Tag Archive for florida

The Disabled Can and Should Vote

| November 4, 2011 | No comments

From our friend at WaiverProvider.com

Florida Unites is launching an aggressive campaign to get people who are interested in disability issues to vote. Please fill out this survey regarding your status as a voter. It is a one question, multiple choice survey.

If you are not yet registered to vote, please register.
Voters Application Form-
http://election.dos.state.fl.us/voter-registration/voter-reg.shtml

People with disabilities can and do VOTE. Their votes COUNT. Their caregivers, family members, and advocates vote too. Florida elections are often close. Your vote can turn the tide.

Your vote tells elected officials what you think about how they
are running the government. It tells your elected officials that
you approve or disapprove of their actions. It tells your elected officials that you are paying attention. Vote for people who care about and fund the programs that keep you healthy and safe.

Not everyone who should have a voice at the polls has been able to have their voice heard. The disability community can be a powerful voice for change. Vote.

Voters Application Form-
http://election.dos.state.fl.us/voter-registration/voter-reg.shtml

*** Be advised that there are new laws for anyone who collects voter registration applications. Not following these laws may result in fines. ***
http://election.dos.state.fl.us/voter-registration/third-party.shtml

Keep squeaking those wheels – get out and vote. You can make a difference.

Category: Being Disabled, Disabilities, Living With A Disability | Tags: , , , , , ,

Riding the Short Bus is Not Supposed to Hurt

| November 2, 2011 | No comments

Yet another school bus driver is caught on camera abusing a student with disabilities.  Please I am in no way painting all bus drivers as abusive.  It is a hard and thankless job. However, we had numerous reports of school bus drivers abusing children physically or verbally.  Additionally, we have had numerous reports of children, especially children with disabilities being left on the bus.

Watch the video.

This should be an indication of a pattern.  School bus drivers need to be better screened, trained and monitored.  Our children, no matter what their ability or lack of ability, should be safe on the school bus.

Just as School is Not Supposed to Hurt – Riding the Short Bus is Not Supposed to Hurt.

The short bus, of course, is the bus for the children with special needs.  They are not allowed, in most school districts, to ride the regular school bus.  I actually remember the principal of an elementary school saying that she did not want “Those kids mixing with the normal students.”

This is an attitude that most find offensive.  It is also an attitude that most parents probably believe does not exist.  I can tell you that it does exist.  Our children; those who ride the short bus; those who have disabilities; those with special needs; are routinely segregated.

Most parents believe that their special needs children are better protected on the short bus.  They believe that their special needs children will be safer on the short bus.

Take a look at this video and you will see that they are not safer. You will see that children with disabilities who ride the short bus are vulnerable.

They are vulnerable because the employees who are entrusted with protecting our children do not do their job.  They claim they are stressed or over worked.  Join the club.  Ask the mother or father of a child with special needs how hard it is to parent them.  If anyone should be burned our, stressed or over worked, it is the parents.

School is Not Supposed to Hurt – Riding the Short Bus is Not Supposed to Hurt.  But hurt is does.

Keep squeaking those wheels – you do not have to take it anymore.

Category: Being Disabled, Disabilities, Education, Growing Up Disabled, Living With A Disability, News Story, Raising A Disabled Child | Tags: , , , ,

Left Behind Children and Adults with Disabilities Who Have No Services

| October 28, 2011 | No comments

Mike Coonan is the President of Left Behind in the USA.  He fights a very tough battle to help children and adults with disabilities receive the services necessary for them to live a full and rewarding life.

Unfortunately he fights a battle that may never end and that he may never win.  However, despite this, he continues to fight on.

Currently nearly 400,000 disabled Americans live marginalized lives because they do not receive services that would help them live on their own, work or get out into the community.

His organizations opening statement is:

Left Behind in the USA is a non-profit organizations representing families whose child/loved one with autism, cerebral palsy, mental retardation/intellectual disability and related Developmental Disability is on Medicaid Waiver waiting lists. We are dedicated to educating and empowering families on the Medicaid Waiver waiting list.

Keep fighting the fight and keep providing a voice for those who have no voice.  You are not alone.

Keep squeaking your wheels – they will have to pay attention.

Category: APD Budget Cuts, APD Waiver, Being Disabled, Disabilities, Growing Up Disabled, Living With A Disability, Raising A Disabled Child | Tags: , , , , , ,

Mckay Scholarship Under Attack

| October 24, 2011 | No comments

The headline reads – “New Times exposé forces McKay scholarship reform”.  This has prompted legislators here in Florida to take a look at the McKay scholarship.  There has been fraud and misuse; there is no doubt about that.

The real question now is how will they respond?  Will they increase oversight on the how the scholarship money is being used?  Will they put so many restrictions on it, that it becomes worthless or so hard to qualify for that no one will use it?

The McKay scholarship is primarily for students in public schools who have a disability.  The scholarship allows the parent to remove the student from public school and place the child in a more appropriate private school environment.

Florida public schools have failed miserably when it comes to educating children with disabilities.  The abuse and misuse of seclusion and restraint results in these children being physically and emotionally harmed.  There were over 10,000 incidents of restraint in Florida in class rooms during the last school year.

Public schools in Florida have failed to provide proper and appropriate education for students with special needs.  They routinely place them on a track to receive a “Special Diploma”.  Translate into a “Worthless Diploma.”

The purpose of education is to educate.  Florida schools typically warehouse students with disabilities until they can legally pass them out into society.  These children, now adults, are unprepared and have no job or life skills.

The McKay scholarship was the one hope for many families.  It was the one chance that their child could get an appropriate education.

Now that hope is in jeopardy.  Scandal and budget shortages do not make a good match.  The fixes that the legislature enacts to prevent fraud should not prevent parents from being able to readily and easily access the scholarship.

Any restrictions on the scholarship should not affect the intent.  That being to allow children with disabilities to take their matrix money with them and attend a private school that will provide them with the education they need to be productive and successful adults.

Parents speak up and keep squeaking those wheels.

Category: Being Disabled, Disabilities, Education, Growing Up Disabled, Living With A Disability, Raising A Disabled Child, Restraint | Tags: , , , , , , ,

Florida – APD Announces A Schedule of Cuts

| October 21, 2011 | No comments

From Aaron Nangle of WaiverProvider.com

October 19, 2011

Director Mike Hansen presented an update on the agency’s cost-containment efforts today to the House of Representatives Health Care Appropriations Subcommittee.

The Legislature approved $810 million for APD’s Medicaid waiver for the 2011-12 state fiscal year that began on July 1. APD customers received $930 million worth of services last year.

The agency has been working to bring its waiver expenditures within the Legislative appropriation this fiscal year. The agency is also looking for opportunities to increase waiver flexibility and equity for customers, while continuing to protect their health and safety.

Earlier this month, APD shared five cost containment
initiatives with various legislative committees that would reduce APD’s waiver obligations. The director was asked to bring back a proposed timeline for implementing the changes.

The timeframes may be contingent on developing new rules or federal approval from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS).

At today’s meeting, Hansen announced plans to standardize payment rates for intensive behavior residential habilitation beginning January 1, 2012. Also on that same date, the agency will begin collecting fees from APD customers who have income to offset some of their costs of living in a group home.

APD plans to reduce the rates it pays for therapy assessments and all nursing services to the standard rate paid by the Medicaid State Plan beginning April 1, 2012.  Currently, the APD Medicaid waiver pays higher rates for most of these services.

Also on the same date, APD will reduce the difference it pays between solo providers and agencies for waiver services to no more than 20 percent. Currently, those rates may differ up to 43 percent.

There was no timeline announced today for implementing cost sharing for parents who have children on the Medicaid waiver. APD is working with the Agency for Health Care Administration on this issue.

The change to the waiver requires federal approval.

After pursuing these cost-containment initiatives to APD’s Medicaid waiver, the agency expects to realize more than $14 million in reduced expenditures on an annual basis. 

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Keep raising your voices and squeaking your wheels.  We can not let those who are them most vulnerable suffer from these cuts.

Category: APD Budget Cuts, APD Waiver, Being Disabled, Disabilities, Health Issues, Living With A Disability | Tags: , , , , , ,

SportsAbility in Ocala 2011

| October 17, 2011 | No comments

Me Water Skiing

Before I talk about my experience and all, you are probably wondering what SportsAbility is. It is the premier event of the Florida Disabled Outdoors Association (FDOA). This event is about enhancing the lives of people with disabilities by promoting active living.

SportsAbility provides first hand access to resources and demonstrations of activities

Horseback Riding

designed to encourage participation regardless of age or ability level. People who attend SportsAbility learn about the value of recreation and active leisure for everyone – especially people with disabilities.

People discover the latest in equipment, trends, and resources. This event provides an opportunity for people to network with people with disabilities, resource providers, and community organizations. There is NO CHARGE to participants.

Here we go; I arrived on the first day at the Ed Crowsky Center and signed in as a participant and a volunteer. I got a few pictures taken and then went inside to look at all the wonderful vendors. I went to the Marion County Disability Alliance table to work it until 11 am. I decided to go outside at 11 and see what all was going on. I head down to the horses and on the way I passed tennis, golf, bocce, disc golf and much more. I arrived at the horses and signed the release form so I could ride a horse. While waiting to ride, I met my friend Melissa who also rode the horse. We chatted until it was time.

The volunteers rolled me up the ramp so they could help me on the horse. I haven’t ridden a horse in a couple years so I had to hold on for dear life! I had a blast and it shows that anyone can ride a horse.

I went back inside to get ready to demo scuba diving at 1 pm. The person helping me put on my scuba suit had to do it twice, because the silly man put it on backwards the first time. I headed out to the pool where I demoed the scuba diving. I had a blast and while waiting for them to do the other people. I floated around and swam in my scuba suit. Everyone can go scuba diving. If anyone tells you know you can’t do scuba diving or anything else, they are so wrong.

That was the end of the first day so I went home and rested. I got up on the second day, ready for more fun and living.

The second day of SportsAbility was at Carney Island County Park. I took a hay ride that transported people to the other side of the park. Over there I went water skiing and then watched people shoot bow and arrows, go canoeing, kayaking, and more.

Afterwards, I went back have lunch and talk to some friends, new ones and old ones. This was a great event and I want you to remember that if someone says you can’t do something, they are dead wrong. You can show them this video of people with disabilities doing and having fun.  Video

SPORTSABILITY is much more than fun. It is a wonderful occasion to help educate the public about the importance of physical activity and about recreational opportunities while also providing valuable information of other important community resources available to people, including those with disabilities.

Remember to live your life to the fullest and squeak out all of the negatives that say you can not do!

Category: Disabilities, Growing Up Disabled, Living With A Disability | Tags: , , , , , ,

Friendship is Huge

| October 12, 2011 | No comments

I don’t know if you ever thought about how friendship is a major part of life!

Living with a disability and making friends can be very difficult. People assume you are nothing so they don’t even take the chance to come up to you and start a conversation. This needs to change because people with disabilities are like anyone else and can make wonderful friends.

Let’s take my life for example.  I am in a wheelchair and people rarely approach me until I approach them. This is frustrating, but over the years I have made some awesome friends.

One friend I knew from college reconnected and we started chatting about 10 months ago. We went to a couple charity and business events, and had a great time! We became such great friends that we started hanging out a lot.  I even made her dinner. She is such a great friend and friends like her are what make your life better. I just want to say thank you for being my friend!

I also met my good friend Judy who was on the Florida Developmental Disability Council. I met her through my dad and we are hopefully going to be working together on some disability awareness projects.

I also want to mention a few more friends that I have done things with.  We go to the movies, to the comedy club, to events and more. Shout out to two ladies I met through my friend Joel Weisner from What’s Up Ocala.

I been feeling lately that I have to do some soul searching and find a relationship.  However, I have decided that finding friends is more important right now.

I want you to know that great friends are important and will go far with you. Sometimes when you are with your friends both you and they forget about your disability and you are just another one of the guys.

Go out and make you some friends and remember to keep squeaking you wheels!

Category: Being Disabled, Disabilities, Growing Up Disabled, Living With A Disability | Tags: , , , , , , ,

Who Needs People?

| October 5, 2011 | One comment

I was going around today and this popped into my mind. Are women, men and all people just out there for themselves and not giving a crap about anyone else?

Some people open up there lives and let you into it. They help you in times of need, pray for you, fight for you, and sometimes die for you.  They basically give up a lot of their life to help someone else.  They give up part of their life to give someone a better life.

Most people still blow them off and do not act thankful.

Let me give you some examples in my life. I have a disability which is a major obstacle in our society.  I usually open up my heart to everyone and try and help them have the best life they can.  However, I find that even though I do that, people just shrug me off.

I find this interesting.  People say they admire me, look up to me and like what I do.  However, when they need something they know I can help them with, rather than go with me or sometimes even talk to me, they go with someone else. How so very frustrating!!!

People with disabilities try to live like everyone else in this world. We want to be part of society, help the economy and so much more. We just want to be like everyone else.  What is wrong with this world?

I am getting to a point that if it continues this way, I will stop opening up my heart and do whatever the heck I want! I try and help everyone I can.

Sometimes I want to be more apart of people’s life but they keep pushing me to the side. I am sick of it!!!! This world needs to wake up. We can all be better human beings!!!

Look at yourself and the world.  Keep squeaking until the world finally wakes up.

Category: Being Disabled, Disabilities, Growing Up Disabled, Living With A Disability | Tags: , , , , , ,

Share The Blessing for The Disabled

| October 3, 2011 | 2 comments

Disabled Left Behind in Florida

Guest blog by Mike Coonan, President Left Behind in the USA   

In Florida, 21,000 people (mostly children) with a developmental disability, such as mental retardation, autism, cerebral palsy and related conditions are living at home and are waiting for the Medicaid Waiver services.  They have been on the waiting list for the last eight years. Across America, more than 370,000 people (mostly children) with the same conditions are also lingering on similar waiting lists. We are told by our state elected officials that there is no end in sight for ending the Medicaid Waiver waiting lists.

At the same time, many families receiving Medicaid waiver services tell us that they are willing to share these precious resources.  Those of us on the waiting list are thankful for their thoughtful consideration of our plight. Their gracious words of support have encouraged us to work towards a more equitable situation.

To that end, Left Behind in the USA is proposing that the Developmental Disability Community review policy and organizational barriers preventing Medicaid Waiver services and supports from being shared with families in need.  Left Behind in the USA is now on a quest to learn more about the following:

 

  • How the Medicaid Waiver rules can be restructured to allow for the voluntary sharing of support services from families getting services to families on the waiting lists.          For example, if a family is receiving $14,000 worth of Medicaid Waiver services, how            can they share         10% of these services to help someone on the waiting list?
  • When the Medicaid Waiver program is restructured to allow for sharing, how do families who are willing to share with those in the greatest need get connected?
  • How can we implement this program with virtually no costs?
  • Who is willing to help families on the Medicaid Waiver waiting lists obtain more help in Sharing the Blessings?
  • Assure that families who may choose to share services do not suffer a reduction in their service level as a result of their generosity.

Our expectation is that the Sharing the Blessings program will benefit thousands of families who are presently not receiving any help.  In addition, we firmly believe our program will shine a little light of hope in a bleak world for the families lingering on waiting lists.

Keep squeaking your wheels – One day they will listen to us.

Category: APD Budget Cuts, APD Waiver, Autism, Being Disabled, Disabilities, Living With A Disability | Tags: , , , , ,

The Disabled Are Fair Game For Killing

| September 30, 2011 | No comments

The disabled are fair game for killing both inside and outside the womb.  I know raising a child with a disability can be hard.  I have one.  I have many friends who have children with disabilities.

No matter how frustrating.  No matter how hard.  No matter how bad things have gotten.  I have never had one of my friends say they wish their child was dead.

How could any mother want their child dead?  How could any father want their child dead?

Recently a jury in South Florida – West Palm Beach – awarded $4.5 million to parents because they were not given the chance to kill (abort) their son.  The child was born with no arms and one leg.

Wow – these parents are saying they wished their son was dead.  They are saying that they (the couple) would prefer not to have their son.  Even worse a jury decided the child would be better off dead and awarded the parents money as compensation.

Now the award is for money to care for their son.  However, the message is clear – The Disabled Are Expendable.

What does this tell the rest of society?  Yes it is OK to abuse or neglect the disabled; after all they are better off dead.  Those parents and society by extension would be better served if the disabled had never been allowed to be born.

This does not allow that anyone with a disability can have a good quality life.  This does not allow that anyone with a disability can contribute to society.  This does not allow that anyone with a disability can have a family or people who love and care for them.

The Disabled Are Expendable

In the early years of Hitler’s rise to power he was a proponent of euthanasia.  That is the killing off of the weak, unwanted and burdensome.  He was in favor of killing them in and out of the womb.  That is a horrible thought.

However, do you what he modeled his euthanasia legislation after?  He modeled his euthanasia laws after the laws of Virginia and other states here in the US.

Our disregard for the disabled is not new.  We are seeing it raising its ugly head again.  Budgets are tight so now we can kill off the disabled; in fact we should not even let them be born.

Keep squeaking those wheels.

This was originally posted on The View From The Dark Side Of The Moon Blog.

Category: Being Disabled, Disabilities, Living With A Disability, News Story, Raising A Disabled Child | Tags: , , , ,
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