PENDER: $300,000 Dept of Mental Health study kept secret

GEOFF PENDER: Signed, sealed and secret: Mental health study sealed

Taxpayers shelled out $300,000 last year on a study of the state’s troubled mental health services for children and housing for the mentally handicapped.

But you can’t see it. It’s a secret.

After The Clarion-Ledger asked for the report last year, the state Department of Mental Health went to a federal judge and had it sealed.

The reasoning was the state was going to use the report to make reforms to settle a federal lawsuit and threatened litigation from the U.S. Department of Justice over claims the state fails to meet the needs of children and discriminates against those with mental health issues.

Clarion Ledger
10/22/16