Assisting constituents with unemployment claims, small business loans, and personal protective equipment.
That’s been the focus of Jackie Greenfield, my Constituent Services Director.
She’s kept me informed and sought my advice.
Meanwhile, I’ve been planting seeds – taking steps that could lead to legislation when the General Assembly reconvenes in January.
I’ve worked on mental health issues for quite some time, as far back as 2005, I’ve been reminded
Using mental health courts to keep mentally ill individuals out of the prison system was the subject of a PBS documentary Monday night.
The Definition of Insanity https://www.pbs.org/video/trailer-definition-insanity-g3edti/
, I’m hoping to start a discussion about what we should do in Maryland. I wrote my friends in the advocacy community.
It turns out we’ve been having that discussion since 2005.
A statewide partnership meets regularly to improve services for individuals with mental health and substance use disorders who become involved with the criminal justice system
This ongoing effort is the result of House Bill 990, Benefits and Services for Individuals Who Are Incarcerated or Institutionalized I was one of two lead sponsors of this legislation.
If there’s an issue that would benefit from a public hearing before the Health and Government Operations Committee, I’ll introduce a bill.
First-gen college students are the first in their family to apply for college.
This past session, I worked with a group on how to assist these students – from their decision making about what schools to apply to and how to obtain financial aid to the support system needed for them to enter in the fall and eventually graduate.
That was a problem before the pandemic. It’s a problem for many more students now.
Administrators anticipate that students grappling with the financial and psychological impacts of the virus could choose to stay closer to home, go to less expensive schools, take a year off or not go to college at all. A higher education trade group has predicted a 15 percent drop in enrollment nationwide, amounting to a $23 billion revenue loss.
I shared this yesterday. If needed, a bill will follow.
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For updates on the coronavirus and our state government’s response, go to https://coronavirus.maryland.gov/
