YULEE, Fla. — Two state lawmakers are considering withholding state funding if the CEO of a Nassau County mental health agency does not step down.

Florida State Senator Clay Yarborough and Representative Dean Black are calling for the CEO of Starting Point Behavioral Healthcare, Dr. Laureen Pagel, to resign.

"We can't go to our constituents, to the taxpayers out there with confidence and say we're fully supportive, we give our stamp of approval on this organization," Yarborough explained.

The lawmakers claim Starting Point lacks transparency when it comes to children and teens. Their concerns stem from a lawsuit filed by a conservative activist in February 2024. John Knocke and his Citizens Defending Freedom group requested to see lessons administered by Starting Point to students in Na

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