8/05/2007

Ombudsman

Gov. Schweitzer hired Democrat Representative, Eve Franklin, as Montana Mental Health Ombudsman.

I must admit, this story doesn't really give me much heartburn. It strikes me as smelly politics. You know, this go-round Schweitzer does it and the GOP is "outraged," then the next time we have a GOP governor, he'll appoint a lawmaker and the Dems will be "outraged."

I did laugh, though, at this little bit. I mean, come on, Governor, how stupid do you think we are:

"I don't see an inherent conflict," Schweitzer said. "There is not anything she can do that could personally enrich herself. Conflicts mean that in some way through your actions you are going to somehow enrich yourself. I don't think you can connect these dots."

How is Franklin going to enrich herself? Ummm, maybe with the $47,967.00 salary?

9 comments:

Anonymous said...

Is franklin termed out? What is she being set up to run as?

Anonymous said...

She probably took a cut in pay.

Anonymous said...

She took a cut in pay? How so?

Anonymous said...

Having built her education on a Liberal foundation she appears to be building her career out of taxpayer pockets.

Franklin was the Executive Director of the Montana Nurses’ Association.
- An Assistant Professor at Montana State University College of Nursing and - Assistant Director of Psychiatric Services at the New York City Health and Hospitals Corporation.
-Montana Legislator from 1991 to 2007.

Schweitzer appears to be putting his ducks in a row to support Hillary Care while growing in stature as a socialist democrat.

Anonymous said...

Hillary care??? Wow! Sounds pretty darn good compared to NO CARE! It remains incredible that in the richest country in the industrialized world, we have the poorest health care. Hmm. Sumthin' wrong with this picture.


LK

Anonymous said...

LK... appreciate your comments... but the U.S.A. has the poorest health care in the industrial world? I've experienced poor to mediocre health care... as in... 20 years in the USAF. For every good doctor I saw, there were 3 or 4 not good doctors. If that's the "universal" (read... socialized) system of medicine you're advocating, no thanks. I'll take what we have now.

Anonymous said...

Again the tentacles of communist rhetoric reaching out to suggest America has the poorest health care system.

From a Marxist, even communist perspective America's attempt to socialize medicine has created a mess of what was once a great free market system.

But it's not too late to become educated on healthy changes needed for Montana and America: The health of our nation can be improved by extending health insurance to all Americans, not through a government program or new taxes, but through market reforms. Check out this and this Medicare Advantage Primer and this

Anonymous said...

Eve Franklin Quote

Interim Committee meeting of Department of Health and Human Services in reference to the Mental Health Care “crisis” in Montana.
Eve, “Lets admit the real root of the problem, POWER and GREED.”

Eve also promoted a bill that allows nurses to decide when to “pull the plug” on hospital patients. That bill passed. A bill clamored for by her constituents?

Eve Franklin, Legislator, lobbyist and now public servant watchdog.

Anonymous said...

RE: POWER and GREED.

She should know - she sat on committees that formulated, then granted excessive power and funding to DPHHS.

Bet she's setting herself up to become a candidate to become Director of DPHHS:



Sen. Franklin said
(page 3) that there will always be a need for expertise and planning in health care, but the question is: What type of health care will the available resources provide? She believed that the answer was in community-based services.


Sen. Franklin said (page 6) that most of the comments that she has heard regarding youth who suffer from abuse or neglect is the incredible demand for services. There are many "lost children" with no way to access services and the schools are overwhelmed with these children who are getting younger and younger.

Sen. Franklin requested (page 7) that as the Department develops the input structure of FAIM Phase II, it involve advocacy groups who will have a different perspective on how to access the right people.

Sen. Franklin (page 8-9) provided written comments prepared by Lois Steinbeck, Senior Analyst, Legislative Fiscal Division, on the House Joint Resolution #35 subcommittee. (EXHIBIT #17) She said that the HJR 35 subcommittee is charged with studying further development and monitoring the transitions within the public mental health care system. She added that the subcommittee reviewed key program implementation concepts such as integration and financing of services, reviewed funding streams, and focused on the development of community-based services.

Page 10...

that the Advisory Committee would be instrumental in developing the new system. Sen. Franklin added that the Department must be careful to not refer to the transition period as having a managed cost or care. If in fact the Department is doing only retrospective reviews, the state, in the next biennium, would be looking at costs and chaos. She suggested that the Department first review the clinical protocols for management early.

Page 12....

Referring to page 28, Rule 6, Sen. Franklin said that she was concerned about how the Department would evaluate an "acceptable" arrangement between a mid-level provider and a physician or mid-level provider with admitting privileges to a general hospital or medical assistance facility. By rule, the Department is negating the intention of the statue which is to use lower-cost mid-level providers for well-child care. She said that the rule needed more discussion and the Committee needs to look at the implications of the rule.