“Dr. Constantino’s time on the Commission coincides with some of the most difficult and stressful periods in DMH’s history (0ver 36 newspaper reports in the St. Louis Post Dispatch in 2006-7 on the Mental Health Commission and MRDD, more than all previous years combined). Multiyear funding reductions (This started under Governor Holden with the idea of offering early retirement to the veteran staff and cutting positions (FTE’s) from Regional Centers. What this has meant is the savings of money at the loss of seasoned, knowledgeable veterans- a serious brain drain over the past six years has occurred…) and the gradual erosion of DMH administrative (The turnover of leadership with numerous Department Directors, Division Directors and Regional Deputy Directors; the sacrificing of numerous people due to the bad PR regarding abuse, neglect and deaths. ) and clinical leadership impacted DMH’s ability to provide critically needed high-quality mental health services to Missourians (Yes, in certain trouble spots in the state. The St. Louis Hab. Center was the dominant focus.) Statewide concerns about the lack of client safety within DMH services, highlighted prominently by the media (see St. Louis Post Dispatch archives), further eroded DMH credibility (Which continues under the current administrative leadership (Schafer and Simons)which now believes the answer to future liability issues is to outsource services to less trained, poorly equipped and liberally supervised groups in the state; the SB 40s and Affiliated Community Service Providers (ACSP)-specifically, large private providers.)”