Question 22: "Is this board employing a lobbyist to represent LPCs at the state level? If so, is she the same lobbyist who has represented us in the past? Is she also in contact with Mr. Blundo?"

Answer: We, the elected MMHCA board, have a contract with Acuitas, the same lobbying firm MMHCA has contracted with since at least 2018. Andrea Cascarilla was the Acuitas lobbyist who represented MMHCA in the past. She is no longer with Acuitas. We have been grateful to work with Lobbyist Carson Gatt from Acuitas for several years now. Mr. Blundo and his group do not have access to our lobbyist. We depend on membership dues to cover the monthly cost of this essential piece (currently $1670/month.)

Mr. Blundo, Dr. Schaeffer, Dr. Ametrano and Dr. Emde’s group, DBA Michigan LPCs, is currently claiming on their website that Acuitas is their lobbyist but that is not true. Our lobbyist has requested in writing they remove Acuitas from their website.