Readers discuss Medicaid, tribal bill, Boulder center

Good part of state

Northcentral Montana is lucky.

We get to live in a beautiful part of the state. We are good people who take care of one another during tough times, and we have representatives who are thoughtful enough to look past the partisan gamesmanship to do what is right for Montana. We have people in Great Falls like Sens. Ed Buttrey and Brian Hoven and Reps. Steve Fitzpatrick and Wendy McKamey. We have Sen. Llew Jones and Rep. Rob Cook in Conrad and Reps. Roy Hollandsworth of Brady and Christy Clark of Choteau.

These are some of the Republican sponsors of SB 405, the Montana Health and Economic Livelihood Partnership (HELP) Act that would accept federal funds to expand Medicaid eligibility to 70,000 Montanans. These are the leaders who put the health and economic vitality of our state above the wishes of out-of-state billionaires. These are our representatives who knew how to find common ground to get this done.

Please take a second to call them at 406-444-4800 and thank them for their leadership on Medicaid expansion.

— Frances Carlson and Mimi Wolf,

Great Falls

Right-to-know bill

House Bill 562, the Montana Indian Tribes and the State of Montana Transparency Act, will allow tribal members access to information on tribal funding controlled by the state of Montana. The bill is sponsored by Rep. G. Bruce Meyers of Box Elder.

This bill will allow tribal citizens to easily access public information regarding tribal funding on a state website. The state of Montana will ensure tribal members the right to know under Article II, Section 9 of the Montana Constitution.

I support tribal citizens’ right to know about tribal funding.

— Julie Wolf,

Great Falls

Possible conflict

My autistic daughter was placed at the Montana Developmental Center in Boulder by court order because she was a danger to herself. She was escaping from our home and was in imminent danger of being killed in traffic. On March 23, I testified against Senate Bill 411, sponsored by Sen. Mary Caferro, D-Helena, which would close MDC. Individuals are removed to MDC because they are a danger to themselves or the community. This includes persons with criminal tendencies, tendencies to sexual predation or those who assault others during rage attacks.

During this same hearing, a representative of Aware Inc. confidently stated that given time to build facilities, Aware could care for MDC clients in the communities of Montana. My daughter would be no safer in an Aware group home than she was in her own home. She is alive, safe and well-cared-for in her group of cottages at MDC.

I Googled “Mary Caferro Aware.” I was shocked to learn Caferro was, and may still be, an employee of Aware. The June 3, 2012, Sidney Herald reported Caferro was hired by Aware Inc., and that she was “humbled and thrilled to be part of the Aware team.” She represented Aware in Washington, D.C. On June 17, 2014, the Billings Gazette reported that Caferro could be contacted at mcaferro@aware-inc.org.

How can a state legislator sponsor a bill to close a state facility so its clients can be moved to her employer’s private facilities? Caferro sponsored a similar bill two years ago. Is this legal or ethical?

— Anna B. Studencki,

Great Falls

Editor’s note: SB 411 Saturday passed the state Senate 41-8 on second reading.