Friday, April 28, 2006

An Open Letter to Families who have School Children with Developmental

Beyond this date, April 25, 2006, please widely distribute to families that have children of any age with developmental disabilities in Georgia’s public schools. This memo should be given to parents. It contains important information for families to think about and to begin planning for when their son or daughter becomes an adult.

Significant and rather magnificent changes are coming that will have great impact on people with developmental disabilities. The State Office of Developmental Disabilities is writing new Medicaid Waivers that will give each person an individual budget of financial resources based on his or her exact needs. These resources must only be used to purchase services or supports of significant benefit. But let me back up a bit, introduce myself, and the reason I am writing this letter to you. I would like to explain what a Medicaid Waiver is and why it is important to you.

I am Steve Hall and I am the Georgia State Director of the Office of Developmental Disabilities. I lead a team of folks that are dedicated to the health, safety, well-being, and the realization of a meaningful life for everyone in Georgia that has developmental disabilities. Over the past several months we spoke at dozens of public forums and conferences statewide about the coming new Medicaid Waivers for Developmental Disabilities. At those meetings, time and time again, families of children who currently attend public school in Georgia would come to me and say, “Steve, this is so important. Few families are even aware of what you are talking about.” Sometimes special education teachers said the same thing. Medicaid Waivers are how States “waive” or change the federal Medicaid rules in a manner to better serve their citizens with developmental disabilities. Before there were Medicaid Waivers, most of these federal Medicaid funds were used by each state to run their government institutions. A more proper name for the Medicaid Waivers is Home and Community Based Services (HCBS) Waivers.

What happens to your children, teenagers, and young adults during their public school years is very important to me and the citizens of Georgia. What happens in school makes all the difference in the world. I have been a school teacher, school administrator, have taught teachers going back to the university for their masters degrees, and have worked as an executive leader for almost two decades. Based on these experiences, I must share three best practices with you that I learned along the way:
  1. Good Special Education greatly reduces the need for supports and the
    taxpayer cost of supports throughout the person’s life. Good Special Education
    supports the student in the regular classroom. Good Special Education provides
    community-based instruction outside of the classroom to better prepare the child
    for an adult life in the community.
  2. The best special education services occur in the regular kindergarten classroom, elementary classroom, middle school classroom, junior high classroom, and high school classrooms that are located where the other children in your neighborhood are in class.
  3. For most children with developmental disabilities, the Individual Education Plan (IEP) should be written to include non-school building instruction in work and other community environments during the school day, beginning by at least age 14.
Georgia’s new Home and Community Based Medicaid Waivers are prepared to support children and adults to live, work, and participate in full community life alongside other citizens who do not have developmental disabilities. “Places for them,” day centers, sheltered workshops, and taxpayer dollars staying with the government to run institutions are being replaced and closed all around the United States, including Georgia. Instead of facilities, buildings, and other “for the disabled only” programs, taxpayers are investing in people with developmental disabilities themselves and want professionals to provide the services and supports in the real life of the community with everyone else.

Employment is very important. Over 200,000 people with developmental disabilities, who professionals and parents thought could never hold a real job, are employed throughout the United States through a practice known as Supported Employment. In the past, our own fears and lack of knowledge was the greatest barrier to people having a real job and becoming taxpayers. In addition to meaningful productive work, membership in clubs, groups, churches, and associations is just as important. Parents do not live forever. This is why I have written this letter to you. People with disabilities need to be valued members of their community so they are not solely relying upon their parents for resources, safety, companionship, and love.

Our children will be successful throughout their adult lives to the extent that we as parents recognize the importance of their living alongside others who are different from themselves—not just people who have similar disabilities, not just people who are paid to be with them, and not just family members who already love them. I want you to remember that your son or daughter did not do anything wrong. People who have never done anything wrong are not put in special places just for them or excluded in any other way from the workplaces, groups, or places where all the rest of us live, work, and enjoy ourselves. Special centers, special classes only for others who have such disabilities, and any program that takes our children away from the other children, do not result in people spending the rest of their lives with the rest of us in the real world. All citizens with disabilities, including those men, women, and children with the most significant disabilities, should develop relationships with other citizens and be a valued member of the real world.

Disability World is not the real world. When children begin their educational lives in rooms and other places separate from children of the same age, they start down a path that most often ends as an adult existing outside of where everyone else in society lives, works, and plays. An adult with a developmental disability who is a part of, not apart from, society is the result when children are alongside the other children that they will spend their adult lives with right from the start.

I hope this letter is helpful. I do not expect you to agree with everything that I have said and it is you, as your child’s parent, who will always know what is best. If you agree with what I have said, then many others agree with you, and if you disagree with me, then you have plenty of company also.

The purpose of this letter is to share my knowledge and experiences that when children with disabilities are educated alongside children who do not have disabilities, and it is done right, then the outcomes as an adult are better. Less support is needed when they become an adult. People live longer. They are happier.

You are welcome to copy, email, and share this with others. I am looking forward to working on behalf of your son or daughter throughout his or her adult life. Please let me know what you think about what I have said, whether you agree or disagree. Your opinion matters to me.

Sincerely,


Stephen R. Hall, Ph.D., Director
Georgia Office of Developmental Disabilities
srhall1@dhr.state.ga.us

Thursday, April 27, 2006

Campaign Roundup

Cathy Cox's campaign manager, Morton Brillant, resigned Wednesday after being accused of mucking around with some online information on Mark Taylor. No word yet on his replacement.
State Representative Stacey Reece of Gainesville has said he will not seek re-election on Wednesday, saying that his decision not to seek a State Senate seat or run for re-election had nothing to do with a controversy over an engagement party for him and his financee' which was paid for by lobbyists. "There's been a lot of questions about that," Reece said in an interview with AccessNorthGa.com late Wednesday afternoon. "I think one little blip on the radar screen is not what you base changing a political career over. My supporters were very encouraging for me to continue but they also understood that I'm a family man first."

The AJC reported that State Reps. Johnny Floyd of Cordele and Richard Royal of Camilla formally switched their loyalties, as the week of qualifying for statewide candidates continued. That brings the number of Democratic House switchers this year to four. The Republican majority in the 180-member House now stands at 104.

Other qualifying news includes Willie Hinton and Steen Miles announcing their intention, as well as a number of candidates from the Thomasville area.

Medicaid to make major shift in state

Medicaid to make major shift in state...
The twice-delayed overhaul, called Georgia Healthy Families, will begin June 1 in the metro Atlanta and Macon and Columbus areas. Aimed at saving millions of dollars a year — partly by discouraging patients from using hospital emergency rooms for routine medical care — the plan is considered the biggest change in the history of Georgia Medicaid, the government insurance program for the poor and disabled....The 500,000 who get Medicaid coverage in the "aged, blind and disabled" category — many in long-term care — aren't included in the new program.

Wednesday, April 19, 2006

Rep Mike Keown eyes re-election in House District 173

Keown eyes re-election in House District 173, a district located in Thomasville. Thomasville is of course nestled between Valdosta and Bainbdridge and borders Florida - as below the gnat line as you can get in Georgia. Rep. Keown, Thomasville-R has not taken a stand on disability issues by completing our survey, yet...

Thursday, April 13, 2006

"It's simply good policy."

A recent article in the Atlanta Creative Loafing did a highlighting some of the recent success with Unlocking the Waiting Lists.
In a budget marked by tight purse strings when it came to paying for social services, the Legislature approved a significant increase in funding to move people with developmental disabilities out of institutions and into communities.
The article ends with me saying that it is simply good policy...It is a great phrase, but I have to give someone else credit. Rep. Ben Harbin, Evans-R actually said it first during a committee hearing when presenting his budget to his colleagues.

Wednesday, April 12, 2006

Its Official!

As suspected earlier, this news from a Press Release from the GOP...
Today in Greensboro, GA, State Representative Mickey Channell announced he is joining the Georgia Republican Party. He is the 14th legislator to switch to the Republican Party since the Perdue administration took over in 2002.

“As I’ve said, the Republican Party is the fastest growing family in Georgia, and this is yet another example of that truth,” said Georgia Republican Party Chairman Alec Poitevint. “We look forward to working with Mickey as we continue to improve education, create jobs, and do what is best for the citizens of Georgia.”

Channell has represented the people of district 116 since 1992.

Bordeaux and Zamarrippa will not run again

Senator Sam Zamarrippa, Atlanta-D announced his retirement from the Senate. He has been a long time friend to our issues and will be missed. Rep. Nan Orrock, Atlanta-D has already announced that she intends to run for his seat.

Savannah area legislator, Rep Tom Bordeaux, Savannah-D announced that he will not be running for relection. He will be helping Cathy Cox run for Governor.

Georgia's revenues rising...always important to us

The thousands of people with disabilities waiting for help really is a issues only connected to the bottom line...how many dollars fund our supports? Right now, the amount Georgia puts to home and community based supports has fallen from 7th in the 1970s to 46th today. In order to reverse this trend in Georgia, our effots must become sophisticated to understand this bottom line...

This election year will be tied to our state's rising revenue. It will affect how our candidates run on all levels. By the numbers:
Revenue in March increased 6.5 percent over March 2005, according to a state Department of Revenue report released Monday. That is an increase of about $73.2 million. And for fiscal year 2006, which ends June 30, collections are up 9.6 percent, or $1.028 billion, over the same period in 2005.

Wednesday, April 05, 2006

Health coverage reform - Everyone's concern

Julie Appleby with the USA TODAY did a piece this morning covering efforts across the county to reform healthcare . Georgia ought to be paying attention and use this election year to define the issue for our state. Because of the high rates of uninsured, states are not waiting on the federal government to deal with this issue. According to this article, we have uninsured rates of 16.6%, so we should not wait either.
Massachusetts lawmakers on Tuesday approved a law that would require everyone in the state to carry health insurance by 2007 or risk losing tax credits or facing fines. Employers would have to offer coverage or pay a $295 per worker annual assessment.

Americus, Georgia - Gerald Smith announces plans to run for House as a Republican

The Americus Times Recorder is reporting that Gerald E. Smith, of Americus, announced Monday that he intends to run as a Republican for the State House of Representatives, District 134 against the incumbent 134 Rep. Mike Cheokas, D-Americus. Rep. Cheokas has not completed our survey and Mr. Smith did not mention disability issues as part of his agenda...
“I believe that Americus and Sumter County communities are on the verge of some great and new things,” said Smith during a telephone interview. Those “great and new things,” he attributed to a turnaround in area schools. “We want this community to prosper and do as well as we can. That starts with education. It starts with that basic concept of education, and that every child should be getting a good education,” said Smith, echoing President Bush and Georgia Governor Sonny Perdue, both of whom have backed the controversial “No Child Left Behind” legislation.
It will be up to you to ask them to take a stand like so many others.

Tuesday, April 04, 2006

Article Roundup

Perdue campaigns against two new candidates
The statewide Young Democrats convention at the University Friday and Saturday marked the kickoff to the campaign season for two gubernatorial candidates. Secretary of State Cathy Cox and Lt. Gov. Mark Taylor are competing in the Democratic primary to run for governor against Republican incumbent Gov. Sonny Perdue. Both laid out markedly different campaign platforms. Taylor - criticism of Perdue’s HOPE Chest Amendment and rising tuition rates. Cox - children birth to 3 and criticism of Perdue’s HOPE Chest Amendment
Senator questions rights act
State Sen. Bill Stephens, R-Canton, said he believed it was unfair to "have Georgia be treated so differently" from many other states when it has come so far to correct racial voting disparities of the past. But he said he had reached no final position on the law, which must be approved by Congress.
House to lose a Democrat of rare stature
After 26 years in the Georgia House of Representatives, Bill Cummings is going home to Rockmart. Terrell Starr of Jonesboro, the longest-serving member of the state Senate, is calling it quits, too, after 38 years. The longest-serving member of the House, former Speaker Terry Coleman of Eastman, is leaving after 34 years.
Whats going on out there?

Monday, April 03, 2006

Notes from Sen Jack Hill

The Blade Plus in Swainsboro GA published online Notes from the Senate by Senator Jack Hill which mentioned our success!
The Independent Care Waiver Program for Disabilities and Traumatic Brain Injuries would receive over $8.5 million to add 152 new slots, the Mental Retardation Development Disabilities Waiting List would receive $2.6 million in state funds to unlock 925 waiver slots, libraries across the state would receive $2 million to purchase books, and $16.5 million would be provided for 3,751 new prison beds to reduce county jail backlogs.
The paper should read...
The Independent Care Waiver Program for Disabilities and Traumatic Brain Injuries would receive over $3.2 million in state funds to add 152 new slots, the Mental Retardation Development Disabilities Waiting List would receive over $11.5 million in state funds to unlock 1,500 waiver services, libraries across the state would receive $2 million to purchase books, and $16.5 million would be provided for 3,751 new prison beds to reduce county jail backlogs.

And they're Off!

The races have already begun around Georgia for the 2007 election. We hope that this blog will be a source of election information for you throughout the coming months - adding information on disabilities. There are 236 elected legislators throughout the state - and there will be thousands of candidates running for those seats...

We promise to encourage you to get involve with your location election, and education as much as possible on their positions on issues of disabilities. There are some legislators that have already proven themselves in this last budget process, answered our questions - and with your help, we will continue to ask them to take a stand...We will post their responses on our website.

And of course, in the coming months we will be discussing our legislative agenda for the coming year...we have proven that starting early only makes us stronger.

The dates to remember:
QUALITYING DATES
For partisan offices: April 24-28
For non-partisan offices (school board): June 26-30

ELECTION DATES
Primary: July 18
Runoff (if needed): Aug. 9
General: Nov. 7
Runoff (if needed): Dec. 5

ELECTION 2006
State offices
Governor
Lieutenant governor
Attorney General
Secretary of State
Agriculture Commissioner
Insurance Commissioner
Labor Commissioner
State Schools Superintendent
Public Service Commissoner
State Senate
State House
Federal offices
U.S. House of Representatives
Use our webpage to get contact information of incumbents.