Search Results: ‘MNTC’

Rep. Tom Emmer introduced a bill last Thursday mandating photo identification in order to vote in Minnesota. Emmer, a Republican candidate for governor, has gained the support of the Tea Party on the bill.

Pat Robertson generated outrage last week when he said he believes Haiti’s problems stem from a pact the nation made with the devil in 1804, but his remarks aren’t unique among evangelical Christians, even in Minnesota. While not all subscribe to the view that Satan is to blame for last week’s devastating earthquake, some say Haiti’s salvation will only come about if its inhabitants abandon their Vodou religious practices and turn to Jesus Christ.

Minnesota Teen Challenge describes itself as a “para-church” ministry that completes the “spiritual restoration” of Minnesotans dealing with drug addiction, yet over the last seven years it’s received more than $10 million in government funds — and twice the Minnesota Legislature has singled the program out for a raise. The arrangement raises questions about the constitutional separation of church and state, and some experts say the state has overstepped its bounds in contracting with Teen Challenge.

Last December, after the Minnesota Independent ran an article about Minnesota Teen Challenge and the federal earmark the Christian drug treatment center is receiving, the group wrote in to challenge the Independent’s characterization of their programs. But, a review of documents from the Minnesota Department of Human Services and Hennepin County calls into question the merits of MNTC’s complaints.

A former crack user says she kicked her addiction because she found Jesus at Minnesota Teen Challenge. A man says that God healed his liver after a prayer service at the Christian drug treatment facility. While its clients sing its praises — some claiming it saved their lives — should such an overtly religious program be receiving taxpayer funding? According to state records, MNTC has gotten more than $2 million from the state of Minnesota since 2007.

Gov. Tim Pawlenty has disbanded his gubernatorial committee, formalizing his decision not to seek a third term. In terminating the organization, he had to disburse more than $500,000 in remaining campaign funds. The funds were split almost evenly between political contributions and charitable gifts, as reported by Tom Scheck at Minnesota Public Radio.

A group monitoring issues surrounding the separation of church and state is urging Attorney General Eric Holder to revoke an earmark to Minnesota Teen Challenge, a Christian chemical dependency treatment center based in Minneapolis. In a letter to Holder, Americans United for the Separation of Church and State argue that MNTC has used taxpayer money [...]

If you accept taxpayer money, you have to accept that you’re going to receive public scrutiny. That simple point seems to be eluding Minnesota Teen Challenge (MNTC), the faith-based drug treatment program which secured a federal earmark in early 2008 arranged by Rep. Jim Ramstad, for its “Know the Truth” program which aims to prevent drug use.

Last week, the program sent two nearly identical letters to both the Minnesota Independent and the Huffington Post responding to articles critical of their programming.

Minnesota Teen Challenge, the subject of the story “Up in smoke: Will Ramstad’s faith-based earmark hurt his chances to win drug czar post?,” has asked for space to respond. As MnIndy did not contact the organization for that piece, we complied. Here’s the full letter from MNTC executive director, Rich Scherber:
This is in response to [...]

Throughout his career, retiring Republican Rep. Jim Ramstad championed the needs of people battling mental illness or chemical addiction, often through the lens of his own experience as a recovering alcoholic. For that reason, his name tops the list of possible appointments by the Obama administration as either drug czar or administrator of the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Administration. But, should he get the nod for either spot, one Ramstad-sponsored earmark could raise questions in his confirmation hearings — $235,000 that went to the Minnesota Teen Challenge, an Assemblies of God drug treatment center with a history of controversial therapies and overt religious indoctrination.