California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger has backed down from his plan to cut the budget for developmentally disabled Californians including autistic children.
Many thanks to Pacific John for letting us know in comments. The Gropinator has more.
The Los Angeles Times reports as follows:
In a startling reversal, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, whose proposed budget cuts in services for the developmentally disabled had caused a statewide outcry, agreed Wednesday to abandon the plan…Schwarzenegger sent shockwaves through the Legislature and the developmentally disabled population when, a few days after taking office Nov. 17, he singled out these Californians for his first round of cuts aimed at saving about $274 million over 18 months.
A torrent of angry protests by the disabled, their supporters, care providers and advocates greeted the proposal for cuts. Among the protests were a demonstration at the Capitol last month by thousands of protesters and a second demonstration of several hundred Tuesday in Los Angeles.
Being an action hero, the Governor denied that the protests had any effect on his position:
Administration officials denied that outside pressure had caused the governor to reverse himself. They told The Times that he had taken a second look at the cuts and told his administrators to abandon them and come back with alternatives.In a statement, the governor said he wanted to "find a thoughtful way to bring efficiencies to these services without capping the programs and shutting out families in need." He said he believed he had found a "better solution," but did not divulge it.
When I previously wrote about Schwarzenegger’s proposal, I noted that since the passage of the Lanterman Act thirty five years ago, Californians had chosen to be a leader in humane treatment of the developmentally disabled. I wrote:
Thirty five years ago, Californians proved themselves to be among the most caring, humane and decent people in the country. They were willing to pay the price to help the least fortunate among them. They were then willing to choose to be on the side of the angels.The only remaining question is whether that has changed in the last thirty five years.
Posted by Dwight Meredith at December 18, 2003 01:45 PM | TrackBack
As I mention at the Gropinator.net, Californians (and others) should call the hero-legislators who helped draw a line in the sand. Call Wesson and Burton and thank them for standing up for the rights of the disabled.
This really counts - Arnie's big rallies last week were all for show, legislators report virtually no resulting phone calls. Let's pat our guys on the back, they deserve it! ...I've linked the contact pages over at my place.
Thanks for the plug Dwight, you're a saint.
Good thought, Pacific John. More of us should do that. Especially after Kenneth Hahn in LA and Jerry Brown in Oakland gave all kinds of credit to Arnold for doing that peculiar end run around the legislature on local funding. Too many people have forgotten the disgusting role the Jerry Brown played in the passage of Prop 13.
One wonders also, if the Kennedy side of the family might have had a few well chosen words about these particular cuts; or perhaps it's just so hard to give up one's illusions.
Posted by: Leah A at December 22, 2003 04:42 AMTo be a human without passion is to be dead.
Posted by: Holwin Mic at January 26, 2004 09:02 PMApril 24, 2004
Dear Governor Schwarzenegger,
WANT TO SAVE BILLIONS OF TAX PAYING DOLLARS?
SIMPLY GET RID OF BOTH THE REGIONAL CENTERS AND DDS...........
Both of these systems have absorbed almost every bit of the allocated money provided to them intended for the purpose of providing services to DISABLED! MOST OF THE MONEY THEY RECEIVE NOW FOR SERVICES FOR THE DISABLED, IS NOT BEING USED ON SERVICES; IT IS ACTUALLY BEING USED ON OUTRAGES ADMINISTRATION COST AND WAGES!!!
LOOK UP: Charitable trust for non-profits ”Regional Centers”. You will be appalled, disgusted and even amazed.
MANY OF THE REGIONAL CENTERS DIRECTORS AND EMPLOYEES ARE ACTUALLY MAKING MORE MONEY THAN OUR LEGISLATORS, SENTATORS AND THE GOVERNOR, THAT WORK AT OUR STATE CAPITAL! Boy isn’t that a clue that something seriously needs to be done investigated and changed!
NO WONDER THEY THINK THEY ARE ABOVE OUR GOVERNMENT!
IF THEY THE REGIONAL CENTERS ARE ALLOWED TO CONTINUE HAVING THE CONTROL AT THE LEVELS THEY DO NOW, GET READY TO RE-OPEN UP THE STATE HOSIPTALS!
You might as well just get rid of both of those agencies, give parents and care providers of the disabled a resource book that lists services that are available and a medical card for them to purchase their own services; Currently when a consumer, family member or care providers ask for services available, they (Regional centers) only provide them with the resources they want too! Regional center have merely turned into a resource and profit agency!
I have been working hands on in this field for well over 20 years, you cant even believe the services that they (Regional Centers & DDS) have already cut on disabled, the power of control they have taken from disabled, their family members and etc. I have seen more abuse, neglect and fraud from within regional centers than I ever witnessed in the State Hospitals, Care Homes, Day Programs and so forth.
Little about me:
I am the younger sister of a developmentally disabled brother, (He is truly one of the biggest blessings in our lives), however, he had some bad things happen to him while he was in a State Hospital, the situation was not handled properly.
My mother then got involved with other parents and Care providers caring for the DD population and because of this a great group was formed CCAC, who really advocate for the DD population and their REAL RIGHTS! They have been advocating for the DD population for well over two decades. I was actively raised in this field as a very young child; I started volunteering at Stockton State Hospital at about the age of 10 or 11, I seen a lot of abuse, neglect and not always great memories.
However, I did have a lot of good times too, teaching the clients how to play baseball, basketball, dance, and one year I had all my friends help my mom and me dye over 10,000 Easter eggs for the clients at Stockton State Hospital for Easter; I got dressed up as the Easter bunny, hide some of the eggs and passed out the prizes. One year, Stockton State Hospital awarded me “Child Volunteer of the year!”
I learned a lot (compassion, thankfulness, WHAT VIOLATION OF CLIENTS RIGHTS ARE AND HOW TO ADVOCATE FOR WHAT IS RIGHT!). My mother and I each both run two of the best non-profit programs for the developmentally disabled. Our Board of Directors consists of Parents and Care providers; none of us are in this field for the money, as you can see it’s not the people that provide direct services making the money.
Many of us have seen more abuse within the Regional Centers: Denial of rights, Health and Safety issues, neglect, falsification of documents, not providing needed and available services to the DD, covering up for Preferential submissive vendors and employees who have violated consumers rights, not providing the services they are vendorized for, providing falsified information, neglect and abuse of consumers, the list goes on…………..
IF WE SPEAK UP, BELIEVE ME THEY DO GET BACK AT YOU AND I AM SURE I WILL BE UNDER ATTACK, SO I SAY:
“SO ATTACK”
I have been under attack and even accused of false and unfounded accusation before! Its funny for over twenty years working in this field I never had a complaint against me, the only complaint or comment was the Regional Center stating that I was to caring and compassionate!
As soon as I became vocal regarding situations, issues and services not being provided, Regional Center started attacking me with unfounded false accusations and when I requested a meeting, I asked them to prove and produce the accusations against me, they hide behind confidentiality as usual; They couldn’t produce evidence, dates, times, witnesses, names and etc.
I DO MY JOB AND I DO IT WELL, AND WHAT DO I HAVE TO REALLY LOSE AT THIS POINT? I HAVE TO SPEAK UP! I have my brother, mother, and other parents, Care providers and our DD population counting on me TO DO WHAT IS RIGHT FOR THEM, THEIR FUTURES, THEIR SERVICES AND WHAT THEIR REAL FUTURE WILL BE IF SOMETHING IS DONE AND SOON!
If a vendor speaks up about Regional Centers, regarding situations, issues and services not being provided they threaten you with “DON’T FORGET YOU ARE VENDORIZED THRU US AND WE ARE THE ONES PAYING YOU FOR THE SERVICES!” WOW I thought the taxpayers were paying for it and the State and taxpayers were giving the Regional Centers the money to provide services for the disabled!
If the Regional Center knows you are a vendorized service provider that exposes the truth about them, ” they then won’t provide your organizations information as a choice of services provided to disabled and it doesn’t even matter if you are one of the best programs serving the DD; In fact even if the consumer requests your organization and it best fits the needs of the consumer the Regional Centers denies the consumer their rights and choices.
SEE THE REGIONAL CENTERS HAS TAKEN ON THE ATTITUDE THAT THEY HAVE ALL THE CONTROL AND POWER AND THE GOVERNMENT HAS NONE!
IF THEY THE REGIONAL CENTERS ARE ALLOWED TO CONTINUE HAVING THE CONTROL AT THE LEVELS THEY DO NOW, GET READY TO RE-OPEN UP THE STATE HOSIPTALS!
MANY PARENTS AND CARE PROVIDERS ARE ALREADY TALKING ABOUT: If Regional Centers are allowed to continue to have all the control and power of our Disabled, their rights, and their services (services which are already very limited), they are no longer going to be able to care for the disabled; Vendorized service providers are also talking about closing their doors and programs (that provide direct needed services for the disabled; It is already hard enough to provide our quality of services at the minute money we receive, THE REGIONAL CENTER AND DDS ARE WHAT IS COSTLY! We are tired of the constant harassment, threats, and complete control of vendorized services available by the Regional Center.
We are tired of been lied too, taken advantage of, intimidated, controlled and threatened; We are always reminded that they “REGIONAL CENTER” PROVIDES OUR SERVICES, THE REGIONAL CENTER ALWAYS FORGETS “THAT THE TAX PAYERS” ARE THE ONES ACTUALLY PAYING FOR THE SERVICES TO BE PROVIDED.
Everybody needs to really pay close attention to what they (DDS and Regional Centers) are trying to do now… Check out The Purchase of services standards second Draft, (April 1, 2004 Version)
I thought they were supposed to cut cost in Administration not services! Check out the website www.dds.cahwnet.gov, If they allowed to get away with half of this proposed changes… GET READY TO RE-OPEN UP OUR STATE HOSIPTALS!!!
Check out Section 58710. Definitions
They are trying to change the current meanings and definitions to fit their requirements, which will even, give them more power.
Check out Article 2 Section 58710 General Standard for Purchasing Services and Support:
Changing general standards for purchasing services and Supports, this will definitely force the closer of many great and needed services, Regional Center wants to have the control and be allowed to choose the least costly options for services, there is no mention of quality of services. (The truth is none of the programs are what is costly! Regional Center their selves and their outrages wages are what is costly!).
This will force parents and caregivers to place our DD back in State Hospitals. Many good programs and service providers are already sitting on waiting lists, due to the Regional Center has made it almost impossible to open new programs. What ever happened to the start up funds for new program?
Changing current general standards requirements funding for services will have a major impact on many of current services. We already have Care homes and programs giving up their licenses due all the harassment they have to endure from the Regional Centers.
Many people aren’t even interested in opening new Care homes and Day Program due to all the new and current regulations, costs to operate, false accusations against them, things that are out of their control, due to clients rights, yet if something happens to one of the clients then they have to take and endure the harassment, threats and liabilities that are out of their control.
There are so many changes in so many areas, pay attention to what the changes really mean to the future of our Disabled.
Check out Section 58711. Exceptions
Pay attention to the wording of consumer or the consumers authorized representative, notice there is not mention of parents, care givers or even advocates, it states “Authorized Representative” Oh does this mean if your child over 18 years of age is not conserved you are not allowed to advocate for your own child and their rights and needs?
* Check out Section 58721. Adult Day Program Services
Regional Center shall only purchase an adult day program service only for consumers who are no longer eligible for publicly funded education, as evidenced by having a certificate of completion or graduation.
Check out Section 58722. Habilitation Services
Regional Center shall only purchase work activity programs, supported employment programs, it states “ consumers who are no longer eligible for publicly funded education, as evidenced by having a certificate of completion or graduation. Would this be because they now have reached into the funds for Habilitation Services? Lets be real we don’t have enough job opportunities out there for even the general population. They keep them (students) already on a waiting list forever and when they find them a job, it is even the type of job the student was interested in.
* Check out Section 58723. Transportation
Section 9: Regional centers shall only fund transportation services for consumers receiving supported employment-group services from the consumer’s home to the central meeting site. What about the students that rely on these services to visit family, friends, bowling, activities and etc.
* Check out Section 58724. Respite
Check out all of the sections, what is amazing is our new parents don’t even know how hard hit the respite services have already been hit in the past.
I could go on and on with services getting cut in every area. I guess the Regional Center and DDS are sending us a real clear message; they have really lost the concept of why they were put in business in the first place, that was to provide services to the disabled and since they are more interested in their own self gain and not the disabled and their services. I see no reason why we continue to waste money on self-serving agencies.
IF YOUR ARE TRULY REALLY INTERESTED IN FINDING OUT WHAT IS REALLY GOING ON, CONTACT ME:
We have the people, the inside information, we have documentation, we have alternative methods and a plan for a more cost effective better ran alternatives to the current out control Regional Center system.
I do plan on keeping you updated, Because as soon as the Regional Center and DDS gets a hold of this letter they are going to do everything in their power to close us down, shut us up and believe me they will go to any lengths to silence us; so that government, tax payers, general population, interested parties and the Developmentally Disabled and their advocates don’t find out what they are really doing!
Respectfully,
Tammy Logsdon
1961 W. Chamberlain Drive
Turlock, CA 95382
1-209-668-1737
1-209-531-9677
Cc: Governor
State Capital
Corporate ESQ.
Taxpayers
All interested parties
File