SAINT PAUL, MINN. – Rep. John Persell (DFL – Bemidji) was recognized as “Legislator of the Year” by the Minnesota Association of Resources for Recovery and Chemical Health (MARRCH) Tuesday night at its annual conference in St. Paul.
“At the Legislature, a big priority of mine has been to get help to those who might be in jeopardy of slipping through the cracks, and we’ve certainly seen the consequences of this with regard to those facing addiction,” Rep. Persell said. “I’m honored to receive this award from MARRCH for the work we’ve done together, and look forward to collaborating on other strategies in the future.”
Specifically, Rep. Persell was lauded for his work on a bill to expand the “duty to warn” to post-degree interns and practicum students in the instance of a threat of violence to themselves or others. The duty to report a threat in this situation has long been mandated for practicing drug and alcohol counselors, marriage and family counselors, psychologists and other professionals, but courts have ruled that interns and practicum students were not included under this.
“There are folks suffering from chemical dependency who end up in a situation like this where intervention may be required to save a life,” Rep. Persell said. “It’s extremely important that as policymakers, we do everything we can to make sure front-line behavioral health professionals have the tools they need help these Minnesotans lead safe, healthy lives.”
Rep. Persell’s legislation was included in a broader human services policy bill this year, and was signed into law by Gov. Mark Dayton.
MAARCH membership consists of over 2,000 individuals and 77 organizations providing addiction services in Minnesota. In addition to advocacy for behavior health professionals at the State Capitol, association provides training, works to improve quality of treatment for those with substance abuse issues, works to protect communities from the harm and cost of untreated addiction.
Rep. Persell encourages constituents to contact him on any legislative issue. He can be reached by email at Rep.John.Persell@house.mn or by phone at 651-296-5516.
PHOTO: Rep. John Persell (DFL - Bemidji) receives the Minnesota Association of Resources for Recovery and Chemical Health (MARRCH) "Legislator of the Year" Award during the organization's annual conference held this week at the Saint Paul RiverCentre.