ELECTION: Mental health a key issue at county level

BEMIDJI—If there was one thing the candidates for Beltrami County Board of Commissioners could agree on Thursday evening, it's that improving mental health care services is a must.

At a candidate forum held at Bemidji City Hall by the Citizens for an Informed Electorate, District 2, 4 and 5 incumbents Joe Vene, Tim Sumner and Jim Lucachick and their respective challengers Reed Olson, Vince Gross and Ralph Morris, were asked about the high costs of the jail. A solution in many of the responses was working to improve the mental health services as well as drug dependency treatment.

"The mental health issue is bigger than the county," said Lucachick. "We're stuck at a reactionary point of view at the county. We need to find better ways to care for these people at the state and federal level. Then we can do it better at the county."

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