MAC Day at the Legislature


Missoula County Commissioner Dave Strohmaier, daughter Liezel Strohmaier and The Rev. Gretchen Strohmaier at MAC Day at the Legislature. Gretchen testified before the legislature in support of case management.

By bus and by car, a dozen or so Holy Spirit parishioners made their way to Helena on a snowy Martin Luther King Jr. Day to attend hearings, meet legislators and participate in activities hosted by MAC, Montana Association of Christians.

At the Capitol, many in the Holy Spirit delegation attended portions of a budget hearing focusing on funding on programs for the developmentally disabled. They heard impressive testimony from Missoulians, focused on the need for better case management, better overall funding for the behavioral health management system and continued Medicaid expansion. Holy Spirit is advocating this year on these issues and it felt good to have so many standing together. It was a good example, parishioners said, of the Holy Spirit in action.

At a luncheon in the Capitol Rotunda, delegates were able to talk to legislators who were eager to learn about our concerns, and were also able to exchange notes and impressions with other MAC members from Missoula and from other parts of the state. MAC is also planning to follow up as legislation progresses.

In the morning, MAC members were briefed by lobbyist Abigail St. Lawrence on how to advocate effectively. In the early afternoon, they were welcomed and applauded by the Senate as they sat in the gallery.

Holy Spirit parishioners (near tables) joined other MAC members from across
 the state for a meet-the-legislators luncheon in the Capitol Rotunda


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