FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASEMEDIA CONTACT:
Austin Parrish
651.297.8407
Austin.Parrish@house.mn.gov
News Release
Rep. Zeleznikar Calls for Solution to Proposed Closure of CARE Carlton Carlton, MN — Carlton chemical dependency and substantive abuse treatment program for women faces proposal by Gov. Tim Walz which has them shutting down by July 1. This specialized treatment setting alleviates the strain placed on jails and community hospitals, as these settings are already facing challenges trying to place those with severe needs. If this plan goes through, a new group of people will fall through the cracks, and that is a group of very vulnerable women in Carlton MN. Rep. Zeleznikar (R - Fredenberg Township) believes the CARE programs should not be closed, and the programming needs for civil commitments need to happen as well. Zeleznikar is on the House Health Human Services Finance committee and has a background in healthcare. She was in the meeting room April 9 when legislators were first informed of the plan to shut down CARE Carlton. “Closing CARE Carlton is short-sighted,” Zeleznikar said. “Not only will we fail to provide services to people who need them, but it will have a domino effect by further straining our hospitals and the jails. Currently, jails are experiencing a 50-percent increase in civil commitments, leaving men and women behind bars as they wait for a bed to become available – which could be months. If the governor’s plan goes through, a new group of people will fall through the cracks, and that is a group of very vulnerable women. We can’t let that happen.” Zeleznikar recently visited CARE Carlton to discuss this issue with staff and take a closer look at its operation. “Our tour was so helpful, and we are fighting very hard to keep CARE Carlton open,” Zeleznikar said. “We simply can’t close a program which helps so many women simply because the majority did not make it a priority last session despite a historic surplus. This specialized treatment setting provides much-needed care, alleviates the strain placed on jails and community hospitals and must remain open to help local people with severe needs.” ### |