 2 min read

State legislators need to know that their inability to pass a budget is crippling people’s lives and may even be contributing to the deaths of some fellow citizens.

As a result of not passing a budget, social service agencies cannot fill budgeted vacant positions. Let me describe the implications this has on one single agency, one of dozens that serve the aged, the unemployed and children.

I serve on the board of an agency that assesses and disburses funds for drug and alcohol treatment and post-treatment support for Washington County citizens in need. We have a hospital outreach person who travels to hospitals. However, that position is now vacant and can’t be filled until the budget is approved. When patients who have overdosed are brought into emergency rooms, no one is there at that critical moment to encourage that person to receive treatment. They re-enter the community, shoplifting and robbing to get money for their next fix. This sounds like medical malpractice. But is it the hospital’s fault that the agreed-upon protocol is not being followed for lack of funding?

The second example I offer are the vacant, approved positions of certified recovery specialists. These are people who work with recovering addicts to assure they stick to their discharge plans. These plans include getting to medical appointments, 12-step meetings and other activities.

What is the effect of not having enough certified recovery specialists? Our agency surveyed 89 people after their treatment. How many are in compliance with their discharge plans? Two.

The lack of a budget is impairing the lives of vulnerable people and, in some cases, ending them. I call on legislators across party lines to show courage, do the right thing and approve a budget.

John Hopper

Washington