Gianforte’s Broken Promise: State Health Department Backlog Creates Bureaucratic Nightmares
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Thursday, January 12, 2024
CONTACT
gaby@montanademocrats.org
A Backlog in Payments to State Contractors is Forcing Cuts to Critical Services for Montanans Across the State
Helena, MT – Governor Gianforte has not only failed on his campaign promise to cut red tape – he’s made things worse.
Bureaucratic hoops and new legislative mandates are creating a bottleneck at the Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services – forcing providers to turn away clients and local governments to search for alternative funding for critical programs.
The Montana Free Press reported today a variety of reasons Governor Greg Gianforte’s efforts to “help cut red tape” are failing miserably, as state contractors go unpaid and Montanans are denied critical care and services.
The backlog at the state health department is pervasive, affecting state contractors that provide mental health services, to substance abuse and addiction recovery support to mobile crisis response services – not to mention the number of staff layoffs as a direct result of these critical organizations going unpaid.
“This is just another example of dangerous leadership from Governor Gianforte,” said Sheila Hogan, Executive Director of the MontanaDemocratic Party. “Montanans across the state are left to bear the brunt of the Governor’s bureaucratic missteps, and it is no hyperbole to say this could cost lives.”
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