I’m a Republican and I want better answers from Republican candidates for governor | Opinion

I’m writing this as a registered Republican voter and one who is very disturbed with the simplistic approach gubernatorial candidate Kelly Craft is taking to solicit support for very complicated issues.

Let me be clear. I am not working for any candidate in the race and my vote is undecided. Education, some form of gun control, improving healthcare, especially mental health, are all issues of concern to me. My intent is to help clarify some of the complications that interfere with advancement for these concerns and why simplistic answers just don’t work.

Education: In 1990 through KERA (Kentucky Education Reform Act), steps were taken to remove K-12 Education from partisan politics by establishing an independent Education Board with members appointed by the Governor with staggered terms. The Board then became responsible for the hiring/firing of the Commissioner of Education. It was recommended that appointed board members be represented by both Republicans and Democrats.

Dismantling the Kentucky Department of Education, particularly removing the current Commissioner, would only cause disruption as it has for the past few years. In fairness to Kelly Craft, her tactic to fire the Education Commissioner has been a common theme touted in the past by both Republican and Democratic gubernatorial candidates. When elected, each of the past two Governors (Matt Bevin and Andy Beshear) reorganized the State Education Board, terminating board members, thus forcing the commissioners at that time to resign. Kentucky lost one very capable Education Commissioner when Stephen Pruitt resigned in advance of being fired by a newly appointed board. And, Wayne Lewis, a Republican and the first Black education chief resigned under pressure when Gov. Andy Beshear again dismantled the membership of the state board. KERA hasn’t worked very well, has it? Perhaps, that’s why our statewide educational system remains in the lower tier of state rankings.

Mental Health and Expanding Resources: I applaud all the candidates for wanting to expand mental health services. Truthfully, there are few, and rarely is there ever any coordination of care. Where are the acute inpatient psychiatric facilities? Where are the teams of healthcare professionals who work together to assess and treat mental health with both cognitive and medical therapy? Take out the few truly respectable addiction facilities, and there are none that offer immediate safe care in an inpatient facility. People in crisis with severe depression, anxiety, bipolar and personality disorders, to name a few, have nowhere to go except to a hospital emergency department, most of which have no psychiatrist on staff. Families and friends who know of a person in a critical state have few resources when it comes to immediate treatment. The scenario is at best a 24-hour hold. Placing a loved one in a treatment facility for safety is almost non-existent. Private offices where psychologists, psychiatrists and psychiatric nurse practitioners practice are currently overwhelmed and rarely available for mental health patients in crisis. Timely scheduling for new patients is difficult. Reimbursement for mental health care is limited, and a strain financially for most families. Mental health care and physical health care cannot be separated! Electing a capable Governor to pressure and seek solutions with health insurance companies, legislators and representatives from all healthcare arenas needs to occur. This is a dire need with health and financial implications for all.

I appreciate the safety act passed by the legislature that called for more mental health resources for K-12 students and the staffing for safety officers to be present in the schools. However, adding counselors and safety officers without adding the additional resource of full-time school nurses left a major hole in addressing this need. Imagine what could happen if each school had its own health and safety care team working together and communicating with teachers so children can feel secure and be in a learning environment that is truly safe and free from heightened anxiety? Covid and school shootings both impacted learning, resulting in mental and physical health consequences.

Gun Control: Some measures need to occur, and everyone I speak with agrees. When is enough, enough? Policies need to be changed through legislation. I applaud Mayor Greenberg from Louisville for alerting the public and taking such a strong stance that a gun used to take a life doesn’t need to be resold and back on the streets. What is wrong with background checks at both gun shows and stores where they are sold? I do believe in self-protection and the right to have a gun. But, in my opinion, semi-automatics aren’t needed except by the police or our military. Please, let’s have a conversation, advocate, and act for some reasonable solutions. The Red Flag law passed by several states seems to be a good first step!

In closing, I encourage those who are running for the top position of Governor to be bold and provide voters with real plans and not political jargon simply to get elected. Voters like me are tired of redundant verbiage. Lastly, I hope the legislators across the state will put away their red or blue uniforms. For the sake of all Kentuckians, please remember that once elected, you are representing all of us in this beautiful state of Kentucky.

Carol Komara, RN, MSN is a former nurse leader and consultant and a former member of the Kentucky Board of Education.