Bobby Jindal: I won't run for president

By GottaLaff

From February 2009:

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

Shorter Ba-Ba-Ba-Bobby Jindal: There is no way in hell I can win.

Why? There are any number of reasons, the least of which is how he's destroying access to mental health care in his own state.

Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal told a hometown crowd Friday that he will not make a bid for the White House.

"I am not running for president of the United States,"Jindal said at the Southern Republican Leadership Conference. "I've got the job I want."

And the job he wants is privatizing health care and destroying lives in the process.

Rachel's initial reaction to Ba-ba-Bobby back in 2009 still works today:

New Orleans has mental health care problem. Bobby Jindal makes it worse... again.

By GottaLaff

State Representative Neil Abramson (D) New Orleans and Bobby Jindal

I post as often as I can about Rep. Neil Abramson's valiant efforts to maintain, at a minimum, decent (mental) health care for Katrina victims, and of course other patients, in New Orleans. It's been an ongoing struggle with that stellar speaker and compassionate Louisiana governor, Ba-Ba-Ba-Bobby Jindal.

Jindal has recently cut mental health care in Mandeville, which was supposed to replace the New Orleans Adolescent Hospital (NOAH).

Last year, Jindal and Levine wanted to close NOAH and move everything over to a hospital in Mandeville. Neil blocked the move by amending the state budget bill, but Jindal line-item vetoed it, meaning NOAH would indeed be closed.

Back in 1981, a deal was made that said the property would used for "general health care" services for 30 years, until the end of 2011. Before Hurricane Katrina, it primarily housed inpatient care for mentally ill kids and teens.

Here's the latest:

After losing his fight last year to keep New Orleans Adolescent Hospital open as an inpatient mental health facility, Rep. Neil Abramson has returned this year trying to ensure that the Uptown campus at least continues to house some kind of health-care operations.

This time, Abramson, D-New Orleans, and state Health Secretary Alan Levine, the architect of closing NOAH, are on the same side, agreeing on a compromise bill that would accomplish Abramson's aim while satisfying the state's effort to aid Children's Hospital expansion. [...]

The bill would block the state from selling the NOAH campus [...] for at least a year. Thereafter, any buyer would have to provide health care or health-care education on the campus. If the buyer failed to meet that burden, Abramson said, the state would reclaim the property. The state would be free to lease the property immediately, as long as a tenant honored the health-care use requirement.

Neil Abramson continues to fight for those in dire need, who have nowhere to go, who see their options dwindling to nothing.

Bobby Jindal, on the other hand, has other priorities (read: privatization) which apparently don't include access to mental health care. So much for Returning to America's Core Values.

Jindal the Swindle

By GottaLaff

Here is Jindal turning down a stimulus check. Oh wait.

I have posted a lot about what GOP Governor Ba-Ba-Ba-Bobby Jindal is doing to health care in his state. You can find all of those posts here and here, including my exclusives with State Representative Neil Abramson (D) New Orleans.

Now Jindal wants to end the statewide Charity Hospital System, which has been around for a very, very, long, long time time.

And if that's not bad enough, he's cutting mental health care in Mandeville, which was supposed to replace the New Orleans Adolescent Hospital (NOAH).

His forthcoming book, On Solid Ground: Returning to America's Core Values, has a rather misleading title, under the circumstances.

Privatize, privatize, privatize:

[...] Gov. Bobby Jindal's administration is seeking to put its stamp on state government this spring by privatizing a broad range of state services.

The changes, many of which will be up for debate in the three-month legislative session that starts Monday, would affect everything from insurance claims processing and prison pharmacies to the way Louisiana cares for its mentally ill and people with developmental disabilities. They would shift hundreds of state jobs to the private sector.

And while some of the changes are relatively minor -- such as a plan to save $1.3 million by outsourcing lab services at the Department of Environmental Quality -- others are likely to impact the state for years to come. [...]

In mental health, for example, the administration is proposing what officials say are the biggest changes to the state's mental health system in generations.

There is a lot more at the links to this article and to my earlier posts. He has cut health care for so many in need, so many Katrina victims, and now he's compounding the damage.

And to think this man has presidential aspirations...

H/t: NolaTalk

TPC EXCLUSIVE- State Rep. Abramson talks Jindal priorities: Superdome suite v. mental health services

By GottaLaff

State Representative Neil Abramson (D) New Orleans

Cutting services to those who desperately need them is becoming a habit over in JindalLand. He is now gutting all mental health care in Louisiana to fill the Medicare budget shortfall:

The state also plans to shift money from its mental health and public health programs into the Medicaid budget, where it can draw federal matching money. Levine said the agency has no plans for layoffs, but that workers in the three state-run psychiatric hospitals will be working fewer hours and that as a result the number of staffers per patient will decrease.

Sidebar: Jindal didn't show up at a big-- make that huge-- opening of a World War II Museum. Was he afraid that someone might connect the sore subject of mental health issues/veterans/the military, the tragedy at Ft. Hood and the need for proper psychological care? That would put him in a bit of a mental health pickle. A stretch? Maybe. Just a thought.

Gordon "Nick" Mueller, the museum's co-founder, president and chief executive officer, stressed the symbolic importance of the building, one of the biggest local construction projects since Hurricane Katrina laid waste to the New Orleans area in August 2005.

"The whole museum is in the American spirit," he said.

Bobby must have been too busy doing important stuff like turning down stimulus checks to attend. Oh wait.

But back to funding issues. Apparently, shoring up Medicaid with cuts to mental health facilities isn't as upsetting to Health and Hospitals Secretary Alan Levine as the dearth of alcohol and fancy schmancy shrimp and oysters in Ba-Ba-Ba-Bobby's own private Superdome suite:

While the New Orleans Saints storybook season has made them the hottest ticket in town, it also has driven up demand for the governor's private suite in the Superdome. [...]

"It's certainly an honor to be invited, but you don't get to spend a whole lot of time watching the game," said Health and Hospitals Secretary Alan Levine, who was on hand for last Monday's game against the Atlanta Falcons. Besides, Levine said, the governor's box doesn't come with the same amenities as the neighboring suites. "You walk by the other boxes and you see shrimp and you see oysters and you see alcohol, and you walk into the governor's box and there (are) literally just plastic cups next to the sink."

Maybe Levine could snatch a few dollars from what was formerly the mental health budget and buy his own gourmet nummies.

If you recall, I previously posted about the horrific mental health crisis in New Orleans in the wake of Hurricane Katrina, plus State Rep. Neil Abramson's exclusive comments here. A short excerpt from my interview with him:

The real problem, unfortunately, is this became an issue of politics: Who has the idea and whether or not we need to be problem solvers, not bean counters.

Jindal decided to save money, to consolidate two state mental hospitals into one. It became obvious to me that you can save all the money you want, but the facility HAD to be in New Orleans to address the needs of the patients.

Yesterday State Rep. Abramson sent me another exclusive e-mail:

Governor Jindal already closed the only public mental health hospital in New Orleans. Now, Alan Levine, Jindal's secretary of Department of Health & Hospital, proposes cutting more mental health services in order to save medicaid money.

Yes, that is the same Alan Levine who has public longings for shrimp. Moving on:

As a member of the legislature, we found a way to keep the mental health hospital open in New Orleans, working with the economic constraints of our balanced budget. Yet, Governor Jindal vetoed that funding and closed the hospital. Now, his administration is targeting more mental health cuts throughout Louisiana.

At some point, his administration needs to recognize that mental health is health care, and particularly after Hurricane Katrina, there is a desperate need for mental health care treatment. It's time we focus on being problem-solvers and address the needs of our citizens, rather than just being bean counters and cutting to cut.

Here comes the part about Secretary Shrimp:

It's more interesting that these additional devastating cuts in mental health care in Louisiana come at the same time of reports in our local newspaper about political friends, including Secretary Levine, enjoying the Governor's suite at the Super Dome for Saints games. Secretary Levine apparently commented that the suite wasn't anything special because it didn't have boiled shrimp or raw oysters like the other suites. I don't think these culinary cutbacks at a posh suite during a Monday Night NFL game are quite the same type of sacrifices as eliminating mental health care for the people of Louisiana.

Pretty revealing priorities, there, Sec. Shrimp.

Maybe if health care centers provided tasty buffets, you and Bobby would feel more compelled to support them. Meanwhile, I dare you to hold a town hall meeting with a few of the suffering patients and Katrina victims who no longer have a safe haven, let alone free booze and oyster treats.

AUDIO: New Orleans has mental health care problem. Bobby Jindal made it worse.

By GottaLaff

Radio host Angie Coiro, whose radio show I appear on from time to time, was kind enough to have State Rep. Neil Abramson on. I wrote his story up here, and it is one that deserves way more attention:

Four years after Hurricane Katrina, the New Orleans Mental Health system is still in crisis… Angie talks with State Representative Neil Abramson. And a weekly health care reform round-up with Eve Gittelson.

Click the player below to listen to the show, or right-click here to download the MP3.

PhotObama-- New Orleans Town Hall-- taken by State Rep. Abramson

By GottaLaff

Photo taken by State Representative Neil Abramson (D), New Orleans, from the stage.
Ba-Ba-Ba-Bobby Jindal mangaged to get into the shot.

Last night, Rep. Abramson sent me an e-mail and allowed me to interview him, giving me statements he said he'd given to nobody else about Bobby Jindal's playing politics with NOAH, the New Orleans Adolescent Hospital.

People are committing suicide, but that's just not a good enough reason to keep the facility open to, you know, save their lives. Here are a couple of excerpts from that post (please read the rest here):

We have a severe mental health crisis in New Orleans. We have a growing number of people with mental health needs while our mental health services are significantly lower since Katrina. The closure of the New Orleans Adolescent Hospital (NOAH), the only state run mental health facility in the New Orleans area, only exacerbates that problem.

In the legislature, we funded NOAH to keep it open. Governor Jindal "line-item" vetoed that appropriation. Instead, his plan is to send all mental health patients 60 miles away [...]

What is sometimes lost in the discussion is that NOAH services low-income, medicaid patients, and it was established to treat adolescents, although adults were treated or evaluated there after Katrina because of lack of other facilities. These kids need to be close to their families, and the entire families need to be part of the counseling in order for the treatment to be productive. Most of these kids and families do not have the ability or the means to travel to 60 miles, across a long bridge.

Today, Rep. Abramson attended President Obama's New Orleans town hall meeting, and sent me a photo that he took. I am so happy to have made new friends in New Orleans!

TPC EXCLUSIVE: New Orleans has mental health care problem. Bobby Jindal made it worse.

By GottaLaff

Bumped up from last night, because it's an important story:

Yes, Bobby Jindal made the mental health care problem worse, alright... simply by his mere presence. But that's another story. Here's the real one that needs to get out there, and it's all about the New Orleans Adolescent Hospital (NOAH), health care, and politics:

CBS February 02, 2007:

State Representative Neil Abramson (D) New Orleans

Mrs. Neil Abramson wrote to me first:

My husband is State Representative Neil Abramson (D) New Orleans; he was a partner in a worldwide law firm but became so frustrated after the events of Hurricane Katrina, he ran for office. He has truly carried the banner for New Orleans and its recovery, even butting heads with Governor Jindal on a few key issues. One of the is the closing of the ONLY public mental health facility in New Orleans.

When Jindal first wanted to close NOAH citing budgetary concerns, the New Orleans delegation, led by my husband, fought and found the funds to keep it open. Jindal vetoed the funds.

Since that time, Jindal has closed NOAH. What is devastating is that NOAH wasn't even up to it's full capacity from before Katrina - and with all the increase in PTSD here, it really should have been expanded 4x because there is so much need.

Jindal's plan was to transport patients, many in emergency crisis situations, an hour away by ambulance (over Lake Ponchartrain) to Southeast Hospital in Mandeville, LA. Besides the fact that that is absurd, now that hospital is slated to close! SO WHERE IS ANYONE TO BE TREATED?! It's a travesty.

Currently another hospital has stepped up with 13 mental health beds, though the need in in the hundreds...

Our fears are that Jindal wants to sell both NOAH and Southeast (gorgeous buildings on prime property) to his cronies under "privatization".

Our latest battle has been that NOAH used to be the Marine dorms (it's in Uptown New Orleans on the River) and was sold by the US to the State of Louisiana WITH THE UNDERSTANDING IT WOULD BE USED AS A HOSPITAL UNTIL 2011!

If it isn't, ownership reverts back to the US Gov't. Obviously that is preferable to a "fire sale" of the property by Jindal. We are trying to use that as an incentive to let another State owned hospital run the facility to combat the need here.

Then State Rep. Neil Abramson sent me an exclusive e-mail:

We have a severe mental health crisis in New Orleans. We have a growing number of people with mental health needs while our mental health services are significantly lower since Katrina. The closure of the New Orleans Adolescent Hospital (NOAH), the only state run mental health facility in the New Orleans area, only exacerbates that problem.

In the legislature, we funded NOAH to keep it open. Governor Jindal "line-item" vetoed that appropriation. Instead, his plan is to send all mental health patients 60 miles away, across a 24 mile bridge over Lake Ponchartrain, to receive critical mental health hospital services. [...]

Closing NOAH and having no mental health hospital services in New Orleans flies in the face of the entire reason NOAH was established in the first place. And, there is more of a mental health need now than ever before. Quite simply, it makes absolutely no sense.

The non-sensical nature of NOAH's closing is even more disheartening because it wasn't about the money. Louisiana, just like many other parts of the country, is facing economic issues and we had to cut spending in places. In the legislature, we were able to allocate funding to keep NOAH open by still operating within our existing budget. As public spending was cut across the board 15% or so, we reduced NOAH by the same amount as other facilities. Yet, we kept it open to provide the vital resources it does.

What is sometimes lost in the discussion is that NOAH services low-income, medicaid patients, and it was established to treat adolescents, although adults were treated or evaluated there after Katrina because of lack of other facilities. These kids need to be close to their families, and the entire families need to be part of the counseling in order for the treatment to be productive. Most of these kids and families do not have the ability or the means to travel to 60 miles, across a long bridge. They can easily get to NOAH using public city transportation. Therefore, moving the services to the Northshore is like throwing all of the money away because the services need to be in New Orleans to be worthwhile. [...]

It is already being reported that our Parish Jail is now becoming the new mental health hospital. [By this, Rep. Abramson means that "those who should be in NOAH are doing things they shouldn't, and end up in jail instead."]

Unacceptable. Why is it that mental health is like the poor stepchild when it comes to care? If someone broke a limb, it would be tended to immediately and professionally.... well, with the proper insurance... and hospitals... and medical personnel.

But emotional/mental issues? Ignored, shunned, punted.

Our entire health care system is in desperate need of repair, just as New Orleans is. But for now, let's stick to NOAH.

I called Rep. Abramson just now for further comment. Here is some of what he told me, starting with his main points. All are direct quotes, some are paraphrased just a little, because I had to write so fast as he talked:

We have to be problem-solvers, not bean counters... no matter whose idea it is. We can't have tunnel vision.

The real problem, unfortunately, is this became an issue of politics: Who has the idea and whether or not we need to be problem solvers, not bean counters.

Jindal decided to save money, to consolidate two state mental hospitals into one. It became obvious to me that you can save all the money you want, but the facility HAD to be in New Orleans to address the needs of the patients.

They wanted to save money, of course. But I went to the administration and said [the facility, NOAH] has to be in New Orleans. If it's too inefficent, give me an alternative, an economically viable one that puts services in New Orleans. It can be NOAH, or it can be someone else, but it must be here.

They got bogged down in "this is my concept", so I got money to keep NOAH open. We weren't asking to raise taxes, but to operate within the same existing structure as everyone else. But no thought was given to this. We need a better system.

I was trying to solve the problem. But it came down to "my way or the highway." Jindal vetoed the funding.

I just want the best idea, no matter whose idea it is.

I asked Rep. Abramson if some people think that Bobby Jindal is anti-low income, anti-minority. Jindal didn't carry New Orleans, so politically, they are not a priority. Rep. Abramson thinks it's more about "the governor being in campaign mode" than anything.

What do you think?

Here are a few excerpts from a Washington Times piece that the Abramsons pointed me to:

A mental health crisis that has swamped this city's care facilities as surely as Hurricane Katrina's floodwaters washed over the Lower 9th Ward is about to become even worse, care providers say.

New Orleans already is struggling with fewer than half of the inpatient beds for the mentally ill that it had before the 2005 hurricane - even as suicide rates and the number of people with mental health problems have doubled. [...]

"What we have is PTSD on steroids," the doctor said. [...]

State Rep. Neal Abramson, whose district includes New Orleans, mounted a last-ditch effort to keep the hospital open. [Laffy Note: They misspelled his name]

"For people who need the facility, they are looking at over an hour of travel, and most people don't have the means to get there," said Mr. Abramson.

For those who don't have cars, he said, the hospital might as well be moving to Arkansas. [...]

"I've told people for so long, just don't come back [to New Orleans] right now," said Cecile Tebo, administrator of the New Orleans Police Department Crisis Unit that responds to 911 calls involving the mentally ill.

"Don't come back if you have any kind of special needs; this is not the place to be if you have elderly that are really sick, if you have children with special needs or people in the family with mental illness or mental retardation; this is just not a good place to be right now," said Mrs. Tebo, whose own staff of volunteers is just a little more than half the size it was before Katrina.

Tomorrow, President Obama is going to New Orleans. This story will get a whole lot bigger in the next 24 hours.

Irish eyes keep on smiling, according to latest research

I'm telling you wotching, one of these days I'm just going to show up on your front step. Their secret? IMHO, it's all the damn walking they do.

IRISH PEOPLE are among the happiest and most optimistic in Europe and believe themselves to be the healthiest, according to a major new survey.

Ireland also ranks third out of 27 countries on an index of mental health contained in the quality of life survey carried out by an EU agency.

Only Norway and the Netherlands scored higher in the index, which measured how calm, active, rested and interested in life respondents were.

Some 83 per cent of Irish people said their health was good or very good, higher than in any other European country, even those like France with much-lauded health systems. Yet more than one-third reported difficulties accessing health services, in terms of waiting times for appointments, waiting times to be seen and the cost of medical treatment.