http://www.lgtinc.org en-us http://www.lgtinc.org N/A contact@lgtinc.org Fri, 30 Jul 2010 09:47:14 EDT 20 http://www.lgtinc.org/articles/246/1/Therapy-and-Good-Morning-America-Update June 29, 2007   Dearest Advocates:   Even though the Governor vetoed HB 549, I have some great news!  Effective July, 2007, The Dept of Community Health is changing the procedures for prior authorizations for therapy............   If you would like to see all the updates, please go to the following website and look at page 11+ regarding PAs: https://www.ghp.georgia.gov/wps/output/en_US/public/Provider/MedicaidManuals/CIS_v7_2007-07.pdf    The one concern we have is that the manual states "up to" 180 days.  I know the Trialliance is working on this issue and trying to get clarification from DCH at this time. Reminder: We currently have to submit therapy PAs for more than 8 units / month (approx. 2 visits/month) EVERY 3 months and this would increase to every 6 months!   Once again, I do think us continuing to educate everyone on what the "real" issues are, helps the process. No, we did not get everything we want (including increasing the number of units our children can receive prior to having to get the PA) BUT at least this is a step in the right direction.   Thanks again to everyone that got involved to making a difference this legislative session. More work needs to continue BUT we are making progress!    ===================================   UPDATE:  Today on ABC Good Morning America.................Apparently- Eight-year-old Mikeriya Ainsley (the girl that was in the news segment) HAS BEEN REINSTATED HER THERAPY!  I hope you can see the power of the media and helping everyone see the "real" issues our children face in receiving the services they NEED!   PLEASE continue to post your comments on ABC's website regarding the segment Good Morning America aired on Tuesday entitled "Rocky Transition From Public Medicaid to Private HMO's"…………  Here is the web link:   http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/OnCall/comments?type=story&id=3314626&GMA=true   Just in case you missed the news story: http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/OnCall/story?id=3314626&page=1   UNITED... WE WILL MAKE A DIFFERENCE.   Sincerely, Heidi   --Heidi J. Moore (Proud Mother to Jacob - 7 years old with Down syndrome & Jared - 5 years old) For more information about how Heidi can help you maximize your child's potential, please go to www.heidijmoore.com "Help The Children Now, So They Can Help Themselves Later!" The material contained in this e-mail is for general information only. It is not intended in any way to provide or offer legal advice. To obtain legal advice, please consult with your attorney or a qualified legal representative. For previous advocacy email's, please go to the following website: http://www.lgtinc.org/authors/41/Heidi-J.-Moore. To see how you can advocate for your child go to www.kidshealthcarega.org. Heidi J. Moore Fri, 29 Jun 2007 00:00:00 EDT http://www.lgtinc.org/articles/245/1/UPDATE%3A-Good-Morning-America--CMO%26%2339%3Bs-in-GA-and-Wall-Street-Journal-Article June 27, 2007   Dearest Advocates:   I wanted to give you an update from yesterday's advocacy email.  Thanks to so many of you that forwarded to me additional information that could be sent out to everyone!   If you would like to post your comments on ABC's website regarding the segment Good Morning America aired yesterday entitled "Rocky Transition From Public Medicaid to Private HMO's"…………  Here is the web link:   http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/OnCall/comments?type=story&id=3314626&GMA=true   Let's keep up the pressure on getting something done about the system. Even if you are not affected by the CMO system, please remember that Aged, Blind and Disability populations were almost put into CMO's this legislative session but due to our advocacy efforts was taken out!   We all need to be good stewards of tax-payers $$$- and that's not happening with the CMO program.  Only through communicating what the real issues are and educating those around us………are we going to receive the necessary change needed in the Medicaid system! Please help and get involved!   In addition- for those that did not get a copy of the Wall Street Journals article, it can be found by going to: http://biz.yahoo.com/wallstreet/070625/sb118254994081445264_id.html?.v=1   If you have comments regarding the WSJ's article, they can be sent to the reporter, John Hechinger at john.hechinger@wsj.com    UNITED… WE WILL MAKE A DIFFERENCE!   Sincerely, Heidi ============================================ June 26, 2007   Dearest Advocates:   Today on Good Morning America-ABC National News, they did a story titled "Rocky Transition From Public Medicaid to Private HMO's".  As many of you are aware, this has been a very difficult time for families and providers in the Georgia Medicaid system.  Please take a moment to see the segment at:   http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/OnCall/story?id=3314626&page=1   Also- if you could email ABC news letting them know about your personal struggles with the Medicaid system, that would be great. The more knowledgeable the general public becomes regarding the issues surrounding the Medicaid system…..The Better!  We need to do our part in educating those that don't understand the system (including our legislators and the Governor).  ABC News specifically talked about Georgia's Medicaid system.  I agree we need to be good stewards of taxpayers $$$, but we also have to take care of those that can't take care of themselves!!!!! Including our precious children with disabilities.  ; ; ; ;   Please let our voices be heard….."UNITED… WE WILL MAKE A DIFFERENCE!"   Comments can be submitted to ABC via the following web link (only 500 characters so be brief and to the point): http://abc.go.com/site/contactus.html?cat=Good%20Morning%20America     Education and building awareness of the issues is the key to success in making change in the overall Medicaid system! We as parents and providers must continue to help others understand the need for necessary services.  I do believe our children must be viewed as an INVESTMENT and NOT a Liability in Georgia!   ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- In addition- the Wall Street Journal had an article on the front page of their newspaper yesterday titled "'Mainstreaming' Trend Tests Classroom Goals". Unfortunately, I was not able to pull the entire story from their website (you have to be a subscriber).  Here is the link for fyi:   http://online.wsj.com/article/SB118254994081445264-search.html?KEYWORDS=inclusion+education&COLLECTION=wsjie/6month   ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- I hope everyone is having a great summer.   I will be issuing additional information regarding the proposed changes to the Georgia Babies Can't Wait Program and how you can get involved very shortly. Stay Tuned……….   Sincerely, Heidi   --Heidi J. Moore (Proud Mother to Jacob - 7 years old with Down syndrome & Jared - 5 years old) For more information about how Heidi can help you maximize your child's potential, please go to www.heidijmoore.com "Help The Children Now, So They Can Help Themselves Later!" The material contained in this e-mail is for general information only. It is not intended in any way to provide or offer legal advice. To obtain legal advice, please consult with your attorney or a qualified legal representative. For previous advocacy email's, please go to the following website: http://www.lgtinc.org/authors/41/Heidi-J.-Moore. To see how you can advocate for your child go to www.kidshealthcarega.org. Heidi J. Moore Wed, 27 Jun 2007 00:00:00 EDT http://www.lgtinc.org/articles/244/1/HB-549-Media-Attention-to-the-Issue%21 June 8, 2007   Dearest Advocates:   Below is a newspaper article today in the Gwinnett Daily Post written by Dave Williams regarding the HB 549 that was VETOED by the Governor 1 ½  weeks ago.  As many of you are aware, this is a very frustrating time for both families and providers since the implementation of a more difficult prior authorization process for therapy in September 2006.   This bill would have allowed for prior authorizations (PA) to occur every 6 months and not 3 months, as well as, increase the number of units of therapy from 8 units to 16 units / month before needing a PA. There is a reason why our children need therapy……We already have to go thru a ton of paperwork just to "prove" that we qualify for Medicaid for our children and now they say we have to "prove" it every 3 months for therapy!  This is a waste of taxpayers $$$. Hiring more therapists to "review" the cases instead of paying for the therapy for our children to begin with……is crazy!  In addition, our children do not make the type of progress warranted to be reviewed every 3 months like other "general" Medicaid populations.  There are many ways to access Medicaid and there are different criteria for those populations. Mr. Trail's comments below do not make sense.  I'm sorry…I usually do not give this much of my personal views on issues, but I strongly disagree with the VETO and the reasoning behind it!   Here is the actual link to the newspaper article: http://www.gwinnettdailypost.com/index.php?s=&url_channel_id=32&url_article_id=28865&url_subchannel_id=&change_well_id=2   PLEASE take a moment and thank Dave William (dave.williams@gwinnettdailypost.com) for continuing to educate the State on what is truly happening to our children. This same article can also be read in the Albany Herald Newspaper http://www.albanyherald.com/front.html#chil .   We are continuing to work on this issue and will hopefully have more information in the near future on what we all can do to make a difference! Therapy is an INVESTMENT for our children!   Hang in there. UNITED… WE WILL MAKE A DIFFERENCE!   Happy Reading. Heidi   gwinnettdailypost.com   Parents frustrated with veto of therapy bill 06/08/2007 -   By Dave WilliamsStaff Writerdave.williams@gwinnettdailypost.comATLANTA - Advocates for children with disabilities are seeing first-hand just how powerful one governor is compared to 236 state legislators.As a bill easing restrictions on therapy visits traveled through the General Assembly this year, the 180-member House and 56-member Senate supported it unanimously three times. And the fourth vote on the legislation, in the Senate, was 47-2. Yet, House Bill 549 was among the casualties last week when Gov. Sonny Perdue vetoed 41 bills in one day. Absent an unlikely attempt by lawmakers to override the governor when they reconvene in January, the measure is dead. "That's the frustration of this," said Heidi Moore of Alpharetta, a leading advocate for children with disabilities and mother to a 7-year-old boy with Down syndrome. "The House and Senate saw the need for this. ... Either (Perdue) doesn't understand this bill or it gets down to numbers again."Moore and other parents began pushing for a legislative remedy to their complaints about therapy services covered under a Medicaid waiver program after the state instituted a policy last September requiring families to seek prior approval every three months.The bill, sponsored by House Speaker Pro Tempore Mark Burkhalter, R-Alpharetta, would have extended prior approval for  therapy visits to six months.It also would have required the state to cover children for 16 units of physical, speech or occupational therapy per month, up from eight units under the state policy. Four units equals one hour of therapy.But Perdue, in his veto message, said those changes would have run afoul of the federal agency that oversees Medicaid. "(The bill) would restrict the state's ability to conduct appropriate prior authorization review as required by federal regulations," the governor wrote.Mark Trail, Medicaid director for the Georgia Department of Community Health, said the state sent a copy of the bill to the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services and was told the CMS would not approve it.Specifically, Trail said the agency objected to a provision allowing children with "chronic" disabilities to seek prior authorizations every six months but forcing kids with "acute" conditions to adhere to a shorter time frame."That sets a standard in law that would be unacceptable to the federal government," he said. Perdue's veto message instructed the DCH to continue looking for ways to streamline the paperwork therapists and parents have to fill out to process prior authorizations.Trail said the agency already has put in place some changes, including consolidating two of the required forms into a single document and improving the Web site families use to submit prior approval requests.He said the DCH also has hired 21 therapists to review requests, additional staffing that is expected to speed up the process."We have a very high percentage of approvals now, which says to us that the providers know how to submit the forms," he said. Moore said as long as the process remains cumbersome, more and more therapists will stop taking Medicaid patients."We lost a therapist because of it," she said. "Our speech therapist told us she just can't deal with the paperwork."The ultimate fear, Moore said, is that so many therapists will pull out of the program that families won't be able to get therapy services they can afford. In the long term, that would mean more disabled children growing up to become a huge burden on taxpayers, she said."Therapy is an investment in our children," Moore said. "You either pay pennies now or dollars later."   --Heidi J. Moore (Proud Mother to Jacob - 7 years old with Down syndrome & Jared - 5 years old) For more information about how Heidi can help you maximize your child's potential, please go to www.heidijmoore.com "Help The Children Now, So They Can Help Themselves Later!" The material contained in this e-mail is for general information only. It is not intended in any way to provide or offer legal advice. To obtain legal advice, please consult with your attorney or a qualified legal representative. For previous advocacy email's, please go to the following website: http://www.lgtinc.org/authors/41/Heidi-J.-Moore. To see how you can advocate for your child go to www.kidshealthcarega.org. Heidi J. Moore Wed, 27 Jun 2007 00:00:00 EDT http://www.lgtinc.org/articles/242/1/URGENT%3A-HB-549-NEEDS-YOUR-SUPPORT.-PLEASE-CALL-THE-GOVERNOR-TODAY%21 May 22, 2007   Dearest Advocates:   URGENT   I have been told that the Governor now needs to hear from families and providers on why House Bill 549 is important to us and our children.    PLEASE CALL the Governor Perdue's office this week at 404-656-1776, or Fax:404-657-7332 or  e-mail him at sperdue@gov.state.ga.us . We would prefer you call or send a fax if possible. The deadline for the Governor to sign this bill is May 30, 2007.   A lot of work has went into supporting HB 549 with providers, parents and legislators and we want to make sure that this bill goes into law. I've been told that Dept. of Community Health has been in meetings with the Governor's staff this week trying to convince them why the Governor should veto this important bill.   OUR CHILDREN NEED YOUR SUPPORT!   Just to remind everyone.......Basically, House Bill 549 will help alleviate many of the issues with the prior approval process for therapy in the Medicaid system.  It streamlines the paperwork, defines medical necessity, changes the prior approval process to every six months instead of 3 and allows 16 units of therapy per discipline before the prior approval process kicks in.     THIS IS AN IMPORTANT BILL THAT CAN HELP ALL OUR CHILDREN WITH THERAPY……Now and in the future!   PLEASE CALL TODAY!     YOUR CHILD's THERAPY MAY DEPEND ON IT!   Thanks in advance for your support in this urgent issue.   Sincerely,   Heidi --Heidi J. Moore (Proud Mother to Jacob - 7 years old with Down syndrome & Jared - 5 years old) For more information about how you can get involved regarding advocating for children, please visit us at www.kidshealthcarega.org "Help The Children Now, So They Can Help Themselves Later!" The material contained in this e-mail is for general information only. It is not intended in any way to provide or offer legal advice. To obtain legal advice, please consult with your attorney or a qualified legal representative. For previous advocacy email's, please go to the following website: http://www.lgtinc.org/authors/41/Heidi-J.-Moore Heidi J. Moore Tue, 22 May 2007 00:00:00 EDT http://www.lgtinc.org/articles/241/1/SB-10--Governor-Signing-Tomorrow-and-other-info May 17, 2007   Dearest Advocates:   I wanted you to be aware of this announcement that was just released today:   We have just been notified that the Governor will sign SB 10 tomorrow--Friday-- at 9:30 a.m. in his office at the Capitol.  You are welcome to come.  It is an open event.  The ceremony itself will probably take no longer than 15 minutes.  But the law will go into effect on his signature.  If anyone is planning on attending, please let me or my office know.  If there is a large enough crowd of families, we can ask that the ceremony be moved from the office to the steps to accommodate more people.   SB 10 is the beginning of a significant shift in the way we provide public education.  The benefits of this bill will be seen for many years to come.   Melanie Davis Stockwell Chief of Staff and General Counsel Senator Eric Johnson, President Pro Tempore Georgia State Senate Atlanta, GA 30334 404-656-5109 404-657-9727 (FAX) melanie.stockwell@senate.ga.gov ==============================================   In addition: I received this information from Stuart Bennett who is the Chief Deputy State Superintendent for Policy and External Affairs:   Since the passage of Senate Bill 10 on April 22, we have received a number of inquiries from interested schools and parents. For that reason, we have launched a very preliminary Georgia Special Needs Scholarship Program website. Once the bill becomes law, this new website will serve as the one-stop shop for the Georgia Special Needs Scholarship Program.  Over the coming weeks and months, the Department will add critical program information as soon as it becomes available, so we ask that you check the website frequently. Until then, we ask that all interested parents and private schools use this website to file an "Interest to Participate" form.  The information provided through these two forms will help the Department as it moves forward to implement this new state program for the 2007-2008 school year. The website ur l is: http://public.doe.k12.ga.us/sb10.aspx ===================================================== Also- Will be making an additional announcement for needed advocacy for Babies Can't Wait Program very soon. Stay tuned. Have a great day, Heidi --Heidi J. Moore (Proud Mother to Jacob - 7 years old with Down syndrome & Jared - 5 years old) For more information about how you can get involved regarding advocating for children, please visit us at www.kidshealthcarega.org "Help The Children Now, So They Can Help Themselves Later!" The material contained in this e-mail is for general information only. It is not intended in any way to provide or offer legal advice. To obtain legal advice, please consult with your attorney or a qualified legal representative. For previous advocacy email's, please go to the following website: http://www.lgtinc.org/authors/41/Heidi-J.-Moore Heidi J. Moore Tue, 22 May 2007 00:00:00 EDT http://www.lgtinc.org/articles/240/1/Disability-Updates-and-Information May 14, 2007   Dearest Advocates:   I wanted you to be aware of a few items of interest:   1. SB 10 Update. This is the bill that would allow families to receive school vouchers if the children is currently in the public school system, has a diagnosis and and IEP.  More information can be found by going to the following website: www.doe.k12.ga.us/sb10.aspx   2. Proposed Babies Can't Wait advocacy. It has been brought to my attention that there is being proposed some radical changes to the Babies Can't Wait program in Georgia. I am working with some key individuals to get the facts, and prepare an advocacy strategy to make a change to help this program for our children. My concerns are that BCW needs coordination and how we do that as a State will be a top priority on how effective this program really is for the children 0-3 yrs old and those not even born yet that need this service.    Further information will be issued shortly on how you can get involved and make a change to this program. Keep you posted.   3. Medicaid Identity Concerns. Anyone that has Medicaid should have received a letter from ACS Georgia Health Partnership (subconstractor to Medicaid) regarding a CD that was lost that may have contained personal information on it (including: Medicaid eligibility data: name, address, social security number, date of birth, etc).  This is VERY serious.  Additional information can be found by going to the following website: http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/edu/microsites/idtheft/    I strongly recommend you request an annual credit report for your child.  www.annualcreditreport.com or you can call ACS at 1-800-213-3969 for further questions.   4. Many of you may have received a letter from DCH regarding a new program called "Georgia Medicaid Management Program-GAMMP" that will be run by APS Healthcare (as subcontractor to Medicaid). The program is supposed to offer you a nurse who will work with you to provide education on your overall health for your child and look for "ways" you can feel better every day.   I have gotten clarification of the program: A.. This program is VOLUNTARY to your family. B.  You do not need to fill out the survey if you do not want too. C. If you choose not to enroll in this Medicaid program, nothing will happen. D. All Medicaid consumers were issued this letter (including MRWP and Katie Beckett Waivers) that are not under a Care Management Organization (CMO) or a Disease Management Program.   That's all I know for now.....I hope you find this information helpful.  Happy Belated Mother's Day to all you Mom's out there!!!   Sincerely, Heidi --Heidi J. Moore (Proud Mother to Jacob - 7 years old with Down syndrome & Jared - 5 years old) For more information about how you can get involved regarding advocating for children, please visit us at www.kidshealthcarega.org "Help The Children Now, So They Can Help Themselves Later!" The material contained in this e-mail is for general information only. It is not intended in any way to provide or offer legal advice. To obtain legal advice, please consult with your attorney or a qualified legal representative. For previous advocacy email's, please go to the following website: http://www.lgtinc.org/authors/41/Heidi-J.-Moore Heidi J. Moore Tue, 22 May 2007 00:00:00 EDT http://www.lgtinc.org/articles/236/1/Advocacy-%26-Medicaid-Information-from-Heidi-Moore May 1, 2007   Dearest Advocates:   A few weeks ago I gave a presentation to the Down Syndrome Association of Atlanta that I thought might be helpful to you.  The presentation has years worth of information in it thanks to many people that have worked with me on my advocacy efforts and trying to better understand the system  in order to help my family and thousands of others.    Please remember: I am just an informed parent and not an attorney. If you need legal advice, please contact an attorney. This information should be used for general information only!    In addition, starting the first of the year, I started a consulting business to help families with the Katie Beckett/Deeming Waiver and MRWP application process (as well as education and other advocacy issues for their child)  based on all the experience I have learned in the last 4 yrs of advocating for families and working with DCH/DHR and other non-profit organizations.  If you are interested in this service, please let me know.      In addition this year,  I started working part-time for B&B Care Services, Inc as their Community Relations Manager. For those that don't know- B&B Care Services, they help to provide services to families under the Mental Retardation Waiver Program (MRWP),Independent Care Waiver Program, Community Care Services Program and the SOURCE Program throughout the State of Georgia. Please let me know if you have any questions regarding this company and how I can help you with getting those services via B&B Care Services, Inc.   I must warn you....this is a very long email and you may want to print it out for future reference.   Hope you find this information helpful!   In addition, if you would like to see my previous advocacy email postings, please go to the following website: http://www.lgtinc.org/authors/41/Heidi-J.-Moore?Page=9   United... We WILL Make a Difference! Sincerely, Heidi ============================================ Medicaid Waivers and AdvocacyYour Child Needs YOU! Heidi J. Moore   Parent Advocate for Children and Adults with Disabilities   Proud Mother to Jacob- 7 yrs old with Down syndrome and Jared - 5 yrs old   The material contained in this presentation is for general information only. It is not intended in any way to provide or offer legal advice. To obtain legal advice, please consult with your attorney or qualified legal representative.   Agenda •Medicaid - Waivers and Supports. •Tips and Traps. •Networking and Building Alliances. •Advocacy •General Information - Things you should know!   Medicaid  Medicaid is a federal entitlement program of medical assistance for people of low-income who are: •Age 65 and older; •Blind or have other disabilities; •Children; •Pregnant women; •and families with children.   Medicaid Basics •Funding for Medicaid comes from both state and federal dollars. •Each state's Medicaid program is unique. (must be in compliance with federal guidelines.) Medicaid Eligibility •Individual must meet both "categorical" and "financial" requirements. •In Georgia, the following categories of people are eligible for Medicaid: •Parents and children, •Pregnant women and infants, •Children through age 18, and •The aged, blind and disabled   •In Georgia, SSI recipients are  automatically eligible for Medicaid.   What is the Katie Beckett / Deeming Waiver ? •Category for Medicaid eligibility based on the Tax Equity & Fiscal Responsibility Act (TEFRA) 1982. •State's are allowed to make Medicaid available to a child with a disability if: -18yrs old or younger, AND -Meet federal criteria for childhood disability, AND -Meet institutional Level of Care, AND -Can safely be served at home, AND -Cost does not exceed the applicable institutional cost.   What is the KB Waiver criteria based on? •Federal Regulations established general requirements in 42CFR 435.225. -Requires institutional level of care: nursing home, hospital, or intermediate care facility- mental retardation.   1. Intermediate Care Facility - Mental Retardation - 442CFR440.150 & 42CFR483.440 •Requires 24 hour supervision AND active treatment. 2. Hospital Level of Care - 42CFR440.10 •Georgia uses Interqual. 3. Nursing Home LOC - 42CFR440.155 •DHR Rules 290-5-8 & OCGA 31-7-1(1)(b). •Requires 24 hour nursing care.   Background on Katie Beckett-Deeming Waiver for Georgia •KB Waiver was created to waive income limits of parents to establish eligibility for Medicaid in 1982. •This is an optional Medicaid Program for Georgia. •In 2001, the only national study ever conducted concluded that 20 states enrolled approximately 25,000 children in Medicaid through the KB waiver option. Georgia was the second highest ranked State for KB waivers. •Increase in KB Waiver denials since May 2005. No specific disability has been targeted. •Over 6,200 families had the KB waiver before the new guidelines were implemented on 11/15/04. Over 2,400 children have been denied since that time.   How is the Level of Care determined for the KB Waiver? •Initial application made to DFCS. -Clinical detail is sent to and reviewed by Georgia Medical Care Foundation. -If Level of Care is satisfied, DFCS does cost neutrality assessment. •Georgia Medical Care Foundation does clinical review. -A certified Prospective Review Organization. -Co-Medical Directors and nurse reviewers.   What is the Appeal process for KB Waiver? •An  initial administrative appeal can be requested from GMCF. You have 30 calendar days to supply additional information. •A 2nd appeal can be made by requesting a hearing directly from the DCH. (Fair hearing in front of a judge) •As of 1/17/07, DCH is currently conducting fair hearings for January 2006 requests! DCH has limited any patient liability to 3 months, should the hearing not turn out in the parents favor.   Appealing…..Tips & Traps •Tips for Appealing: -In the original denial letter, the parents have 30 Calendar days to appeal. -Resubmit any Medicaid documents that you feel you may have not filled out properly based on the new eligibility criteria. -Prepare a 24 hour Care Plan going into detail about your child's day. Explain everything you do as a parent that goes beyond a "typical" child's duties as a parent. -Have all your doctors, therapists and any other professional that works with  you child submit a letter explaining why your child needs the waiver. -Contact your local State Senator and Representative and send copies of e-mails to the Governor. -Detailed information on the procedural aspects of a fair hearing and instructional video on representing yourself in a hearing without an attorney can be found at: www.osah.ga.gov/   Tips and Traps •Review the eligibility criteria by going to www.communityhealth.state.ga.us or http://dch.georgia.gov/00/channel_title/0,2094,31446711_31946814,00.html   •All applications have new forms which include the following: -Pediatric DMA6(A). -Care Plan (DMA 706). -Cost-Effectiveness Form (DMA 704 which replaced the Deeming waiver Physicians Referral Form). -3rd Party Liability Health Insurance Info. Questionnaire (DMA 285).   Tips and Traps •Fill out all forms out as a "Provider" NOT as a "Parent". •Always send everything to GA Healthcare Partners / DCH by certified mail / return receipt. •#1 Reason for denials is an administrative denial (lack of paperwork and incomplete package). •Submit ALL the forms and supporting documentation in one application. •Put together a Table and Contents and tab each document. •Question #7 on DMA6(A) "Does guardian think the applicant should be institutionalized? Yes or No".  •Don't date the DMA6(A) until submitting the entire application package. (Form only good for 30 days!) •Include a picture of your child. Make it personal!   Home and Community Based Service Waivers •Section 1915c of the Social Security Act allows the federal government to "waive" (ignore) certain Medicaid rules to enable states to cover home and community-based services as an alternative to institutionalization. •These are called Home and Community Based Service Waivers.   Service Waivers "Waive" Medicaid policies that require institutionalization of an individual before non-medical services can be provided.   •This allows states to offer programs that provide additional services to Medicaid eligible individuals in their home and/or community.               Georgia's Service Waiver Programs •CCSP (Community Care Services Program) •ICWP (Independent Care Waiver Program) •CHSS (Community Habilitation Support Services) •MRWP (Mental Retardation Waiver Program)   Community Care Services ProgramThe Community Care Services Waiver (CCSP) is for the elderly with disabling conditions and people with severe physical disabilities who need in-home support services.             To apply:  CCSP Intake Unit (Atlanta Regional Commission)  (404) 463-3244 www.agewiseconnection.com             Eligibility: Must have a functional impairment. • Require nursing home level of care • Medicaid eligible • Any age             May include cost share which is determined by individual's monthly income Resource limit.  Individual may have up to $2,000 in resources.              Provides Adult Day Health • Personal Support Services • Out of Home respite care • Home delivered meals • Home delivered services, e.g. nursing, PT, OT, ST • Alternative Living Services • Emergency response services   Independent Care Waiver Program The ICWP is for adults between ages 21 and 64, with physical disabilities or traumatic brain injury.   •Individuals must be able to direct their own care. Must be at risk of nursing home or hospital placement.   •Services include: case management, companion services, including homemaker services, personal support services, environmental modification, skilled nursing, specialized medical equipment and supplies, personal emergency response systems,  counseling, occupational therapy, adult day services, respite care,  physical therapy, and speech therapy.   Community Habilitation Support Services   §        This waiver program was created to serve individuals in institutional settings to facilitate their move back into the community. §        Individuals are not being added to this program. §        Individuals must be Medicaid eligible; have mental retardation since birth or before age 18, or another developmental disability since birth or before age 22, which requires services similar to those needed by people with mental retardation. §        Services are residential supports, day habilitation and supported employment.     Mental Retardation Waiver ProgramThe MRWP provides a wide array of community based services to individuals with developmental disabilities.   To be eligible for an MRWP, an individual must: •be Medicaid eligible; •Have mental retardation or another developmental disability which requires services similar to those needed by people with mental retardation; •Be at risk for going into an institution for people with mental retardation if unable to get the services you need in the community. The MRWP is available to all ages.   MRWP Services •Natural Support Enhancements •Respite Care •Specialized Services •Medical Equipment •Personal Support •Day Support •Day Habilitation •Supported Employment •Home Modifications •Support Coordination •Residential Training and Supervision   Support Coordination •Support coordination is a separate State contract- it does not use an individual's waiver money. •Support Coordination is for those on the Short Term Planning List and for those enrolled in the program. •The regional office contracts for support coordination.   MRWP +The largest service waiver program in Georgia.             +The largest waiting list for services (over 6,000 people statewide)   +Georgia has had this waiver since 1989.   MHDDAD Regional Offices Region 1: (706) 802-5272 or toll-free 1-800-646-7221.   Region 2: (706) 792-7733 or toll-free 1-866-380-4835.   Region 3: (770) 414-3052. Clayton, Cherokee, Cobb, DeKalb, Douglas, Fayette, Fulton, Gwinnett, Henry and Rockdale   Region 4: (229) 225-5099.   Region 5: (912) 303-1670 or toll-free 1-800-348-3503.   NOW Waiver will likely replace MRWP on 7/07 •Behavioral support up to $2,460 max a year •Community access •Community Guide services up to $ 2000 max a year •Community living support •Community residential •Dental services for adults up to $ 500 a year •Environmental accessibility adaptations up to $ 10,000 lifetime •Financial support services •Natural support training and individual directed goods and services •Professional therapeutic services up to $ 1800 a year •Respite •Specialized medical equipment and supplies •Support coordination •Transportation up to $ 2800 a year •Vehicle adaptation up to $ 6,240 max lifetime cap   Medicaid Covered Services •GAPP (Georgia Pediatric Program) •SOURCE (Service Options Using Resources in Community Environments)   The above are services (not waivers) covered under Medicaid.   Things to Know…. For those who already have a waiver •Individuals who have a Medicaid waiver are entitled to ALL the necessary services provided in that waiver program. •Waivers can be used anywhere in the state of Georgia but cannot be transferred out-of-state.   For those who are waiting for a waiver. •Parents and family members need to advocate for services.    Networking & Building Alliances •Contact Governor's Council on Developmental Disabilities (GCDD) via e-mail (vmsuber@dhr.state.ga.us) regarding being placed on their "Moving Forward" e-mail update during the legislative session. •Contact your State Senator and Representative's by going to www.vote-smart.org and inputting your zip code.  They need to hear from you about your situation and how it impacts your family. •Contact Governor Perdue:  Georgia.Governor@gov.state.ga.us .   Networking & Building Alliances •Stress when talking to your legislators that the majority of the our families are hardworking, middle class, tax paying, voting citizens that have never asked from anything from the State until they had a child with a disability.   •Atlanta Alliance on Developmental Disabilities (AADD) is also involved in advocating for the disability waiting list. http://www.unlockthewaitinglists.com/   •Work with the media to get the message out and to help educate the general population of our concerns and abilities of our children (given the right resources)!   Networking   •Get Involved! Advocating is the key to success in getting the services we need for our children. Send on e-mail to : heidijmoore@comcast.net if you would like to be placed on my advocacy distribution list. (over 2,500+ members)   •My goal: Make the issues easy to understand and explain to advocates what they can do to influence change in this State.   •Additional information can be found at: -www.kidshealthcarega.org -http://www.lgtinc.org/authors/41/Heidi-J.-Moore   •Effective February 2007, Heidi now provides fee based consultation services for the Medicaid application process for the Katie Beckett Waiver and MRWP and other advocacy issues including education, healthcare and general information.  Please contact her for additional information.   More Helpful Website Information •GCDD guide to waivers :   http://www.openminds.com/indres/111306gawaivers.pdf •Summary of GA Medicaid waivers  :  http://www.unlockthewaitinglists.com/pdf/summaryofwaivers.pdf •Medicaid's Main ICF-MR page:          http://www.cms.hhs.gov/medicaid/icfmr/default.asp •Parent to Parent of GA KB Waiver Information: http://www.parenttoparentofga.org/roadmap/insurance/insurancedeemingcover.htm •Unlock The Waiting Lists website : •http://www.unlockthewaitinglists.com/  •ICF-MR level care and "persons with related conditions":             http://www.healthlaw.org/library.cfm?fa=download&resourceID=61843&appView=folder&print •Great site to find current lawsuits in other states re: disabilities: http://www.healthlaw.org/ •When you see a code w/  "CFR" go here to look it up.  Most healthcare is in title 42.  Medicaid's definitions are listed here.             http://www.gpoaccess.gov/cfr/retrieve.html •An appeals decision re: 24 active care vs. 24 supervision.  This is the court's breakdown of the fed regs and how they interpreted them.           http://www.state.in.us/judiciary/opinions/previous/archive/02280101.nhv.html •Autism Handbook http://www.usd.edu/cd/autism/Autism%20Handbook.pdf                                                                          Update : Strengthening Families of Children with Disabilities (SFCD)- KB Waiver Foundation. •In April 2006, the legislature approved $7.6 million to go towards families that have been denied from the KB waiver. •A foundation was formed to manage this process. (Community Foundation of Greater Atlanta-CFGA) •Eligibility: Families that were denied the Katie Beckett Waiver from Oct 2005 - to date. •One time prepaid debit card will be paid in the amount of $2,600/child expires March 31, 2007. •Funds are being set aside to address the long-term needs of medically fragile children and their families •Currently, DHR is finalizing the Advisory Committee members. •Contacts: Lita Ugarte- Program Officer- CGGA (404) 688-5525 and Brian Dowd with DHR bddowd@dhr.ga.gov 404-657-3592..   Advocacy Issues Therapy Issues- -Starting Sept. 1, 2006, Prior Authorizations are needed for more than 8 units/month for ST, PT, OT. -Starting Nov. 1, 2006, CHOA no longer accepts outpatients for therapy. -HB 549 - Defines "Medically Necessary Services" and being prescribed by Physician not defined by DCH. Also changes process and need for prior authorizations. Currently awaiting Governor's signature!   Other Advocacy Issues:   •Administrative Service Organization (ASO) coming in 2007 for all disability waivers. •SB 10 Voucher program for children with IEP's. Waiting Governor's signature. •Get involved and monitor your child's Medicaid card. -www.ghp.georgia.gov and request a password from GA Health Partnership to be able to track Medicaid charges to your child's account. -This is very important in order to verify and report problems. You can report a complaint via the website as well. -Only through education, accountability and communication are we going to be able to make a difference in the process.   Be Prepared, Advocate, and Win…… YOUR Child Depends on YOU! --Heidi J. Moore (Proud Mother to Jacob - 7 years old with Down syndrome & Jared - 5 years old) For more information about how you can get involved regarding advocating for children, please visit us at www.kidshealthcarega.org "Help The Children Now, So They Can Help Themselves Later!" The material contained in this e-mail is for general information only. It is not intended in any way to provide or offer legal advice. To obtain legal advice, please consult with your attorney or a qualified legal representative. Heidi J. Moore Tue, 01 May 2007 00:00:00 EDT http://www.lgtinc.org/articles/234/1/Advocacy-THANK-YOU-%21 April 22, 2007   Dearest Advocates:   I just wanted to say a big THANK YOU to everyone that participated in making this a very successful legislative session this year for individuals with disabilities.   Here is a short list of just some of the issues that have been addressed this legislative session due to our efforts in advocating for change:   1. The Aged, Blind and Disabled populations were being proposed to be placed in a "Managed Care" model.  This has been REMOVED from the budget being submitted to the Governor for signature!   THIS IS BIG NEWS.  The last thing we need for this vulnerable population is be placed in a managed care model that does not work and just adds additional layers of management without benefit to those individuals that need the care. (Again, thank you so much for those 25 people that came out to the Capitol on Monday morning to help in this effort, as well as, those that made the necessary phone calls and emails to the legislators).  We need to continue to make sure our voices are heard on this issue i n the future!   2. House Bill 549 was approved in the House and Senate and is now at the Governor's office for signature.  Basically, House Bill 549 will help alleviate many of the issues with the prior approval process for therapy in the Medicaid system.  It streamlines the paperwork, defines medical necessity, changes the prior approval process to every six months instead of three and allows 16 units of therapy per discipline before the prior approval process kicks in.  There were some changes in the original language but overall this is a step in the right directions.   I do want to clarify that there is mention of a Care Managed Organization (CMO) in the final version of this bill. This DOES NOT mean that those families with disability waivers will be in care management. They just placed this language in there for those that have Peachcare that are under the CMO's.    Many thanks to everyone that flooded key legislators phone lines on Friday morning in support of this bill!  Our voices were heard loud and clear!    3. SB 10- Basically, this is the bill that would allow families to be able to use vouchers for their children's education. I have not been as involved with this bill since others have taken the lead of advocacy for this.  This Bill is now at the Governor's desk for signature as well.   I hope you can see that our voices are being heard.  I hope that in the future more people get involved.  Keep up the great work.    Our children's Healthcare/Education and Future depend on our advocacy efforts of today.   UNITED… WE WILL MAKE A DIFFERENCE!   Sincerely, Heidi   --Heidi J. Moore (Proud Mother to Jacob - 7 years old with Down syndrome & Jared - 5 years old) For more information about how you can get involved regarding advocating for children, please visit us at www.kidshealthcarega.org "Help The Children Now, So They Can Help Themselves Later!" The material contained in this e-mail is for general information only. It is not intended in any way to provide or offer legal advice. To obtain legal advice, please consult with your attorney or a qualified legal representative. For previous advocacy email's, please go to the following website: http://www.lgtinc.org/authors/41/Heidi-J.-Moore Heidi J. Moore Tue, 01 May 2007 00:00:00 EDT http://www.lgtinc.org/articles/233/1/Champions-for-Children-Initiative---Input-needed April 21, 2007   Dearest Advocates:   Received this information that I thought you might be interested in.....FYI- this is part of the $7.6 million that was allocated last legislative session for those families that were denied the Katie Beckett Waiver under the new eligibility requirements that were implemented in November 2004.   Thanks, Heidi ==================================== The Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta is pleased to provide an update on its partnership with the State of Georgia and the Department of Human Resources (DHR) to develop a statewide service delivery system for medically fragile children and their families. Established in the fall 2006, Champions for Children with Exceptional Needs Initiative (formerly Supporting Healthy Families Initiative) will map the existing services for medically fragile children and their families, identify where there are gaps, and develop recommendations to meet those gaps with an appropriate nonprofit or network of nonprofits across Georgia. This work is being guided by an Advisory Committee comprised of a diverse group of stakeholders. The Georgia Health Policy Center (GHPC) has been hired to conduct the research and outreach activities. As an important stakeholder, The Community Foundation would like to update you on the Initiative's progress:   ·         Ongoing literature review on best practices for states delivering health services to medically fragile children. GHPC has not only researched best practices, but also reviewed how programs are structured. ·         Completed an analysis of CY 2005 Medicaid claims of children who received services through the Katie Beckett Waiver Program, including utilization and Medicaid payments. The analysis revealed that families use funds mostly to cover therapeutic services, prescriptions, and medical equipment, although families also used funds to cover home care and outpatient hospital services. ·         Conducted focus groups with family members of medically fragile children. The focus groups included families no longer eligible for the Katie Beckett Waiver Program and families still eligible for the Katie Beckett Waiver Program. ·         Ongoing key informant interviews with providers and leaders of nonprofit organizations, including representatives from organizations serving medically fragile children and representatives from the medical community (doctors, nurses, and therapists). In individual settings, participants have shared in-depth knowledge of the needs of medically fragile children and their families, systems (medical and nonprofit) that work to address their needs, and thoughts on how the funds set aside by the Legislature could be used.  In the next two weeks will conduct two half-day Community Forums to gain feedback on results of the data gathering and outreach activities. The first Forum will be held in metro Atlanta on April 28 and the second Forum in the Savannah area on May 5. These forums will be open to the public and will provide all stakeholders an opportunity to give us additional feedback. The attached announcement contains details on the two Community Forums. Please forward t his email and the attached announcement to all parents, advocates, service providers (nonprofit, medical, etc.) and any other stakeholders you feel would be interested in attending the Forums. We will continue to update you as Champions makes progress toward meeting its goal. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact us by email at champions@atlcf.org.  Champions for Children with Exceptional Needs Lita Ugarte, Program Officer Kristina Morris, Program Associate The Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta (404) 688-5525 http://www.atlcf.org ===========================================   Champions for Children with Exceptional Needs Community Forums     Champions is an initiative designed to bring together people and resources to create a comprehensive statewide support system to address the medical, social and emotional needs of Georgia's medically fragile children and their families.   By attending a forum, you can: Hear results gathered from outreach activities to parents and service providers (focus groups and key informant interviews)   Give feedback on the results of data gathering and outreach activities   Participate in small group working sessions to prioritize and develop appropriate service options       Dates and Locations Saturday, April 28th (Atlanta forum) North Atlanta High School 2875 Northside Drive, NW Atlanta, GA 30305   Saturday, May 5th (Savannah forum) Nancy N. and J.C. Lewis Cancer & Research Pavilion at St. Joseph's/Candler 225 Candler Drive, Suite 203 Savannah, GA 31405   Check-in and light continental breakfast: 8:30AM-9:00AM Community Forum: 9:00AM-12:00PM     To register for the Forums send an email to champions@atlcf.org by 12:00PM on Friday, April 27 for Atlanta and 5:00PM on Thursday, May 3 for Savannah. Please specify if you will attend the Forum in Atlanta or Savannah.     --Heidi J. Moore (Proud Mother to Jacob - 7 years old with Down syndrome & Jared - 5 years old) For more information about how you can get involved regarding advocating for children, please visit us at www.kidshealthcarega.org "Help The Children Now, So They Can Help Themselves Later!" The material contained in this e-mail is for general information only. It is not intended in any way to provide or offer legal advice. To obtain legal advice, please consult with your attorney or a qualified legal representative. For previous advocacy email's, please go to the following website: http://www.lgtinc.org/authors/41/Heidi-J.-Moore Heidi J. Moore Tue, 01 May 2007 00:00:00 EDT http://www.lgtinc.org/articles/230/1/URGENT--HB-549--Therapy-Needs-YOUR-Support-TODAY%21 April 18, 2007   Dearest Advocates:   URGENT- I realize I have issued out a number of advocacy emails in the last few days but this is crunch time in the legislator. We either have our voices heard NOW or NEVER!   PLEASE read below this important advocacy alert that needs your attention TODAY regarding advocating for your child's therapy in Georgia!   House Bill 549 has passed through the House of Representatives and went through the Senate Appropriations Committee.  TODAY- April 18, 2007 at 5:00 the Rules committee votes on this bill and we need all advocates to contact the members of the rules committee to ask them to support this bill. If it passes on Wed. then it will go to the senate floor on Thursday.    Basically, House Bill 549 will help alleviate many of the issues with the prior approval process for therapy in the Medicaid system.  It streamlines the paperwork, defines medical necessity, changes the prior approval process to every six months instead of three and allows 16 units of therapy per discipline before the prior approval process kicks in.     THIS IS BIG NEWS AND CAN HELP ALL OUR CHILDREN WITH THERAPY……Now and in the future!   PLEASE CALL TODAY THE FOLLOWING Senators letting them know of your support of HB 549:   Don Balfour-Chairman 404-656-0095 Dan Moody 404-463-8055 Eric Johnson 404-656-5109 Tommy Williams 404-656-0089 Jack Hill 404-656-5038 Renee Unterman 404-463-1368 David Adelman 404-463-1376 Gloria Butler 404-656-0075 George Hooks 404-656-0065 Ross Tolleson 404-656-0081 David Shafer 404-651-7738 Chip Pearson 404-656-9221   In addition, please contact your own Senator (www.vote-smart.org  and inputting your zip code).   YOUR CHILD's THERAPY MAY DEPEND ON IT!   In addition, please thank Senator Dan Moody for being willing to sponsor the Bill in the Senate at the last minute! Also- Thanks to Donna for working on helping make this possible Bill a reality for our children!   Thanks in advance for your support in this urgent issue.     Sincerely,   Heidi   --Heidi J. Moore (Proud Mother to Jacob - 7 years old with Down syndrome & Jared - 5 years old) For more information about how you can get involved regarding advocating for children, please visit us at www.kidshealthcarega.org "Help The Children Now, So They Can Help Themselves Later!" The material contained in this e-mail is for general information only. It is not intended in any way to provide or offer legal advice. To obtain legal advice, please consult with your attorney or a qualified legal representative. Heidi J. Moore Wed, 18 Apr 2007 00:00:00 EDT http://www.lgtinc.org/articles/229/1/URGENT%3A-Managed-Care--Continued-Advocacy-Needed-By-YOU%21 April 16, 2007   Dearest Advocates:   Please find below additional information regarding our advocacy efforts. MANY thanks to those 25 families/kids/providers/concerned citizens (and even a grandma!) that took time out of their busy schedules to come down to the Capitol today to show a unified voice on this issue.......The Aged, Blind and Disabled populations can NOT be in another managed care model!   The Senate listened and took this proposal OUT of their version of the 2008 Budget!   BUT our advocacy efforts must continue........PLEASE take a moment and call and/or email the below legislators (ESPECIALLY if you are in their District. It means more when you live in their district!!!!!) and the Governor letting them know that managed care does not work in this population of individuals and why.    Please make your stories personal and how it could impact your family. Also thank the Senators for taking it out of their version of the budget and help the our House of Representatives understand better so they will support that final decision with the 08 Budget!   To help you with your phone calls and emails, below are some of the facts to the situation..........   Facts:   Many of our families already have a managed healthcare network! With the Katie Beckett Waiver children alone, 71% of those waivers use Medicaid as SECONDARY INSURANCE and have primary healthcare insurance.  Why would we need to be in ANOTHER managed care situation?   For the other Waivers (including MRWP, SOURCE, ICWP, CCSP, etc) - They are already in a managed care model.     There needs to be a lot more thought and input into this option before adding into the budget at the last minute.  No study data is available at this time. We don't even know how many individuals this could impact!     This plan was not discussed in any public meetings and was NOT recommended by the Appropriation Health Subcommittee and Dept. of Community Health (DCH)!  DCH Commissioner Medows says the plan is premature because the State has less than a year's experience with the current managed care (CMO) model in place.   DCH would have to get a 1115 Waiver from the Federal Medicaid office even if this is approved by the Georgia legislator (which takes time).   Given the complexity and needs of this vulnerable population, many who have private health insurance and hold Medicaid as secondary insurance, the cost of coordinating care would be a financial burden to Medicaid and could actually end up costing the State more taxpayer dollars! Bottom line: Managed care is NOT a good service delivery model for the Age, Blind and Disabled populations and could actually cost the state taxpayers more money.  We need more time to evaluate the options before this radical approach is taken. Please remove this line item from the 2008 Budget! Thanks in advance for your support.   UNITED... WE WILL MAKE A DIFFERENCE!   Our advocacy efforts are paying off...keep up the GREAT WORK!   Sincerely, Heidi  ==================================================== THIS STATEMENT ISSUED BY:  Laura O. Moore Founder and CEO Dream House for Medically Fragile Children, Inc. laura.moore@dreamhouseforkids.net 770-717-7410 Leanne D. Manning Project & Advocacy Coordinator leanne.manning@dreamhouseforkids.org 678-462-7789 Heidi J. Moore heidijmoore@comcast.net 678-357-8200 YOUR VOICE WAS HEARD!!! Dream House Call to Action Update United…We are making a difference!!! Our state leaders heard from you today, your phone calls and emails made the difference and the Senate did not approve the last minute amendment that would implement a managed care program for the Aged, Blind and Disabled Medicaid population in the Atlanta region, which is said to become effective January 1, 2008. We have one more thing to do… The House and Senate Committees will now need to work out their differences on this issue, So we still need to call and email our legislatures, Especially tomorrow, Tuesday, April 17!  Please voice your concern about this rush of putting the aged, disabled and blind into care management.  We would like to have the study data used to validate how many aged, blind and disabled people this change would affect made public and given time to review that data; to learn about how much money this change would actually save or cost, both long and short term; and to be able to participate in timely public response before this change is implemented into legislation. We do not want the state budget balanced upon the health and lives  of children or elderly folks, disabled, or blind people. But what can I do that  will make a difference? 1.      Please call and email your state legislature on Tuesday!! You can find your State Senator and Representative by going to www.vote-smart.org and typing in your zipcode. 2.      Please call Governor Sonny Purdue's office at 404-656-1776, or FAX: 404-657-7332 or email: sperdue@gov.state.ga.us. 3. Contact Lt. Gov. Casey Cagle's office at 404-656-5109 or email him at: http://ltgov.georgia.gov/00/article/0,2086,2199618_2208307_11792200,00.html   4. Contact Senator Jack Hill at 404-656-5038 or jack.hill@senate.ga.gov 5. Contact Senator Tommie Williams at 404-656-0089 or tommie.williams@senate.ga.gov or tommie@tommiewilliams.com 6. Contact Senator Eric Johnson at 404-656-5109 or  eric.johnson@senate.ga.gov or ejohnson56@comcast.net  7. Representative Ben Harbin at 404-463-2247 or  ben.harbin@house.ga.gov 8. Rep. Jerry Keen 404-656-5052 jlkeen@bellsouth.net 9. Rep. Mark Burkhalter 404-656-5072 or  mark.burkhalter@house.ga.gov Dream House for Medically Fragile Children, Inc. provides education, skills training, and assistance with healthcare equipment acquisition and resource referrals, so that kinship, foster, and adoptive families can care for medically fragile children in their own 'dream home'. ###   --Heidi J. Moore (Proud Mother to Jacob - 7 years old with Down syndrome & Jared - 5 years old) For more information about how you can get involved regarding advocating for children, please visit us at www.kidshealthcarega.org "Help The Children Now, So They Can Help Themselves Later!" The material contained in this e-mail is for general information only. It is not intended in any way to provide or offer legal advice. To obtain legal advice, please consult with your attorney or a qualified legal representative. Heidi J. Moore Wed, 18 Apr 2007 00:00:00 EDT http://www.lgtinc.org/articles/228/1/URGENT%3A-Please-Forward%3A-Call-to-Action-for-Monday--April-16-at-10%3A30am April 14, 2007   Dearest Advocates:   URGENT! Please see below a call to action regarding the latest proposal to place the Aged, Blind and Disabled populations to a managed care program.  I realize that this is late notice. Things are moving VERY quickly but we all need to get involved now!    We are asking anyone that can to come to the Capitol this Monday, April 16th at 10:30am and hand deliver your message to the necessary Senators.  The plan at this point is to meet at the front stairs of the Capitol on Washington Street side (where we had our Healthcare for Kids Rally in November) and organize from there. If you have any questions about this call to action, please contact Leanne Manning  at leanne.manning@dreamhouseforkids.org.   If you can't participate on Monday, please make your phone calls and emails!  Senators that need to hear from us including the following:   1. Jack Hill, Chair of Appropriations jack.hill@senate.ga.gov, 404-656-5038   2. Greg Goggans, Vice Chair, appropriations, Health  drgg@alltel.net  or greg.goggans@senate.ga.gov  404-463-5263   3. Tommy Williams, Appropriations, tommie.williams@senate.ga.gov or tommie@tommiewilliams.com 404-656-0089   4. Casey Cagle, Lt. Governor, go to the following website to contact him: http://ltgov.georgia.gov/00/article/0,2086,2199618_2208307_11792200,00.html   or 404- 656-5030   5. Eric Johnson, Senate 1, President Pro-Tem, eric.johnson@senate.ga.gov or ejohnson56@comcast.net 404-656-5109   6. Also please contact your individual State Senator for your own district by going to www.vote-smart.org and typing in your zip code.      7. AND Contact Governor Perdue at sperdue@gov.state.ga.us, or 404-656-1776, Fax:404-657-7332.   Thanks in advance for your support in this matter.   YOUR child's Medicaid may depend on it!  Sincerely, Heidi    --Heidi J. Moore (Proud Mother to Jacob - 7 years old with Down syndrome & Jared - 5 years old) For more information about how you can get involved regarding advocating for children, please visit us at www.kidshealthcarega.org "Help The Children Now, So They Can Help Themselves Later!" The material contained in this e-mail is for general information only. It is not intended in any way to provide or offer legal advice. To obtain legal advice, please consult with your attorney or a qualified legal representative.   -------------- Forwarded Message: -------------- From: "Leanne Manning" Subject: Please Forward: Call to Action for Monday! Date: Sat, 14 Apr 2007 14:38:19 +0000 THIS STATEMENT ISSUED BY:  Laura O. Moore Founder and CEO Dream House for Medically Fragile Children, Inc. laura.moore@dreamhouseforkids.net 770-717-7410 Leanne D. Manning Project & Advocacy Coordinator leanne.manning@dreamhouseforkids.org Heidi J. Moore heidijmoore@comcast.net 678-357-8200 Dream House Call to Action! But what can I do that  will make a difference? Meet us on the Capitol this Monday, April 16 at 10:30am! Our state leaders need to hear from you personally:  Write a letter to our state leaders with your concerns, and let's personally deliver our message! Don't balance the budget upon the health of children or elderly folks, disabled, or blind people. It is very concerning that the House Budget includes a last minute amendment that would implement a managed care program for the Aged, Blind and Disabled Medicaid population in the Atlanta region, which is said to become effective January 1, 2008. There needs to be a lot more thought and input into this option before adding into the budget at the last minute, resulting in: ·       No study data to validate how many aged, blind and disabled people this change would affect. ·       No study data to show how much money this change would actually save. ·       No chance for timely public response; and no options for those affected to learn of the impact of this decision and act in timely response. This last minute item surprised DCH, Medicaid, providers, patients, our top state leaders, and the taxpayers of Georgia, this legislation would implement managed care for the most disabled populations in our state, a model of care that has not proven to be successful across the country.  Instead, the current system which is based on disease management is the most effective for the patient and the payer.  Current state employee health coverage does not provide the same services that PeachCare offers, yet state workers who earn within the income bracket for Peach Care are not allowed to apply for Peach Care. State employees, if they meet the same criteria as non-state employees, should have health care benefits equivalent to those of Peach Care.  How can this be paid for? ·       Not by cutting Peach Care benefits; ·       Not by taking the most disabled and placing them in "managed care" which has a proven failure record for individuals that face complicated or multi-diagnosis'; Don't balance the budget upon the health of children or elderly folks, disabled, or blind people! What kind of message is conveyed by lowering the standards of health care in Georgia? What will happen to people in nursing homes? Would managed care interfere with the implementation of the MRWP/NOW waiver? How will the impact of reduced health care services affect and increase the burden placed upon schools for already overstrained special education services? If a decision is made to 'dump' the most complicated of patients on top of a system that is already ineffective and losing doctors and providers, what kind of care are any of our most vulnerable citizens going to get? Would this change really save 30-40 million dollars by putting elderly, disabled and blind people, individuals in Medicaid waivers like Katie Beckett, Children's Medical Services, into managed care?  Or, would the real cost be the lives and health wasted by lack of coordinated care? Given the complexity and needs of this vulnerable population, many who have private health insurance and hold Medicaid as secondary insurance, the cost of coordinating care would prove to be a financial burden to Medicaid. Problems with the current 'care maintenance' system have resulted in many providers opting out of Medicaid.  These families need home and community based services, requiring a robust provider network with appropriate compensation for their services. Dept. of Community Health and the House and Senate Budget offices have a lot of concerns about the ability to implement this change, and they would need an 1115 waiver to do this.  We have been advised to contact the Senate with these concerns.  The budget will go to the Senate floor by Tuesday, and then it will go to conference committee to work out the differences. Bottom line: Managed care is NOT a good service delivery model for the Age, Blind and Disabled populations and can actually cost the state taxpayers more money.  We need more time to evaluate the options before this radical approach is taken. But what can I do that  will make a difference? Meet us on the Capitol this Monday, April 16 at 10:30am! Our state leaders need to hear from you personally:  Write a letter to our state leaders with your concerns, and let's personally deliver our message! Dream House for Medically Fragile Children, Inc. provides education, skills training, and assistance with healthcare equipment acquisition and resource referrals, so that kinship, foster, and adoptive families can care for medically fragile children in their own 'dream home'. ### Heidi J. Moore Wed, 18 Apr 2007 00:00:00 EDT http://www.lgtinc.org/articles/227/1/Urgent%3A-Advocacy-Needed.-Contact-your-Legislators-TODAY%21 April 13, 2007   Dearest Advocates:   URGENT ALERT! Please Read and write and call TODAY…….   A surprising item showed up in the Fiscal Year 2008 budget when it was passed out of House Appropriations on Thursday, April 12.  It is in the Department of Community Health Budget, and the item reads as follows:  "The Department of Community Health shall implement a managed care program for the Aged, Blind and Disabled Medicaid population in the Atlanta region, effective January 1, 2008."  ($30,000,000)    This means that legislators expect that they can save 30 million dollars by putting this population (individuals in waivers, Katie Beckett, Children's Medical Services) into managed care.  They need an 1115 waiver to do this.  Dept. of Community Health and the House and Senate Budget offices have a lot of concerns about the ability to implement this change.  We have been advised to contact the Senate with these concerns.  The budget will go to the Senate floor Tuesday, and then it will go to conference committee to work out the differences.    What you can do to make a difference by Tuesday -April 17, 2007:   Please Contact the Senate leadership:   1. Jack Hill, Chair of Appropriations jack.hill@senate.ga.gov, 404-656-5038   2. Greg Goggans, Vice Chair, appropriations, Health  drgg@alltel.net  or greg.goggans@senate.ga.gov  404-463-5263   3. Tommy Williams, Appropriations, tommie.williams@senate.ga.gov or tommie@tommiewilliams.com 404-656-0089   4. Casey Cagle, Lt. Governor, go to the following website to contact him: http://ltgov.georgia.gov/00/article/0,2086,2199618_2208307_11792200,00.html   or 404- 656-5030   5. Eric Johnson, Senate 1, President Pro-Tem, eric.johnson@senate.ga.gov or ejohnson56@comcast.net 404-656-5109   6. Also please contact your individual State Senator for your own district by going to www.vote-smart.org and typing in your zip code.      Talking Points:   Many of our families are already in a healthcare network already! With the Katie Beckett Waiver children alone, 72% of those waivers use Medicaid as SECONDARY INSURANCE and already have Primary Healthcare insurance.  Why would we need to be in ANOTHER managed care situation? Managed care will probably NOT save money for individuals that have primary healthcare insurance and use their own provider networks and may end of COSTING MEDICAID MORE MONEY if coordination is not done properly. For the other Waivers (including MRWP, etc)- We are already in a managed care situation.  Our families need home and community based service which managed care companies do NOT do well. We do not want managed care to interfere with the implementation of the MRWP/NOW waiver. There needs to be a lot more thought and input into this option before putting into the budget at the last minute.   BOTTOMLINE: Managed care is NOT a good service delivery option for individuals with disabilities!   I recommend that you first call them. If you feel uncomfortable with that, send them individual emails on this matter.  Please try to not send in a distribution list (it is not as likely to be read).   Also- make your phone call/message or email personal. Explain how this personally impacts your family.   As many of you are aware, the managed care program (CMO- Care Management Organization) has had a ton of difficulties in the general Medicaid population in the last year since implementation and continues to work thru it's issues……Why would we want to be a part of this program given the complexity and needs of our children and many of us already have primarily healthcare insurance with Medicaid as secondary?   The State of Georgia needs to fiscally responsible for our tax dollars and this is NOT going to achieve that. WE ALL NEED TO HELP EDUCATE OUR LEGISLATORS ABOUT THE TRUTH AND NOT WHAT IS BEING LOBBIED BY THE HEALTHCARE INDUSTRY!   I have not been writing as many emails lately due to my health and my son's but I feel that this was too important for all of you to know what is really going on and be apart of the education and change in Georgia.   This is VERY serious…….Please take a moment and contact the above Senators…..YOUR child's Medicaid may depend on it!   Sincerely, Heidi   --Heidi J. Moore (Proud Mother to Jacob - 7 years old with Down syndrome & Jared - 5 years old) For more information about how you can get involved regarding advocating for children, please visit us at www.kidshealthcarega.org "Help The Children Now, So They Can Help Themselves Later!" The material contained in this e-mail is for general information only. It is not intended in any way to provide or offer legal advice. To obtain legal advice, please consult with your attorney or a qualified legal representative. Heidi J. Moore Wed, 18 Apr 2007 00:00:00 EDT http://www.lgtinc.org/articles/226/1/Articles-from-Effingham-Herald-Newspaper April 8, 2007   Dearest Advocates:   Thought you might be interested in the below articles in the Effingham Herald Newspaper. As I stated before, we need to see more articles in the media on what the real issues are and the need for additional supports for our children and adults with disabilities to succeed in life and in the community they live!   Here is the link for the third part of the series:   http://www.effinghamherald.net/display.php?id=9937   Please take a moment to thank Ralna Pearson rpearson@effinghamherald.net the reporter that wrote a three part series on the movement of moving individuals with disabilities from the institutions and into homes in the community.   Also- Many thanks to Lynnette Bragg for opening her heart and life into the media to help them better understand the needs of individuals with disabilities. Her advocacy efforts over the years is amazing and she continues to not only help her son, but thousands of others.  Lynnette started B&B Care Services in 1999. B&B provides supports for the elderly and individuals with disabilities in their homes and community. Currently, B&B is one of two Medicaid service providers that accept MRWP waiver in the Metro Atlanta area.    I personally believe in this company and what it wants to become for our children in the future.  FYI.....In late January, I accepted a part time position as Community Relations Manager to help in the growth, development and support of families in the Metro Atlanta area for B&B Care Services.   Happy Reading! Heidi --------------------------------------------------------------------- Here is the Second part of the series (that is no longer on the Effingham Heralds's website):   At home, at last   By Ralna Pearson This is the second in a series that will  examine the movement to move mentally challenged individuals  out of institutions and into homes in the community.  Lying in his recliner with a big smile on his face and  watching "Wheel of Fortune," Scott Bragg is as content as can  be."He's truly the king of his own castle, said his  mother, Lynette Bragg.His days begin with breakfast  and he'll tell you what that will be. Then he progresses into  a television marathon that mainly centers on the CBS network. It's "Good Morning America" then "Regis & Kelly" in the  morning, followed by the "Price is Right," WTOCs News at  Noon" and soap operas his caregivers got him into.In  the afternoons, it's the evening news, "Jeopardy" and the  aforementioned big wheel game show. "Used to be and  so metimes now he'll guess 'em and we couldn't figure out how  he could do it till we realized they were reruns," Bragg  laughed.He has the channel turned to see his other  favorite show, "Judge Mathis," because of all the drama that  takes place on it."He likes the excitement," said his  caregiver, Jerri Sutton. "It gets monotonous around  here; we change it to the good stuff."His grandfather  and caregiver Homer Wells added, "He likes a fuss."At  3 years old, Scott, now 32, was diagnosed with mental  retardation. "We always knew he was never like other  children," his mother said.He also suffers from autism  and five seizure disorders. Throughout his life, he has broken  several bones, so he does not walk.Bragg, a registered  nurse and advocate for those with disabilities, was confronted  with the challenge of caring for a child with n eeds her rural  Georgia community did not provide services for."We  know intense therapies can make a difference early on, where  Scott did not have the benefit of early on," she said.  However, she did have the support of a loving family  to help with Scott's care. Her parents, Shirley and Homer  Wells, kept him during the week while she and her husband had  him on the weekends."He would kinda swap back and  forth," Bragg said.Group home a new  homeIn 1984 Bragg and her father experienced some  health problems, and she was forced to place Scott in a group  home near Atlanta until they got better.For one year  while at the home, Scott would come home for 10 days and spend  three weeks at the home. His family called him every  night.While there, Scott attended school. He also  picked up some lessons outside of the curriculum. < BR>"One  thing he learned at the group home is how to fight," shared  Bragg.He returned home fighting and screaming. His  family had to re-teach him how to use his words  instead.Yet the most powerful thing he brought back  was unforgiveness.For four years, Scott did not show  any affection toward his mom, refusing even to sit beside her  because he blamed her for placing him in the  facility.Bragg said that if she and her family had  been able to get in-home support for Scott, they would not  have had to place him in the group home.Today,  however, all is well. Scott lives in his own home  right beside his parents' house. He requires care 24 hours a  day, which his grandfather provides in part. The renowned  research plant pathologist retired so that he could care for  Scott full-time.In addition, Scott has a caregiver w ho  comes every day to help care for him who is paid through  Medicaid's Mental Retardation Waiver Program. And the Braggs  provide some of his care directly or through private  care.Truly king of the castleAt  his home one afternoon Scott demonstrated that he really is  the king of his castle."If he ain't happy, ain't  nobody happy," noted Sutton, who has been caring for Scott for  six years. "What does Miss Jerri do?" Bragg asked her  son."Sleep," he innocently replied in a deep, husky  voice as everyone burst out in laughter."He's telling the  truth," Sutton answered back with a smile. Scott's  family has been active in caring for him all his life, but his  biggest cheerleader was his late younger brother,  Matthew."He was his brother's strongest advocate,"  shared Bragg.Despite being eight years younger,  Matth ew taught his brother how to talk, play and have  relationships. He even encouraged his parents to open B&B  Care Services, Inc. to help provide needed services to Scott  and others with special needs.They started the company  in 1999 and today it is in 111 Georgia counties. It provides  supports to the elderly and those with disabilities in their  homes. And if they lack a home environment, the company helps  them find one. In February 2001 two days before his  18th birthday, Matthew was killed right down the road from his  home in a car accident. Three months later, Bragg's mother  died."Scott had a double whammy there with losing both  of them within a short span of time," Bragg said. "He lost his  two strongest advocates there and the rest of us had to kick  it up a notch ... or two or three notches."Matthew's  death also spurred the Bra g gs into ad vocacy work for disabled  Georgians."We had gotten comfortable in knowing that  Matthew would make sure that Scott was cared for," Bragg said.  "And the day that (Matthew's death) happened, we realized that  we had to jack up our efforts in helping Georgia provide a  system that would support Scott."Providing for  his futureIn addition to the care they provide  now to their son, Bragg and her husband also have planned for  when Scott no longer has them to rely upon.Within the  same week Matthew was killed they met with attorneys and  established a supplemental needs trust for Scott, which allows  money and property to be placed in a trust. The Braggs  have named seven individuals to implement it. They will help  Scott make decisions about where he lives, who provides his  supports and how the resources will be used to con ti nu e his&nbs p; lifestyle, according to Bragg. Some of the trustees  are family, while others are friends. They are educators,  financial officers, nurses and social workers.Anyone  can establish a supplemental needs trust for their loved one.  Bragg strongly encourages families to consider doing  so. Likewise, she advises families to make sure their disabled  relative has a legal guardian with their best interest at  heart and not the state.She is Scott's legal guardian  and in the event of her passing, her husband or grandfather  will petition the court for guardianship to make sure that a  loved one maintains guardianship."It's very important  to protect people," Bragg advised. In the meantime,  Scott spends his days happily and freely thanks to the  sacrifices and hard work his family has put forth to make that  possible.--Heidi J. Moore (Proud Mother to Jacob - 7 years old with Down syndrome & Jared - 5 years old) For more information about how you can get involved regarding advocating for children, please visit us at www.kidshealthcarega.org "Help The Children Now, So They Can Help Themselves Later!" The material contained in this e-mail is for general information only. It is not intended in any way to provide or offer legal advice. To obtain legal advice, please consult with your attorney or a qualified legal representative. Heidi J. Moore Wed, 18 Apr 2007 00:00:00 EDT http://www.lgtinc.org/articles/225/1/Urgent%3A-Therapy-Advocacy-Needed-by-You%21 March 9, 2007   Dearest Advocates:   As many of you are aware, there have been significant changes to the therapy "process" to get approval for our children's therapy in the last 6 months. Due to the changes in DCH's approval process and making our therapist submit prior authorizations every 3 months, access to therapy has become VERY difficult!  Please take a moment and get involved.    Our legislators need to hear from us and why the process is "FAILING" our children and the services they need! Please see below an email that was sent to via the Trialliance (an advocacy group put together by the various PT, OT and ST associations).    Please help influence change! United... WE WILL MAKE A DIFFERENCE! Have a great weekend. Heidi ===========================================   Members of the Trialliance and our lobbyists have been working with Representative Burkhalter (R-Duluth) on legislation to establish requirements for basic therapy services. Rep. Burkhalter authored HB 549 which will establish requirements for basic therapy services for children with disabilities. In the bill "basic therapy services" is defined as "occupational therapy, speech therapy, physical therapy or other services provided in the frequency specified pursuant to EPSDT Program to an eligible Medicaid or PeachCare for Kids beneficiary 21 years of age or younger and which are prescribed and designated as medically necessary by a physician or other healthcare provider working within the scope of his or her legal authority." The term "medically necessary services" is defined as "services which are deemed necessary by a physician or other healthcare provider to correct or ameliorate defects and physical and mental illnesses and conditions." The Bill sta tes that "all persons who are 21 years or younger who are eligible for services under the EPSDT Program shall receive basic therapy services without prior approval in accordance with the provisions of this article." The initiative also establishes specific requirements regarding administrative prior approval for services and appeals. Moreover, the Bill addresses the issue of modification to the State plan for Medical Assistance concerning the rate of payment to providers of medical assistance services.   In the Bill, the Department of Community Health would be directed to implement a modification of the State Plan or any of the affected rules or regulations to provide a rate of payment to providers that is sufficient to "enlist enough providers so that services are available to Medicaid or PeachCare for Kids beneficiaries.to the extent that services are available to the general public" no later than June 1, 2007. If passed, this would become effective upon approval of the Governor. Trialliance members and families of the children we are treating need to contact members of the Health and Human Services Subcommittee now and ask them to support HB 549 authored by Representative Burkhalter. To contact the members of this committee go to the following website: (Enter into your browser) http://www.legis.state.ga.us/legis/2007_08/house/Committees/healthHuman/h ealth.htm During your phone call or in your letter, please let legislators know about the difficulties families are having obtaining therapy services for children with disabilities through the CMOs and Medicaid. It is urgent that we start a strong grassroots advocacy effort to support this bill and its passage. Please contact your legislators and encourage others within your areas to do the same. They are very interested in hearing from families so PLEASE urge families to act today to have a say in services for their child. (Heidi's Comments: In addition to contacting the above Healthcare Committee on this issue, please also send an email to your State Senator and Representative (To find them: www.vote-smart.org and input your zip code). Also- make your email/phone call personal. Explain how the DCH changes have impacted your child's ability to receive therapy! If they do n't hear from us, they don't know there is a problem. Parents need to support what the therapists are saying......The process is broken and needs to be fixed ASAP) ================================================   In addition, I have added a lot of individuals to my distribution list in the last few months.  If you have missed any of my previous e-mails, you can find them at http://www.lgtinc.org/authors/41/Heidi-J.-Moore?Page=8 . Page down to see the most recent advocacy emails.  Thank you. --Heidi J. Moore (Proud Mother to Jacob - 7 years old with Down syndrome & Jared - 5 years old) For more information about how you can get involved regarding advocating for children, please visit us at www.kidshealthcarega.org "Help The Children Now, So They Can Help Themselves Later!" The material contained in this e-mail is for general information only. It is not intended in any way to provide or offer legal advice. To obtain legal advice, please consult with your attorney or a qualified legal representative. Heidi J. Moore Fri, 09 Mar 2007 00:00:00 EST http://www.lgtinc.org/articles/224/1/NMML-Sports-Complex-Update--Advocacy-Needed March 8, 2007   Dearest Advocates:   As many of you know, I sent out an email a few days ago expressing concerns about Alpharetta City Council's continued partnership/support with North Metro Miracle League (NMML) and the construction of the Sports Court at North Park.   First of all, I want to personally thank all the families and friends that attended the City Council meeting on Monday and sent e-mails of support.  We packed the court room (estimates are over 100+)!  The Mayor even commented on receiving over 300+ at the meeting!  I think this shows the communities concern with the issues.  It was obvious from that Council meeting that more needs to be done to "help" educate our elected officials on the needs of individuals with disabilities and their families and the support of the entire community!   The city continues to talk in vague terms about a "process" that needs to be completed (citizens survey, assessment,etc) to prepare a "master plan".  Unfortunately, NMML (and the City thru Block Grants) has $47,000 to possibly lose due to the lack of support in a timely matter to support the final construction phase of the Sports Complex.    Facts:   The partnership between NMML and the city is a win/win situation. Good business decisions. In past, the City invested 10% (via Community Development Block Grants) of the cost of the Sports Complex and now is worth over $2.0 million (rate of return on investment of 900%)!  The Sports Complex has added value to the City and allowed all its citizens to benefit from this facility to date. Sports Court Delay……  If the City does not make timely decisions now, NMML will loose this opportunity for Alpharetta to have a Sports Court that everyone can benefit from? I agree that a needs assessment is a good tool because it will show how many families support additional programming opportunities for the disability community. But, unfortunately we don't have the time to wait.  Even the Alpharetta Youth Softball Association (AYSA) is in support of this proposal and sees the benefit. Our families need sports programming options. NMML goal is to provide programming that offers a variety of more appropriate challenges for children and adults with disabilities. Baseball is not a "one size fits all" answer to the multitude of challenges the NMML athletes face.  We are very appreciative of the work so far but we need to do more.  A choice of sports programming will allow parents and coaches to find the right match between a person's disability and an adapted sports program that will maximize the improvement in that persons physical, social and coping skills. The multi-use Sports Court may be used by children and adults of all ability levels but it will specifically fill the need for the disability community that is currently drastically underserved.   Action Items Needed By YOU:   A. Please take a moment if you have not already done so and send an email to Alpharetta City Council with the following message points:   + Appreciation of the City partnering with NMML and continuing that relationships in the future. It's a win/win!   +Question the Council on: What are the timeframes for completing the citizen's survey and needs assessment? (The Council still has not given us any timeframes of the process and only talked in the general terms. We need answers!)   + Overall- need for more sports programming opportunities in the community for individuals with disabilities.   + Please make your e-mail/ phone calls are personal. Explain the impact this has on your family.   The following is a link to contact information for the Alpharetta City Council and Mayor: http://www.alpharetta.ga.us/index.php?p=29.   Please copy John (jettjock@mindspring.com) (ED for NMML) or myself (heidijmoore@comcast.net) on your emails.   B.  If you are an Alpharetta Resident, please participate in the Citizens Survey when you receive it in the mail.  I received mine yesterday. Specifically, Question D9: "Do you or any member your family have a disability? And Question D10: "Do you think Alpharetta meets the needs of people with disabilities?"  THEY NEED TO HEAR FROM US!!!!   In addition, Revue and News Newspaper had an article in today's newspaper entitled "Miracle League told to wait -City Council sticks to process before giving OK to Sport Court for disabled residents". To view that article go to:   http://www.northfulton.com/1editorialbody.lasso?-token.folder=2007-03-01&-token.story=154705.112113&-token.subpub=   Also send an email to the reporter, Bob Pepalis, bob@northfulton.com thanking him for the coverage of the situation and why it is so important to the disability community.  The article did not totally represent the facts to the situation and NMML plans on writing a letter to help clarify the true issues.      (Heidi's Comments:......NMML has been communicating well with the Council on this issue, unfortunately, the Council has not done a good job communicating within itself! )   There was also an article on Page 2 of the Alpharetta Neighbor yesterday. Unfortunately, it is not on there website www.neighbornewspapers.com.  The reporter, Amber Summers did a great job explaining the concerns of the community on this issue. Please take a moment and thank them for their coverage of the situation: nfulton@neighbornewspapers.com.   Even if you don't live in Alpharetta, NMML works with families all over the Metro Atlanta area and needs your help.  Thanks in advance for your help in this matter. UNITED…. WE WILL MAKE A DIFFERENCE!   Sincerely, Heidi   For more information on NMML go to: www.nmml.net . It truly is a wonderful organization that has helped an entire community with the acceptance of individuals with disabilities and seeing our children for their abilities NOT disabilities!   --Heidi J. Moore (Proud Mother to Jacob - 7 years old with Down syndrome & Jared - 5 years old) For more information about how you can get involved regarding advocating for children, please visit us at www.kidshealthcarega.org "Help The Children Now, So They Can Help Themselves Later!" The material contained in this e-mail is for general information only. It is not intended in any way to provide or offer legal advice. To obtain legal advice, please consult with your attorney or a qualified legal representative. Heidi J. Moore Fri, 09 Mar 2007 00:00:00 EST http://www.lgtinc.org/articles/223/1/Advocacy-and-Information March 6, 2007   Dearest Advocates:   Thought you might be interested in the below information. Only with getting involved attending events, filling out survey's, communicating our concerns…………….are we going to continue to have our voices heard for our children!  YOU are your child's #1 advocate.  Hope you find this information useful.  Sincerely, Heidi =====================================================    The following is a message from David Tolleson with the City of Roswell:   Special Populations Awareness Month in Roswell: Advocacy Opportunity:  7:30 PM, Monday, March 19th, in front of Roswell's City Council.  At that time, the Mayor will be proclaiming that April will again be Special Populations Awareness Month.  There will be a brief video presentation about the Inclusion Task Force's past successes in Roswell, including information about how far we still need to go.  We're asking to double the budget of our ADA Task Force this year and the presence of many families helps us make progress slowly, but surely.  There will be a reception with sn ack-type foods after the presentation, probably around 7:45. Due to the March date, the Task Force suggested wearing something green as a sign of solidarity (shirt/scarf/whatever).   (Heidi Comments: I realize this is a school night but it always helps for the City to see the faces of the children.  You don't have to be a resident of Roswell to show your support at this event.  The timing of this event is critical since they are going into budget season. )    Educational Seminar for Special Needs Families   SPECIAL NEEDS CONFERENCE -- Kennesaw, GA - - On Saturday, March 31 from 10:00 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. at NorthStar Church in Acworth/ Kennesaw, Ga. This educational event is designed for parents and families of special needs children, as well as anyone interested in learning more about Autistic Spectrum Disorders (ADHD, ADD, Aspergers Syndrome, Autism, Pervasive Developmental Disorder, Non Verbal Learning Disorder and more). The conference will feature an expert physician panel, including: Amy Thornhill Pakula, MD - Dr. Pakula is a Neurodevelopmental Pediatrician and Director of Developmental Pediatric Clinics at the Marcus Institute. She specializes in early identification of, intervention for, developmental and behavioral problems in children during infancy and the pre-school years. Cobb County Schools Parent Mentors - The parent mentors can help educate on what the school system has to offer special needs children. Stephanie Pretti, OTR/L - Ms. Pretti, Occupational Therapist, Children's Healthcare of Atlanta Rehabilitation Services.  Deborah Matthews McCormick, MS., NCC, LPC - Mrs. McCormick is a licensed counselor with experience in helping both children and their families. The panel will discuss the diagnosis, treatment (pharmacologic and non-pharmacologic), education and expected outcomes for children and will conduct a question and answer segment with parents and families. Online reservations are available at northstarchurch.org.  Paper registration forms may be printed online. Please contact Jeff Hardin at 678-427-5380 or Tricia Levy at 404-245-2870 for more details. There is no cost for the seminar, and childcare is available by reservation only.  NorthStar Church is located at 3413 Blue Springs Road, Kennesaw, GA 30144.  Office phone is (770) 420-9808.  Directions to NorthStar Church's campus and offices can be found at www.northstarchurch.org/directions.shtml. ================================================= The following is a message from Stephanie Moss, Part C Coordinator, Babies Can't Wait.   We need to hear from you!  The Babies Can't Wait program, Georgia's early intervention system for infants and toddlers (birth to three) with disabilities and their families, needs your input to help improve our services for Georgia's children and families.     As part of this process we are conducting an online survey of our stakeholders, including families, service providers, our own staff, and our community partners, both public and private.   Our time frame is extremely tight.  The online survey will be available only Monday, March 5, 2007 through Friday, March 16, 2007 http://s urveybcw.caresolutions.com   Because of your work on the front lines, your input and assistance is critical.  We are asking you to participate in the survey yourself as well as help get the word out and encourage others in your community - families, service providers, LICCs, school officials, child advocates, etc. - to participate.  Attached is a flyer you can email,  copy and distribute.     Please be assured that all survey responses will remain anonymous - an independent consulting firm will collect and analyze the data and provide the BCW with summary reports. Thank you in advance for your participation and your help in getting others to participate!   (Heidi's Comments: Even if your child is out of the BCW program, please take a moment to fill out this survey. BCW needs to hear from EVERYONE in order to continue to provide services to families from birth to 3 yrs old.)   ================================================= The following is a message from Susanna Mitchell with the Governor's Council on Developmental Disabilities:   Please visit http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.asp?u=181193386114 to complete a brief survey on Disability Day at the Capitol 2007.  The survey will be available until Friday, March 9.    Thank you everyone who already completed the survey.  We appreciate your feedback!   ===================================================   --Heidi J. Moore (Proud Mother to Jacob - 7 years old with Down syndrome & Jared - 5 years old) For more information about how you can get involved regarding advocating for children, please visit us at www.kidshealthcarega.org "Help The Children Now, So They Can Help Themselves Later!" The material contained in this e-mail is for general information only. It is not intended in any way to provide or offer legal advice. To obtain legal advice, please consult with your attorney or a qualified legal representative. Heidi J. Moore Tue, 06 Mar 2007 00:00:00 EST http://www.lgtinc.org/articles/222/1/Advocacy-Needed-By-YOU%21 March 2, 2007   Dearest Advocates:   Earlier this week I sent an email out regarding the need for family participation at an upcoming Alpharetta City Council meeting.  I wanted to clarify the reason why we are asking to speak to the Council……   Our goal is to help educate the Council on the needs of its residents/community/tax-payers/businesses and to continue to support the partnership the City has with North Metro Miracle League (NMML). This is also includes the completion of the Sport Court in our existing Sports Complex.   The Council needs to understand us and listen to our concerns and SEE the critical mass of people being concerned about the issue.....Individuals with disabilities need access to programming in the community!   PLEASE take this opportunity to show your support and attend this meeting (see specifics below).  We plan on having the following list of speakers that represent various segments of the disability population.   Tina D'versa - Chairperson for NMML - Overview why we are here. Heidi Moore - Parent / Resident- younger children. Cindy Smith - Parent / Resident - older children. TBD - Youth Volunteers "Buddies" Maureen Wales - Adaptive PE teacher and programming. Al Nash - President of N. Fulton Chamber of Commerce Mark Johnson - Resident - wrap-up   If you can't attend this important meeting , send a e-mail message to the Mayor and City Council.  Tell them what the NMML and a completed Adapted Sports Complex means to you, your family and/or group and our community.  Following is a link to contact information http://www.alpharetta.ga.us/index.php?p=29. Please copy John (jettjock@mindspring.com)  or myself (heidijmoore@comcast.net) on your emails.   Hope to see you there. Sincerely, Heidi   ================================================   February 26, 2007   Dearest Advocates:   PLEASE READ   Unfortunately due to some political issues, funding for a Sports Court for children and adults with disabilities is at risk AND WE NEED YOUR HELP! Even if you don't live in north metro Atlanta, this should be everyone's concern.   Proper funding for programs for children and adults with disabilities is necessary.   North Metro Miracle League (www.nmml.net) is a fantastic organization that has been instrumental in helping our children participate in sports in North Atlanta (as well as many other programs not involving sports).  They have been able to secure federal funding for a Sports Court but due to some political issues from the Alpharetta City Council (ACC).NMML may not be able to build this complex.  ACC is not convinced that the land utilization for this complex is best for North Park.   This is about more than just a Sports Court, it is about an opportunity to politely educate ACC for the need of  access to adaptive programming for children and adults with disabilities in Georgia.  If ACC is not going to provide services to the community, they should support the efforts of NMML (like they have done in the past). Private / Public partnerships are wonderful ways to develop the necessary programs needed for our children. It is a win/win situation.   Alpharetta City Council needs to see our families/concerned tax payers understand, care and want fair funding opportunities and programming for our children!   Please Attend!   Details:   Alpharetta City Council Meeting Monday, March 5 at 7:30 pm Alpharetta City Hall 2 South Main Street, Alpharetta, GA 30004 (parking is to the south of city hall building) 678-297-6000   Families and Children are welcome. (Bring your friends and neighbors. We need critical mass)   Please RSVP John McLaughlin (NMML Executive Director) at jettjock@mindspring.com or 770-777-7044 of your attendance ASAP.   Thanks for support in this very important matter. See you there!   Sincerely,   Heidi     --Heidi J. Moore (Proud Mother to Jacob - 7 years old with Down syndrome & Jared - 5 years old) For more information about how you can get involved regarding advocating for children, please visit us at www.kidshealthcarega.org "Help The Children Now, So They Can Help Themselves Later!" The material contained in this e-mail is for general information only. It is not intended in any way to provide or offer legal advice. To obtain legal advice, please consult with your attorney or a qualified legal representative. Heidi J. Moore Tue, 06 Mar 2007 00:00:00 EST http://www.lgtinc.org/articles/221/1/Katie-Becket-Waiver---Foundation-Needs-YOUR-INPUT February 27, 2007   Dearest Advocates:   The State of Georgia is looking for our input regarding the $7.6 million that was set aside last legislative session for families that have been impacted/denied the Katie Beckett Waiver.  If you would like to participate and help set the direction on where is money is to be spent, please try to attend one of the below group discussions.    Please contact Community Foundation of Greater Atlanta (they are managing the program on behalf of Dept. of Human Resources and Dept. of Community Health) regarding any questions to the below email that they provided. This is good news….they are looking for OUR input!     Heidi   ==================================================== We need your assistance in identifying parents with children currently on the Katie Beckett waiver program who would be willing to attend one of two focus groups to discuss the needs of their children. The Georgia Health Policy Center will be conducting the focus groups to better understand the needs of children with special needs. As you know, last year the Georgia Legislature set aside $7.6 million to assist medically fragile children and their families, including those impacted by the changes in eligibility for the Katie Beckett Deeming Waiver Program. In addition to providing transitional funds to families no longer eligible for Katie Beckett, funds were set aside to address the long-term needs of medically fragile children and their families. We are asking parents to share their experiences and provide guidance on how to most wisely use the funds set aside.     The focus group discussions are being held on:   ·         Monday, March 12 from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. in Athens (Hall County) ·         Monday, March 19 from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. in Decatur (DeKalb County)   Participants will be provided with a light meal and given a stipend of $50.00 to help defray any costs associated with attending the meeting. The focus group conversations will be recorded but all comments will confidential and no comments will be associated with any individual in the report that will be prepared.    Spaces are limited, so if you would like to attend, please respond by either calling Daphne Renolds at 404-651-1464 or emailing her at dtrghdoff@bellsouth.net. She will provide you with further details regarding the exact location of the meeting.   Again, we are looking for parents of children currently enrolled in the Katie Beckett Deeming Waiver program.   Thank you for your interest. Lita Ugarte Program Officer- The Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta 50 Hurt Plaza Suite 449 Atlanta, GA 30303 (404) 688-5525, (404) 688-3060 fax lugarte@atlcf.org http://www.atlcf.org   --Heidi J. Moore (Proud Mother to Jacob - 7 years old with Down syndrome & Jared - 5 years old) For more information about how you can get involved regarding advocating for children, please visit us at www.kidshealthcarega.org "Help The Children Now, So They Can Help Themselves Later!" The material contained in this e-mail is for general information only. It is not intended in any way to provide or offer legal advice. To obtain legal advice, please consult with your attorney or a qualified legal representative. Heidi J. Moore Tue, 06 Mar 2007 00:00:00 EST http://www.lgtinc.org/articles/220/1/Newsweek-Magazine-and-AJC-Articles January 26, 2007   Dearest Advocates:   There are a number of articles that I thought you might be interested in:   Newsweek Magazine:   Newsweek Magazine had an article this week on the new guidelines issued by the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) on the recommendation that all pregnant women, regardless of age, be offered genetic counseling and testing for Down syndrome.  Unfortunately, 85 percent of pregnancies in which Down syndrome is diagnosed end in abortion.    As you can imagine, this is a very controversial issue……On a personal note: I think my son, Jacob, is a true blessing in this world (note: I found out at 20 weeks of pregnancy that Jacob was diagnosed with Down syndrome, a severe heart condition and excess water on the brain and may not live thru pregnancy). My husband and I truly believe that God gave us our precious Jacob for a reason and that we were "chosen".  I can honestly say that Jacob (only 7 yrs old) has had more of a positive impact in this world than most people do in a lifetime.  I do think society would be a better place if more people had love, compassion and determination like my son.    Here is the web link to the article:   http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/16720750/site/newsweek/   If you would like to write to the reporter, George F. Will, he can be reached at webeditors@newsweek.com (also copy Letters to the Editor letters@newsweek.com ).   =============================================================   Also in today's Atlanta Journal- Constitution Newspaper the following articles:   Vouchers for special-needs students proposed By KEVIN DUFFY   http://www.ajc.com/news/content/metro/legis07/stories/2007/01/25/0126metlegvoucher.html   State's mental hospitals under reviewDHR chief responds to newspaper articlesBy ANDY MILLER jamiller@ajc.com and ALAN JUDD   http://www.ajc.com/health/content/health/stories/2007/01/25/0126meshmenta.html   And another previous article about the situation in AJC: http://www.ajc.com/health/content/health/stories/2007/01/04/0107meshabout.html   Happy Reading! Heidi   --Heidi J. Moore (Proud Mother to Jacob - 7 years old with Down syndrome & Jared - 5 years old) For more information about how you can get involved regarding advocating for children, please visit us at www.kidshealthcarega.org "Help The Children Now, So They Can Help Themselves Later!" The material contained in this e-mail is for general information only. It is not intended in any way to provide or offer legal advice. To obtain legal advice, please consult with your attorney or a qualified legal representative. Heidi J. Moore Tue, 30 Jan 2007 00:00:00 EST http://www.lgtinc.org/articles/219/1/GCDD-Wants-Your-Opinion-on-Senate-Bill-10%21 January 24, 2007   Dearest Advocates: Please find below a survey GCDD wants our input on regarding SB 10 ASAP.  Please take this important opportunity to voice your opinion in this matter this week. Sincerely, Heidi   --Heidi J. Moore (Proud Mother to Jacob - 7 years old with Down syndrome & Jared - 5 years old) For more information about how you can get involved regarding advocating for children, please visit us at www.kidshealthcarega.org "Help The Children Now, So They Can Help Themselves Later!" The material contained in this e-mail is for general information only. It is not intended in any way to provide or offer legal advice. To obtain legal advice, please consult with your attorney or a qualified legal representative.   -------------- Forwarded Message: -------------- From: "Governor's Council on Developmental Disabilities (GCDD)" To: heidijmoore@comcast.net Subject: GCDD Wants Your Opinion on Senate Bill 10! Date: Tue, 23 Jan 2007 23:59:41 +0000   Make A Difference! The GCDD is interested in your thoughts, ideas and concerns about Senate Bill 10: Georgia Special Needs Scholarship Act Act now to Make A Difference! Visit www.gcdd.org to post your comment on Georgia Special Needs Scholarship Act. Post Your Comment! Visit the Issues Chat Room on the Governor's Council on Developmental Disabilities' website to share your opinion: http://www.gcdd.org The Council will use your comments to develop its position on this legislation and will share your comments with legislators.Full text of SB 10 and fact sheet also posted at www.gcdd.org  Click here to share your comment with GCDD! Thank you for making a difference! email: eejacobson@dhr.state.ga.us web: http://www.gcdd.org Forward email This email was sent to heidijmoore@comcast.net, by eejacobson@dhr.state.ga.us Update Profile/Email Address | Instant removal with SafeUnsubscribe™ | Privacy Policy. Powered by Governor's Council on Developmental Disabilities | 2 Peachtree St. NW | 26th Floor, Suite 230 | Atlanta | GA | 30303 Heidi J. Moore Tue, 30 Jan 2007 00:00:00 EST http://www.lgtinc.org/articles/218/1/Advocacy-Updates%3A-SB-10%2C-Unlock%2C-and-KB-Waiver-Presentation January 22, 2007   Dearest Advocates:   Additional advocacy information for your use………   Senate Bill 10:   The new proposed Georgia legislative amendment offers children with special needs $7,000 to be used for private school. The proposal, however, requires that the child currently be enrolled in public school to receive the $7,000 for the following year.   You can find Senate Bill 10 by going to following website: http://www.legis.ga.gov/legis/2007_08/fulltext/sb10.htm   Here is some additional information from Florida and what there are doing regarding a similar program to allow families flexibility:   In Florida, the amount of a McKay Scholarship for a student varies depending on the amount and type of services provided by the school district while the student was enrolled in a public school.   The amount and type of services is largely based on the type and severity of the student's disability.  This amount can range from $5,000 - $20,000, per school year.   Chad L. Aldis Scholarship Programs Director Office of Independent Education and Parental Choice   More information: SB 10 Facts (As Prefiled) The Georgia Special Needs Scholarships will provide a scholarship to go to parents of students with disabilities to be used at an eligible private school. The amount is the state and federal amounts for services that the child would earn in a regular public school or the amount of private school tuition, whichever is less. The scholarship is not limited to any particular disability, but is available for any child who is identified by a public school has having a disability which qualifies for special education. The definition of disability for purposes of the scholarship is the same as under federal law. The student must have spent the prior school year in attendance at a Georgia public school and have an Individualized Education Program (IEP). The parent has to be accepted into a private school and has to accept full financial responsibility, included transportation to and from the private school. An eligible private school is one in Georgia where students have direct contact with teachers (no virtual schools) and must demonstrate fiscal soundness and be academically accountable to the parents. DOE will approve the private schools. Home schools are not eligible to enroll scholarship student, nor are residential treatment facilities. Acceptance of scholarship students will not impose additional regulation on the private school. The DOE will make four equal payments during the academic year. The payments will be made in individual warrants made payable to the students parents. To access the scholarship the parents must endorse the warrant for deposit into the private schools account.  The Georgia Special Needs Scholarship is modeled after a program in Florida. The average amount of the scholarship in Florida is $6,117. Specific Georgia numbers are still being gathered, but it will probably be fairly close to this. In Florida, 15, 910 students received the scholarships in 2004-2005 (out of approximately 370,000 who are eligible. 703 private schools participated in the program.  In Florida the scholarship does not impact any one particular disability any more than the others. The distribution of disabilities using the scholarship mirrors the distribution of disabilities in the public schools. The Florida program was evaluated by the Manhattan Institute in 2003. That study found that almost 93% of scholarship participants were satisfied or very satisfied with their scholarship school; only 32% were satisfied with their public schools. Class sizes dropped from an average of 25 students per class in public school to 12.8 students per class in schools participating in the Scholarship. 47% of students said they were bothered often and 25% were physically assaulted because of their disability in public schools, compared to 5% bothered often and 6% assaulted in scholarship schools. Over 90% of students who left the scholarship school and returned to public school say the program should continue to be available to families who want to participate. I have not been as involved with this proposed legislation but it does look like it gives our families some flexibility they did not have in the past.  If you have any comments regarding SB 10, please call or e-mail Senator Johnson at eric.johnson@senate.ga.gov and the Senate Education Committee listed at the below website link:   http://www.legis.state.ga.us/legis/2007_08/senate/education.php     Unlock the Waiting Lists! Need your Help!   In addition, we need everyone to support the additional 2,000 MRWP waiver slots for this fiscal year (currently the Governor is proposing a reduction to 1,500 slots and not DHR's recommended 2,000).  Please go the following website to find out more information and how you can help: http://www.unlockthewaitinglists.com/actionalert.html================================================   Katie Beckett Waiver Presentation at FOCUS.   Also- Wanted everyone to know that I will presenting on the Katie Beckett Waiver at the upcoming FOCUS educational conference on February 10. I will also be discussing other advocacy issues as well.  For more information, please go to the following website:http://www.focus-ga.org/   Hope you find this information helpful.   Sincerely, Heidi     --Heidi J. Moore (Proud Mother to Jacob - 7 years old with Down syndrome & Jared - 5 years old) For more information about how you can get involved regarding advocating for children, please visit us at www.kidshealthcarega.org "Help The Children Now, So They Can Help Themselves Later!" The material contained in this e-mail is for general information only. It is not intended in any way to provide or offer legal advice. To obtain legal advice, please consult with your attorney or a qualified legal representative. Heidi J. Moore Tue, 30 Jan 2007 00:00:00 EST http://www.lgtinc.org/articles/217/1/Peachcare-advocacy%2C-IDEA-survey-and-fun-opportunity-for-kids%21 January 10, 2007   Dearest Advocates:   Wanted you to be aware of some additional advocacy opportunities, as well as, a wonderful event. Please note that we must all get involved in order to support Peachcare for children. All children need access to healthcare in GA! See details from others below: ============================================ PEPP (Parents Educating Parents and Professionals) launched a survey to collect feedback and comment on the IDEA and important issues regarding the influence in development of the final State Regulations. The survey helps parents and professionals of the field to become aware of important issues that have come up for change or further definition. Educate yourself today and become aware of these issues and possible changes that will affect you and your child today! Please take a look at this easy to access survey at http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.asp?u=632012778076 or visit our website home page for a direct link to the online survey. Surveys in hard copy can also be requested for hand distribution to your communities. ================================================ Peachcare Advocacy ALERT- Need your help! We are forwarding this alert from Healthy Mothers Healthy Babies askingyou to contact members of the U.S. House and Senate immediately aboutfunding for PeachCare.  Georgia children need your help now.  Please seethe alert below which contains an explanation and contact informationfor Georgia's delegation.  (The alert is attached if you have difficultyreading the notice embedded in this e-mail.)   Also, Voices for Georgia's Children is coordinating a sign-on letter toCongress regarding the PeachCare issue.  The letter is attached.  Ifyour organization wishes to sign the letter, please notify MoniqueFolston at Voices by 6:00 p.m. on Wednesday, January 10th of how youwant to be listed.  MFols ton@georgiavoices.org   or 404-521-0311. HMHB Legislative AlertFEDERAL FUNDING FOR PEACHCARE AT RISKGeorgia's PeachCare for Kids program is facing a $131 million shortfallin federal funds. If the shortfall is not addressed, PeachCare for Kidswill run out of funding by March 2007 and the 270,000 children in theprogram plus future enrollees will lose their health care coverage.PeachCare for Kids is the Georgia version of the national StateChildren's Health Insurance Plan (S-CHIP).You can help! We all need to contact members of the GeorgiaCongressional delegation and ask them to address this issue now, duringthe first days of the 110th Congress.PeachCare for Kids provides health c a re coverage to 270,000 children.The program ranks fifth in the nation in the number of childrenenrolled, but due to the current funding formula, Georgia receives lessfunds per child than some states that have enrolled fewer children. Inaddition to the threat of this funding shortfall, our state is beingunfairly penalized for doing a good job of enrolling children in theprogram. WHAT YOU NEED TO DO:Contact both U.S. Senators and your U.S.Representative today.Ask them to:*    Work for reauthorization of S-CHIP.*    Make sure Georgia receives the funding we need to continuePeachCare for Kids.*    Work to fix the S-CHIP funding formula so that states like Georgiathat have done a good job of enrolling children in the program are notpenalized.Contact information for both of Georgia's U.S. Senators and the 13 U.S.Representatives is listed below. You need to contact both Se n atorIsakson and Senator Chambliss, and your U.S. Representative. If you arenot sure which Congressional district you live in, you can go to www.vote-smart.org . The panel on the leftside of the page asks for your nine-digit zip code and instructions fordetermining the nine-digit zip code are included. Your congressionaldistrict will be listed following the names of the two U.S. Senators. Please call, fax or email today!Senator Saxby Chambliss416 Russell Senate Office BuildingWashington, DC  20510Phone: 202-224-3521Fax: 202-224-0103Email: Saxby_chambliss@chambliss.sena te .gov Representative Lynn Westmoreland - District 81213 Longworth House Office Building Washington, DC 20515 Phone: 202-225-5901 Fax: 202-225-2515Email: lynn.westmoreland@mail.house.gov Senator Johnny Isakson               ; ; ;                    120 Russell Senate Office BuildingWashington, DC  20510Phone: 202-224-3643Fax: 202-228-0724Email: http://isakson.senate.gov/contact.cfm Representative Charlie Norwood - District 92452 Rayburn BuildingWashington, DC 20515Phone: (202) 225-4101Fax: (202) 226-0776Email: rep.charlie.norwood@mail.house.gov Representative Jack Kingston - District 12368 Rayburn HOB Washington, DC 20515 Phone: (202) 225-5831 Fax: (202) 226-2269 Email: Jack.Kingston@mail.house.gov &l t; BR>Representative Nathan Deal - District 102133 Rayburn House Office BuildingWashington, DC 20515-1009Phone: (202) 225-5211Fax: 202-225-8272Email: congressmandeal@mail.house.gov Representative Sanford Bishop - District 22429 Rayburn House Office BuildingWashington, DC  20515Pho ne: 202-225-3631Fax: 202-225-2203Email: http://bishop.house.gov/display.cfm?content_id=229 Representative Phil Gingrey - District 11119 Cannon House Office Building Washington, DC 20515 Phone: 202-225-2931 Fax: 202-225-2944 Email: gingrey.ga@mail.house.gov Representative Jim Marshall - District 3515 Cannon House Office BuildingWashington, DC  20515-1003Phone: 202-225-6531Fax: 202-225-3013Email: jim.marshall@mail.house.gov < BR>Representative John Barrow - District 12226 Cannon House Office BuildingWashington, DC 20515Phone: 202-225-2823Fax: 202-225-3377Email: http://barrow.house.gov/contactemail.asp   Representative "Hank" Johnson - District 41133 Longworth HOBWashington, DC 20515-1004Phone: (202) 225-1605Representative David Scott - Distric t 13417 Cannon House Office BuildingWashington, DC 20515Phone (202) 225 - 2939Toll free: 1-877-762-8762Fax: (202) 225 - 4628Email: david.scott@mail.house.gov Representative John Lewis - District 5343 Cannon House Office BuildingWashington, DC  20515Phone: 202-225-3801< BR>Fa x: 202-225 -0351Email: http://www.house.gov/johnlewis/contact.html Representative Tom Price - District 6506 Cannon House Office BuildingWashington, DC  20515Phone: 202-225-4501Fax: 202-225-4656Email: tom.price@mail.house.gov Representative John Linder - District 71026 Longworth House Office BuildingWashington, DC  20515-1007Phone: 202-225-4272Fax: 202-225-4696Email: http://linder.house.gov/index.cfm?FuseAction=Contact.Home Please excuse duplicate e-mails.  You may be on more than one list.Linda Smith Lowe1137 Morela nd Place, S EAtlanta, GA  30316404.274.1746; 404.622.5079 faxsmithlowe@earthlink.net ==================================================   The Kool Kidz Can Imagine Triathlon If You Imagine It, You Can Do It   For Kidz of All Abilities, ages 5 to 21   Sunday, January 21, 2007 10:00 am Mountain View Pool 2650 Gordy Parkway Marietta, GA 30066  25 yard swim (flotation device permitted, adult stand by permitted) Run, walk, propel, power around perimeter of pool one time (assistive devices of all types permitted)* Bike around perimeter of pool one time (adaptive bikes of all types permitted)* Weather permitting, the run and bike portions may be conducted outside   $20 Registration until 1/14/07; $25 late and day of registration Awards and t-shirts will be given to all participants For more information, contact Lauren Shoda, program coordinator lshoda@koolkidzfoundation.org or 770.517.1585 ­­­Return registration form and check for $20/$25 To: Kool Kidz Foundation PO Box 680936 Marietta, GA 30068-0016   Name________________________________Date of Birth____________________   Address________________________City__________________Zip_____________   Email Address_____________________Primary Phone Contact_______________   T Shirt size (circle one): Youth small  med  large        Adult small  med  large         Assistive devices you will be using  in event:______________________________   Hope you find this information helpful. Sincerely, Heidi --Heidi J. Moore (Proud Mother to Jacob - 7 years old with Down syndrome & Jared - 5 years old) For more information about how you can get involved regarding advocating for children, please visit us at www.kidshealthcarega.org "Help The Children Now, So They Can Help Themselves Later!" The material contained in this e-mail is for general information only. It is not intended in any way to provide or offer legal advice. To obtain legal advice, please consult with your attorney or a qualified legal representative. Heidi J. Moore Tue, 30 Jan 2007 00:00:00 EST http://www.lgtinc.org/articles/216/1/Media-and-Advocacy-Updates January 8, 2007   Dearest Advocates:   There is a wonderful article in the Townlaker Newspaper this month regarding Adrienne O'Prey and the success she has had with getting the employment and resources she needs to build success!  This just shows you how given the right resources and support allows our children to succeed in life! Unfortunately, Adrienne is still on the long term waiting list for the MRWP waiver.  She and many others needs your support this next legislative session to "Unlock the Waiting Lists" and get more funding for adults like Adrienne. Enjoy this inspirational article!   http://www.townelaker.com/townelaker/2007/01/2007-1-864.php   I've said this before and will say it again.......we need to continue to educate our community and legislators on what the real issues are and seeing the success of our children! ====================================== In addition- this article was in the Sunday Athens Banner-Herald newspaper today regarding healthcare:   http://onlineathens.com/stories/010707/genassembly_20070107047.shtml   Looks like healthcare will continue to be a topic of discussion during this legislative session.  Keep up your communication with your legislators on your concerns with healthcare for our children! ============================================= Also- please take time to attend the upcoming Dept. of Education Input Sessions for State Special Education Rules on January 9th in Suwanee, GA-at the Gwinnett County Instructional Support Center (437 Old Peachtree Road) from 10-1 and 4-7.    A full list of times and dates and the proposed draft of state education rules can be found at: http://www.gadoe.org/pea_communications.aspx?ViewMode=1&obj=1328   Hope you find this information helpful. Sincerely, Heidi   --Heidi J. Moore (Proud Mother to Jacob - 6 years old with Down syndrome & Jared - 5 years old) For more information about how you can get involved regarding advocating for children, please visit us at www.kidshealthcarega.org "Help The Children Now, So They Can Help Themselves Later!" The material contained in this e-mail is for general information only. It is not intended in any way to provide or offer legal advice. To obtain legal advice, please consult with your attorney or a qualified legal representative. Heidi J. Moore Tue, 30 Jan 2007 00:00:00 EST http://www.lgtinc.org/articles/215/1/National-Postive-Media-Coverage-%26-Other-Information January 4, 2007   Dearest Advocates:   Happy New Year! I wanted you to be aware of a wonderful story in People Magazine this week about a true hero that lives right here in Georgia- Laura Moore.  If you recall, Laura spoke at our Healthcare for Kids Rally in November.    We also got confirmation that ABC World News Tonight with Charlie Gibson (used to be Peter Jennings) will air the Dream House Story at 7:00pm THIS Friday night!!   Please see the below email regarding the People Magazine article and take a moment to thank reporter Tom Fields-Meyer for his story  ( tom_fields-meyer@peoplemag.com ). We need to continue to educate everyone the importance of getting involved to make change for our children. Education is the key to changing the world and Laura is an excellent example of this!    In addition, it's with a sad heart that I have to let everyone know that Judy Hammett lost her precious daughter, Kiley, before Christmas. Judy and her husband are another amazing couple that have dedicated their lives to helping with foster caring and adopting medically fragile children.  (see memorial service information below).  Judy also spoke at our Rally.  If you recall, she is the grandmother that started another life of foster caring and adopting these precious angels.  Kiley will always be remembered in our hearts! (note: Judy is also in the People Magazine article as well)   In addition, the legislative session starts on January 8th at the Capitol. Please continue to build your personal relationships with your legislators....It does make a difference!   I'll be having additional advocacy updates later this month.  Due to medical issues with my son, I have not been able to be as involved with advocacy in the last month.  I know you all understand.   I have been asked a lot of questions regarding the Katie Beckett Waiver recently. No- there has not been any changes to the process.....that I'm aware of at this time.  Please understand if I don't respond to you directly (I'm still receiving over 250+/week over Christmas).   Talk to you soon, Sincerely, Heidi   ========================= Hi Everyone:   Wanted to let all of you know that Kiley's memorial service will be held at 10:30 am on Saturday, January 13, 2007 at Stone Mountain First United Methodist Church,  5312 W.Mountain Street, Stone Mountain.  This is the stone church in the area of the Stone Mountain Village.    For those of you who have asked:  Her color was pink.   We hope you can be with us to honor Kiley at her service.    Thank you all for the many prayers and all the support you have given us during this sad time.   It is still hard for me to believe she is gone.    On another note:  We heard today we are in People Magazine...page 119.   The issue that came out this weekend.   God Bless each of you and we hope to see you on the 13th.   We love you all,   Judy, Ken, and the Angels (1 in Heaven).   ==================================================== Call to Action:  Email Response to People Magazine for a GREAT story about Dream House Time Sensitive: Details Below  Please forward to everyone you know!! In a time when kids' healthcare issues are hanging in the balance, Dream House has been successful in changing the lives of and creating programs for the care of Georgia's medically fragile children!  Please read the heartwarming and compelling story of Laura Moore (Founder CEO of Dream House) and her newly adopted daughter, Katie in this week's People Magazine: Jan. 8 issue with "Half Their Size" on the cover. Dream House equips families and communities with resources and training for the care of medically fragile children. Their education programs will go statewide in 2007. The Resource Center being built in Conyers, Ga will provide more transitional homes for children as well as facilities for hands-on training and respite for families. In a significant and unique collaborative of private, state and future federal funding, Dream House programs fill the gap for the care of medically fragile children. In upcoming years plans are to take Dream House's programs to other states, touching thousands of kids and families, as well as providing a real solution to an existing multi-million dollar healthcare bill on taxpayers. At the heart of the program are kids like Laura's newly adopted 8 year-old daughter Katie, who survived two back to back five organ transplants and now has a home, a family and a future. Kids like Katie inspire us to try harder, hope longer and work tirelessly because it's the right thing to do; so that these children can be loved and cared for the way they should be... Please take the time to write a brief email to the writer of the article in People Magazine, thanking him for the wonderful coverage on Dream House!  Please ask him for more stories about Dream House, and let him know how much we appreciate his article!   Please copy and paste Tom's email address and your note to: tom_fields-meyer@peoplemag.com Thank you so much; You make the difference,  Leanne D. Manning  Mom of two awesome girls who don't give up:  Emory, who has Turner Syndrome; and Michel, who has Autism/Asperger Syndrome. --Heidi J. Moore (Proud Mother to Jacob - 6 years old with Down syndrome & Jared - 5 years old) For more information about how you can get involved regarding advocating for children, please visit us at www.kidshealthcarega.org "Help The Children Now, So They Can Help Themselves Later!" The material contained in this e-mail is for general information only. It is not intended in any way to provide or offer legal advice. To obtain legal advice, please consult with your attorney or a qualified legal representative. Heidi J. Moore Tue, 30 Jan 2007 00:00:00 EST http://www.lgtinc.org/articles/214/1/Information-Update-and-Advocacy December 21, 2006 Dearest Advocates:   It has been brought to my attention that DCH/DFCS is using a Form # 285 for new and re-applications for the Katie Beckett Waiver.  This form has been in existence since January 2006 but has not been implemented across all DFCS offices until now.  (Many thanks to Vickie for letting me know about this change).    I did ask DCH what the purpose of the form was and why we needed to fill out this additional information when most of the information is already on the Form 222 and HIPP form...This was their response for FYI..... "Medicaid applicants and recipients are required to provide information regarding third party resources available. This information is captured on a 285 form. Rights to Third Party Resources must be assigned to the Division of Medical Assistance (DMA). Medicaid is partially funded by the Federal Government and by law Medicaid is the payor of last resort. Therefore, if a member has another coverage, that plan should first process the claim as primary and Medicaid will process the claim as the secondary payer. If  Medicaid paid a claim as primary when we should've paid as secondary then State Medicaid departments are required by law to recoup the funds. The recoupment data is sent to CMS quarterly.  Attached is a copy of the 285 form for your review." I hope you find this information helpful.    As always, I can't stress enough how important it is to continue to build relationships with your state legislators. They will be going back into session on January 8th. To find out who your elected officials are, go to www.vote-smart.org and input your zipcode.  We are continuing to evaluate and work with our elected officials on the best approach for advocating this legislative session to make the necessary changes to the Medicaid healthcare system. Will keep you posted.   In addition, please take time to attend the upcoming Dept. of Education Input Sessions for State Special Education Rules in the coming month.  A full list of times and dates and the proposed draft of state education rules can be found at:http://www.gadoe.org/pea_communications.aspx?ViewMode=1&obj=1328   Happy Holidays to everyone. Heidi --Heidi J. Moore (Proud Mother to Jacob - 6 years old with Down syndrome & Jared - 5 years old) For more information about how you can get involved regarding advocating for children, please visit us at www.kidshealthcarega.org "Help The Children Now, So They Can Help Themselves Later!" The material contained in this e-mail is for general information only. It is not intended in any way to provide or offer legal advice. To obtain legal advice, please consult with your attorney or a qualified legal representative. Heidi J. Moore Tue, 30 Jan 2007 00:00:00 EST http://www.lgtinc.org/articles/213/1/CBS-46-Coverage-of-Healthcare-Issues-for-a-child November 21, 2006   Dearest Advocates:   Yesterday, CBS 46 aired a story on the difficulties one family is having receiving the necessary healthcare services for their son.  Please take a moment and thank the reporter, Cynne Simpson (cynne.simpson@cbs46.com) for her in depth report and the call to action! I also want to thank the Mink Family for being willing to tell their story on camera. Education and building awareness of the issues is the key to success in making change!   The state of Georgia MUST make healthcare a priority for children!   Here is the link (just in case  you did not see it): Brain Damaged Boy on Life Support     A Marietta family is crying out to the state to save their son. 9-year-old Peyton Mink suffers from brain damage and requires 24 hour care. But it's care the state is now threatening to cut. CBS 46's Cynne Simpson has more. You'll need a version of Windows Media Player 7 or higher to view the video. If you need to download it, go to http://www.microsoft.com/windows/mediaplayer/en/default.asp. The video player is supported by Microsoft IE 5.0 and above. Happy Thanksgiving, Heidi --Heidi J. Moore (Proud Mother to Jacob - 6 years old with Down syndrome & Jared - 5 years old) For more information about how you can get involved regarding advocating for children, please visit us at www.kidshealthcarega.org "Help The Children Now, So They Can Help Themselves Later!" The material contained in this e-mail is for general information only. It is not intended in any way to provide or offer legal advice. To obtain legal advice, please consult with your attorney or a qualified legal representative. Heidi J. Moore Tue, 30 Jan 2007 00:00:00 EST http://www.lgtinc.org/articles/212/1/AJC-Article-%26quot%3BWhen-Parents-die%2C-disabled-adults-need-help%26quot%3B November 20, 2006   Dearest Advocates:   There was a wonderful article in the AJC newspaper today on the front page regarding the issue of when parents die and their children with disabilities are of need of care.  This is a real issue that needs to be addressed. Please take a moment and thank Gayle White at gwhite@ajc.com for her article and continuing to keep the community informed about real issues and the need to Unlock the Waiting Lists of our children in Georgia to receive the services they desperately need. The article also had some great resource information as well.   Here is the actual link to the AJC newspaper article:   http://www.ajc.com/search/content/meshsiblings1120a.html   Have a Happy Thanksgiving. Sincerely, Heidi   --Heidi J. Moore (Proud Mother to Jacob - 6 years old with Down syndrome & Jared - 5 years old) For more information about how you can get involved regarding advocating for children, please visit us at www.kidshealthcarega.org "Help The Children Now, So They Can Help Themselves Later!" The material contained in this e-mail is for general information only. It is not intended in any way to provide or offer legal advice. To obtain legal advice, please consult with your attorney or a qualified legal representative. Heidi J. Moore Tue, 30 Jan 2007 00:00:00 EST http://www.lgtinc.org/articles/206/1/Healthcare-For-Kids-Rally-Update-and-Advocacy%21 November 6, 2006   Dearest Advocates:   Rally Update:  On Saturday, we had our Healthcare for Kids Rally at the State Capitol.  The Rally was fantastic! Very informative, entertaining and inspirational!  We had a respectable turn out of people (estimates are at 700+ participates) given the time of the day and low temperatures.  We truly appreciate those that attended and wanted to make healthcare a priority in our state!    Unfortunately, we could have sent a stronger message if more people would have attended. What's more important than your child's healthcare?  WE as parents CAN NOT rely on others to advocate for our children or the State will win this battle.    I also want to publicly thank all the Rally committee members for their devoted energy and time making this one of the most professionally run and educational grassroots Rallies this state has EVER seen.    We did receive a lot of media attention over the last three weeks regarding our Rally in radio, TV and newspaper!  We are continuing to educate our State on what the "real" issues are the impacts to those decisions!   In addition, we did have the following legislators attend our Rally: Lt. Governor Mark Taylor, Senator Steve Thompson, Senator Steve Henson, Senator David Adelman, Rep. Sean Jerguson, Rep. Nan Orrock, and Former Governor Roy Barnes   ACTION ITEMS:   1. VOTE on Tuesday November 7th! The Georgia Disability Vote Project 2006 handed out voter guides at our Rally. But you can also view them on the web at www.gdvp.org for more information regarding candidates' responses to disability issues from our elected officials!   2. Continue to check our website at www.kidshealthcarega.org for further updates on what you can do help make a difference in healthcare for kids. Additional postings in the next few days will include the following information that was given out at the Rally: Facts on Early and Periodic Screening, Diagnostic, and Treatment (EPSDT) and a Babies Can't Wait informational flyer. In addition, we will have photos from the Rally on the website in the next few days!   More Media Coverage of Rally:   1. Atlanta Journal-Constitution Newspaper- Saturday, November 4th article: http://www.ajc.com/search/content/meshmedicaid1104a.html   The article in the AJC on Saturday, once again shows us that we need to do a better job of educating not only our elected officials on what are the "facts" but also the media.  In the article it stated that the September 1st prior authorization changes were for 8 therapy sessions per month NOT 8 units per month. This is not correct information.  8 units is approximately 2 visits per month. This is off by a factor of 4!   I can understand why our elected officials don't understand our issue when this information is misreported. I do plan on sending an e-mail to the AJC helping them know what the "true facts" are in this matter and the impact it has on our families, providers and taxpayers!   Sunday, November 5th - two pictures in Metro Section of the Rally.   2. Atlanta Parent Magazine- November issue. They had two articles in their magazine regarding healthcare issues. Page 38 article titled: "Advocating for Change- Parents Inspired to Action by Their Children's Challenges".  Page 44 article titled: "Parents Rally for Changes to Healthcare System".  (A list of locations where the magazine can be found is at : http://www.atlantaparent.com/findatlparent.html )   Please send Liz White the Editor of Atlanta Parent Magazine a quick e-mail thanking them for their continued support of this important issue…healthcare for kids! Her email address is: lwhite@atlantaparent.com   3. TV CBS 46 did cover the Rally as well last night on their 11:00pm news.   Overall, we are very pleased with the amount of media attention we received and the dedication our families, providers and concerned citizens of Georgia regarding this issue, BUT, I can not stress enough……………..WE MUST WORK TOGETHER.   PLEASE do not rely on others to advocate for your child. We need to work together in order to resolve this issue.  I hope in the future more families will get involved and stand up for what is right in this state. Healthcare must be a priority.   Before the legislative session begins (January 2007), I highly recommend you start to develop relationships with your State Senator and State Representative for your area (go to www.vote-smart.org to find out your legislators by putting in your zip code).  We need to start discussing our concerns with our legislators prior to the start of the legislative session.   I will have further updates regarding advocacy efforts in the next few weeks. At this time, I need to slow down and take more time out for my family. Please do not get upset if you do not receive a response in a very timely matter at this time. I am only a volunteer parent trying to make a difference in our childrens lives. I hope you understand.    United…WE WILL MAKE A DIFFERENCE!   Heidi   --Heidi J. Moore (Proud Mother to Jacob - 6 years old with Down syndrome & Jared - 5 years old) Additional information regarding the Healthcare for Kids Rally, please visit us at www.kidshealthcarega.org "Help The Children Now, So They Can Help Themselves Later!" The material contained in this e-mail is for general information only. It is not intended in any way to provide or offer legal advice. To obtain legal advice, please consult with your attorney or a qualified legal representative. Heidi J. Moore Fri, 17 Nov 2006 00:00:00 EST http://www.lgtinc.org/articles/205/1/Healthcare-for-Kids-Rally-Update%21%21%21%21%21 November 2, 2006   Dearest Advocates:   Healthcare for Kids Rally Update   Rally Day is Here!     As many of you know........I have been very involved in the organization of the Healthcare for Kids Rally that is going to take place this Saturday, November 4, 2006 at 9:30am at Georgia State Capitol.     Please make every effort to attend this largest grassroots advocacy effort our state has ever seen.  We need to show our strength in numbers and put faces to the situation!      For more information regarding the Rally and helpful tips the day of the event, please visit us at www.kidshealthcarega.org.     Therapy Survey Results are In!     In addition to Rally preparation- our group recently conducted a therapy survey in which over 140 therapists from 57 GA counties participated.  Bottom line: the new prior authorization procedure for therapy services (implemented on September 1st) HAS had a HUGE impact on the services our children are receiving and the providers that service them!     The survey clearly shows that cuts in services and increases in bureaucratic paperwork are having a detrimental impact on the children. Georgia taxpayers need to know that their tax dollars are being wasted on paper pushing and not being spent on the very people for whom these programs are intended to help......our children.  We now have the "data" to prove that there is a REAL PROBLEM in the system that needs to be fixed ASAP!     We will be posting the press release regarding the survey later today on our website.   Media Coverage Update!   I wanted to send you a quick email letting you know that we are actively working with the media to spread the word regarding our Healthcare for Kids Rally. Here are just a example of a few of the media outlets that have or will be covering the event:   Atlanta Parent Magazine, Johns Creek Herald Newspaper, Revue and News Newspaper, National American Speech-Language Hearing Association(National publication), AJC newspaper, Mundo Hispanic Newspaper, Martha Zoller National Radio talk show on AM 550 (today), Georgia Trend Magazine and the list goes on and on......   We also continuing to work with all TV and local newspapers for the continued coverage of the Rally. Please note: that all the above references are subject to change.   I hope you can see that this is going to be a major event to bring attention to a serious issue....Healthcare for our kids must be a priority!  Hope to see you there. Arrive early, to allow you enough time to park and walk to the event. Kids are welcomed and encouraged to come! See you on Saturday. Sincerely, Heidi --Heidi J. Moore (Proud Mother to Jacob - 6 years old with Down syndrome & Jared - 5 years old) Additional information regarding the Healthcare for Kids Rally, please visit us at www.kidshealthcarega.org "Help The Children Now, So They Can Help Themselves Later!" The material contained in this e-mail is for general information only. It is not intended in any way to provide or offer legal advice. To obtain legal advice, please consult with your attorney or a qualified legal representative. Heidi J. Moore Fri, 03 Nov 2006 00:00:00 EST http://www.lgtinc.org/articles/204/1/Healthcare-For-Kids-Rally---Quick-Tips%21 October 30, 2006   Dearest Advocates:   Kids around the State of Georgia need your help. On November 4, 2006, Children along with parents, providers, and concerned citizens will rally and raise their voices at Georgia's State Capitol.   We will have a peaceful, fun-filled Rally for the kids, and share our concerns about the recent changes in Georgia's health care programs that have stopped or inhibited the care of Georgia's most vulnerable citizens: our children.     The Healthcare for Kids Rally is an effort to unite parents and those who love and care for our children, together as one, to tell Georgia's leaders that health care for children in our state is a priority. The Rally will encourage our leaders to ensure:   ·          Eligibility of all children in state health care programs: PeachCare for Kids, Babies Can't Wait, Children's Disability Waivers (including the Katie Beckett Waiver), and Medicaid   ·          Full adherence to the Early Periodic Screening Diagnosis & Treatment (EPSDT) Federal Requirements   ·          Granting children access to medicine, doctors, therapy, provider networks, durable medical equipment/medically necessary supplies                     ·          Transitional health care for those in the 18-21 age group   ·          Rectifying the burdensome application, appeal and claims process in all areas of the system   Quick Tips for the Healthcare for Kids Rally Saturday, November 4 at 9:30am at the GA State Capitol!   1. Rally Signs. If you plan on making signs at home, here are some suggestions (No Candidates names or references to politicians, please!!!)  We are a bi-partisan Rally and will not have any signs that have candidate's names on them. Please respect this decision. In addition, you may want to consider putting pictures of our children on the signs.  This puts a "face" to the situation.   From the Capitol Police: No signs can have sticks or handles on them due to safety and visibility issues.   Here are a few Rally Sign suggestions you may want to consider: We value our children! Don't you? Who will save Medicaid? Evaluate Medicaid, NOT Terminate! Ignoring Medicaid Crisis is like Institutionalizing our Kids Medicaid Crisis Is Costing More than $580 Million! Children are Investments, Not Liabilities! $580 Million Surplus but No Healthcare for Kids? Make Kids' Health a Priority in Georgia! First Priority: Georgia's Kids! Wise Medicaid Programs= Wise Kids! 2. Please try to wear RED the day of the event to reflect the emergency state of children's healthcare in Georgia   3. If possible, please try to carpool or take Marta. Parking garages/lot locations can be found on our website: www.kidshealthcarega.org   4. If you would like to make a donation to help defray the costs associated with the rally, please go to our website, www.kidshealthcarega.org. We're volunteers working with virtually no budget and your monetary donations help us pay for basic supplies.    5. We are expecting a large turn out of participates at the Rally.  Please allow yourself enough time to arrive, park, and sign-in. The Rally will start at 9:30AM SHARP. The "Kids on the Block" Puppet Show will start at 9:10am. Washington Street will be closed in order to allow for the high volume of participates expected for the Rally!   6. We are expecting a lot of media attention so don't be surprised to see them there the day of the event.   7. We have invited every legislator in Georgia to attend but we need your help.  Please take a moment and invite them as well.  If you don't know who your state senator or representative is go to the following website and input your 9-digit zip code (which can be found on your junk mail): www.vote-smart.org. Also, please let me know if you get confirmation that they will be attending. We are going to publicly acknowledge every legislator that comes out to support our effort but they will not be allowed to speak due to the nature of the Rally being bi-partisan.   8. Finally…We need to show our strength in numbers by attending the Rally. Please don't assume that someone else will go on your behalf.  This is an election year and we need to unite our voices as one to make sure our message is heard….Healthcare must be a priority for our children and the providers that service them!   Thanks in advance for everyone's support. Look forward to seeing at one of the largest grassroots advocacy efforts this state has ever seen!   United… WE WILL MAKE A DIFFERENCE!   Sincerely, Heidi J. Moore Rally Coordinator Healthcare for Kids Rally   For additional information regarding the Healthcare For Kids Rally, please go to our website: www.kidshealthcarega.org.   Heidi J. Moore Tue, 31 Oct 2006 00:00:00 EST http://www.lgtinc.org/articles/203/1/NBC-Channel-11-Coverage-of-Medicaid-Situation-TONIGHT%21 October 18, 2006   Dearest Advocates:   Atlanta NBC Channel 11 did run more coverage of the Medicaid situation on their 7:00pm news tonight.   You can see that coverage by going to the following website: http://www.11alive.com/news/news_article.aspx?storyid=86266   PLEASE take a minute and thank the reporter, Denis O'Hayer at dohayer@11alive.com  for his coverage of this important issue in our State......Healthcare has to be a priority for our children!     NBC needs to hear from us and how appreciative we are of dealing with these important issues our children face and the providers that service them.     United... WE WILL MAKE A DIFFERENCE!   Sincerely, Heidi   Please join us for the Healthcare for Kids Rally to be held on November 4, 2006 at 9:30am at the GA State Capitol. For more info., please go to: www.kidshealthcarega.org   --Heidi J. Moore (Proud Mother to Jacob - 6 years old with Down syndrome & Jared - 5 years old) "Help The Children Now, So They Can Help Themselves Later!" The material contained in this e-mail is for general information only. It is not intended in any way to provide or offer legal advice. To obtain legal advice, please consult with your attorney or a qualified legal representative. Heidi J. Moore Tue, 31 Oct 2006 00:00:00 EST http://www.lgtinc.org/articles/202/1/Media-Attention-Regarding-Healthcare-for-kids-in-GA%21 October 19, 2006   Dearest Advocates:   There has been a lot of media attention given to the healthcare issues in this State regarding children in the last few days!  Please see the list below of those articles.  At this time, I do not have time to give you all the contacts of the reporters that wrote these articles but if you could send them all a thank you about educating the community on the issues our children face regarding healthcare or what type of articles you would like to see in the future…..that would be great!   Unfortunately, since this is an election year…..Things are starting to get "heated" BUT the bottom line issue is we want to work with our elected officials on "real" solutions to the Medicaid problems we have been experiencing as parents, providers, and concerned taxpaying citizens of Georgia.   Happy Reading………….   http://www.macon.com/mld/macon/news/local/15790395.htm   http://www.ajc.com/metro/content/metro/election06/electionpage.html     http://www.gwinnettdailypost.com/index.php?s=&url_channel_id=32&url_subchannel_id=&url_article_id=20607&change_well_id=2   http://www.valdostadailytimes.com/homepage/local_story_289000529.html   Summary from yesterday's TV media coverage: WXIA 11 Alive News Atlanta Taylor Promises to Restore Program http://www.11alive.com/news/news_article.aspx?storyid=86266   WGCL CBS 46 Atlanta Gubernatorial Candidates' Response to Georgia's Medicaid Children Reporter Wendy Saltzman continues coverage of the Georgia Medicaid issues effects on our Children Featured Videos Section of http://www.cbs46.com       In addition, please understand coordinating this rally is a full time job right now and I may not be able to get to everyone's individual questions until after November 4th. Please be patient as I do want to help as many families as possible but the Rally has to be my focus at this time.  Thanks again for all your on-going support to this important issue in our state……..Kid's healthcare must be a priority in Georgia!   United…WE WILL MAKE A DIFFERENCE!   Sincerely,   Heidi    Please join us for the Healthcare for Kids Rally to be held on November 4, 2006 at 9:30am at the GA State Capitol. For more info., please go to: www.kidshealthcarega.org   --Heidi J. Moore (Proud Mother to Jacob - 6 years old with Down syndrome & Jared - 5 years old) "Help The Children Now, So They Can Help Themselves Later!" The material contained in this e-mail is for general information only. It is not intended in any way to provide or offer legal advice. To obtain legal advice, please consult with your attorney or a qualified legal representative. Heidi J. Moore Tue, 31 Oct 2006 00:00:00 EST http://www.lgtinc.org/articles/201/1/NBC-Channel-11-Coverage-of-Medicaid-Situation-TONIGHT%21 October 18, 2006   Dearest Advocates:   Atlanta NBC Channel 11 did run more coverage of the Medicaid situation on their 7:00pm news tonight.   You can see that coverage by going to the following website: http://www.11alive.com/news/news_article.aspx?storyid=86266   PLEASE take a minute and thank the reporter, Denis O'Hayer at dohayer@11alive.com  for his coverage of this important issue in our State......Healthcare has to be a priority for our children!     NBC needs to hear from us and how appreciative we are of dealing with these important issues our children face and the providers that service them.     United... WE WILL MAKE A DIFFERENCE!   Sincerely, Heidi   Please join us for the Healthcare for Kids Rally to be held on November 4, 2006 at 9:30am at the GA State Capitol. For more info., please go to: www.kidshealthcarega.org   --Heidi J. Moore (Proud Mother to Jacob - 6 years old with Down syndrome & Jared - 5 years old) "Help The Children Now, So They Can Help Themselves Later!" The material contained in this e-mail is for general information only. It is not intended in any way to provide or offer legal advice. To obtain legal advice, please consult with your attorney or a qualified legal representative. Heidi J. Moore Tue, 31 Oct 2006 00:00:00 EST http://www.lgtinc.org/articles/200/1/Healthcare-for-Kids-Rally--Radio-Update October 16, 2006   Dearest Advocates:   I just wanted to let you know of some exciting news regarding our media campaign for the Healthcare for Kids Rally.  The more we bring public awareness to our concerns with healthcare in this state the better! If you have a chance to listen and send thank yous to the radio stations- that would be great. We need to let them know we appreciate their support of this important issue!   Public Service Announcements and radio interviews will start airing this next week! WAEC-AM (860) said they may run the PSA (will follow up to find out time/date) WGUN-AM (1010) said they will air the PSA beginning Nov. 1 at the latest WYZE-AM (1480) said they will air the PSA the week of Oct. 23.   Radio Show Interviews Radio Sandy Springs (1620 AM) on the Public Access Show with David Moxley and Marshall Hamilton live on Monday, October 16 from 5:00 to 6:30 p.m. Unless you are very close to the station you may not be able to listen in your car, but you can listen on your computer by going to www.radiosandysprings.com . After 7 PM they will have an Infectious Disease Update Program with Dr. Michael Dailey and his guest tonight Dr. Patrick O'Neal the Director of Georgia's Emergency Medical Preparedness Program. WYAY-FM (Eagle 106.7) on the Eagle Report with Greg Talmadge scheduled for Sunday, October 22 at 6:30 am.  WGUN-AM on the "Atlanta Issues" show with Karen Lovejoy to be taped an aired on Saturday, October 28th from 7:30 to 8 a.m.   As you can see our public relations committee for the Rally has been hard at work and we plan on issuing an "official" press release about the Rally TODAY  to the media. You will find the press release on our website www.kidshealthcarega.org in the "In the News" section.   Once again, I just want to say thank you for everyone's on-going support to this critical issue. Hope to see you on November 4th (bring your family, friends, neighbors,etc). A large amount of people showing up for the Rally will help us prove to our elected officials how important this issue is to our State! Healthcare must be a priority!  United…WE Will Make A Difference!   Sincerely, Heidi   Please join us for the Healthcare for Kids Rally to be held on November 4, 2006 at 9:30am at the GA State Capitol. For more info., please go to: www.kidshealthcarega.org   --Heidi J. Moore (Proud Mother to Jacob - 6 years old with Down syndrome & Jared - 5 years old) "Help The Children Now, So They Can Help Themselves Later!" The material contained in this e-mail is for general information only. It is not intended in any way to provide or offer legal advice. To obtain legal advice, please consult with your attorney or a qualified legal representative. Heidi J. Moore Tue, 31 Oct 2006 00:00:00 EST http://www.lgtinc.org/articles/197/1/The-Lies-Which-Lead-To-War October 9, 2006by Zen Garcia With 72% of U.S. Troops on the ground in Iraq calling for an end to the war this year, and 51% of Americans believing that removing Saddam Hussein from power not worth the number of U.S. Military casualties and the financial cost of the war, when will our government listen to the voice and will of the people? Will they listen to us as they don't seem to be able to hear the Iraqi's themselves, as they have been calling for immediate withdrawal for years. A poll put out by USA Today in 2004 reports: "But while they acknowledge benefits from dumping Saddam a year ago, Iraqis no longer see the presence of the American-led military as a plus. Asked whether they view the U.S.-led coalition as "liberators" or "occupiers," 71% of all respondents say "occupiers." A growing negative attitude toward the Americans is also reflected in two related survey questions: 53% say they would feel less secure without the coalition in Iraq, but 57% say the foreign troops should leave anyway." It is clear that the American public, our soldiers, and the Iraqi people themselves want an immediate end to the war in Iraq. It is even clear from a New Zogby Poll that the majority of Americans support impeaching Bush for the warrant less and illegal wiretapping being done against American citizens especially now that it is known the administration is targeting groups opposed to the illegal war; and yet the spineless Democrats run anytime anyone like Russ Feingold calls for censuring Bush or John Murtha calls for immediate withdrawal. If America does not impeach this president, everybody in congress will consider themselves as Bush does now above the law. By a margin of 52% to 43%, Americans want Congress to impeach President Bush if he wiretapped American citizens without a judge's approval, which he did. If Congress won't move to impeach, vote them out of office (must get rid of the paperless easily hacked unreliable voting machines first) and vote someone in who will, someone hungry to represent the will of the people, someone disgusted with the current corruption running a muck in Washington, DC. The whole world now knows that the Bush administration lied to get public support for the war by first trying to tie Iraq to the atrocities of September 11th, 2001. Once that admonishment was debunked they tried to frighten American by invoking images of 'mushroom clouds on American soil.' Desperate for something, anything to scare the American public into believing that the nuclear threat from Iraq was real and that Iraq had something to do with 9/11, the administration began a systematic and deliberate attempt to distort links between 9/11, Al-Qaeda, and Saddam Hussein, resulting in 69 percent of Americans believing that Saddam Hussein had part in attacking the United States.. Democratic Senators charged that the White House had fanned the mis perception by mentioning Hussein and the Sept. 11 attacks in ways suggesting a link. Bush, on March 6, 2003, said, "Saddam Hussein is a threat to our nation. September the 11th changed the strategic thinking, at least, as far as I was concerned, for how to protect our country. My job is to protect the American people. It used to be that we could think that you could contain a person like Saddam Hussein, that oceans would protect us from his type of terror. September the 11th should say to the American people that we're now a battlefield, that weapons of mass destruction in the hands of a terrorist organization could be deployed here at home." After the 9/11 Commission came out and publicly stated that there was not a relationship between Saddam, 9/11, and Al-Qaeda, Bush said on June 17, 2004, "The reason I keep insisting that there was a relationship between Iraq and Saddam and Al-Qaeda, because there was a relationship between Iraq and Al Qaeda." He continued exaggerating claims and made several more statements like, "After September the 11th, America had to assess every potential threat in a new light. Our nation awakened to an even greater danger, the prospect that terrorists who killed thousands with hijacked airplanes would kill many more with weapons of mass murder. We had to take a hard look at every place where terrorists might get those weapons. And one regime stood out, the dictatorship of Saddam Hussein." - GWB, Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, Oct. 6, 2004. They continued their policy of deception by then trying to convince America that she was in imminent danger from a nuclear attack from Iraq. Bush said in a speech on Oct. 7, 2002, "Facing clear evidence of peril, we cannot wait for the final proof -- the smoking gun -- that could come in the form of a mushroom cloud." Rice said, "we don't want the smoking gun to be a mushroom cloud." On NBC's "Meet the Press," Cheney accused Saddam of "moving aggressively to develop nuclear weapons... to add to his stockpile of chemical and biological arms. Increasingly, we believe that the United States may well become the target of those activities."  The whole administration had been hard at work instilling fear to scare America into supporting an illicit invasion, while Bush was behind closed doors with Prime Minister Tony Blair of Britain, busily dreaming up ways to provoke Saddam Hussein into attacking allied forces and in that way justify their war. Recently released minutes on White House letterhead and signed by the President, show that during a private two-hour meeting with Blair in the Oval Office on Jan. 31, 2003, Bush revealed to Blair that he was determined to invade Iraq even without a second UN resolution, and even if international arms inspectors failed to find unconventional weapons. He then discussed a proposal to paint a United States surveillance plane in the colors of the United Nations in hopes of drawing fire and setting in motion war. This exact plan was discussed in an earlier 1962 document called Operation Northwoods in which the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff drew up and approved clandestine operations intending to stage 'terrorism' in order to create American hostility towards Cuba. On page 13 of the 15 page declassified memo, the Joint Chiefs of Staff discuss, "An aircraft at Eglin AFB would be painted and numbered as an exact duplicate for a civil registered aircraft belonging to a CIA proprietary organization in the Miami area. At a designated time the duplicate would be substituted for the actual civil aircraft and would be loaded with the selected passengers, all boarded under carefully prepared aliases. The actual registered aircraft would be converted to a drone." On page 8 the Joint Chiefs state, "This plan, incorporating projects selected from the attached suggestions, or from other sources, should be developed to focus all efforts on a specific ultimate objective which would provide adequate justification for US military intervention. Such a plan would enable a logical build-up of incidents to be combined with other seemingly unrelated events to camouflage the ultimate objective and create the necessary impression of Cuban rashness and irresponsibility on a large scale, directed at other countries as well as the United States. The plan would also properly integrate and time phase the courses of action to be pursued. The desired resultant from the execution of this plan would be to place the United States in the apparent position of suffering defensible grievances from a rash and irresponsible government of Cuba and to develop an inter-national image of a Cuban threat to peace in the Western Hemisphere." Clearly what is being suggested is treasonous actions against our own country by our own military leaders, who also entertain subversive actions against other sovereign nations as a way to make Cuba look bad. Terrorism in the name of anti-communism is still terrorism especially when carried out secretly against the United States by the United States. Fearing that the window of opportunity to get into Iraq may slip away, the Neo-Con Bush administration set itself on a course to "fix the facts around the policy" as verified by the first leaked Downing Street Minutes. In their rush to war, they blamed intelligence agencies for not gathering together the proper and necessary intelligence needed to assess a proper plan for deciding on whether to go to war or not. However, we know Bush and Blair had already committed themselves to invading Iraq and both ignored any threat assessment that did not support their call for an invasion. America, we had better get serious about reeling in this out of control administration especially now that the very same hawks which premeditatedly lied and deceived the American public into supporting the horror that is now Iraq; are again sounding the drums against Iran, calling for not just conventional but nuclear tactical strikes on over 200 targets in that country. America please wake up, the lives of children here and all over the world depend on it. We must hold these fear inciting war criminals accountable as it is they themselves who are profiting from the continued violence and occupations of Iraq and Afghanistan through unethical defense investments through the private financial firm, the Carlyle Group. This company is not opened to the public scrutiny or investment, the SEC has never audited them, members consider themselves untouchable much like the privately owned European controlled board directing the Federal Reserve System. We know that Bush and his whole administration will lie, cheat, and deceive in order to fulfill their Project for a New American Century directive for securing the Middle East through a series of permanent forward staging bases to then be used as preemptive strike capability in securing the fascist interests of the oil corporations dominating government through massive lobbying. How else would these companies secure billion dollar government subsidies at a time of record profit? Why else would the positioning of permanent bases line-up to pipeline plans or drilling agreements? We must demand accountability. We cannot allow this corrupt administration to purposely lie and deceive the public into supporting bogus wars of aggression against sovereign nations when real threats exist right here at home. There are already myriad reasons to impeach this President as many of his staff and many congressmen are already folding to indictments. So I ask why, why is America not in the streets everyday, at the White House and Congress everyday demanding the end of all support for this warmongering, anti-constitutional dictatorial administration. Our country cannot afford another war anywhere with anybody. We are already drowning in surmounting debts accumulated predominately from the failed war in Iraq and yet regardless, this administration seems hell bent on taking us into further escalation's with Iran and Syria. The fact that the U.S. has already warned Turkey of our intent to launch air strikes on Iran and Syria, let's you know how close we are to another full out war as nations will be forced to take sides. Recently a London Guardian reporter released an article called, "Are we going to war with Iran?" to further investigate allegations of impending war. Seymour Hersh a few days earlier wrote in the New Yorker, that the war against Iran had already begun. "Current and former American military and intelligence officials said that Air Force planning groups are drawing up lists of targets, and teams of American combat troops have been ordered into Iran, under cover, to collect targeting data and to establish contact with anti-government ethnic-minority groups. The officials say that President Bush is determined to deny the Iranian regime the opportunity to begin a pilot program, planned for this spring, to enrich uranium." Colonel Sam Gardner verified Hersh in an interview with Amy Goodman of Democracy Now, "The issue is not whether the Military option would be used but who approved the start of operations already." Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, announced on April 11th that its nuclear engineers had advanced to a new phase in the enrichment of uranium. The Clerics also announced that the nation would speed ahead, in defiance of a United Nations Security Council warning, to produce nuclear fuel on an industrial scale for civil power production as is their right according to the Non-Proliferation Treaty which the US has recently violated by authorizing the production of a new generation of nuclear devices and also by agreeing to sell India nuclear technology when India itself has not signed onto the NPT. America in signing the NPT, promised not to help other countries with their nuclear-weapons technology unless those countries had all their nuclear facilities under international safeguards which India does not and never will. Does this then mean unavoidable war? Are we to wake up one day with our country having attacked Iran? I heard Fox report just a few days ago, that we just may wake up one day and find that our country had already bombed Iran, and that if that were the case it would improve Bush's poll numbers. Does this sound like insanity to anyone else? If you do not wish to see us plunged into further Bush administration chaos, call everyone of your federal contacts, Representatives, and Senators right now and bug them continuously without pause, so that they absolutely know, we do not want an attack on Iran and that attacking Iran will only endanger our country and their jobs. Ask them if you really wanted to stop the nuclear program in Iran, why allow the CIA to provide them the blueprints in the first place? If we the U.S. and Britain were really concerned about Iran gathering the necessary program to create a nuclear bomb, why then would our governments allow American and British companies to sell them the exact material needed to advance their nuclear program? We must ask why British officials would defy their own arms embargo toward Iran, and approve the export of key components necessary to make nuclear weapons? If they were that concerned with a nuclear Iran, why provide the material necessary to advance the nuclear program at all stages? Why wait until they reach the point of activating the technology we've provided for their nuclear programs to cry wolf? President Gerald Ford authorized the Shah to buy and operate a plutonium-extracting and processing facility in 1976, if we were concerned with Iran as a threat, isn't prevention key, meaning never allow them to reach this point? Scott Ritter a former UN weapons inspector warned us last year of the encroaching war with Iran. The only thing yet to be determined is whether it will be Israel or the US that does the actual air strikes, or whether it will be a joint US-Israeli strike, either way America will be plunged headlong into what will be the catalyst for the next global war. We need to clean house in America, starting with the whole administration but not ending until we've moved through all branches of government destroying the corrupt electronic paperless electoral system and in particular dismantle the lobby system which allows politicians to be bought legally. Remember the people united will never be defeated, the people silenced will never be heard. Zen Garcia [send him email] is an activist and writer in Athens, GA.  Find more of his writings at www.endeavorfreedom.org/ Zen Garcia Sat, 21 Oct 2006 00:00:00 EDT http://www.lgtinc.org/articles/194/1/URGENT%3A-Did-YOU-receive-this-from-Heidi-J.-Moore-directly October 11, 2006   Dearest Advocates:   Unfortunately, I had another "Computer Malfunction".  Somehow Comcast deleted a some of my advocacy distribution lists.  As you can imagine this has been a nightmare for 3 days now! I have been working for hours and hours trying to recover as many names as possible BUT I NEED YOUR HELP!   When you receive this e-mail, please distribute ASAP to anyone you might think would have been on my distribution list letting them know about this problem.   If you received this e-mail from someone else and not directly from me, that means you are no longer on my advocacy distribution list.    If you would like to be added back to the advocacy distribution list, please submit the following information: 1. E-mail. 2. Full name. 3. If you are a provider, parent (child's disability), therapist, or why you want to be on the list, etc   If you received this e-mail in error, please let me know that you want to be taken off the advocacy distribution list as well.   I have been working for hours trying to recreate the information, but I'm sure I still have a number of email addresses deleted.   Thanks in advance for your cooperation in this matter. As always, you can review my past e-mails by going to the following website: http://www.lgtinc.org/authors/41/Heidi-J.-Moore?Page=6   (Please remember that there are multiple pages so page down or go to another page if you can't find the information you are looking for).   Thanks again for your cooperation in this matter, Sincerely, Heidi   Please join us for the Healthcare for Kids Rally to be held on November 4, 2006 at 9:30am at the GA State Capitol. For more info., please go to: www.kidshealthcarega.org --Heidi J. Moore (Proud Mother to Jacob - 6 years old with Down syndrome & Jared - 4 years old) "Help The Children Now, So They Can Help Themselves Later!" The material contained in this e-mail is for general information only. It is not intended in any way to provide or offer legal advice. To obtain legal advice, please consult with your attorney or a qualified legal representative. Heidi J. Moore Wed, 11 Oct 2006 00:00:00 EDT http://www.lgtinc.org/articles/193/1/CHOA-Therapy-Situation--ALERT October 5, 2006   Dearest Advocates:   Below is a letter from Children's Healthcare of Atlanta (CHOA) that will be issued out to the parents regarding their recent changes to therapy services this week. In addition they are also going to be issuing an instructional sheet on how to find providers from the DCH system, and Frequently Asked Questions from DCH.   The bottom line is CHOA is going to be discharging our children (that are considered "chronic" which means children with disabilities) to a system that does not have the support to handle the additional therapy providers. We can't find providers now....How are those families going to be able to find providers then (that accept Medicaid too)?   The paperwork is burdensome, adds no value, increases the time to administer and is costing tax payers more $$ for the system to review these requests...than just to pay for the services the children need to begin with!   We have just been given the "proof" that DCH said they did not have with access to care for our children. There is not access now for a large population of children effective 11/1/06 due to these changes at CHOA.   I will be working on this issue and hope to have further information next week. Sincerely, Heidi ====================================== Here is the CHOA letter that will issued to parents this week...................................................   Dear Parent:   Children's Healthcare of Atlanta wants to make sure you are aware of recent changes to the administration of Medicaid implemented by the Georgia Department of Community Health (DCH).  We understand these changes may impact the way your child's rehabilitation services are provided and want to work with you to help ensure that your child's rehabilitation care is continued appropriately for your child's condition.   The DCH and Medicaid program:   will only authorize treatment at Children's or other hospital-based programs for patients who have an acute injury, illness, or impairment clarified that children with chronic conditions and impairments must be seen through the Children's Intervention Services (CIS) program, which is community-based therapy rather than hospital-based therapy indicates that it does not plan to cut, reduce or eliminate therapy services to Medicaid-eligible children requires prior authorization through your Medicaid health plan for all therapy services  Children's is evaluating these changes to ensure that we are operating within the DCH's rules and guidelines while continuing to provide our patients with the quality healthcare for which we are known.   To find out more about these changes and to help you choose a CIS program for your child's therapy services, visit Provider Information at www.ghp.georgia.gov or contact Sharon Collins at the Division of Medical Assistance at (404) 463-6096.   Sincerely,   Carol Salmons Manager, Rehabilitation ===================================== --Heidi J. Moore (Proud Mother to Jacob - 6 years old with Down syndrome & Jared - 5 years old) "Help The Children Now, So They Can Help Themselves Later!" The material contained in this e-mail is for general information only. It is not intended in any way to provide or offer legal advice. To obtain legal advice, please consult with your attorney or a qualified legal Heidi J. Moore Tue, 10 Oct 2006 00:00:00 EDT http://www.lgtinc.org/articles/192/1/Media-Attention%3A-NBC-WALB-in-Albany%2C-GA-AND-AJC-Newspaper%21 October 4, 2006   Dearest Advocate:   I was just informed that NBC WALB in Albany covered the further concerns parents have regarding the children's healthcare and the Medicaid system situation. Speaker of the House Glenn Richardson was interviewed.  You may want to contact him to help him understand what is "really" happening in our world (glenn.richardson@house.ga.gov) . Examples: Lack of services, providers, approvals, denials for eligibility,etc.   Here is the link to see the actual story on NBC last night:   Lawmaker weighs in on Medicaid changeshttp://www.walb.com/Global/story.asp?s=5493978     Please take a moment to thank the reporter, Len Kiese (len.kiese@walb.com)  and cc:  news@walb.com for their continued coverage of this very difficult situation for families and providers in the State! Len has done a number of segments on this situation over the year and we want him to know we appreciate it!   As I stated before, education and awareness is the key to making our issues known and hopefully resolved.   Healthcare must be a priority for our children and the providers that service them!   Thanks to Amy W. for letting me know about the coverage. Keep up the great work everyone!   In addition,  the AJC Newspaper will be printing in their "Letters to the Editor" Section of the Saturday newspaper  a letter from a concerned parent! Thanks Cindy for sending in that fantastic letter!   UNITED... WE WILL MAKE A DIFFERENCE!   Sincerely, Heidi   Please join us for the Healthcare for Kids Rally to be held on November 4, 2006 at 9:30am at the GA State Capitol. For more info., please go to: www.kidshealthcarega.org     --Heidi J. Moore (Proud Mother to Jacob - 6 years old with Down syndrome & Jared - 5 years old) "Help The Children Now, So They Can Help Themselves Later!" The material contained in this e-mail is for general information only. It is not intended in any way to provide or offer legal advice. To obtain legal advice, please consult with your attorney or a qualified legal representative. Heidi J. Moore Tue, 10 Oct 2006 00:00:00 EDT http://www.lgtinc.org/articles/191/1/Katie-Beckett-Waiver-Foundation October 4, 2006   Dearest Advocates:   I received this today about the "Foundation" the State of Georgia is putting together as part of the $7.6 million that was allocated for children that were denied the Katie Beckett Waiver due to the changes in criteria from October 05 forward.   If you are interested in being part of this group, PLEASE contact Kristina Aranas directly.  I've also attached a document with further information. (I"ll post this info on the "files" section of the list serve as well).   This is another way of getting involved for our children!   Sincerely, Heidi ========================================   Hello!The Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta is actively seeking assistancewith the new Health Services Initiative, focusing on medically fragilechildren and their families. We hope that you will help us spread the wordabout this new opportunity. The Request for Proposals for this newinitiative is attached to this email and will also be available onOpportunity Knocks and The Community Foundation website. Should you haveany questions, please feel free to contact me via phone or email. Questionsregarding proposal submissions will be fielded in the beginning of October.Thank you in advance for your help!Kristina M. ArañasProgram AssociateThe Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta404-588-3213 direct linehttp://www.atlcf.org   --Heidi J. Moore (Proud Mother to Jacob - 6 years old with Down syndrome & Jared - 5 years old) "Help The Children Now, So They Can Help Themselves Later!" The material contained in this e-mail is for general information only. It is not intended in any way to provide or offer legal advice. To obtain legal advice, please consult with your attorney or a qualified legal representative. Heidi J. Moore Tue, 10 Oct 2006 00:00:00 EDT http://www.lgtinc.org/articles/188/1/Media-Attention%3A-CBS-WCTV6-in-Valdosta%2C-GA October 1, 2006   Dearest Advocate:   I was just informed that CBS WCTV 6 in Valdosta covered the meeting families and providers had with Lt. Gov. Mark Taylor over the weekend regarding concerns with children's healthcare and the Medicaid system.    Here is the link: http://www.wctv6.com/ (go to "Featured Videos" and click on "Lt. Governor Mark Taylor Campaign".)   Please take a moment to thank the reporter, Roxanna Haynes (roxanna.haynes@wctv6.com) and cc: news@wctv6.com for their continued coverage of this very difficult situation for families and providers in the State!   As I stated before, education and awareness is the key to making our issues known and hopefully resolved.   Healthcare must be a priority for our children and the providers that service them!   Thanks to Sara for letting me know about the coverage. Keep up the great work everyone!   Sincerely, Heidi   Please join us for the Healthcare for Kids Rally to be held on November 4, 2006 at 9:30am at the GA State Capitol. For more info., please go to: www.kidshealthcarega.org   --Heidi J. Moore (Proud Mother to Jacob - 6 years old with Down syndrome & Jared - 5 years old) "Help The Children Now, So They Can Help Themselves Later!" The material contained in this e-mail is for general information only. It is not intended in any way to provide or offer legal advice. To obtain legal advice, please consult with your attorney or a qualified legal representative. Heidi J. Moore Mon, 02 Oct 2006 00:00:00 EDT http://www.lgtinc.org/articles/187/1/Advocacy-Update-and-History.......... October 1, 2006   (Please note: This is a long e-mail…you may want to print out to read!)   Dearest Advocates:   As we have started down this path of having a Healthcare for Kids Rally, I've discovered that not everyone has been aware of all the activity that has happened in the last few months…….   Since June 2006, we have met with Dept. of Community Health's Director of Medicaid, Commissioner, as well as, the Governor's office to discuss the concerns and solutions associated with healthcare for children in this State.  Unfortunately, NONE of the recommendations were implemented nor discussed any further for consideration.   This is exactly why it has come to a point where we need to get our elected officials attention on healthcare and making it a priority in this state! Working with the media, having the rally, educating the public on our issues is the only other alternative we have in making the necessary changes needed for our children.    This is an election year…..we are hardworking, tax-paying, voting citizens and we don't want our tax $$$ wasted on red tape, non-productive processes that add no value to the system and continue to decrease the amount of services our children need, as well as, access to providers due to these processes.   Here is an example of some of the concerns and solutions that were discussed in these meetings……. -Implement a 1-800 number to call to check on status, enter your ref # for information on your current status. (Submission approval, deadlines, receipt, denial, appeal status, etc). -Have DFCS caseworker on the phone prepared to help parents walk through the paper work or tell them resources they can utilize to find answers instead of yes and no answers which lead to no assistance in filing out paper work or meeting criteria. -Have more explicit instructions on how to fill out all the forms. -Change renewals from every year to every 3 yrs (depending on the child's functional / behavioral needs, independence, medical needs, diagnosis, etc).   -Parents should receive in writing if they are re- approved or denied. Currently, families only receive notices if they are denied. This will eliminate families wondering and unnecessary calls to GMCF or their DFACS caseworkers.   -Fair treatment of providers.   Provide a fair and equitable payment to providers on a timely basis.   -Do not require IEP's.   -If a child is denied, make the reasons very clear.  It will make it easier to everyone and for the parent to accept the ruling is correct or appeal if warranted.  The information submitted during the appeal would be more accurate and with necessary specifics.   -Independent Advisory Committee:  A panel of families who can act as an advisory committee/clearing house for issues and feedback for the Director of Medicaid.  This could provide tremendous support and guidance to the entire Medicaid System.     -Having psychological evaluation done on children (sometimes every year) even though it is very obvious the child qualifies due to the child's diagnosis and ability to not function on their own at all is just another expense Medicaid will pay for with no value added.  Need to really look at the "value" of having psychological evaluations done on an on-going basis (very expensive).   -Streamline paperwork - many forms are repetitive information.  Make forms relevant for waivers and not generic across Medicaid.   -Having a way to find out the status of our renewal application - whether online or via our caseworker.   -Parents would like to receive an Explanation of Benefits (EOB) from Medicaid for services charged to their child's account. We realize that this is available on the web but it's hard to get a password and remember to check the account. A quarterly statement would be helpful to make sure the services have been provided. Therefore, possibly saving Medicaid money with less fraudulent charges to the system   (Please note: Many of the suggestions were compiled from the 250+ families and providers that submitted their ideas last spring to me specifically in the disability community.  I put together an actual 4 page report that was given to DCH, DFCS and Governor's office on all those suggestions. The three primary areas of concern were: Communication, Training and Process issues.  The goal is to maximize our resources to better service children with and without disabilities in the State of Georgia.  Thank you so much for everyone that participated in these suggestions)   As you can see, I have personally tried very hard to work within the system, but it has not worked. We have to UNITE our voices for OUR children!  I know not everyone feels  that a Rally is going to make a difference but what other options do we have at this point?    We must continue to work with the media to educate the State on our issues and hopefully help our elected officials understand how important this issue is to us!   I hope this clarifies some of your questions. Please understand, I am just a parent like many of you (and do not get paid for my advocacy efforts for our children)……..Right now I'm averaging over 400 e-mails a day so please understand that I can not respond to everyone.    I'm very excited about the Rally and hope everyone will participate in the largest grassroots effort this State has ever seen.  We are starting to get the media coverage we deserve on the issues  and need to let the media know we appreciate their continued coverage of these issues like the CBS investigative report and the AJC article this weekend and FOX's report a few weeks ago on the therapy situation.   We need to be a part of the solution and work with our elected officials on getting the services and processes we need for our children's healthcare!   Please go to our website at www.kidshealthcarega.org for more updates. It is currently under construction but more content will be posted very soon. We will be issuing a press release very soon on the full intent our advocacy group….Stay Tuned for further information……..   UNITED…WE WILL MAKE A DIFFERENCE!   Sincerely,   Heidi   --Heidi J. Moore (Proud Mother to Jacob - 6 years old with Down syndrome & Jared - 5 years old) "Help The Children Now, So They Can Help Themselves Later!" The material contained in this e-mail is for general information only. It is not intended in any way to provide or offer legal advice. To obtain legal advice, please consult with your attorney or a qualified legal representative. Heidi J. Moore Mon, 02 Oct 2006 00:00:00 EDT http://www.lgtinc.org/articles/186/1/AJC-Article--%26quot%3BMedicaid-Rolls-Decline.....%26quot%3B--Need-Your-Help-Educating-the-AJC%21 September 30, 2006   Dearest Advocates:   There was an article in the AJC newspaper today on the Medicaid situation written by Andy Miller (jamiller@ajc.com ).  Although I appreciate the coverage of the Medicaid situation, I do not think this article really explained the urgency and concern families and providers have within the Medicaid system (difficulty in getting services, paperwork, lack of providers due to the amount of paperwork, people being denied, etc).    Here is the AJC article ....Just in case you missed it: http://www.ajc.com/news/content/metro/stories/2006/09/29/0930MESHmedicaid.html   In addition, there was a comment in the article about Katie Beckett Waiver families having primary insurance (which kind of makes it sound like it's not a big deal if they don't have Medicaid).......We all know how important having Medicaid as secondary insurance is because most of our primary healthcare insurance companies do not pay for a lot of the services needed (especially for children with disabilities - which includes therapy).   PLEASE take a minute to help the AJC newspaper understand the urgency and need for reform in the entire Medicaid system. Explain to them that they need to have more in-depth articles done about this situation!   This is why we are having the Healthcare for Kids Rally on November 4th.........To make healthcare a priority in this state!    Send your e-mails to Andy (jamiller@ajc.com) and the editor ( letters@ajc.com) .   We need to continue to educate the State on the issues impacting our children and the media is a great tool to do so. Please let the AJC know how this has impacted your family!   Thanks again for your continued efforts in making the "real" issues known.   United...We Will Make A Difference!   Sincerely, Heidi   --Heidi J. Moore (Proud Mother to Jacob - 6 years old with Down syndrome & Jared - 5 years old) "Help The Children Now, So They Can Help Themselves Later!" The material contained in this e-mail is for general information only. It is not intended in any way to provide or offer legal advice. To obtain legal advice, please consult with your attorney or a qualified legal representative. Heidi J. Moore Mon, 02 Oct 2006 00:00:00 EDT http://www.lgtinc.org/articles/185/1/CBS-46-is-re-running-the-Investigative-Report-today%21 September 29, 2006   Dearest Advocates:   I just got confirmation from CBS 46 that they are going to re-run the Medicaid Investigative Report  that was aired last night.....It will air today at 12:00 and again on Sunday at 11:00pm.   We are getting their attention (both the media and the Governor's office).   Keep up the great work! Sincerely, Heidi   Here is the link to CBS 46: http://www.cbs46.com/Global/story.asp?S=5473158     --Heidi J. Moore (Proud Mother to Jacob - 6 years old with Down syndrome & Jared - 5 years old) "Help The Children Now, So They Can Help Themselves Later!" The material contained in this e-mail is for general information only. It is not intended in any way to provide or offer legal advice. To obtain legal advice, please consult with your attorney or a qualified legal representative. Heidi J. Moore Mon, 02 Oct 2006 00:00:00 EDT http://www.lgtinc.org/articles/184/1/UPDATE%3A-URGENT......ACT-NOW....CALL-GOVERNOR-PERDUE-TODAY%21%21%21 UPDATE....... Apparently, the Governor's office does not want to take our phone calls (A number of families have contacted me in the last hour stating that his staff are not accepting phone calls now but you can try..............)   Per Gov. Perdue's staff request, please do the following: Fax the Governor at 404-657-7332 and send him an e-mail too at : sperdue@gov.state.ga.us   In addition, I've been informed that the AJC Political Insider site has a blog regarding Gov. Perdue comments to Wendy Saltzman (CBS Reporter for the Medicaid Story last night) at a recent press conference....Please take a moment and click on the below and give your comments.......   http://www.ajc.com/metro/content/shared-blogs/ajc/politicalinsider/entries/2006/09/26/signs_that_you_have_a_20point.html   Obviously, we are getting his attention and need to continue the pressure for him to get involved in healthcare in GA! Keep up the GREAT WORK! Heidi ======================================= September 29,2006   Dearest Advocates:   PLEASE take a moment and make a difference....PLEASE call the Governor's office today. As you saw from last night's CBS airing of the Medicaid segment, Governor Perdue refused to comment on the situation.    He needs to hear from us that Healthcare MUST be a priority for our children.    Act now.....404-656-1776.   Just in case you missed CBS 46 investigative report last night...here is the link (they even have video to watch as well):   http://www.cbs46.com/Global/story.asp?S=5473158   Many thanks to Betsy for this advocacy strategy.  We need to be heard TODAY!   UNITED... WE WILL MAKE A DIFFERENCE!   Heidi   --Heidi J. Moore (Proud Mother to Jacob - 6 years old with Down syndrome & Jared - 5 years old) "Help The Children Now, So They Can Help Themselves Later!" The material contained in this e-mail is for general information only. It is not intended in any way to provide or offer legal advice. To obtain legal advice, please consult with your attorney or a qualified legal representative.   -------------- Forwarded Message: -------------- From: jeff&betsy fester To: Subject: URGENT......ACT NOW....CALL GOVERNOR PERDUE TODAY!!! Date: Fri, 29 Sep 2006 03:46:07 +0000 September 29, 2006   URGENT.....ACT NOW.....CALL GOVERNOR PERDUE TODAY!   As many of you heard last night on the CBS 46 Investigative Report on the Medicaid situation, Governor Perdue refused to comment to CBS on their report.   The time has come for Governor Perdue to hear our voices loud and clear in a different way.   Today- Please call the Governor's office at 404-656-1776 and tell them the following:   "The Governor must make healthcare for children a priority and support the providers that service them".   It only takes a minute but we need to get his attention regarding the issues impacting children's healthcare and the providers that service them.   Thanks in advance for your help, Betsy Fester Heidi J. Moore Mon, 02 Oct 2006 00:00:00 EDT http://www.lgtinc.org/articles/183/1/Advocacy-Update-for-everyone....... September 28, 2006   Dearest Advocates:   There are many things going on right now that I wanted you to be aware of.......   1. EXCITING NEWS.  We are happy to announce......A website has been formed for the rally and our advocacy efforts. It is under construction so we urge everyone to check back frequently for updates. The website should be fully functional very soon.  The website address is: www.kidshealthcarega.org   2. Thanks to Kelly of Valdosta for letting me know the following: The Lt. Gov. Mark Taylor is coming to Valdosta to speak with us parents & providers about the current Insurance issues and how it's affecting our families and businesses. It's going to be held this Saturday, September 30th at 12:00 at the Central Avenue Church of Christ, 304 E. Central Ave., Valdosta.   We need to continue to have our voices heard to all three candidates running for the Governor of Georgia right now!   2. Please remember to watch CBS 46 investigative report on the 11:00pm news tonight and send your thank you's to them.  (Their e-mail addresses are as follows: Wendy.Saltzman@CBS46.com, cbs46news@cbs46.com, rick.erbach@cbs46.com )  Educating the State on the issue impacting our children and providers that service them is very powerful  and it is an election year. Healthcare must be a priority for our children!   I hope you find this information helpful.   United... WE WILL MAKE A DIFFERENCE!   Sincerely, Heidi --Heidi J. Moore (Proud Mother to Jacob - 6 years old with Down syndrome & Jared - 5 years old) "Help The Children Now, So They Can Help Themselves Later!" The material contained in this e-mail is for general information only. It is not intended in any way to provide or offer legal advice. To obtain legal advice, please consult with your attorney or a qualified legal representative. Heidi J. Moore Mon, 02 Oct 2006 00:00:00 EDT http://www.lgtinc.org/articles/182/1/Media-Attention-to-Babies-Can%26%2339%3Bt-Wait-Medicaid-Problems September 27, 2006   Dearest Advocates:   Below is an article from the Citizen Newspaper......It is a great overview of how the Babies Can't Wait (BCW) program is being impacted by the CMO's and Medicaid situation in this State.  This is EXACTLY why we need to unite our voices as one regarding healthcare being a priority for all children in the Medicaid program and have access to providers and proper funding!   Please take a moment and thank the Citizen Newspaper for the article at editor@thecitizen.com.   Here is the actual link to the article: http://www.thecitizen.com/node/10508   See you at the Healthcare for Kids Rally to be held on November 4 at 9:30 at the Georgia State Capitol!   Sincerely, Heidi ============================================ Medicaid funding shortages limit early intervention services Tue, 09/26/2006 - 4:20pm By: The Citizen Wyatt a 29 month old toddler with significant delays in speech and sensory processing is at risk of losing the early intervention he needs to start school ready to learn. Likewise, Sanaya, a toddler with significant delays in communication and cognition is being denied needed speech therapy. Georgia's Interagency Coordinating Council for Early Intervention Programs (SICC) including parents, service providers and other non-Department of Human Resources, Non-Department of Community Health agency members, called for immediate attention to the recent impact of Medicaid changes, funding shortages, and increased Federal requirements on early intervention services in Georgia. The SICC is charged with providing advice and assistance to the Department of Human Resources (the lead agency for early intervention programs). Babies Can't Wait (BCW) is the beginning of special education in Georgia. BCW currently provides early intervention supports and services to families of over 5000 infants and toddlers statewide from birth to age three who have significant developmental delays. Federal funds to support this program come from Part C of the Individuals With Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), the same federal legislation that also funds special education in Georgia's public schools. Although it is an education program, BCW is administered through DHR's Public Health branch and services are provided through Georgia's 18 public health districts. A large body of research in early child development and education indicates that an investment in early intervention results in long-term savings through reduced special education costs as well as other savings realized through productive employment and participation in society. However, the implementation of Medicaid Care Management Organizations (CMOs), past and present funding shortages and federal requirements to increase caseloads statewide have placed the program in serious financial jeopardy. Funds for the program have declined steadily while demands for service have increased. BCW funding and costs are intricately interwoven with and impacted by Georgia's Medicaid policies and rate structure due to federal policies requiring that BCW funds for services be used as a payer of last resort and requiring that other available federal funds such as Medicaid cannot be supplanted by BCW funds. If specific CMOs choose not to provide required BCW services such as service coordination, BCW will have to cover the cost which could mean millions of dollars not available in the current budget.With the implementation of Medicaid CMOs on June 1st in the metro and central CMO regions of the state, the BCW funding base has been further jeopardized by the loss of service coordination revenues and the additional costs associated with providing services which are not being covered by the CMOs. Extensive loss of service is expected with the September 1 statewide roll-out. Babies and toddlers with developmental delays are paying the price. Many infants and toddlers like Wyatt and Sanaya, who have been receiving therapy services through the BCW program have been denied services through Amerigroup. These are children who had been receiving early intervention through BCW but because they are Medicaid recipients they are caught in a bureaucratic quagmire and risk losing developmental gains made through early intervention. These families don't have the means to pay for these services and BCW can't legally supplant Medicaid funded services. Compounding that dilemma, the council discovered that many significant barriers exist for service providers when accessing Medicaid CMO reimbursements to support BCW services. For example, the time intensive, labor intensive, paper intensive, confusing and often redundant prior approval process to get BCW services authorized and approved for reimbursement. Likewise, frequent resubmissions of copies of the same documentation are required in order to obtain prior approvals. We are losing early intervention service providers at an alarming rate. In a call to action letter to Governor Perdue, SICC Chair Cynthia Vail noted, "the bottom line is…that we are losing service providers in a field where critical shortages already exist. Public comment to the SICC during its July meeting in Rome echoed a similar concern, "the State's capacity to provide early intervention services to children and families will be further diminished if the funding system is not addressed. " The Council proposes several suggestions to help remedy this disaster in the making. Allowing children in Babies Can't Wait to be "carved out" of Medicaid CMO enrollment (as is the case for CMS enrolled children) represented a possible remedy among many from the Council. Interested parties can find more information about the State Interagency Coordinating Council, its officers, members and local affiliates by visiting HYPERLINK "http://www.health.state.ga.us/programs/bcw/icc.asp" www.health.state.ga.us/programs/bcw/icc.aspThe State Interagency Coordinating Council (SICC) is required by federal statute to be appointed by the Governor and is an important participant in the development of a well-coordinated service delivery system. The ICC is an independent group which does not "belong to" any particular agency.   --Heidi J. Moore (Proud Mother to Jacob - 6 years old with Down syndrome & Jared - 4 years old) "Help The Children Now, So They Can Help Themselves Later!" The material contained in this e-mail is for general information only. It is not intended in any way to provide or offer legal advice. To obtain legal advice, please consult with your attorney or a qualified legal representative. Heidi J. Moore Thu, 28 Sep 2006 00:00:00 EDT http://www.lgtinc.org/articles/181/1/Advocacy-Update-for-everyone....... September 28, 2006   Dearest Advocates:   There are many things going on right now that I wanted you to be aware of.......   1. EXCITING NEWS.  We are happy to announce......A website has been formed for the rally and our advocacy efforts. It is under construction so we urge everyone to check back frequently for updates. The website should be fully functional very soon.  The website address is: www.kidshealthcarega.org   2. Thanks to Kelly of Valdosta for letting me know the following: The Lt. Gov. Mark Taylor is coming to Valdosta to speak with us parents & providers about the current Insurance issues and how it's affecting our families and businesses. It's going to be held this Saturday, September 30th at 12:00 at the Central Avenue Church of Christ, 304 E. Central Ave., Valdosta.   We need to continue to have our voices heard to all three candidates running for the Governor of Georgia right now!   2. Please remember to watch CBS 46 investigative report on the 11:00pm news tonight and send your thank you's to them.  (Their e-mail addresses are as follows: Wendy.Saltzman@CBS46.com, cbs46news@cbs46.com, rick.erbach@cbs46.com )  Educating the State on the issue impacting our children and providers that service them is very powerful  and it is an election year. Healthcare must be a priority for our children!   I hope you find this information helpful.   United... WE WILL MAKE A DIFFERENCE!   Sincerely, Heidi --Heidi J. Moore (Proud Mother to Jacob - 6 years old with Down syndrome & Jared - 5 years old) "Help The Children Now, So They Can Help Themselves Later!" The material contained in this e-mail is for general information only. It is not intended in any way to provide or offer legal advice. To obtain legal advice, please consult with your attorney or a qualified legal representative. Heidi J. Moore Thu, 28 Sep 2006 00:00:00 EDT http://www.lgtinc.org/articles/179/1/The-Torture-King-and-Loss-of-Habeas-Corpus September 27, 2006by Zen Garcia Bush has stated over and over, "We do not torture detainees" and yet when Senator McCain, a once held prisoner of war, dissented against the White House position on the treatment of detainees and together with the Senate passed a law outlawing the torture of detainees; Bush issued a 'signing statement' - an official document in which a president lays out interpretation of a new law -in which he reserved the right to ignore Congressional demands outlawing the torture of prisoners. He claims authority as commander in chief to bypass any law, in context of broader powers to protect national security. Bush believes he can waive any restrictions which would impede his ability to protect the American people from the threats of terrorism. "The executive branch shall construe [the law] in a manner consistent with the constitutional authority of the President...as Commander in Chief... in achieving the shared objective of the Congress and the President...of protecting the American people from further terrorist attacks." Bush had stated on numerous occasions not only that America does not torture detainees, but that America is not running black sites in which detainees are flown to some obscure location where the rule of law does not exist so that extreme measures can be used to excise information it deems necessary to protecting our citizenry. Having had the program of extraordinary rendition called into question by several federal judges, the White House has had to fess up to the existence of such a program. "I cannot describe the specific methods used - I think you understand why," Bush said during a 5th anniversary speech of the attacks of September 11th. "If I did, it would help the terrorists learn how to resist questioning, and to keep information from us that we need to prevent new attacks on our country. But I can say the procedures were tough, and they were safe, and lawful and necessary." He reiterated his insistence that detainees have not and will not be tortured, claiming "I want to be absolutely clear with our people, and the world: The United States does not torture. It's against our laws, and it's against our values. I have not authorized it, and I will not authorize it." What the world and Americans do not realize is that what we the people traditionally consider torture, is not the same torture Bush speaks about since attorney general Alberto Gonzales redefined torture in a narrow context. The Torture Convention defines torture as "any act by which severe pain or suffering, whether physical or mental, is intentionally inflicted on a person". The Bush Administration declares torture by a different standard, namely that, to constitute torture, the pain caused "must be equivalent in intensity to the pain accompanying serious physical injury, such as organ failure, impairment of bodily functions or even death." Methods generally understood by the world as "torture" would be permitted by this newly and narrowly altered definition. According to the new 'definition' everything up to the point leading to death is not torture as defined by the Administrations new policy. The redefining of torture, allows the administration to deny criminal behavior while still allowing the implementation and committing of such atrocities. This also gave CIA and military interrogators the 'go-ahead' to try many drastic measures considered to tough in previous sessions prior to the 'war on terror.' Bush wants the CIA to be exempt from prosecution under the war crimes act for cruel and inhumane treatment of detainees and is now hard at work propagandizing the American public and Congress to have the Geneva Conventions modified. He knows that his administration has committed war crimes against humanity, which he and many members of his administration are liable to be prosecuted under according to international law. If he can exempt the CIA from such prosecutions then not only can they continue this sinister program of kidnap and torture, CIA interrogators won't have to worry about future prosecution, or holding back from current methods of gleaning information. Even with torture being narrowly redefined, Bush is outright lying when he claims that, "We do not torture detainees." According to figures compiled by the Associated Press news agency, at least 108 people have died in US custody in Iraq and Afghanistan since 2002. The AP based their claims on information obtained from the US 's own army, navy and senior administration officials. While many of the deaths were due to natural causes, as a result of insurgent attacks on US detention facilities or during violent prison uprisings in which lethal force was used by US personnel, at least 26 have been investigated as criminal homicide involving abusing prisoners to death. "Military investigators have looked into -- or are continuing to investigate -- 35 cases of alleged abuse or deaths of prisoners in detention facilities in the Central Command theater," said Army Secretary Les Brownlee. A Pentagon report to Congressional oversight committee cited six prisoner deaths as of last September. Another report based on information from Pentagon and other official US sources, released by Human Rights First in October 2005 cites similar conclusions in that over 100 prisoners have died while in US custody in Iraq and Afghanistan since August 2002. Out of 98 deaths, at least 34 were suspected or confirmed homicides "caused by intentional or reckless behavior". Human Rights First representative Deborah Pearlstein told Newsnight she was "extremely comfortable" that the information was reliable while UK MP Bob Marshall-Andrews told the Press Association that "If it is indeed systemic, then the responsibility for it must go right to the top, and that would apply to both British and American governments." A spokesman for Amnesty International UK called for an investigation into how the deaths occurred while in US custody and said, "Deaths in custody during the war on terror are a real matter of concern to us and we want to see the US and its allies allowing a full independent and impartial investigation into these deaths, as well as mounting incidents of alleged torture and other mistreatment." Some methods used by the CIA and military interrogators include using a scalpel to make numerous cuts on the penis of Benyam Mohammed, who was arrested at Karachi airport on April 10 2002, and flown by a US government plane to a prison in Morocco. Other techniques include forceful beatings and even stomping which resulted in the paralysis of Sami Al-Laithi, a result of his detention at the U.S. military prison at Guantanamo Bay. Al-Laithi is now confined to a wheelchair with two broken vertebrae. Images released from the Abu Ghraib scandal show the forceful rape, sodomy of Iraqi men, women, and children and include depictions of electrical wires attached to the genitalia of detainees. There were also images of dogs being used to attack detainees. Would it shock the American people to know that John C. Yoo, a Justice Department attorney who helped devise the Bush regime's doctrine of torture, condones even the torture of terrorists children to extract information from their terrorist parents. When asked a hypothetical question in which the child of a terrorist suspect had their 'genitals crushed' in front of his father in order to extract information; Yoo answered there is "no law" and "no treaty" that would forbid such an atrocity, assuming that it was authorized by the president: "I think it depends on why the President thinks he needs to do that," Yoo said. How can an attorney for the Justice Department condone the torture of children, even terrorist children to safeguard the security of the American people? We know through Seymour Hersh's work that the policy of torturing and sodomizing terrorist children had in fact been implemented because the Pentagon has videotapes of boys being sodomized at Abu Ghraib to extract information from their parents. "[There's] a massive amount of criminal wrongdoing that was covered up at the highest command out there, and higher. Basically what happened is that those women who were arrested with young boys/children in cases that have been recorded. The boys were sodomized with the cameras rolling. The worst about all of them is the soundtrack of the boys shrieking.... They are in total terror it's going to come out." Manuals used by the U.S. Army's School of the Americas between 1982 and 1991 condoned executions, beatings and many other human rights abuses. John Yoo admits that he regards the sexual torture of children to be a legal and justifiable tactic, if authorized by the president. Louise Arbour, the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, on December 7, 2005 declared: "The absolute ban on torture, a cornerstone of the international human rights edifice, is under attack. The principle we once believed to be unassailable-the inherent right to physical integrity and dignity of the person-is becoming a casualty of the so-called war on terror." The world now knows that the torture of detainees was not a result of a few bad apples, but is and was a direct consequence of orders coming all the way from the President and relayed through the Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld to troops on the ground. Why else would Bush fight so hard to legitimize his administrations stance on torture and extraordinary rendition? He and the Vice-President had lobbied congress to exempt the CIA from the McCain Bill outlawing torture by US Personnel and when they failed; Bush issued one of his infamous signing statements claiming authority to interpret the law anyway he sees fit even if it means ignoring it. We know that it is the administration that was and is responsible for implementing torture on a broad scale. Interrogators as well as detainees have made public claims that torture does not solicit valuable information and fearing such treatment detainees will admit to anything just to have the torture stop even a former U.S. Army Interrogator describes why "Torture is the worst possible thing we can do to detainees."  Bush keeps citing the criticalness of continuing this CIA program of extraordinary rendition, torture, and indefinite detention; claiming it a necessary evil in the war on terror. However, even Bush's own former Secretary of State, Colin Powell disagrees with his opinion on this matter. Powell sent a letter to Sen. John McCain, warning against Bush's proposal to allow more extreme methods of interrogating detainees. "The world is beginning to doubt the moral basis of our fight against terrorism," Powell said, adding Bush's policies on the treatment of detainees "would put our troops at risk." And it does put our troops at risk especially when the world knows that we are torturing everybody that we take into custody and using various unholy methods just to extract information. T he Red Cross released a report about how 70-90% of the Abu Ghraib detainees who had been tortured were innocent.  Doesn't the indiscriminate torture of people create hatred for those who commit such violations?  We create terrorists by subjecting them to such terrorism as torture especially when they are innocent.  What will happen to our troops when they are caught by so called enemy combatants? Do we as nation believe that our troops will be extended any kind of courtesy when we ourselves do not extend any kind of courtesy to prisoners of war?  Three key Republican Senators on the Armed Services Committee: John McCain, Lindsey Graham and John Warner have challenged the White House on this issue. The three helped pass a measure last week affirming Common Article Three of the Geneva Conventions, which prohibits inhumane treatment. Sen. Lindsey Graham told reporters after Rumsfeld testified before their committee, "The American public needs to understand we're talking about rape and murder here. We're not just talking about giving people a humiliating experience. We're talking about rape and murder -- and some very serious charges." Newsweek magazine reported that the Bush administration is trying to maintain at least seven existing CIA interrogation methods for use against detainees including induced hypothermia; long periods of forced standing; sleep deprivation and "attention slapping." While McCain, Warner, and Graham have come out in defiance of the administrations attempt to limit common article 3 of the Geneva Convention, both bills proposed in the Senate strip away the right of habeas corpus from detainees and limits the ability of torture survivors to hold their perpetrators accountable for their abuse and to even know what charges have been filed against them. Michael Ratner of the Center for Constitutional Rights said, "In both the administration bill and in the McCain-Graham-Warner bill, in both cases you abolish the writ of habeas corpus. The government, the Congress, is abolishing the writ of habeas corpus. The habeas corpus writ is the right to challenge your detention once you're picked up by the United States. It would apply to Guantanamo. It would apply to everybody in Bagram. And it basically says that anybody picked up, now or in the future or who is there now, no longer has the writ of habeas corpus. For some reason, for some peculiar reason, nobody is really covering this in the media. Yes, they're covering the McCain debate over waterboarding and torture and somewhat on the military commissions, but not really the denial of the abolishment of the fundamental writ. If we look at Maher Arar, his is one of the cases. I mean, there may be Maher Arars -- or are, as I know -- in places like Guantanamo and other places in the world, and without an ability to bring those cases to court, the United States can continue or the administration can continue doing what it did to Maher Arar." The writ of habeas corpus guarantees a prisoners right to know the charges against them in a court of law without being held in indefinite confinement just because someone wants them detained. Without it Presidents and Kings have historically been able to lock people up, essentially throwing away the key, and disappearing them by allowing them to rot in jail. The writ of habeas corpus stems from the Magna Carta of 1215 and was so important for protecting peoples rights that when our forefathers wrote our Constitution in the United States, it became a foundation point for our own Bill of Rights. Having the writ of habeas corpus suspended for terror suspects, can also endanger American citizens as the Patriot Act defines 'domestic terrorists' as anyone that challenges the policies of government administration especially anti-war demonstrators. Should the writ of habeas corpus be suspended indefinitely, it will only be a matter of time before anti-war, anti-police state, peace loving Americans like myself, yourself are locked up as a harassment measure and possibly indefinitely detained with charges considered 'state secrets.' We may then be brought before bogus 'military tribunals' where we can then be sentenced to death without every knowing or the government releasing what crime we may have committed and been sentenced to death for. If you think this is far from the truth, look into the case of Jose Padilla, an American citizen who was held without charge for 3 years on information considered 'state secret' until a federal judge expressed doubts about the strength of the government's terror conspiracy case against he and others.  The judge ordered prosecutors to provide more evidence of alleged violent activities overseas because the judge could find no real concrete evidence for his prosecution or further imprisonment. All people should be extended the same courtesies guaranteed to us by the US Constitution and International Law. The American people must realize that surrendering civil liberties, rights, and protections will not make us safer from terrorists. It only endangers us further by allowing fascism to creep into our government. We must remember that our founding fathers established our Constitutional Republic based on the knowledge that big government was the greatest purveyor of injustice against the people and individual freedoms. Our Bill of Rights was written in such a way as to protect us from a tyrannical figures like Bush who consider themselves above the law and capable of doing whatever they want even when it comes to torturing other human beings or even their children. Historically speaking it has been big government that has impinged upon the freedoms and liberties of the people. We must remember that Ben Franklin said, "They who would give up an essential liberty for temporary security, deserve neither liberty or security." Zen Garcia [send him email] is an activist and writer in Athens, GA.  Find more of his writings at www.endeavorfreedom.org/ Zen Garcia Thu, 28 Sep 2006 00:00:00 EDT http://www.lgtinc.org/articles/178/1/The-Ghosts-of-9-11-by-Zen-Garcia Sept. 11th, 2005 Four years ago, 3023 of our fellow citizens lost their lives in what was to be one of the most devastating atrocities to ever take place on American soil. Tatyana, my attendant woke me up and flipped me to my backside before she left for school. I turned on the news to watch the opening of the market when a friend instant messaged me and said the North Tower in New York had been struck by a Boeing 757. I thought it must have been an accident that surely some pilot or computer malfunction made the flight veer off course and unfortunately ram into the World Trade Tower. I changed the channel to CNN when out of nowhere another airliner entered screen and disappeared into the corner of the South Tower, exiting the other side in a massive fireball. For the rest of that day week month, I found myself glued to coverage of ensuing events; flipping from news source to news source seeking as much information as was available through mainstream news, supplementing the rest with the alternative media. I had access to a local New York ABC affiliate WIXT, through satellite TV and was able to watch events largely as New Yorker's saw them for themselves. It was a real window into the horror that the city and our nation was forced to deal with. I personally did not know anyone who died during the events of those days, but as an American, I empathized with their struggle. The whole world did. People everywhere were incredibly moved by a want to help the people who were and would be suffering for years to come. Nobody ever imagined that some force powerful enough to pull this off, would hate Americans so much as to contemplate inflicting such carnage upon the citizenry of this country. It is one thing to be at war and seek to achieve strategic victories against a military foe. It is quite another for someone to envision and purposely intend harm against innocent civilians. It's now 4 years later and honoring the anniversary of the attacks, I present the story of William Rodriguez, a janitorial foreman responsible for the clean up and maintenance of stairwells in World Trade Center 1, the North Tower. Rodriguez had worked his first day in the towers, exactly twenty years to the day of the attacks of September 11th, 2001. He had also survived the bombing in '93. On that tragic morning Rodriguez found himself running 30 minutes behind for work. He called his boss, who told him to get there as soon as he could. Because he was late, he would have to go to an office in sub-basement 1 to clock in. At least 14 other people were in the office when suddenly a massive explosion occurred beneath their feet. "Seconds after the first massive explosion below in the basement, I hear another explosion from way above. Although I was unaware at the time, this was the airplane hitting the tower, it occurred moments after the first explosion." A co-worker Felipe David stormed into the basement office with severe burns, skin hanging from his face, hands, and arms; screaming "explosion! explosion! explosion!" David had been standing in front of a freight elevator close to the office when fire followed the elevator shaft up and leapt upon him causing terrible burns. "That day I was in the basement in sub-level 1 sometime after 8:30am. Everything happened so fast, everything moved so fast. The building started shaking after I heard the explosion below, dust was flying everywhere and all of a sudden it got real hot. I threw myself onto the floor, covered my face because I felt like I was burned. I sat there for a couple of seconds on the floor and felt like I was going to die, saying to myself 'God, please give me strength,'" released David in a 2002 interview. Had he not been late Rodriguez would have been at the top of the North Tower beginning his normal routine having breakfast with friends at the Windows of the World, a cafe at the pinnacle of the building. "It was a miracle. If I arrived on time, like always, I'd probably be dead. I would have been up at the top floors like every morning," said Rodriguez in an interview with Greg Szymanski of The American Free Press. Rodriguez, who knew the complex very, very well, escorted David to an ambulance outside the underground facilities and then returned to show others the way out. Once he returned he found Salvatore Giambanco and another unidentified man stuck in a basement elevator. Rodriguez managed to pry open the elevator, enter the shaft, and call out to the men below, who yelled back they ere at risk of drowning - thigh high in run-off from the sprinkler systems. Rodriguez returned to the parking garage where he was able to commandeer a long extension ladder. He then maneuvered himself and the ladder into the darkened shaft of the elevator to lower the ladder down to Giambanco and the unidentified man. Rodriguez then lead these two men to safety, and was then ordered by police not to return to the North Tower. Being in charge of only one of five master keys for WTC 1, he felt his return vital in assisting emergency crews especially fire fighters in accessing the various parts of the building they would need to go to save lives some of which may be his friends. So he rushed past police heading again into the towering inferno. Once he located fire crews, he lead them upwards unlocking doors, they had been hacking through. As they made their way up the stairwell to the 33rd floor, Rodriguez heard a series of small explosions going off between the 20th and 30th floors. Once they reached the 39th floor fire fighters told him that he must turn back because he was not an emergency worker and was endangering his own safety. The crew leader ordered him to make his descent to the 27th floor and to do what he could for a female quadriplegic they had passed on their way up. After that as soon as possible he was to get himself out of the building. As he started downward Rodriguez heard explosions from the South Tower not realizing that it had collapsed. Once he reached the 27th floor, he found an emergency crew with gurney trying to assist the woman. He helped them carry her out of the building, leaving her with an available ambulance. Shortly thereafter the North Tower began to collapse. Had he been in the South Tower he would surely have died, although the South Tower was the 2nd building hit, it was the first to collapse 56 minutes after being struck by flight 175. At 10:28, 1 hour and 42 minutes after being struck by flight 11, the North Tower collapsed in 'demolition' uniformity at breakneck speed giving Rodriguez only time enough to dive under a fire truck. Rodriguez only hoped the truck would be strong enough to protect him from being crushed by falling debris. He survived the collapse and was later dug out by the fire crews that also survived the collapsing towers. Rodriguez lost two hundred of his closest friends and associates on that day. He was labeled a hero by all that had encountered him and did numerous interviews with the many different news agencies, domestically and abroad. NBC spent a full day at his house taping his comments. Thinking his testimony important to enable investigators to uncover more details about the crime, he presented his story to all who would listen. He even testified before the 9-11 commission oddly enough behind closed doors. Eventually, years passed, Rodriguez never saw his tale aired on the mainstream news in America, beyond just a few second sound bites. He wasn't seeking fame and fortune, but he did have questions which to him were never fully explained like "How could a jetliner hit 90 floors above and burn a man's arms and face to a crisp in the basement below within seconds of impact?" It soon became apparent to Rodriguez that the reason his story had not aired was because it did not corroborate the official story. The official story says that nineteen mostly Saudi terrorists, were lucky and clever enough to simultaneously hijack four flights and fly them into various targets; outwitting our trillion dollar local, state, and federal intelligence agencies. The 14 eye-witnesses that were with William on sub-basement 1 and those Rodriguez saved question the official story that jet fuel super heated steel and brought down those buildings when never in the history of fire, has any steel structured building lost structural integrity from fire alone especially in less than 1 hour as in the case of the South Tower. Even if the official story that burning jet fuel was responsible for the toppling of the Twin Towers, it cannot explain how World Trade Center 7 collapsed when neither plane nor building had damaged it. It had only 2 very small isolated pockets of fire in it and yet at 5:20 p.m., this 48 story building folded perfectly in on itself. Nobody has yet addressed the huge explosion that occurred right before the first plane hits as confirmed by Jose Sanchez, who worked 14 years for the American Building Maintenance Co. at the WTC. He confirmed details of a basement bomb-like explosion while Rodriguez and two CNN interns, Carolina Inojosa and Evita Zerebrinsky, interviewed victims and documented information for many people having trouble getting needed government assistance after 9/11. In the 2002 taped statement, Sanchez recalls, "It sounded like a bomb and the lights went on and off. We started to walk to the exit and a huge ball of fire went through the freight elevator. The hot air from the ball of fire dropped Chino to the floor and my hair got burned. I said 'Chino, let's go we gotta get out of here.' But Chino was wounded and told me he needed help. I remember him saying that the hot air came with such force that it broke his leg. We finally went out through another exit and his leg and knee were both broken." Sanchez helped Chino to a parking lot where Chino was driven to help. Seismographs at Columbia University's Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory in Palisades, N.Y., 21 miles north of the WTC, recorded seismic activity on Sept. 11 which substantiates the stories of Rodriguez and the others. While no noticeable seismic activity could be found related to the impact at the Pentagon, the Palisades seismic record shows that two unexplained spikes more than 20 times the amplitude of the other seismic waves associated with the collapses, occurred in the East-West seismic recording as the buildings began to fall. Experts cannot explain why the seismic waves peaked before the towers actually hit the ground. The strongest jolts were all registered at the beginning of the collapses, well before the falling debris struck the Earth. Bill Manning, editor of Fire Engineering, a 125-year-old-monthly firefighting trade magazine with ties to the New York City Fire Department, wrote in an editor's opinion piece in the January 2002 issue called "$elling Out the Investigation", "Fire Engineering has good reason to believe that the 'official investigation' blessed by FEMA and run by the American Society of Civil Engineers is a half-baked farce that may already have been commandeered by political forces whose primary interests, to put it mildly, lie far afield of full disclosure." He also called for an immediate stop to the removal of steel from the site of ground zero saying the steel from the site should be preserved as a crime scene so that investigators can examine what caused the collapse and pass that knowledge on to future generations of engineers. The editorial continues, "A growing number of fire protection engineers have theorized that 'the structural damage from the planes and the explosive ignition of jet fuel in themselves were not enough to bring down the towers," the editorial stated. Szymanski says of Rodriguez, "His eyewitness account, backed up by at least 14 people at the scene with him, isn't speculation or conjecture. It isn't a story that takes a network out on a journalistic limb. It's a story that can be backed up, a story that can be verified with hospital records and testimony from many others. It's a story about 14 people who felt and heard the same explosion and even saw Rodriguez, moments after the airplane hit, take David to safety, after he was burnt so bad from the basement explosion flesh was hanging from his face and both arms." Rodriguez continues to work to educate the American public and will go on a speaking tour sometime soon throughout the United States. He says that he has been told many times to keep quiet. Rodriguez claims he should have died on that fateful day, but was spared and because he was spared, he says he must speak for the 200 friends who lost their voice and their lives on that fateful day. Resources: Fire Engineering Magazine: http://fe.pennnet.com/Articles/Article_Display.cfm?Section=OnlineArticles&SubSection=Display&PUBLICATION_ID=25&ARTICLE_ID=131225 The Strange Collapse of Building 7 http://www.arcticbeacon.com/articles/article/1518131/17790.htm Second WTC Janitor Comes Forward With Eye-Witness Testimony Of 'Bomb-Like' Explosion in North Tower Basement http://www.arcticbeacon.com/articles/article/1518131/29079.htm Two More WTC Workers Come Forward http://www.arcticbeacon.com/articles/article/1518131/29110.htm Why WTC Janitor Story Never Appeared http://www.arcticbeacon.com/articles/article/1518131/29110.htm Seismic Evidence Points to Underground Explosions Causing WTC Collapse http://911review.com/errors/wtc/seismic.html To View Movies Concerning 9/11 Truth Free On Google Video:: Loose Changes 2 Martial Law Terror Storm 9/11 The Road to Tyranny The Great Conspiracy This One Absolutely Supports The Claims of This Article As It Is One of the Only Videos to Capture the Basement Explosions: 9/11 Eyewitness Zen Garcia Thu, 28 Sep 2006 00:00:00 EDT http://www.lgtinc.org/articles/177/1/Sonny-Do-List--Healthcare-MUST-be-a-PRIORITY%21 September 27, 2006   Dearest Advocates:   Many of you have seen the commercials Governor Sonny Perdue has on TV regarding the "Sonny Do List"....Well, the time has come for Sonny to hear from us!   WE NEED YOUR HELP!   Please take a moment, go to the following website:   http://www.votesonny.com/default.asp?pt=doc&doc=sonnydo Here is a draft text that you can cut and paste into his form. You can modify based on your particular needs but please remember that they only allow 75 words:   Fix the Medicaid Program so that Georgia's disabled children can receive the healthcare services and care they need. Look for ways to improve the system rather than simply looking for ways to reduce costs. Make processes more efficient so Georgia can offer the same level of services for less. These expenditures are an investment, not a liability. Delaying, minimizing or terminating services now will result in a larger liability to the state in the future.    Sonny states on his website the following:  "Sonny believes government should be "of, by, and for the people." During his 2002 campaign and throughout his first term, the Governor sought input from those who know best how to move our state forward: everyday Georgians on the front line. The purpose of his Sonny Do list is to continue gathering the best ideas from across the state and use them to build an even better Georgia. This is a forum for real ideas that can make a real difference. Please submit your idea now." SONNY NEEDS TO HEAR OUR CONCERNS NOW! I noticed on his website their is not one mention of children's healthcare being a priority.......Thank you for your cooperation and getting involved in this important matter! Children's heatlhcare has to be a priority in this State! United...WE WILL MAKE A DIFFERENCE! Heidi --Heidi J. Moore (Proud Mother to Jacob - 6 years old with Down syndrome & Jared - 4 years old) "Help The Children Now, So They Can Help Themselves Later!" The material contained in this e-mail is for general information only. It is not intended in any way to provide or offer legal advice. To obtain legal advice, please consult with your attorney or a qualified legal representative. Heidi J. Moore Wed, 27 Sep 2006 00:00:00 EDT http://www.lgtinc.org/articles/175/1/CBS-46-Investigative-Rpt--Sept.-28-at-11%3A00pm-on-Medicaid-situation%21 September 27, 2006   Dearest Advocates:   I just wanted to remind you that CBS 46 News will be airing their Investigative Report on the Medicaid situation on Thursday, September 28th at 11:00pm.  CBS has been working very hard on this piece and is airing promotional "teasers" throughout the week leading up to the report.    PLEASE take a minute after the show airs and thank the reporter, Wendy Salzman at Wendy.Saltzman@CBS46.com for her coverage of this important issue in our State......Healthcare has to be a priority for our children!  Also- please copy the station as well on your e-mail cbs46news@cbs46.com and the news director at rick.erbach@cbs46.com or you can call them at 404.327.3144.    CBS needs to hear from us and how appreciative we are of dealing with these important issues our children face and the providers that service them. If they get enough response, they have enough coverage to continue to air additional segments! Only through building community awareness of the situation (and working with the media), are we going to impact change in this state!     The bottom line is..... children are not getting the services they need and can't find providers to provide those services due to the bureaucracy of paperwork Medicaid has developed in order to cut costs!   The system is in a crisis and we are not going to take it anymore.  Hope to see you at the Rally- November 4th 9:30am at GA State Capitol.  I will be sending out additional information as the time gets closer and we are going to have a website and press releases as well for those interested very soon.......Stay tuned!   United... WE WILL MAKE A DIFFERENCE!   Sincerely, Heidi --Heidi J. Moore (Proud Mother to Jacob - 6 years old with Down syndrome & Jared - 4 years old) "Help The Children Now, So They Can Help Themselves Later!" The material contained in this e-mail is for general information only. It is not intended in any way to provide or offer legal advice. To obtain legal advice, please consult with your attorney or a qualified legal representative. Heidi J. Moore Wed, 27 Sep 2006 00:00:00 EDT http://www.lgtinc.org/articles/174/1/Cherokee-Tribune--Great-Article September 7, 2006   Dearest Advocates:   Below is a wonderful article written in the Sunday section of the Cherokee Tribune.  Please take a minute and thank the reporter, Sarah Alexander at salexander@cherokeetribune.com for her coverage of this important issue for children with disabilities.  (also thanks to Susan L. for opening up her heart and child to the media to help educate everyone in the community the importance of inclusion!) Once again....Early intervention is the key to success for our children......Enjoy! Sincerely, Heidi   ========================================= Interest increasing in special education preschoolBy Sarah E. Alexander Cherokee Tribune Staff Writer Susan Lumpkin of Ball Ground has an ultimate goal for her 4-year-old daughter, Zana: Self-independence. Mrs. Lumpkin's daughter, who has Down syndrome, is one of a growing number of special needs students participating in the Cherokee County School District's preschool special needs intervention program. Zana started the program last year and now is in a preschool inclusion class at the Ralph Bunche Center in Canton. "I've seen some progress in her ability to follow directions and to stay on task," Mrs. Lumpkin said. "I think it will better prepare her to enter kindergarten next year." More preschool-aged students with special needs are enrolling in the district. During the 1995-1996 school year, the district received 164 referrals for preschool and 161 were evaluated. During the last school year, the district received 418 referrals and 359 were evaluated. Debra Farist, lead preschool facilitator for the district, said she thinks more students are in the program because of better early identification and more knowledge about the students' needs. "We expand every year," she said. "We're usually adding a class or more every year." Ms. Farist said there are 135 children with special needs in the preschool special needs intervention program at the Ralph Bunche Center, First Baptist Woodstock, Bascomb Methodist Church and Arnold Mill, Boston, Hasty, Holly Springs, Johnston, Sixes and Woodstock elementary schools. "Our children come in as they turn 3, so of course we have children coming in every three weeks," she said. Ms. Farist said she thinks the district has improved its ability to identify students' special needs before they enter kindergarten. "That's the whole point of the program - is the earlier we get the child the more likely they are to be able to be in a typical classroom. That's our goal: for every child that comes in is for them to be able to be in a typical classroom in kindergarten with whatever modifications and support they need," she said. "Everybody doesn't always meet that goal, but- last year and the year before last like 96 percent, 97 percent of children were in a typical setting for most of the day that came from our program." Sherry Green, district supervisor of special education, said she is very proud of the program's success. "Early intervention is critical for students to achieve. The research certainly suggests that the earlier we get the child in an intervention program that the more successful that child is going to be moving forward in school," she said. "It is certainly a strength in the school district and something that we're very proud of." Ralph Bunche Center Administrator Dr. Mary Ursits said the school has included students with special needs in class before, but this is the first year they have had a special education teacher in a classroom for half-days with a Head Start teacher. "Inclusion helps many students with special needs," she said. "The inclusion situation gives many students with special needs the opportunity to have age-appropriate peer role models." salexander@cherokeetribune.com Copyright © 2006 Cherokee Tribune. All rights reserved. All other trademarks and Registered trademarks are property of their respective owners.   --Heidi J. Moore (Proud Mother to Jacob - 6 years old with Down syndrome & Jared - 4 years old) "Help The Children Now, So They Can Help Themselves Later!" The material contained in this e-mail is for general information only. It is not intended in any way to provide or offer legal advice. To obtain legal advice, please consult with your attorney or a qualified legal representative. Heidi J. Moore Fri, 22 Sep 2006 00:00:00 EDT http://www.lgtinc.org/articles/173/1/More-Media-Attention-to-Therapy-and-Healthcare%21 September 16, 2006   Dearest Advocates:   I just wanted to let you know that our advocacy efforts are continuing to paying off....   NBC WALB from Albany aired on September 15th  a segment regarding the therapy changes in prior approvals and other healthcare issues that will impact our children's access to healtcare in this State!  Here is the actual news segment and you can even view the video at the following address:   http://www.walb.com/Global/story.asp?s=5414040   Please take a moment and thank the reporter, Alicia Eakin   aeakin@walb.com for taking interest in the story and also send an email to  news@walb.com?subject=Medicaid/AE .   It takes a lot of energy and time in order to have these segments aired.  I also want to thank Stephanie H. for being willing to go on camera and state what a lot of parents are experiencing and continue to educate the community on the issues our providers are experiencing with Medicaid right now as well! Thanks to Missy for letting me know about the coverage as well!   Only through building awareness of the situation (and in this case: working with the media), are we going to impact change in the State of Georgia!    I hope you can see that we are continuing to get attention on this matter!  This is exactly why having a Healthcare for Kids Rally on November 4th 9:30am at the GA State Capitol is so important (before the election on November 7th).  It's going to be a major event! More information will be sent out soon including the flyer for the event.    Thanks in advance for writing your thank you's.  If you see media attention in your area, please let me know so we can make sure everyone knows what's going on throughout the State and be able to express our thanks as well.....   Keep up the great work.  UNITED... WE WILL MAKE A DIFFERENCE!   Heidi   --Heidi J. Moore (Proud Mother to Jacob - 6 years old with Down syndrome & Jared - 4 years old) "Help The Children Now, So They Can Help Themselves Later!" The material contained in this e-mail is for general information only. It is not intended in any way to provide or offer legal advice. To obtain legal advice, please consult with your attorney or a qualified legal representative. Heidi J. Moore Fri, 22 Sep 2006 00:00:00 EDT http://www.lgtinc.org/articles/172/1/CBS-46-Coverage-of-Medicaid-Situation-and-Rally-Update September 18, 2006   Dearest Advocates:   As many of you may be aware, there has been alot of work going on with Atlanta CBS 46 and providers and parents regarding this Medicaid situation in the State.  I truly appreciate CBS wanting to show the true impact on our children and providers due to bad decisions made right now by Dept. of Community Health.    I talked to the reporter today and she said the story is still scheduled to air on Thursday September 28th at 11pm. She said these dates are always subject to change because they are still trying to get some of the final elements for the story.  Last Friday, she was finally able to sit down with Mark Trail to get an interview.  CBS 46 News is planning to run promotions to preview the September 28th story. That means hopefully a lot of people will watch!  They may also do follow-up stories during November ratings period.  So stay turned!   I'll send another e-mail out when the time gets closer to airing but wanted you all to be aware that we are continuing to get TV coverage of the issues our families and providers face due to bad decisions. Ultimately, our children are not getting the services they deserve and need.   I do think having the Healthcare for Kids rally at the Capitol is going to get everyone's attention to this matter. We have a team of over 40 volunteers working on this Rally.  I am convinced the time is now to unite our voices as one and express our concerns with the entire Medicaid system (including CMO's, BCW, Disability Waivers, etc)   The bottom line is..... children are not getting the services they need and can't find providers to provide those services due to the bureaucracy of paperwork Medicaid has developed in order to cut costs!   The system is in a crisis and we are not going to take it anymore.  Hope to see you at the Rally- November 4th 9:30am at GA State Capitol.  I will be sending out the flyer later this week for everyone to distribute. Hope to see you there.   It is going to be an event YOU will not want to miss!   United... WE WILL MAKE A DIFFERENCE!   Sincerely, Heidi --Heidi J. Moore (Proud Mother to Jacob - 6 years old with Down syndrome & Jared - 4 years old) "Help The Children Now, So They Can Help Themselves Later!" The material contained in this e-mail is for general information only. It is not intended in any way to provide or offer legal advice. To obtain legal advice, please consult with your attorney or a qualified legal representative. Heidi J. Moore Fri, 22 Sep 2006 00:00:00 EDT http://www.lgtinc.org/articles/170/1/Healthcare-for-Kids-Rally-Flyer-and-Other-Information--Please-Distribute%21 September 19, 2006   Dearest Advocates:   Please find attached the "official" flyer for our upcoming Healthcare for Kids Rally to be held on November 4th at 9:30am at Georgia State Capitol.    The time has come for us to unite our voices to be heard....HEALTHCARE must be a priority for our children! This rally is being put together for everyone that has been impacted or has a vested interest in the Medicaid system (which includes the following: parents, providers, and concerned tax paying, voting citizens of Georgia....Therefore, everyone is impacted by this issue in the State of GA!)   At the rally, we will be discussing the following issues: + Eligibility + Access to care and provider networks. + Early Periodic Screening Diagnosis & Treatment Federal Requirements. + Burdensome Application, Appeal and Claims Process.   We encourage children to attend and plan on having some entertainment for them as well. It is going to be a family friendly event! We need to put a face to the children being impacted by poor decisions.   The color theme is RED.  Please try to wear red the day of the event.    We recommend that you either car pool with other families or take Marta. There is parking available but it might be easier to come together as a group!    We currently have a wonderful volunteer group of over 40 concerned citizens wanting to make a difference and change in the direction of Medicaid!  I am amazed at how many people are actively wanting to get involved.  If you would like to volunteer (still looking for people the day of the event to help with set-up/clean-up): please send Leanne Manning (leanne_d@bellsouth.net ), my administrative assistant for the Rally, an e-mail with the following information: Name, e-mail, phone numbers, where you live, and if you are a parent, provider,etc.   Also- if you know of a organization and/or person that would like to donate to the Rally, please let us know.  North Metro Miracle League (NMML) has graciously offered to be an administrator of funds for the Rally! Please see the attached flyer for further information. Thanks in advance for your help in this matter.    This is going to be the event of the year for Healthcare in this State....... Let's show our support!   Feel free to distribute this flyer to anyone you think would like to attend and post at therapy clinic's doctor offices,etc. WE need to get the word out about this event. The more people that show up the better........   We are voting citizens and need answers to the healthcare crisis in Georgia!   UNITED... WE WILL MAKE A DIFFERENCE!   Additional information can be found on our website: www.kidshealthcarega.org  Hope to see you there!   Sincerely, Heidi J. Moore Healthcare for Kid's Rally Coordinator   --Heidi J. Moore (Proud Mother to Jacob - 6 years old with Down syndrome & Jared - 4 years old) "Help The Children Now, So They Can Help Themselves Later!" The material contained in this e-mail is for general information only. It is not intended in any way to provide or offer legal advice. To obtain legal advice, please consult with your attorney or a qualified legal representative. Heidi J. Moore Tue, 19 Sep 2006 00:00:00 EDT http://www.lgtinc.org/articles/169/1/More-Media-Attention-to-Therapy-and-Healthcare September 16, 2006   Dearest Advocates:   I just wanted to let you know that our advocacy efforts are continuing to paying off....   NBC WALB from Albany aired on September 15th  a segment regarding the therapy changes in prior approvals and other healthcare issues that will impact our children's access to healtcare in this State!  Here is the actual news segment and you can even view the video at the following address:   http://www.walb.com/Global/story.asp?s=5414040   Please take a moment and thank the reporter, Alicia Eakin   aeakin@walb.com for taking interest in the story and also send an email to  news@walb.com?subject=Medicaid/AE .   It takes a lot of energy and time in order to have these segments aired.  I also want to thank Stephanie H. for being willing to go on camera and state what a lot of parents are experiencing and continue to educate the community on the issues our providers are experiencing with Medicaid right now as well! Thanks to Missy for letting me know about the coverage as well!   Only through building awareness of the situation (and in this case: working with the media), are we going to impact change in the State of Georgia!    I hope you can see that we are continuing to get attention on this matter!  This is exactly why having a Healthcare for Kids Rally on November 4th 9:30am at the GA State Capitol is so important (before the election on November 7th).  It's going to be a major event! More information will be sent out soon including the flyer for the event.    Thanks in advance for writing your thank you's.  If you see media attention in your area, please let me know so we can make sure everyone knows what's going on throughout the State and be able to express our thanks as well.....   Keep up the great work.  UNITED... WE WILL MAKE A DIFFERENCE!   Heidi   --Heidi J. Moore (Proud Mother to Jacob - 6 years old with Down syndrome & Jared - 4 years old) "Help The Children Now, So They Can Help Themselves Later!" The material contained in this e-mail is for general information only. It is not intended in any way to provide or offer legal advice. To obtain legal advice, please consult with your attorney or a qualified legal representative. Heidi J. Moore Sat, 16 Sep 2006 00:00:00 EDT http://www.lgtinc.org/articles/166/1/URGENT%3ASave-That-Date%3A-Children%26%2339%3Bs-Healthcare-Rally%21-11%7B47%7D4%7B47%7D06-at-9%3A30am September 1, 2006   Dearest Advocates:   The time has come for EVERYONE to get involved.......    We are planning a Children's Healthcare Rally at the State Capitol on Saturday, November 4th at 9:30am.  More information will be following but I wanted to make sure you SAVE THAT DATE!   We all need to speak up and have our voices heard for our children and the providers that service them.  This is an election year and we need to make sure the State understands OUR priorities must include healthcare for our children.   The Children's Healthcare Rally will involve some of the following issues:   1. Eligibility Issues for disability waivers (including the Katie Beckett Waiver). 2. Access to a viable provider network (including therapy!) 3. CMO concerns. 4. BCW Concerns. 5. Overall, administrative paperwork problems in the system!   As you can see, we will be advocating for all children with and without disabilities that require healthcare from the State.   The issue is...... all children need healthcare (which includes having service providers to perform those services!).   If you are interesting in getting involved, donating time, or money in helping make this be the most effective rally to get the lawmakers attention....please send me a BRIEF e-mail stating the following:   1. What you think you do to help the cause? 2. Contact information including: name, phone numbers, e-mail address. 3. Where you live? 4. Are you a parent, provider, friend, concerned citizen, etc?   A rally committee is being put together to help make this a successful event.  Thanks in advance for wanting to participate!   Let's show our strength in numbers....OUR VOTE COUNTS!    UNITED... WE WILL MAKE A DIFFERENCE!   Hope to see you there! More detailed information will be following shortly.    Sincerely, Heidi   --Heidi J. Moore (Proud Mother to Jacob - 6 years old with Down syndrome & Jared - 4 years old) "Help The Children Now, So They Can Help Themselves Later!" The material contained in this e-mail is for general information only. It is not intended in any way to provide or offer legal advice. To obtain legal advice, please consult with your attorney or a qualified legal representative. Heidi J. Moore Fri, 01 Sep 2006 00:00:00 EDT http://www.lgtinc.org/articles/164/1/Gwinnett-Daily-Post---Article-on-Managed-Care-and-Therapy%21 August 27, 2006   Dearest Advocates:   Today in the Sunday newspaper was a great article by reporter, Dave Williams regarding families having a hard time getting approved for their children to receive therapy under the CMO program.   As you are all aware, this is not just an issue for CMO's but also everyone that receives Medicaid due to Dept. of Community Health (DCH) making it more difficult to receive therapy starting Sept. 1st and increasing the amount of paperwork for our children (with no value added....just making it more and more difficult for our therapists to accept Medicaid!).   Please take a moment and thank Dave at dave.williams@gwinnettdailypost.com for continuing to educate the community on issues effecting our children.  This is an election year and we need OUR VOICES HEARD!    Many thanks to Tammie K. for letting me know about the article.  Keep up the great communication everyone.  The only way I"m able to keep all of us informed on what is going around all over the State is to let me know!   I will be sending an e-mail out later this week regarding what our next steps need to be in order to advocate for this issue and many others regarding healthcare.  UNITED.....WE WILL MAKE A DIFFERENCE!   Sincerely, Heidi =================================== Here is the article just in case you missed it:   Medicaid managed care stressing children's therapy 08/27/2006 - By Dave Williams Staff Writer dave.williams@gwinnettdailypost.com MONROE - When little Dorian Parham wants something, he pulls at his grandmother instead of telling her. Just four months from his third birthday, the boy from Social Circle should be communicating in simple sentences. Instead, he speaks only in phrases that are hard to understand. Without speech therapy, he is going to have a hard time when he starts school, said Ellen Roberts, a speech language pathologist who was working with Dorian one day last week inside Children & Adult Therapy Services in Monroe. "He wouldn't have practiced language as long as the other kids,'' she said. "He's going to be at a disadvantage.'' Down the hall, 7-year-old Tomia Vinson of Monroe, who suffers from seizures that affect her speech and fine motor skills, is learning how to color within the lines of a pattern. The first-grader has been suspended from school three times this semester. "If you can't hold your pencil properly, you get tired,'' Roberts said. Then, you start doing other things, which leads to an outburst. Eventually, you get labeled a behavior problem.'' Both children were being treated for free that day. The therapy office was awaiting authorization to take Dorian as a new patient, while Tomia has used up her authorized visits and been denied coverage for more therapy. Problems common Roberts said the delays and denials her young patients face are typical of what is happening to children's therapy services across metro Atlanta and middle Georgia since the state introduced managed care to Medicaid enrollees in those regions in June. Now, her colleagues in the rest of Georgia are worried that the same fate awaits them when the Department of Community Health completes the rollout of the program this Friday. "The process is time-intensive, labor-intensive, paper-intensive and significantly confusing,'' Marisa Harvey, a physical therapist from Albany, told the board that oversees the DCH last week. "Children are missing needed therapy sessions.'' Three HMO-like plans hired by the state for about $3 billion began covering 600,000 low-income adults and children on June 1. A like number will be added to the program Friday. The concept behind the initiative is to bring the same savings managed care has achieved with private insurance to Medicaid and, thus, to Georgia taxpayers. At the same time, the program's backers say assigning Medicaid patients to a primary care doctor will lead to more continuity in their health care, with a greater emphasis on illness prevention. But the program got off to a rocky start. Doctors have complained - some loudly - about delayed payments that have hurt their ability to treat patients. A lawsuit filed by about a dozen doctors and medical practices this month alleges that some have been forced to lay off staff members. The suit seek s class action status for the plaintiffs, so it could affect thousands of providers. State health officials and representatives of the three "care management organizations'' hired to run the program have conceded that delays in processing and paying claims occurred frequently during the early weeks. But they say they're making steady progress. Through Aug. 11, according to figures supplied by the DCH, the CMOs had paid out about $55 million in claims. In 96 percent of the cases, the companies were disposing of claims by either paying or denying them within 15 business days. "It's not going badly at all,'' said Kathy Driggers, the agency's Medicaid director. Visit limit But the therapists' beef with Medicaid managed care goes beyond administrative glitches. They're upset with a directive that limits children to an initial round of eight visits. If a child needs more therapy after that, the therapist has to request another authorization from a pri m ary care doctor, which may or may not be approved by the CMO. Harvey said the vast majority of children receiving therapy services need more than eight sessions. "If we could fix these children in eight visits ... everybody would be at our doorstep,''  added Roberts. "With children, you're not going to see progress from therapy session to therapy session. We tend to see change in 21D2 to three months.'' With that in mind, Roberts asked Gov. Sonny Perdue in a letter dated Aug. 18 to consider "carving out'' children's therapy services from the new program. Driggers said the state is paying special attention to how the CMOs handle children's therapy. She said that although the companies run Medicaid managed care programs that cover therapy services for other states, each state is different. "There's been a big learning curve for the plans in figuring out how we cover therapy services,'' she said. At the same time, the CMOs defend the eight-visit threshol d as part of well-researched standards they have developed for children's therapy. "When any kind of request for therapy comes in, we use national guidelines,'' said Kent Jenkins, spokesman for Amerigroup, one of the CMOs hired for the program. "If it's something that's medically necessary, we want to cover it. If something diverges from that, we have a pediatrician who examines the case.'' But Roberts said such rationing of care misses the big picture. "We understand about containing costs,'' she said. "(But) if you help children with these skills, they're going to be healthier, stay in school longer and become productive members of the community.''       --Heidi J. Moore (Proud Mother to Jacob - 6 years old with Down syndrome & Jared - 4 years old) "Help The Children Now, So They Can Help Themselves Later!" The material contained in this e-mail is for general information only. It is not intended in any way to provide or offer legal advice. To obtain legal advice, please consult with your attorney or a qualified legal representative. Heidi J. Moore Tue, 29 Aug 2006 00:00:00 EDT http://www.lgtinc.org/articles/162/1/CNN-Headline-News-and-Our-Jacob%21 Dear Family and Friends and individuals that want to see Jacob succeed in life:   I have exciting news........I was contacted by CNN Headline News two weeks ago about them wanting to do a consumer educational story on Down syndrome! They ended up coming out to our house last week and video taping Jacob in music therapy (many thanks to Jennifer, his Music therapists for being willing to participate on such late notice), crafts with the kids and an interview with me.   Here is the detailed information on when the show will air and where you can see it on the web.  The story will air on CNN Headline News on Monday, August 21.  It will air once an hour, from 1-6pm, at around 7-8 minutes past the hour (provided there is no breaking news).  It will also be fed out to CNN affiliates (around 800-1,000) the same day.  On Tuesday, August 22, the story will appear on http://www.cnn.com/2006/HEALTH/05/26/health.minute/index.html (Health Minute segment).  I really hope we continue to see stories like this in the media.....CNN asked me what was my goal for Jacob. I said " My goals are like any other parent. For Jacob to live a happy, healthy productive life and that I hope society sees my son for his abilities, not disabilities.  It's not that Jacob can't learn, he just learns differently and at his own pace! He is an amazing boy that happens to have an extra chromosome!".   Thanks again to everyone that has been on the "Jacob Team" for many years. We are all seeing the hard work paying off in his accomplishments!   Please take a moment after the segment airs next week and thank CNN for continuing to cover issues that are important to the disability world. (CNN was fantastic to work with on this project and really tried to understand the issues associated with families that have children with Down syndrome).  Building awareness is half the battle to acceptance in society and building a brighter future for our children!   You can send a quick thank you to the following general CNN feedback website: http://www.cnn.com/feedback/forms/form1.html?33   And here is the reporter, Judy Fortin contact info as well: http://www.cnn.com/feedback/forms/form4b.html?21   Let's keep up the positive media for children with disabilities!    I'm so proud of Jacob and how well he did in the interview!  Hope you enjoy! Sincerely, Heidi   --Heidi J. Moore (Proud Mother to Jacob - 6 years old with Down syndrome & Jared - 4 years old) "Help The Children Now, So They Can Help Themselves Later!" The material contained in this e-mail is for general information only. It is not intended in any way to provide or offer legal advice. To obtain legal advice, please consult with your attorney or a qualified legal representative. Heidi J. Moore Mon, 14 Aug 2006 00:00:00 EDT http://www.lgtinc.org/articles/161/1/Athens-Newspaper--FANTASTIC-Front-Page-Article-on-Therapy-and-CMO-situation%21 August 14, 2006   Dearest Advocates:   Today on the front page of the Athens Banner-Herald was a FANTASTIC article on the therapy and CMO situation for children with disabilities.   This is the type of media coverage we need to continue to have on the issues facing our families........Like I said before, only through educating and building awareness in the community, and working with our legislators and Governor and DCH are we going to be  able to make a difference in lives of children and adults with disabilities!   Please take a moment to thank the reporter, Lee Shearer, for his in depth coverage of the situation. His email address is: lee.shearer@onlineathens.com. Also, please copy the following people on your thank you's:   courtney.pomeroy@onlineathens.com - Courtney Pomeroy- Feature Editor william.stewart@onlineathens.com - Bill Stewart - News Editor   In addition, I want to personally thank the Handwork Family and Physical Therapist Peggy Curren for allowing the media into their lives!   You can also find the article by going to the following website:http://onlineathens.com/stories/081406/news_20060814034.shtml   UNITED....WE WILL MAKE A DIFFERENCE! Sincerely, Heidi   ================================================== Here is the article: Medicaid changes could have negative impact on disabled children Physical therapy takes hit with overhaul Jessica Handwork, left, pauses for a moment while working with her 16-month-old son, Seanan, and pediatric physical therapist Peggy Curren recently during Seanan's physical therapy session in Jackson County. Seanan suffers from a genetic disorder known as Noonan Syndrome.Caleb Raynor/Staff   By Lee Shearer   |   lee.shearer@onlineathens.com   |   Story updated at 11:10 PM on Sunday, August 13, 2006 Seanan Handwork can't sit up, feed himself with a spoon or speak like most 16-month-olds due to a genetic disorder called Noonan Syndrome he was born with. Noonan Syndrome slows his development in many ways, and he doesn't yet have the strength to sit on his own or the coordination to use a spoon - but he's getting there, thanks to weekly sessions with Athens physical therapist Peggy Curren and other specialty therapists. The Athens therapist and Seanan's mother, Jessica Handwork of Jefferson, fear massive changes in the state Medicaid program may mean cuts in her son's therapy schedule - and a reduced chance that he one day can live a more normal life despite his developmental barriers. Curren knew the state Department of Community Health was changing to a new way of running the program as the state looks for a way to curb the mounting bill for Medicaid, which costs the state about $2.2 billion last year. Medicaid costs went up about 14 percent a year between 2000 and 2005, mainly because more people have enrolled as Georgia's population swells. But Curren's first taste of what that might mean for therapists like her and children like Seanan came in July, when she first saw a letter from the community health department stating that unless she filed paperwork to get special permission, the state was going to cut back on the sessions she and other therapists can give to severely disabled infants and children she works with. If she didn't get that permission, Seanan's therapy sessions could be reduced to a third of what he gets now, with consequences that would slow him down the rest of his life, she said. The state already has backed off on part of the limits, but therapists like Curren fear that at the least, the changes are going to add to an already large paperwork burden. What Curren and Handwork are seeing is part of a massive overhaul of the state Medicaid system, and they are not the only ones who feel the transformation is off to a bumpy start. Among other changes, the state has contracted with three "Care Management Organizations" to run much of the Medicaid program. The CMOs are similar to a kind of insurance company called a health maintenance organization. Most of those affected are Medicaid's youngest recipients, like Seanan. About a third of Georgia's 2.4 million children are enrolled in Medicaid programs, according to the Healthcare Georgia Foundation. Children make up more than half of the 1.4 million Medicaid enrollees in Georgia, though they account for only about 23 percent of costs. Curren, who specializes in working with very young children, still isn't convinced the new regime will mean less therapy for Seanan, because he needs the therapy. But she's skeptical about whether the state or the CMOs always will approve the services her young clients need. "They say it's not going to be a reduction of services. They can say that, but that's not the result," Curren said. "The result is going to be a reduction in services. And they're going to claim it's not their fault, but the therapists' fault." The three CMOs took over some "service areas" from the state in June, including the Atlanta area. Other areas, including Athens and several surrounding counties, are scheduled to make the move in September. If therapy for children with Noonan Syndrome and other disabilities is reduced, it's likely to have the opposite effect state policymakers want, say some children's health advocates. Reducing children's therapy also will reduce their chances of becoming more independent as they get older, said Lauren Waits, policy director at Voices for Georgia's Children, which describes itself as an independent nonprofit public policy advocacy group. In general, the younger the patient, the more progress they can make in therapy, Waits said. "The state needs to look at therapy as an investment in the future of our children," she said. Doctors also are running into problems with the new system, said pediatrician Martin Michaels of Dalton, president of the Georgia chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics. By managing care, the CMOs' goal is to save money by reducing emergency room visits and hospital stays without a negative impact on children's health - good goals, Michaels said. But so far, few specialists such as pediatric orthopedists seem to be signing up with the CMOs, which could be at least partly because Georgia pays physicians less than most states for the same services. "It's a market scenario," he said. Another problem is logistics, he said. Physicians and other providers are seeing long delays between the time they submit claims and when they get paid, and some claims aren't being paid at all, with no explanation, he said. That's causing severe cash-flow problems for some pediatric practices, which depend more on Medicaid than most medical specialties since so many of Georgia's children are on Medicaid, Michaels explained. Some pediatricians are choosing to drop out of Medicaid rather than deal with the system, he said. Three things need to change, Michaels said: one, the CMOs need to sign up more specialists such as children's orthopedists, dermatologists and neurologists; second, the companies' billing technology needs to quickly be improved; and third, the amount the state Medicaid program pays for medical procedures needs to be increased. Michaels said he's optimistic the problems will be worked out, however. Hospitals also are having trouble with payments under the new regime, but Georgia Hospital Association spokesman Kevin Bloye also was cautiously optimistic. "At this point, the jury is still out as to whether it's going to be successful or not," Bloye said. "Too many lives, hospitals and health care providers are at stake here," he said. "It's got to work." Published in the Athens Banner-Herald on 081406   --Heidi J. Moore (Proud Mother to Jacob - 6 years old with Down syndrome & Jared - 4 years old) "Help The Children Now, So They Can Help Themselves Later!" The material contained in this e-mail is for general information only. It is not intended in any way to provide or offer legal advice. To obtain legal advice, please consult with your attorney or a qualified legal representative. Heidi J. Moore Mon, 14 Aug 2006 00:00:00 EDT http://www.lgtinc.org/articles/158/1/FW%3A-Unlock-the-Waiting-lists-Action-Alert Dearest Advocates:   Please see the note below. Please take a moment to send a quick email endorsing the continued funding of the 2,000 MRWP waiver slots for children and adults with disabilities.  Dave with AADD has made it very easy....Just click on the below link.   Even if your child has the Katie Beckett Waiver, we still need continue to add disability waivers (someday your child may need this waiver too!). As advocates, we need to stick together and help the cause!   Thanks, Heidi   --Heidi J. Moore (Proud Mother to Jacob - 6 years old with Down syndrome & Jared - 4 years old) "Help The Children Now, So They Can Help Themselves Later!" The material contained in this e-mail is for general information only. It is not intended in any way to provide or offer legal advice. To obtain legal advice, please consult with your attorney or a qualified legal representative.   -------------- Forwarded Message: -------------- From: "Dave Blanchard" To: Subject: Unlock the Waiting lists Action Alert Date: Thu, 27 Jul 2006 13:53:23 +0000 Heidi,   I have a favor to ask you. You were one of the ones that wrote an email recently to DHR to advocate for 2,000 MRWP slots - Thank you!!!   I need you to do this again. This time to DHR's Commissioner and the Chair of their board. The Commissioner is meeting with her staff right now to develop her budget recommendations and we need this extra boost to ensure DHR stays strong in their support. As usual, I've made it just a click for you.     Go to www.unlockthewaitinglists.com/actionalert.html to make this click of advocacy. Thank you for always deciding to act, it makes a difference.   Dave Blanchard Unlock the Waiting Lists Campaign Heidi J. Moore Sat, 29 Jul 2006 00:00:00 EDT http://www.lgtinc.org/articles/157/1/Urgent%3A-Advocacy-Needed.-Contact-your-Legislators-now. July 27, 2006   Dearest Advocates: We need to step up our advocacy efforts with Dept of Community Health (DCH) now as timing is VERY sensitive. Based on my latest information, DCH is still planning on implementing the prior authorizations for therapy Sept. 1st (which means therapists will need to start submitting paperwork as soon as August 1st in order for children to continue services).  OUR Legislators need to hear from US now on all the DCH proposed administrative changes, as well as, existing problems in the Medicaid system (CMO and BCW)!There have been recent reports of a $580 million surplus, so we need to ask our Legislators and the Governor.....WHY is DCH  trying to add more paperwork, when our children have already demonstrated the need for services (or we would not have qualified to begin with based on the more stringent eligibility criteria implemented in the last year)?  Due to the increase in paperwork, more and more providers are NOT accepting Medicaid. WE have to STOP the trend before it's too late .   Medicaid is not going to be worth the paper it's written on if we can't find providers for the services our children need in order to become active, productive, tax paying citizens in society. Like I said last night on FOX news, Therapy needs to be viewed as an investment in our children's future!   1. Please go to the following website (www.vote-smart.org)  and in put your 5 digit zip code plus 4 digits (you can get that information from junk mail you receive if you don't know it) to find out who your State Senator/Representative is.  Send  a quick e-mail or call them and let them know how important these issues are to you personally.   2. Also: Contact Governor Sonny Perdue Georgia.Governor@gov.state.ga.us  (He just needs to hear from us…..).  3. If you haven't already, Please take a moment and thank the reporter, Lisa Crane (lisa.crane@foxtv.com ) for taking interest in the story and also send an email to feedback5@foxtv.com . I was very impressed with the amount of depth FOX went into the story and how newsanchor Russ Spencer even endorsed how this proposal doesn't make sense to the children! THANKS to everyone that has already contacted FOX.    Also- please give FOX feedback and suggestions on other top ics they can air on in the future.  (Note: I realize that the segment that aired last night was on the prior authorizations for therapy but I also took the opportunity to give the reporter information on the CMO situation.  I know many of you also have concerns about what is happening in Babies Can't Wait and service coordinators positions. The only way they are going to know what stories to do is if they hear from US!).    We all need to get involved to help promote awareness of issues impacting children with disabilities!   I went ahead and copied my previous e-mail below to refresh your memory of the issues...............Hope this helps.   We are starting to get people's attention but need to keep up the effort.  Thanks in advance for your efforts. UNITED.... WE WILL MAKE A DIFFERENCE!   Sincerely, Heidi ================================================== July 19, 2006   Dearest Advocates:   As many of you have been aware, there has been a lot going on recently regarding proposed therapy changes and CMO problems in this State.  A Dept. of Community Health (DCH) Board Meeting was held last week to discuss these concerns.  I want to personally thank all the families and therapists that took time out of their busy schedule to testify.  Based on responses of individuals that attended.....the DCH Board did listen to our concerns but we need to do more in order to impact change now!    PLEASE GET INVOLVED for our children's future!  Here is what I need for you to do:   Parents: 1. WE NEED YOU!  DCH needs to hear from the families that will be affected by this change!  (They just can't hear from the providers/therapists).  Eventually, Medicaid will not be worth the paper it is written on.....if we can't find providers to perform the services necessary for our children!   Please send an e-mail to the entire DCH Board by going to the following website: http://services.georgia.gov/esp/survey.do?surveyId=2330   (I recommend you type your comments in a Word document and then cut and paste into the form above. For those that don't know how to cut and paste text….All you have to do is highlight the text, push the "Control" button and "C", then go into the above form and  paste the information by pushing the  "Control" button and "V". Hope this helps. At least you can spell check your text in Word.)   Also: Please also send the same information to Dr. Rhonda Medows (rmedows@dch.state.ga.us). Dr. Medows is the Commissioner for DCH.  We need to make sure the proper people understand and act on our concerns.  If they don't know there is a problem….how can they fix it?   Here are some of the items that YOU can discuss in your e-mail: 1.      Please stress that this is just an increase in paperwork for providers/therapists with very little value.  2.      Stress that we are already going through major reviews for eligibility criteria for the programs, why do we need more paperwork?  One of the questions on the DMA-6A form is if we receive 5 therapies/week……now they are stating that if you have that….you will need prior authorizations. (Does this make sense?) 3.      If we continue to increase the paperwork, cut rates, etc, we will no longer have therapists to provide the services to our children. 4.      This is not a "cut" in therapy. It is a round about way to increase the paperwork, thus, making this more likely that therapists will not accept Medicaid children.  This is a cost savings "tactic" from DCH. DCH says this is not a cut in services………….They say if the proper paperwork is in place, your child will receive the services! 5.      Let them know that it is getting harder and harder to find providers! 6.      Parents should NOT be made responsible for keeping track of the proposed 16 units of combined therapy (PT/ST/OT).  This should NEVER be implemented and is too hard to keep track of. 7.      For CMO children: IEP's are not a reflection of the child's entire day nor what the child needs in his/her community and home environment. Many times schools are VERY limited on how much therapy they will give you in that setting (even if the child needs more). 8.      We want to understand the cost savings they are projecting to implement this new system at what expense to children/therapists/families.   Therapists: 1. See items # 1-8 above. 2. Also- if you are a therapist that is considering not accepting Medicaid due to these change (or have already decided to no longer accept Medicaid) - please state this in your e-mail. DCH needs to hear that we are reducing the number of providers in this State.....therefore, making it more difficult for families to find services that are provided by Medicaid! 3. If you are not already involved, please consider getting involved with your PT/ST/OT organization. Also consider getting involved with the Trialliance. They have been very involved in helping communicate and negotiate these issues with DCH.   Here is a summary of the 7/13/06 DCH Board meeting for your review (many thanks to Donna for giving me much of this information since I was unable to attend): 1. Prior Authorization changes: The Board definitely heard our concerns and assured us that they do not want children to have a "break" in services while they wait for a prior approval. Concerns continue with the proposed 16 units of combined therapy stating that this would be a huge burden for parents to keep track of. We need to make sure this is NOT implemented. 2. Medical Necessity: Who determines medical necessity for therapy will be an issue.  Unfortunately, we will not know how this is going to pan out until they start making decisions related to prior approvals. 3. CMO re: IEP's. Dr. Medows was surprised to hear that children were still being denied services because they should be getting these from the school. She stated that this was not to occur, although therapists received a new letter from Wellcare on Friday still requesting information regarding treatment in the schools.  4. CMO contract and payment delays DCH is aware of all of these issues. If a clean claim is not paid in 14 days, they should be paying therapist's 15% interest. 5. Savings proposed by these measures: The Board asked Mark Trail how much he was going to save by instituting this model for therapy and he couldn't say. The Trialliance had already asked him this question two months ago and he does not have a "plan" on where the 65 million dollars in cuts is going to come from. (Please note: therapy is a VERY SMALL part of the Medicaid budget and that the department should be looking at areas where there could be significant savings.)   Please take a minute to write your e-mails……UNITED….WE WILL MAKE A DIFFERENCE!   --Heidi J. Moore (Proud Mother to Jacob - 6 years old with Down syndrome & Jared - 4 years old) "Help The Children Now, So They Can Help Themselves Later!" The material contained in this e-mail is for general information only. It is not intended in any way to provide or offer legal advice. To obtain legal advice, please consult with your attorney or a qualified legal representative. Heidi J. Moore Sat, 29 Jul 2006 00:00:00 EDT http://www.lgtinc.org/articles/156/1/Support-Our-Troops---Tell-Them-The-Truth July 28, 2006by Zen Garcia What I want to know is who is going to protect this country, should the US  nuke Iran and plunge us into the next global war? We do not even have a larg civilian defense force present in the country to protect our homefront as most are in Iraq. This vulnerability was perfectly illustrated by the Katrina disaster and the abandonment of hundreds of thousands of American citizens on American soil, all in desperate need for critical basic life necessities which their government, leadership failed to provide. Many died in the streets awaiting help that was yet days away. Bush and Co. must not have considered the drowning of one of America's greatest cities an important enough cause to end their month long sabbaticals as they did not even disrupt their vacations to address the onrushing threat of what turned out to be the greatest natural disaster to ever hit American soil. The National Guard troops that should be protecting our homeland are in Iraq, breathing the same depleted uranium killing our active military. It is just a matter of time before all of our troops begin dying from the mysterious Gulf War syndrome that military doctors inside the US cannot declare cause of, but doctors outside the military have determined to be depleted uranium poisoning. Our troops are not going to be able to take care of themselves much less defend our nation, protect the common good, from fascist interests domestic and abroad. At some point our nation will have to own up to the horrible truth that the leadership poisoned our own troops. Once the grunts on the field understand that the President and military leaders sacrificed them like a sin offering, who then will ever join our military to defend our nation? How could soldiers in the field ever trust leadership that lied about reasons for going to war and then endangered their lives by not telling them the dangers of depleted uranium usage. It is unconscienable that our military leadership has known since 1943 that depleted uranium weaponry would be grossly harmful to our own ground soldiers as well as the civilian population that remains behind long after the battle is waged. A declassified memo (written by James B. Conant and two other physicists working on the U.S. nuclear project during the Second World War) sent to Brig. Gen. L.R. Groves on October 30, 1943, proves our government's accountability. "As a gas warfare instrument the [radioactive] material would be ground into particles of microscopic size to form dust and smoke and distributed by a ground-fired projectile, land vehicles, or aerial bombs," the 1943 memo reads. "In this form it would be inhaled by personnel. The amount necessary to cause death to a person inhaling the material is extremely small. It has been estimated that one millionth of a gram accumulation in a person's body would be fatal. There are no known methods of treatment for such a casualty." If our leaders really wanted to support our troops, they would come clean on the realities and horrors of depleted uranium usage. Can you imagine how betrayed our military personnel will feel once they realize the leadership condemned them to die horrible deaths unless they all get detoxed from exposure to this nuclear waste which the Veterans Administration won't pay for or even list as a cause for symptoms. Studies of the first Gulf War veterans and the gulf war syndrome find 300,000 US veterans have been exposed to inhaled DU and are excreting uranium 238 (DU) in their urine and semen. Children in countries where DU has been used (Kuwait, Bosnia, Kosovo, and Iraq) are having a higher than normal incidence of malignancies and congenital malformations. Children of Gulf War veterans exposed to DU also stand the higher than normal risk of malignancy or malformation. The crises only grows as we continue adding du particles into the atmosphere. Whereas Coalition Forces dropped 350 tonnes of DU in the first gulf war, 2003 estimates for the current gulf war we have dropped or shot, 1100 to 2200 tonnes of depleted uranium shells, bullets, and bombs. Unless we place pressure on the pentagon to quit using DU munitions, the whole world will be at risk as DU can travel piggyback easily into every part of the world threatening the health of all biological creatures everywhere it ends up. This stuff is so harmful that just 1 particle can lead to cancer in lung, bone, kidney, prostate, gut and brain. Here's the real shocker though, DU has a half-life of 4.5 billion years which means contamination will last until it is placed in a secure environment where it cannot harm living tissue or contaminate soil or groundwater. Our Military and National Guard everyday return home sick and dying from exposure to depleted uranium rounds. As they suffer doctors try as they might to alleviate the pain, they can not do much about the escalating symptoms. How does the U.S. Military view the safety of DU munitions? In a letter to Senator Sam Nunn, a representative of the U.S. Air Force stated, "...these projectiles are no more hazardous to store, transport, or employ than those composed of lead or copper" (Ref. 39). This view is echoed in the U.S. Army report to Congress that states, "The health risks associated with using DU in peacetime are minimal. This includes risks associated with transporting, storing and handling intact DU munitions and armor during peacetime" (Ref. 40). Neither the Air Force nor the Army has publicly presented an analysis of the health risks to soldiers and to others who inhale or ingest radioactive fallout particles of DU, or the health risks of living in an environment contaminated with DU after these munitions have been fired: these are the real safety issues they ignore. In the AEPI report, (Ref. 42) the Army judges it an acceptable risk if its personnel become exposed in an unprotected fashion to the combustion products of fired DU munitions on the battlefield or elsewhere The official military stand on DU is that it does not harm soldiers. The American people must demand our government truly support our troops by bringing them home and getting them the help they absolutely need to detox, preserve their lives, and the unity of their families. Zen Garcia Fri, 28 Jul 2006 00:00:00 EDT http://www.lgtinc.org/articles/154/1/Katie-Beckett-Waiver-Denials--DHR-FAQ-for-Transitional-Funds July 20, 2006   Dearest Advocates:   This is hot off the press...................FROM:  the Dept. of Human Resources (DHR), the frequently asked questions for the transitional funding for the Katie Beckett Waiver!  I'm VERY excited that DHR took such a positive step to actively communicate with the families that may be effected by this funding and even gave us a direct contact if questions come up!    I hope you can see that our advocating is paying off and DHR is listening and trying to make changes in their communication style.  I know we still have a long way to go, but this is a step in the right direction.   If you have any questions regarding the below information, PLEASE contact Brian Dowd at DHR. He will be able to assist you.  I was able to give the team that put this together my feedback prior to issuance.  I realize that there are going to be families that were denied from May 05- Sept. 05 that will not receive this assistance.  I was not aware of the October 05 begin date for assistance until months later. Hopefully, those families will be able to receive assistance after the Foundation is up and running.....   Hope you find this information helpful. Sincerely, Heidi ======================================================   DHR - FAQ Transitional Funding for Katie Beckett Waiver (HB 1026)   Q:  What is this transitional funding related to the Katie Becket Waiver?  A:  During the 2005-2006 Legislative Session, $7.6 million dollars were allocated to help transition children and families who were removed from the Katie Beckett Waiver as of October 2005 or after as a result of re-alignment with the federal Katie Beckett (TEFRA) eligibility criteria.     This one-time allocation of funds is intended to help families purchase some limited assistance.  Additionally, a portion of the funds is intended to provide resources for the establishment of a foundation to raise funds for assistance to families with children with disabilities.   Q:  Who is eligible to receive the funding allocated by the Legislature? A:  Any child that was receiving services from the Katie Beckett Waiver program and was denied October 2005 or after due to a Level of Care (LOC) decision.    Q:  What is Level of Care? A:  Level of care is one of the factors that determine whether a child is eligible for Katie Beckett Medicaid.  Level of care for Katie Beckett Medicaid requires that the child need institutional (level of) care, such as a nursing home, if community-based care is not available.   Q:  Who determined which children would be eligible for the transitional funding? A:  The Georgia Legislature determined who would be eligible, indicated by the language written in House Bill 1026 signed by Governor Perdue May 8, 2006. "Add funds for the Katie Beckett waiver for families who don't meet the new criteria used starting October 2005. This funding will be the sole funding for those families as they are not going to be eligible for Federal matching funds." - Georgia HB 1026   Q:  Who decided on the October 2005 date? A:  The Georgia Legislature determined the start date for eligibility in House Bill 1026 signed by Governor Perdue May 8, 2006. "Add funds for the Katie Beckett waiver for families who don't meet the new criteria used starting October 2005. This funding will be the sole funding for those families as they are not going to be eligible for Federal matching funds." - Georgia HB 1026   NOTE: To view the full text, go to http://www.legis.state.ga.us/, select "Legislation", and search for HB 1026.   Q:  How can I find out if my child is eligible to receive the assistance provided by the transitional funding? A:  All children who were removed from the Katie Beckett Waiver after October 2005 will be screened by DHR-DFCS for eligibility.  Parents will receive an option letter in the mail if their child is deemed eligible.   Q:  How can parents check on their child's eligibility for this assistance if they did not receive an option letter? A:  Parents who think they should have received an option letter and did not should contact Brian Dowd at 404-657-3592 or by email at bddowd@dhr.state.ga.us              Q: Will new applicants after October 2005 be eligible to receive the assistance? A:  No.  New applicants who were denied after October 2005 are not eligible.  Only children who had previously been receiving Katie Beckett and whose cases were closed after October 2005 are eligible.   Q:  What about those cases closed prior to October 2005? A:  Children whose cases were closed prior to 10/05 are not eligible for the transitional funding.   Q:  How will the assistance be provided to families? A:  Assistance will be provided after receipt of a signed election form that is included with the option letter indicating that the family wishes to participate and receive the transitional funding.  A card will be issued to the family that is similar to a prepaid debit card.  Instructions will be included with the card when mailed.   Q: When will families be able to use the card to access this assistance? A:  As soon as they receive the card.   Q:  How much assistance will be provided? A:  A one-time amount of $2600.00 will be allotted for each eligible child.   Q:  How much assistance will be provided if there are multiple eligible children in the same family? A:  Each child will receive $2,600, so a family that has 2 eligible children, for example, will receive a total funding of $5,200.   Q:  What about eligible children that need more than $2600? A:  The limit per eligible child is $2,600 for this one-time financial assistance.    Q:  What are the restrictions on the use of this assistance? A:  The funding can be used for any medically necessary service.  In addition, the funding can be used to purchase respite care from participating non-Medicaid providers.   Q:  What is meant by medically necessary service? A:  Specific billing instructions and guidelines will be provided with the card.  The card will be able to be used for medical supplies, pharmacies, hearing aids, optical needs, and dental needs.  It will be able to be used at hospitals, doctor's offices, and medical labs.    Q:  How is payment made to service providers that do not accept a debit card? A:  Paper claims can be submitted for medically necessary services.  Instructions for reimbursement will be mailed with the card.   Q:  Can I be reimbursed for service or equipment I've already paid for? A:  Yes.  Services are covered retroactive to 4/1/06.  So, a paper claim will need to be made with corresponding insurance explanation of benefits (EOB).   Q:  What is the present status of this funding? A:  As of July 14th 2006, 981 option letters have been mailed out to all children deemed eligible from the months of October 2005 to April 2006.  Option letters for children eligible from May 2006 will be mailed out by 7/19/06.  A computer generated report of children eligible from June 2006 is currently being produced.    Q:  Does acceptance of this funding prohibit application for Medicaid benefits? A:  Acceptance of this funding in no way prohibits an individual's right to make application for any benefits.  If the child receiving this interim assistance becomes eligible for Medicaid the interim assistance will be cancelled.   Q:  How does receipt of this assistance impact the hearing process? A:  If you are in the process of appeal and have continued your Medicaid benefits pending the appeal you are not currently eligible for the transitional funding.    If you have not continued benefits pending the appeal's outcome you will receive an option letter to participate.  If the hearing decision is in your favor and your Medicaid is reinstated, you will no longer be eligible for the funding.  If your hearing decision is not in your favor and your Medicaid is closed, you will receive an option letter, funds permitting.   Q:  I have heard that part of the transitional funding is being used to set up a foundation.  What is the status of this foundation? A:  Planning for the foundation will begin in July 2006 with an anticipated completion date in spring 2007.   Q: What is the "foundation"? A:  A condition of the transitional funding requires DHR to provide resources for the establishment of an independent, community-based foundation to administer special assistance benefits to families of children with disabilities.    Q:  Who will be involved in planning and developing the foundation? A:  The foundation development team will include families of children with disabilities, advocacy groups, Georgia legislators, as well as representatives from the Department of Community Health and DHR.   Q: Has the Community Foundation of Atlanta been selected as the home for the foundation? A:  No.  DHR has contracted with The Community Foundation to provide technical assistance to the development team.  Stakeholders on the development team will make decisions about the organizational home of the foundation.   Q: How much of the supplemental funding is being used to set up a foundation? A:  $2.4 million.  This funding will be used to capitalize the foundation and ensure its ability to administer some financial benefit to families after the interim assistance has expired.   Q:  Who will be eligible to receive assistance from the foundation once it's established? A:  The foundation, under the guidance of the development team, will establish its own eligibility requirements.   Q:  How can I apply for assistance from the foundation or get on the waiting list? A:  Currently, there is no application process or waiting list for the foundation.   Once established, the foundation will create their application process.   --Heidi J. Moore (Proud Mother to Jacob - 6 years old with Down syndrome & Jared - 4 years old) "Help The Children Now, So They Can Help Themselves Later!" The material contained in this e-mail is for general information only. It is not intended in any way to provide or offer legal advice. To obtain legal advice, please consult with your attorney or a qualified legal representative. Heidi J. Moore Thu, 20 Jul 2006 00:00:00 EDT http://www.lgtinc.org/articles/148/1/Katie-Beckett-Waiver--Athens-Newspaper%3A-FRONT-PAGE%21 March 19, 2006   Dearest Advocates:   Today on the front page of the Athens Banner-Herald (including 4 pictures too!)was a FANTASTIC article on the Katie Beckett Waiver situation!  This is the type of media coverage we need to continue to have on the issues facing our families........Like I said before, only through educating and building awareness in the community, and working with our legislators and Governor are we going to be  able to make a difference in lives of children and adults with disabilities!   Please take a moment to thank the reporter, Lee Shearer, for his in depth coverage of the situation. His email address is: lee.shearer@onlineathens.com. Also, please copy the following people on your thank you's:   courtney.pomeroy@onlineathens.com - Courtney Pomeroy- Feature Editor william.stewart@onlineathens.com - Bill Stewart - News Editor   In addition, I want to personally thank the following families for allowing the media into their lives: The Kitchens, Steed and McMann families!   UNITED....WE WILL MAKE A DIFFERENCE! Sincerely, Heidi ===================================================== Here is the article: Families fight state to keep aid Georgia changing its tune on a vital Medical Care Program Having taught herself to play piano, Merrell Steed, 16, sings a song from Neil Young's "Prairie Wind" album during her nightly jam session with her father, Doss, at their home last week in Franklin County. Merrell, an accomplished pianist, suffers from autism, and her parents depend on an obscure Medicaid program to help with her care.Caleb Raynor/Staff Jack Kitchens, 6, lies on his side as sonographer Brianna Hay gives him his annual sonogram at St. Mary's Hospital recently. Jack has a rare metabolic disorder called cystinosis, in which an amino acid called cystine accumulates in cells and can lead to kidney failure.Caleb Raynor/Staff Merrell Steed, 16, does her typing excercises at Franklin County High School on Thursday. Despite a difficulty with dexterity, Merrell can type 12 words a minute, which would not have been possible without her occupational therapy.Caleb Raynor/Staff Jack Kitchens, 6, sneaks a french fry while his father, Travis, prepares the rest of the meal at their home in Athens recently. The side effects from his cystinosis causes Jack to hydrate constantly, increasing his craving for salty foods. His parents would rather him eat than rely on a feeding device that many children who are diagnosed with the disease must use.Caleb Raynor/Staff By Lee Shearer   |   lee.shearer@onlineathens.com   |   Story updated at 11:57 PM on Saturday, March 18, 2006 For years, Sharon and Doss Steed have depended on a little-known Georgia Medicaid program called the Katie Beckett waiver, designed, quite literally, to keep families together. For most of their 16-year-old daughter Merrell's life, it's helped the Franklin County couple pay for the hundreds of thousands of dollars in therapy and treatment needed by Merrell, who suffers from autism. The brain disorder severely affects the teen-ager's ability to communicate and socially interact with other people, and shows up in surprising ways. Talking is not a strong point, for example, but Merrell, a talented pianist, plays duets with her guitar-playing father and sometimes weeps when she hears Brahms. Now, thanks to recent changes in state rules, the Steeds may lose the state help that's allowed them to keep them going financially. For years, workers in the state Department of Human Resources approved the family for help from the Katie Beckett waiver, meant to help families with incomes too high to qualify for Medicaid or PeachCare, state programs which provide no- or low-cost health insurance. Though the Steeds' private insurance pays for most costs, even a 10 percent co-pay on medical costs like Merrell's is a financial burden enough to sink most family budgets. Born premature in 1989, Merrell also suffered other medical complications as a child. Medical bills in her first year of life alone amounted to $500,000, said Sharon Steed. The Katie Beckett waiver program, named for the Iowa girl whose parents convinced President Ronald Reagan to authorize Georgia's and 19 similar state programs in 1982, gives financial help up through the age of 18 when a child's disabilities are severe enough to warrant long-term institutional or skilled nursing care. It's called a waiver because normal federal rules for how Medicaid money can be spent were waived -with federal approval - to create it. Funded partly by state and partly by federal dollars, it's available to help families who want to keep their children at home - though the rules say parents must demonstrate that the cost of keeping their child at home is less than the cost of institutionalization. Two years ago, the state of Georgia changed the rules, however, saying many children whose families were getting the help did not have disabilities severe enough to qualify. Of about 6,000 families getting aid, by January about 1,600 had been denied continuing coverage in the program, which requires annual renewal, said Heidi Moore, an Alpharetta woman who has become an advocate for the thousands of families who depend on the Katie Beckett waiver. The Steeds are one of those families denied. They appealed their first denial, but their appeal also was denied. Now, they're moving toward a formal appeal hearing, which could be costly: Under state rules, the family can be required to pay for all treatments between the second denial and the hearing decision, if it goes against the Steeds. "They want to know why the parents are upset," said another mother whose application for renewal was denied last year, Melissa McMann of Winder. "Your kid depends on this to stay alive." Fighting back State officials last year notified McMann and her husband, Chris, that their son J.C.'s disability, cystic fibrosis, was not severe enough to stay in the program, a ruling that astounds Melissa McMann still, even after her appeals got the decision reversed. She appealed not just to the private company that makes eligibility decisions under contract to the state, but repeatedly called and e-mailed U.S. Sen Johnny Isakson, R-Ga., and other elected officials.. McMann's son relies on the Katie Beckett waiver to pay for such things as transportation to the doctor. McMann is visually impaired and can't drive J.C., and it would be too costly for the family if Chris McMann had to leave work as frequently as J.C. must go to doctors, she said. Like many Katie Beckett waiver recipients, what the McMann family gets isn't a lot, about $8,000 last year, she said. But they're far from rich, and that $8,000 means a lot, she said. "It's critical for him," McMann said. One of the effects of cystic fibrosis is that J.C. produces thick mucous, instead of the thinner substance most people's bodies produce in their lungs and stomach. It's a chronic infection, and can turn something that would be an annoyance for many children into a life-threatening condition. "In his case, a cold turns into pneumonia, which lands us in the hospital," McMann said. Before the family found out about the Katie Beckett waiver, they couldn't afford to pay for adequate treatment for their son, McMann said. "We skimped on doctor visits. We took him only when he was sick," she said. McMann has become a "reluctant activist" after her family's experience, not just because of the denial, but because of the annual time-consuming red-tape ordeal of reapplying and getting the same letters from doctors and compiling other documentation. This year, the family received a letter saying their renewal application would be due barely a month after their appeal was granted. "The whole thing is insane. There's nothing that makes sense about any of it," McMann said. "The state wants to make it seem like these kids are not seriously ill. The state is sort of making it seem like it's not a big deal." Off, then on again Travis and Bette Kitchens of Athens have just gone through almost the same experience as the McManns: Denial, then reinstatement, for their son, Jack. The 6-year-old has a rare metabolic disorder called cystinosis, in which an amino acid called cystine accumulates in cells and can lead to kidney failure. Jack has to take medicines at precise intervals seven times a day, and checkups can involve long airplane trips, since so few doctors know much about the rare disorder. Like the other families, the Kitchens' own health insurance pays for most medical expenses, but even the small percent the insurance doesn't cover amounts to big money for the family, so the Katie Beckett waiver is important to them. "It's the greatest thing for us and for a lot of families. Without it I don't know how we'd get by," said Travis Kitchens, a computer programmer at the University of Georgia's Georgia Center for Continuing Education. Help is on the way for at least some of the families the state has kicked off the program, thanks perhaps in part to the activism of people like Moore - the advocate - and McMann. The legislature kicked in $3.6 million to help this year, adding extra funding to take in families who'd been kicked off but not reinstated. But some may have given up by now, Moore said. "It certainly has been more of a bureaucratic nightmare than it should have been," said state Rep. Mickey Channell, D-Greensboro, one of the legislature's top experts on health care. Cuts went too far Channell, one of the principal authors of the PeachCare program that provides insurance coverage for children whose parents have no insurance, said state administrators went too far in tightening eligibility requirements for the Katie Beckett waiver. "I don't mean it was overzealous enforcement of the rules," Channell said. "We just think in some ways the department was incorrect." The state also has relaxed some of the eligibility requirements, though Moore says she's still worried the new rules will keep out children who need and deserve help from the program. Keeping funding up for the program has been a struggle for the past several years, says Moore, whose family receives help from the Katie Beckett waiver because of her 6-year-old son's Down syndrome. And though Moore believes Americans are coming to believe disabled people "should and can play a bigger part in our communities, and do have something to give," the struggles over funding are likely to continue in the future, she conceded. "It all comes back down to money and numbers. It's a numbers game. I think they thought they'd be able to implement this and parents wouldn't fight back. But we did," she said. The money question won't go away, Channell said. "There are always more needs, I mean meritorious needs, than money to pay for them," especially as health care consumes more and more of the state budget, he said "The health care budget has been steadily increasing, not only in real dollars but as a percent of the budget as well," he said. "To some degree, that's of necessity at the expense of certain other things. If one goes up, naturally something else goes down." Published in the Athens Banner-Herald on 031906     --Heidi J. Moore (Proud Mother to Jacob - 6 years old with Down syndrome & Jared - 4 years old) "Help The Children Now, So They Can Help Themselves Later!" The material contained in this e-mail is for general information only. It is not intended in any way to provide or offer legal advice. To obtain legal advice, please consult with your attorney or a qualified legal representative. Heidi J. Moore Tue, 18 Jul 2006 00:00:00 EDT http://www.lgtinc.org/articles/146/1/Advocacy-Update%3A-Media%2C-Level-of-Care-Changes%2C-Etc April 10, 2006   Dearest Advocates:   Hope everyone had a great spring break.  I have a couple of  advocacy updates for everyone. You may want to print this e-mail out to read due to the length................ ==================================================== 1. I have been informed the Skilled Nursing Level of Care has been changed for the Katie Beckett Waiver. The Dept. of Community health has added under Column B #3 the following language: "The beneficiary must require skilled nursing or skilled rehabiliation services or both on a daily basis".  To see entire Level of Care, please go to the following website: http://dch.georgia.gov/vgn/images/portal/cit_1210/27/48/51326660Nursing_Facility_LOC.pdf   ====================================================== 2. Due to all your wonderful Letters to the Editor of the John's Creek Herald and Revue and News Newspapers regarding the recent Katie Beckett Waiver article, they dedicated an entire section to our families comments.  The editor stated the following: "We received a huge response from readers regarding our 3/29 story on disabled children who've lost their Katie Beckett Medicaid benefits. Above is just a sampling from some of the parents of these children".    Many thanks to: Christy Butch, Paige Couper, Amy Adams, Sherry Brooks and Loretta Mitchell for your comments to Rosemary Taylor (Editor).  Let's keep up the great work at continuing to educate the community of the concerns we face of families with children with special needs.  If you would like to write Rosemary, her e-mail address is: rosemary.taylor@northfulton.com. I know last time I spoke to her, she is interested in possibly doing a follow-up article later this year. ==================================================== 3. I have had a couple of families contact me over the last two weeks expressing some concerns with the "process" of renewal even after they appealed last years denial and were reinstated.  Just a reminder: If you know that your renewal date is coming up and have NOT received a Medicaid renew application in the mail, PLEASE contact your DFACS worker and let them know. Don't assume, just because you did not receive any paperwork you don't have to submit this year.  A few families were denied AGAIN due to this procedure problem.   We as parents need to be proactive with our child's Medicaid and make sure we have the necessary paperwork in on time with the DFACS office. ==================================================== 4. I will be posting a parents "Letter of Medical Necessity" that their child's Pediatrician submitted on behalf of their appeal.  Happy to say they were reinstated the Katie Beckett Waiver.  Many thanks to Judy D. for submitting this information to help other families.  If you would like to see this example, please go to the following website for more information: http://www.lgtinc.org/authors/41/Heidi-J.-Moore   If you have a successful letter that may help other parents or tips of how to help families, please submit to my e-mail address: heidijmoore@comcast.net. We can all learn from each other......... ===================================================== 5. Another article was written by reporter, Lee Shearer of the Athens Banner Herald on Sunday regarding the Katie Beckett Waiver situation. Please take a minute to thank Lee for his on-going coverage of the issues! Lee can be reached at lee.shearer@onlineathens.com.  Communication and education are the key for us continuing our advocacy efforts. Keep up the great work. Many thanks to Jodi C. for letting me know about the article!   Here is the article just in case you missed it:Parents unload on Medicaid programs For disabled childrenBy Lee Shearer   |   lee.shearer@onlineathens.com   |   Story updated at 8:57 PM on Sunday, April 9, 2006 ROYSTON - Parents of children with severe and costly disabilities vented their frustrations with state Medicaid programs designed to help them pay big medical bills at a meeting at the Royston Baptist Church on Saturday.Decisions on whether a child is eligible for Medicaid help are sometimes arbitrary, parents said.Jodi Cronic, assistant principal at Madison County's Comer Elementary School, said Medicaid has helped her family pay for overwhelming medical costs over the past three years for her 12-year-old son, who has complex learning and behavior problems.But now, state officials say the family is no longer eligible, she told about 50 people at a meeting of a group called "Connections for Special Parents." The reason for the denial: Part of her son's problem is considered psychological, and help for primarily psychological problems is not allowed under the Katie Beckett waiver, a Medicaid program which has provided financial help to cover her son's medical bills for three years."How fair is that?" she asked. "I think it's discriminatory."Most Medicaid programs are designed to help low-income people, but the Katie Beckett waiver helps families with children with unusually severe disabilities, regardless of family income. It's called a waiver because federal officials have waived normal rules that limit Medicaid spending to people confined to institutions, such as nursing homes. Waiver programs like Katie Beckett allow them to receive treatment in their home or community instead.Cronic, crying as she spoke to the group, said her family will face medical costs they can't pay for if a final appeal fails. Her state health insurance has denied coverage for her son's treatments, and the cost for just part of it, a one-week stay in a psychiatric hospital last year, was $14,000, she said.Hundreds of families have been cut off the Katie Beckett waiver since last year, after the state Department of Community Health, which administers Medicaid, tightened up eligibility requirements.Nancy Durden, a state Department of Community Health administrator, reminded the group that federal regulators, not state ones, make the eligibility rules. Before tightening the eligibility rules, Georgia had gotten "pretty far outside the guidelines," she said.The eligibility rules were not the only target of complaint Saturday.Workers with a private company the state hired to make eligibility decisions for Katie Beckett help often are not qualified to make those decisions, said Joshua Norris, director of legal advocacy for the Georgia Advocacy Office, a nonprofit corporation that helps disabled and mentally ill people in the state.And case managers with the state Department of Family and Children Services, who are supposed to help families negotiate the Medicaid bureaucracy, often don't know the Medicaid programs well enough to help, some parents said."Why can't you tell parents what services are available?" asked one parent, speaking to DFCS representatives at the meeting.The director of state Medicaid programs promised more than a year ago to see that DFCS case managers were trained in Medicaid programs, said Pam Moore, who works with the parents of disabled children in the Madison County School System."They haven't been," she said.Others said it's hard for people who work with Medicaid full-time to keep up with frequently changing rules and programs, much less DFCS workers, for whom Katie Beckett families are a small part of a caseload of hundreds of families."The one thing you need to realize is even if you think you understand it (Medicaid), it will change," said Dottie Adams of the Governor's Council on Developmental Disabilities.Georgia could stretch its Medicaid dollars more, Adams said.The federal government provides generous matching money when states put money into Medicaid waiver programs, but Georgia doesn't get as much federal Medicaid money as some other states, she said."One of our problems is that it has not been a priority for our legislature," she said. "It's a good deal for our state."But good news came out of this year's legislative session, she said.Legislators added enough money to the Medicaid budget to take 1,500 people off waiting lists to receive various kinds of Medicaid services such as in-home nursing care. There are about 6,000 people on these waiting lists, but there ought to be more than 14,000, Adams said. Many people who are eligible for state help don't even bother to sign up because the waits are so long, she said. ==================================================== Hope this information helps. Have a great evening. Sincerely, Heidi --Heidi J. Moore (Proud Mother to Jacob - 6 years old with Down syndrome & Jared - 4 years old) "Help The Children Now, So They Can Help Themselves Later!" The material contained in this e-mail is for general information only. It is not intended in any way to provide or offer legal advice. To obtain legal advice, please consult with your attorney or a qualified legal representative. Heidi J. Moore Tue, 18 Jul 2006 00:00:00 EDT http://www.lgtinc.org/articles/145/1/Oglethorpe-Echo-Local-Newspaper--Peachcare-for-All-Kids April 12, 2006   Dearest Advocates:   I was notified today that the local newspaper, Oglethorpe Echo had an article on the proposed "Peachcare for All Kids program" and how it may effect the Katie Beckett Waiver families (it was on the front page)!  Please take a moment to thank the reporter, Jessica Harris, for her in depth coverage of the situation. Her email address is: jharris@oglethorpeecho.com.   Personally, I only know what is written in the article about the proposed Peachcare for All Kids program.  I do have concerns but until I see more written suggestions by DCH and/or the legislators....it is only speculation right now on how it will possibly help/hurt our families. I'm just trying to keep a tab on what is happening and let you all know......   This is the type of media coverage we need to continue to have on the issue....... Like I said before, only through educating and building awareness in the community, and working with our legislators and Governor are we going to be able to make a difference in this difficult time for disability issues in Georgia!     In addition, I do not have any additional information regarding access to the $7.6 million for families that have been denied the Katie Beckett Waiver. As soon as I do, I will let you know.   Sincerely, Heidi   Just in case you missed the article:   PeachCare for All Kids proposed act - By Jessica Harris               When thousands of families with special needs children were dropped from the Katie Beckett Medicaid waiver this past year, it seemed to most that receiving supplemental financial help from the government to cover expenses such as insurance premiums and co-pays was an impossible dream. These families had once received Medicaid coverage in addition to their primary insurance to help them afford to care for their medically fragile children at home.             Now, a House Bill has been proposed to the Georgia General Assembly that would repeal the original PeachCare for Kids Act in favor of a new act entitled PeachCare for All Kids. This bill would provide healthcare insurance for all children that meet certain criteria. Although the proposal sounds wonderful in theory, Heidi Moore, who has a son with Down's Syndrome, is concerned about what the new act could mean for families currently receiving Medicaid help.             According to the proposed PeachCare for All Kids bill, there are at least 100,000 children without insurance in the state, and many others have insurance that is inadequate or unstable. This act would provide insurance for all children from birth to 18 who qualify for one of three categories, either A, B, or C.             Children in families with incomes at or below 200% of the federal poverty level will qualify for category A, those below 400% of the poverty level will qualify for B, and all those ineligible for A or B will be able to participate in the buy-in program for category C. Children in PeachCare for All Kids A will not be required to pay any premiums. Small co-pays may be charged, but no child will be denied medical services due to inability to pay co-pays.             For categories B and C, there are rules and regulations determining the amounts of co-pays and premiums different families are required to pay. The proposed bill is currently under review in various committees, but if it is approved, it will become effective on January 1, 2007.             Moore agrees wholeheartedly with the theory that all children need access to health care services. She also believes that it gives families that do not qualify for Katie Beckett another way to get medical assurance through Medicaid. Her concern, however, is "I hope the Department of Community Health doesn't use this as an opportunity to take families off Katie Beckett so they have to apply for PeachCare for All Kids."             The Katie Beckett Waiver was designed to help middle-class families that would not ordinarily qualify for Medicaid. These families typically already have primary insurance, but the amount of co-pays and out-of-pocket expenses they incur are so overwhelming that they need the waiver to cover those needs. Under the proposed bill, though, most of the families that have been denied coverage under Katie Beckett due to overly enforced criteria would fall under the C category, thus requiring them to pay insurance premiums and co-pays.             For children dealing with lifelong afflictions such as Down's or Cystic Fibrosis, the number of doctor and hospital visits, medications, and therapies each month are so large that it is nearly impossible for a middle-income family to pay all the co-pays and premiums themselves. Moore believes that stipulations should be added to the proposed PeachCare bill that families with special needs children would have their premiums and co-pays waived if they met certain requirements.             She said, "I'm afraid this will become a way for the department to bring in more revenue and decrease the budget by making the families denied for Katie Beckett pay premiums and co-pays. I hope that won't be the case, but it's hard to keep up because we can't keep lobbyists posted at the Capitol around the clock." Moore adds that as long as Katie Beckett stays intact and the children that qualify for it continue to receive it, she thinks the proposed bill is a "wonderful program as a supplement for kids that can't get insurance any other way."             Moore hopes that before the bill is voted on, the General Assembly will ask for input from families with special needs children, such as herself. She believes the state needs to find a way to take care of all children, no matter their disease or affliction, while also protecting the Katie Beckett program for those families that need it.             In addition to the PeachCare for All Kids proposal, $7.6 million was recently appropriated in the state's budget to help families that had been kicked out of the Katie Beckett program because of overcompensating for slack eligibility criteria. The money was to help those families get back on their feet until fiscal year 2007. A not-for-profit foundation is going to be established to handle the logistics of divvying out the money.             However, establishing this foundation will take some time, and it is not known how long it will be before the families that have been denied start receiving financial help. The foundation is being started with the hope that it will be a self-sufficient organization by the end of fiscal year 2007 and will have corporate sponsorship to continue helping the families.             Moore hopes that if the proposed PeachCare for All Kids bill is passed in the future, it will include stipulations that children with special needs be looked at differently because of the enormity of additional costs their families incur. She also hopes that those families that are currently receiving Medicaid through Katie Beckett will continue to receive the financial help they need.   --Heidi J. Moore (Proud Mother to Jacob - 6 years old with Down syndrome & Jared - 4 years old) "Help The Children Now, So They Can Help Themselves Later!" The material contained in this e-mail is for general information only. It is not intended in any way to provide or offer legal advice. To obtain legal advice, please consult with your attorney or a qualified legal representative. Heidi J. Moore Tue, 18 Jul 2006 00:00:00 EDT http://www.lgtinc.org/articles/144/1/URGENT%3A-Advocacy-Needed---DCH-Board-Meeting-July-13%2C-2006 July 12, 2006   Dearest Advocates: (PLEASE NOTE: May want to print out this long e-mail)   It has been brought to my attention that the Dept of Community Health (DCH) is going to have a board meeting TOMORROW, July 13th in Blue Ridge, GA where we can express our concerns!  (Please note: This is a change of location....The meeting will NOT be at the Twin Towers/Sloppy Floyd Building downtown Atlanta)   If you are a parent or provider/therapist that would be impacted by the proposed prior authorization system DCH is looking to implement in September or if you are having problems getting therapy due to being in a CMO (that is not the case for children that have the disability waivers including Katie Beckett Waiver).....we need you!    Please try to attend to express your concerns as parents and therapists!  Many of you have asked....how can I help....Well NOW is your chance. I realize that it is not a convenient location but DCH needs to hear from both parents and providers/therapists concerns.   Here are some quick suggestions if you can attend:   1. Make your speech short and to the point (2-3 minutes). You can type out your entire speech and read it, if you feel more comfortable doing it that way.   2. Prepare a one page summary of your concerns to be handed out to the committee and media.  (For parents: include a picture of your child...puts a face to the situation!).   3.  Sign up to speak when you arrive.   4. Please contact Deborah Bevelle at (404) 656-4507 or dbevelle@dch.state.ga.us if you have questions or want additional information about this meeting.   5. General Information: The Thursday, July 13, 2006 Board of Community Health meeting  will be held at 12:00 noon in the Community Room, Appalachian Community Bank, 150 Orvin Lance Connector, Blue Ridge, Georgia 30513.    6. Here are directions: DIRECTIONS TO APPALACHIAN COMMUNITY BANK Community Room 150 Orvin Lance Connector Blue Ridge, GA 30513 (706) 258-4000   From Atlanta:                                                                                    Distance (approx.) I-75 to I-575                                                                  20.4 miles   I-575 becomes Highway 515 around Jasper             70.5 miles   You will travel through Cherokee, Pickens and Gilmer Counties.   Blue Ridge is in Fannin County.   Once arriving in Blue Ridge, go through several intersections.    Landmarks:   -The first intersection is June Walker on right. -McDonalds is on the left of second intersection. -Wendy's is on the right of third intersection.   After passing KFC on the right, you will start down hill.  When you start going uphill you will see the bank on the right.  It's a large red brick building.  You will come to a red light and CVS will be on the right and Taco Bell on the left.  Take a right on Orvin Lance Connector.   The Appalachian Community Bank (Community Room) is your second right next to CVS.    Distance:  Approximately 92.88 miles   Drive Time:  Approximately 1 hour, 36 minutes ====================================================== Here is a summary of the situation based on my previous advocacy alerts in the last few weeks...It has been brought to my attention that Dept.of Community Health (DCH) continues to look for ways to reduce their costs (but not necessarily looking at the children's needs, nor the effects on our Medicaid providers).   Recently, DCH announced plans to: implement a "gatekeeper" model for the Aged, Blind and Disabled (ABD) children.  The Trialliance (the OT/ST/PT association that are working together to deal with these issues as they come up)  met with DCH this week. DCH plans to change the "threshold" of visits for the ABD group of children to a total of 5 units per month for a "single" therapy service. This means each discipline (ST, OT, PT) will be able to bill a total of 5 units each month (currently it is a max of 10 for non-timed codes and 20 for timed codes). If the therapist feels the children need more therapy they can submit a "prior approval" (same process as is in place currently) which will be reviewed by Georgia Medical Care Foundation (GMCF).  This would mean that a child will only be allowed approx. 1 PT and OT session / month! and only 2+ ST sessions / month!  This is not acceptable! Our families have already been put thru enough due to difficulties with the eligibility criteria, if a child is approved we should not have to fight another battle of Medical Necessity for therapy.   It is my understanding that PT and OT are billed as 1 unit = 15 minutes. Therefore 4 units = 1 hour (this is how I came up with approx. being allowed only 1 hour of PT/OT per month without a prior approval).    The speech coding is more complex: For 92507 speech code, 1 unit =1 visit.  For speech you can bill 3 units if you  are doing speech, feeding and SI (sensory integration) so then you would only have 1 visit  just like PT and OT.  The 92507(speech) and the 92526(feeding) codes  are just allowed 1 unit=1 session(that is why our rate was cut in  half...it used to be 1 unit=30 minutes so you could bill 2 units of  92507...no more).  The SI code is timed and 1 unit = 15 minutes.  To  summarize, speech is all over the board.  If you are just seeing a  child for speech, you could get 5 sessions.  If you bill speech and  feeding, 2 sessions, speech and feeding and SI would be 1 session. ST is billed at 1 unit = 30 minutes. Therefore 2 units = 1 hour (therefore you would approx be allowed only 2 hours of ST per month without a prior approval).   DCH said this review would be approved based on "medical necessity" guidelines. DCH also attempted to further limit children who had multiple therapies, however the Trialliance discussed the major problems with this and they said they would  reconsider this limitation. The time frame for this implementation  is September 1, 2006. (originally DCH had proposed a August 1st implementation)   These proposed therapy requirements will impact both private and hospital therapy for our children. DCH plans on rolling out the changes Sept.1st for private and sometime later this fall for hospital. This will not impact school therapy.   The Trialliance discussed details of how to make the transition easier and specifically informed DCH staff that they were vehemently opposed to this stringent of a program. (AND I CONCUR!)  The bigger issue is that this is unacceptable and something must be done for the therapists and our children! More and more Medicaid providers are not going to accept our children due to the paperwork involved in getting paid by Medicaid.  We already have our Pediatricians write the prescriptions for service, therapists submit their progress notes to DCH....WHY do we need another step in the process with paperwork?  (especially since one of the items DCH looks for in our application progress for the Katie Beckett Waiver program is if the child has 5 therapy's/week on the DFCS DMA-6A form!)   I'm sorry...but I will not be able to attend due to prior commitments.  PLEASE show your support. I hope you find this information helpful.....   UNITED....WE WILL MAKE A DIFFERENCE!   Sincerely, Heidi --Heidi J. Moore (Proud Mother to Jacob - 6 years old with Down syndrome & Jared - 4 years old) "Help The Children Now, So They Can Help Themselves Later!" The material contained in this e-mail is for general information only. It is not intended in any way to provide or offer legal advice. To obtain legal advice, please consult with your attorney or a qualified legal representative. Heidi J. Moore Wed, 12 Jul 2006 00:00:00 EDT http://www.lgtinc.org/articles/135/1/People-First-Language May 29, 2006   Dearest Advocates:   It's been brought to my attention that there is a fantastic handout that I think everyone should read regarding how parents/providers/friends/family talk and write about our children with disabilities.     Kathie Snow has put together a wonderful 4 page handout that helps us understand how powerful our words are and how we can help educate the community we live through proper language........   To print out a copy of her handout and educate yourself of the importance of proper language, please go to the following website:   http://ftp.disabilityisnatural.com/documents/PFL0905.pdf   In addition, when I contacted her a few days ago regarding utilizing her handout at one my upcoming presentations, she informed me about her son, Benjamin.   Benjamin recently entered the Film Your Issue competition---an opportunity for 18-26 year-olds to share their passion in a 30 to 60 second film. He wrote, performed in, and directed THUMBS DOWN TO PITY---about the need for films and TV to move beyond the "pity portrayals" of people with disabilities....and his film has made it to the SEMI-FINALS! Now, the general public has a chance to vote on the 35 semifinalists.....Ifyou have a moment, please visit http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/12721177 ....and if you agree Benjamin's message is an important one, please cast yourvote for THUMBS DOWN TO PITY! The voting ends on June 7th.   Society needs to recognize the impact of their words for individuals with disabilities and as parents, providers and friends....WE need to help continue to help others understand the need for proper language and respect for our children.   I know personally, I don't like it when people refer to my son as having "Downs". This is very degrading and I try to understand that they don't understand but I also take the opportunity to help educate everyone that has contact with my son that he is a person first that happens to have a disability- Down syndrome!  He has touched more lives in his short 6 yrs than most of us will in a life time.  As you can tell, I'm very proud of my little boy and all of his abilities!   Hope you find this information helpful. Have a great Memorial day weekend. Sincerely, Heidi   --Heidi J. Moore (Proud Mother to Jacob - 6 years old with Down syndrome & Jared - 4 years old) "Help The Children Now, So They Can Help Themselves Later!" The material contained in this e-mail is for general information only. It is not intended in any way to provide or offer legal advice. To obtain legal advice, please consult with your attorney or a qualified legal representative. Heidi J. Moore Fri, 23 Jun 2006 00:00:00 EDT http://www.lgtinc.org/articles/127/1/Neo-con-Hawks-and-the-Duping-of-America---Part-II---the-Iranian-Campaign... Zen Garcia April 13, 2005 President Bush has been on an intensive tour of Town Halls, trying to look good for cameras while reinforcing the spin 'that the war is going just great.' Gotta encourage those pro-war families still in denial trying to hold on to the belief that we're doing the right thing, that we've got to stay the course. How long will parents offer up children as sacrifice to the carnage of war. That's really why Bush wants the open borders. They need soldiers and what better way than by offering citizenship for service. Illegals are considered expendable as their not included among the official tally of killed in action as many have no contacts in the US to be notified upon death. Many speculate that the true number of American casualties far exceeds the official Pentagon declaration. They lie to us about everything else, I have to assume they're lying about this. As the President's approval rating plummets and more and more Americans side with the blossoming Antiwar movement, monitor of such groups is increasing as the war hawks pressure security forces to crackdown on dissent even labeling such tools of democracy as non-violent protest subversive, the tell tale sign of domestic terrorism. The pressure to dismantle dissent among the citizenry will escalate as they go about plotting their empirical policies of conquest and occupation outlined in the PNAC doctrine Whatever they do, they will not deter us from dissent. We must fight the police state at home and stop the surrender of liberty for security especially now that those that were once gung ho for war, are now beginning to realize that the very way the President forced us into Iraq, has only placed America at greater risk for future attacks; especially when one takes into account that our borders are still wide open, and that the same Chinese that just last year threatened to nuke 200 American cities if we even pointed a missle in their direction, was just quietly handed over security of another of America's most important seaports based in the Bahamas. General Zhu Chenghu said in a press conference with a room full of foreign journalists as quoted in the Financial Times, "If the Americans draw their missiles and position-guided ammunition on to the target zone on China's territory, I think we will have to respond with nuclear weapons." The LA Times printed an op-ed piece on this, "Maj. Gen. Zhu Chenghu of the Chinese People's Liberation Army caused quite a stir last week when he threatened to nuke "hundreds" of American cities if the U.S. dared to interfere with a Chinese attempt to conquer Taiwan." Bearing this in mind does it make any sense at all that the United States would hand control of the Panama Canal, our only deep water naval shipping port based on the West Coast in Long Beach, California, and now East Coast operations to the Communist Chinese expecting them to be responsible for the monitor of radioactive materials which may be smuggled into the American mainland through our still wide open shipping ports that Bush refuses to secure. Does this make sense to anyone? Why hand over monitoring of nuclear materials to a country whose top General just a year ago July threatened to nuke "hundreds" of American cities? America must be extremely vigilant in keeping tabs on this runaway administration especially as they sound the call to plunge us into further escalation by forcing new battles with Iran and Syria while ignoring security breeches like the open borders right here at home. We cannot even handle the conflicts we are currently in, nor can we afford any further accumulation of debt. Bush may see the Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad as the embodiment of a modern day Hitler to be countered at all costs, however the world sees America as the new Germany and Bush as the new Hitler according to America's unilateral policy of premption, extraordinary rendition, and outsourcing of torture abroad. A BBC survey of 11 countries revealed that 57% of those polled had a very unfavorable, or fairly unfavorable attitude towards America and our dictatorial, warmongering President. Opinion was sought for a recently produced British television program called What The World Thinks of America. The Poll conducted clearly suggests that world opinion has turned against America's war time criminal President and our unilateral foreign policy. As billions continue to go missing from coffers slated to rebuild Iraq, Senior Senator Robert Byrd of West Virginia posed a question that should have long ago been asked on the Senate floor, can we continue sending these billions to Iraq? With no proof that we've done anything beneficial or positive for the people of Iraq, does this administration really expect us to extend any more trust or financial courtesy to them based on what we know of their past performance? The latest requests for reconstruction funds are all allocated for building prisons for interrogation and further torture. Iraq "is filled with projects that were never completed or were completed and have never been used." A new report has determined the U.S.-led reconstruction of Iraq has largely been a failure. Nearly $60 billion has been spent but Iraq is still producing less oil, has less electricity and less water than before invasion. With 72% of U.S. Troops on the ground in Iraq calling for an end to the war this year, and 51% of Americans believing that removing Saddam Hussein from power not worth the number of U.S. Military casualties and the financial cost of the war, when will our government listen to the voice and will of the people? Will they listen to us as they don't seem to be able to hear the Iraqi's themselves, as they have been calling for immediate withdrawal for years. A poll put out by USA Today in 2004 reports ,"But while they acknowledge benefits from dumping Saddam a year ago, Iraqis no longer see the presence of the American-led military as a plus. Asked whether they view the U.S.-led coalition as "liberators" or "occupiers," 71% of all respondents say "occupiers." A growing negative attitude toward the Americans is also reflected in two related survey questions: 53% say they would feel less secure without the coalition in Iraq, but 57% say the foreign troops should leave anyway." It is clear that the American public, our soldiers, and the Iraqi people themselves want an immediate end to the war in Iraq. It is even clear from a New Zogby Poll that the majority of Americans support impeaching Bush for warrantless and illegal wiretapping especially now that it is known the administration is targeting groups opposed to the illegal war; and yet the spineless Democrats run anytime anyone like Russ Feingold calls for censuring Bush or John Murtha calls for immediate withdrawal. If America does not impeach this president, everybody in congress will consider themselves as Bush does now above the law. By a margin of 52% to 43%, Americans want Congress to impeach President Bush if he wiretapped American citizens without a judge's approval, which he did. If Congress won't move to impeach, vote them out of office (must get rid of the paperless easily hacked unreliable voting machines first) and vote someone in who will, someone hungry to represent the will of the people. The whole world now knows that the Bush administration lied to get public support for the war by first trying to tie Iraq to the atrocities of September 11th, 2001. Once that admonishment was debunked they tried to frighten American by invoking images of 'mushroom clouds on American soil.' Desperate for something, anything to scare the American public into believing that the nuclear threat from Iraq was real and that Iraq had something to do with 9/11, the administration began a systematic and deliberate attempt to distort links between 9/11, Al-Qaeda, and Saddam Hussein, resulting in 69 percent of Americans believing that Saddam Hussein had part in attacking the United States.. Democratic Senators charged that the White House had fanned the misperception by mentioning Hussein and the Sept. 11 attacks in ways suggesting a link. Bush, on March 6, 2003, said, "Saddam Hussein is a threat to our nation. September the 11th changed the strategic thinking, at least, as far as I was concerned, for how to protect our country. My job is to protect the American people. It used to be that we could think that you could contain a person like Saddam Hussein, that oceans would protect us from his type of terror. September the 11th should say to the American people that we're now a battlefield, that weapons of mass destruction in the hands of a terrorist organization could be deployed here at home." After the 9/11 Commission came out and publicly stated that there was not a relationship between Saddam, 9/11, and Al-Qaeda, Bush said on June 17, 2004, "The reason I keep insisting that there was a relationship between Iraq and Saddam and Al-Qaeda, because there was a relationship between Iraq and Al Qaeda." He continued exaggerating claims and made several more statements like, "After September the 11th, America had to assess every potential threat in a new light. Our nation awakened to an even greater danger, the prospect that terrorists who killed thousands with hijacked airplanes would kill many more with weapons of mass murder. We had to take a hard look at every place where terrorists might get those weapons. And one regime stood out, the dictatorship of Saddam Hussein." - GWB, Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, Oct. 6, 2004. They continued their policy of deception by then trying to convince America that she was in imminent danger from a nuclear attack from Iraq. Bush said in a speech on Oct. 7, 2002, "Facing clear evidence of peril, we cannot wait for the final proof -- the smoking gun -- that could come in the form of a mushroom cloud." Rice said, "we don't want the smoking gun to be a mushroom cloud." On NBC's "Meet the Press," Cheney accused Saddam of "moving aggressively to develop nuclear weapons... to add to his stockpile of chemical and biological arms. Increasingly, we believe that the United States may well become the target of those activities." The whole administration had been hard at work instilling fear to scare America into supporting an illicit invasion, while Bush was behind closed doors with Prime Minister Tony Blair of Britain, busily dreaming up ways to provoke Saddam Hussein into attacking allied forces and in that way justify their war. Recently released minutes on White House letterhead and signed by the President, show that during a private two-hour meeting with Blair in the Oval Office on Jan. 31, 2003, Bush revealed to Blair that he was determined to invade Iraq even without a second UN resolution, and even if international arms inspectors failed to find unconventional weapons. He then discussed a proposal to paint a United States surveillance plane in the colors of the United Nations in hopes of drawing fire and setting in motion war. This exact plan was discussed in an earlier 1962 document called Operation Northwoods in which the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff drew up and approved clandestine operations intending to stage 'terrorism' in order to create American hostility towards Cuba. On page 13 of the 15 page declassified memo, the Joint Chiefs of Staff discuss, "An aircraft at Eglin AFB would be painted and numbered as an exact duplicate for a civil registered aircraft belonging to a CIA proprietary organization in the Miami area. At a designated time the duplicate would be subsituted for the actual civil aircraft and would be loaded with the selected passengers, all boarded under carefully prepared aliases. The actual registered aircraft would be converted to a drone." On page 8 the Joint Chiefs state, "This plan, incorporating projects selected from the attached suggestions, or from other sources, should bedeveloped to focus all efforts on a specific ultimate objective which would provide adequate justification for US military intervention. Such a plan would enable a logical build-up of incidents to be combined with other seemingly unrelated events to camoflage the ultimate objective and create the necessary impression of Cuban rashness and irresponsibility on a large scale, directed at other countries as well as the United States. The plan would also properly integrate and time phase the courses of action to be pursued. The desired resultant from the execution of this plan would be to place the United States in the apparent position of suffering defensible grievances from a rash and irresponsible government of Cuba and to develop an inter-national image of a Cuban threat to peace in the Western Hemisphere." Clearly what is being suggested is treasonous actions against our own country by our own military leaders, who also entertain subversive actions against other sovereign nations as a way to make Cuba look bad. Terrorism in the name of anti-communism is still terrorism especially when carried out secretly against the United States by the United States. Fearing that the window of opportunity to get into Iraq may slip away, the Neo-con Bush administration set itself on a course to "fix the facts around the policy" as proven by the first leaked Downing Street Minutes. In their rush to war, they blamed intelligence agencies for not gathering together the proper and necessary intelligence needed to assess a proper plan for deciding on whether to go to war or not. However, we know Bush and Blair had already committed themselves to invading Iraq and both ignored any threat assessment that did not support their call for an invasion. America, we had better get serious about reeling in this out of control administration especially now that the very same Neo-con hawks which premeditatively lied and deceived the American public into supporting the horror that is Iraq; are now sounding the drums again, calling for not just conventitional but nuclear tactical strikes on over 200 targets in Iran. America please wake up, the lives of children here and all over the world depend on it. We must hold these fear inciting war criminals accountable as it is they themselves who are profiting from the continued violence and occupations of Iraq and Afghanistan through unethical defense investments with private financial firm, the Carlyle Group. This company is not opened to the public scrutiny or investment, the SEC has never audited them, members consider themselves unauditable much like the privately owned Europeanly controlled Federal Reserve System. We know that Bush and Co. will lie, cheat, and deceive in order to fulfill their PNAC directive for securing the Middle East through a series of permanent forward staging bases to then be used as preemptive strike capability in securing the fascist interests of the oil corporations dominating government through massive lobbying. How else would these companies get billion dollar subsidies at a time of record profit. Why else would the positioning of permanent bases line-up to pipeline plans or drilling agreements? We must demand accoubtability. We cannot allow this corrupt administration to purposely lie and deceive the public into supporting bogus wars of aggression against sovereign nations when real threats exist right here at home. There are already myriad reasons to impeach this President as many of his staff are already folding to indictments. So I ask why, why is America not in the streets everyday, at the White House and Congress everyday demanding the end of all support for this warmongering, anti-constitutional dictatorial administration. Our country cannot afford another war anywhere with anybody. We are already drowning in surmounting debts accumulated predominately from the failed war in Iraq and yet regardless, this administration seems hell bent on taking us into further escalation's with Iran and Syria. The fact that the U.S. has already warned Turkey of our intent to launch air strikes on Iran and Syria, let's you know how close we are to another full out war as nations will be forced to take sides. Recently a London Guardian reporter released an article called, "Are we going to war with Iran?" to further investigate allegations of impending war. Seymour Hersh a few days earlier wrote in the New Yorker, that the war against Iran had already begun. "Current and former American military and intelligence officials said that Air Force planning groups are drawing up lists of targets, and teams of American combat troops have been ordered into Iran, under cover, to collect targeting data and to establish contact with anti-government ethnic-minority groups. The officials say that President Bush is determined to deny the Iranian regime the opportunity to begin a pilot program, planned for this spring, to enrich uranium." Colonel Sam Gardner verified Hersh in an interview with Amy Goodman of Democracy Now, "The issue is not whether the Military option would be used but who approved the start of operations already." Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, announced on April 11th that its nuclear engineers had advanced to a new phase in the enrichment of uranium. The Clerics also announced that the nation would speed ahead, in defiance of a United Nations Security Council warning, to produce nuclear fuel on an industrial scale for civil power production as is their right accorfding to the Non-Proliferation Treaty which the US has recently violated by authorizing the production of a new generation of nuclear devices and also by agreeing to sell India nuclear technology when India itself has not signed onto the NPT. America in signing the NPT, promised not to help other countries with their nuclear-weapons technology unless those countries had all their nuclear facilities under international safeguards which India does not and never will. Does this then mean unavoidable war? Are we to wake up one day with our country having attacked Iran? I heard on just a few days ago, that we just may wake up one day and find that our country had already bombed Iran, and that if that were the case it would improve Bush's poll numbers. Does this sound like insanity to anyone else? If you do not wish to see us plunged into further Bush administration chaos, call everyone of your federal contacts, Representatives, and Senators right now and bug them continuously without pause, so that they absolutely know, we do not want an attack on Iran and that attacking Iran will only endanger our country and their jobs. Ask them if you really wanted to stop the nuclear program in Iran, why allow the CIA to provide them the blueprints in the first place? If we the U.S. and Britain were really concerned about Iran gathering the necessary program to create a nuclear bomb, why then would our governments allow American and British companies to sell them the exact material needed to advance their nuclear program? We must ask why British officials would defy their own arms embargo toward Iran, and approve the export of key components necessary to make nuclear weapons? If they were that concerned with a nuclear Iran, why provide the material necessary to advance the nuclear program at all stages? Why wait until they reach the point of activating the technology we've provided for their nuclear programs to cry wolf? President Gerald Ford authorized the Shah to buy and operate a plutonium-extracting and processing facility in 1976, if we were concerned with Iran as a threat, isn't prevention key, meaning never allow them to reach this point? Scott Ritter a former UN weapons inspector warned us last year of the encroaching war with Iran. The only thing yet to be determined is whether it will be Israel or the US that does the actual air strikes, or whether it will be a joint US-Israeli strike, either way America will be plunged headlong into what could the catalyst for the next global war. We need to clean house in America, starting with the whole administration but not ending until we've moved through all branches of government destroying the corrupt electronic paperless electoral system and in particular dismantle the lobby system which allows politicians to be bought legally. Remember the people united will never be defeated, the people silenced will never be heard. Zen Garcia Mon, 22 May 2006 00:00:00 EDT http://www.lgtinc.org/articles/126/1/Liar-President-Places-American-Security-At-Risk Zen Garcia APRIL 12, 2006 President Bush has continually stressed his hard line approach to National Security and the war on terror, promising to protect the American people at all costs and with whatever tools deemed necessary. He claims above the law authority to do whatever it takes to secure America including breech of international laws and violation of our own Constitution. When confronted with statements Libby made to a federal grand jury that he had received "approval from the President through the Vice President" to leak portions of a National Intelligence Estimate including Valerie Plame Wilson's covert identity as a way of defending the Bush administration's decision to go to war with Iraq, and as an attempt to silence war critic Ambassador Joe Wilson; Scott McClellan in response said, "The President believes the leaking of classified information is a very serious matter. And I think that's why it's important to draw a distinction here. Declassifying information and providing it to the public, when it is in the public interest, is one thing. But leaking classified information that could compromise our national security is something that is very serious. And there is a distinction." He attempted to illustrate this distinction by pointing to the leaking of the existence of the warrantless NSA spying program to the press by someone, McClellan claims put our National security at risk because it had informed Al-Qaeda that we were snooping on their international calls to the U.S. However, contrary to his claims it has been known since 1998 that "Bin Laden and his lieutenants quit using satellite phones the day after a cruise missile attack by the Clinton administration on a facility in Sudan because it was known that the United States was eavesdropping on their calls." Al-Qaeda since that time uses only encrypted phone calls and E-mail messages. "Calls are also hard to trace. One government official explains: 'A guy buys 10 or 15 cellphones' services, and the minute he thinks we might be on to him, he throws it away.' Forsaking legitimate banks, al Qaeda moves its money through a network of underground exchangers." Even Time magazine reported in September 24, 2001, that Bin Laden "had already quit using his satellite phone because its signal can be traced." Thanks to documents released by the ACLU, we know that the real target of the warrantless spying being carried out by the NSA, is the Antiwar groups here in America opposed to the current administration's corrupt, immoral, and criminal war in Iraq. Whereas leaking of the NSA program to the press may have endanger our country's National Security to some degree, I believe the White House was more concerned with disclosure of the impeachable conduct being carried out with the President's authority. McClellan said, "The President of the United States has the authority to declassify information. I also indicated to some reporters earlier today that the President would never authorize the disclosure of information that he felt could compromise our nation's security." And yet the leaking of Valerie Plame's covert identity truly did place this country in grave danger and may have even lead to the death of a covert CIA agent associated to Valerie Plame Wilson. Wayne Madsen, a reporter and former NSA employee, has claimed, "CIA sources report that at least one anonymous star placed on the CIA's Wall of Honor at its Langley, Virginia headquarters is a clandestine agent who was executed in a hostile foreign nation as a direct result of the White House leak." For those who have not followed or do not understand the intricacies behind the Valerie Plame case, I will revisit the story so that in understanding this, you will see how the Bush administration put this country and many of our covert agents at risk, all just to get back at Ambassador Wilson for debunking the Niger uranium story. Please reaffirm for yourself what I am about to reveal to you. First, I'd like to state that Iraq has within its borders significant quantities of uranium and would not need to purchase yellow cake from outside sources. "Because Iraq has natural uranium deposits, all they need to do is build a process to enrich that uranium to weapons grade and then enrich enough to make one or more Hiroshima-sized weapons." said Kenneth M. Pollack, in his book "The Threatening Storm." This fact has been further corroborated by certain declassified portions of a 2002 National Intelligence Estimate, "Iraq possesses significant phosphate deposits, from which uranium had been chemically extracted before Operation Desert Storm. Intelligence information on whether nuclear-related phosphate mining and/or processing has been reestablished is inconclusive." Now the story- Ambassador Joseph Wilson, had been involved in international politics for more than 20 years at the time that his wife Valerie Plame Wilson was outed by the Bush administration. He was the acting U.S. Ambassador to Iraq during Operation Desert Shield and was the last American official to meet with Saddam Hussein prior to the first invasion. In 2002 at the behest of Vice-president Cheney, Mr. Wilson was assigned to the CIA to investigate whether Saddam Hussein had been seeking uranium from Niger for the purpose of advancing Iraq's nuclear program. The Bush administration was trying desperately to drum up support for their claims that America was in imminent danger. Most of the assessments being provided by the intelligence communities did not support their claims, and with little evidence they were desperate to keep alive those few rumors that still did exist. They were basing their trumped up threat assessment on basically 4 stories - 1) the Niger procurement story, 2) the aluminum tubes story, and 3) the mobile biological, nuclear, chemical lab story and 4) an allegation by Czech intelligence that Atta had met with an Iraqi intelligence officer in Prague in April 2001. All statements since have been proven to be false. Ambassador Wilson having had a special relationship with the Nigerian government, went to Africa to verify whether the allegations brought forth by the Bush administration, that Iraq was indeed trying to procure uranium from Niger, had any truth to it. He found the story to be baseless and upon returning from Africa, Wilson filed a report stating so. He never expected to hear anything further about the report until he heard President Bush repeat the Niger claims in his 2003 State of the Union address even though it had been removed from several drafts of his previous speeches. Ambassador Wilson not believing the President used the Niger procurement story in his speech, then wrote a New York Times op-ed piece asserting that the Bush administration was overly exaggerating the case for an invasion of Iraq. It was at that time that the White House began scheming on how to discredit Ambassador Wilson, first assassinating his character, and then by publicly outing the covert identity of his wife Valerie Plame, a clandestine CIA operative. The White House desired to make an example out of Wilson to others that might also attempt to challenge the administration; and like a playground bully, Wilson's wife was outed as revenge for debunking the Niger procurement story. While McClellan claims, "it was in the public interest that (this) information be declassified," the administration's actions outing Valerie Plame, placed this nation at grave risk especially considering the kind of covert work Valerie Plame did for our country. Valerie Plame was an undercover CIA agent that worked covertly for Brewster Jennings and Associates. Brewster Jennings was a well-established CIA proprietary company that worked specifically on removing illicit black market weapons of mass destruction, by purchasing them off of the streets, and delivering them to a secure site where they were dismantled rendering them useless. She was part of an operation tracking distribution and acquisition of weapons of mass destruction technology to and from Iran. "Speaking under strict confidentiality, intelligence officials revealed heretofore unreported elements of Plame's work. Their accounts suggest that Plame's outing was more serious than has previously been reported and carries grave implications for U.S. National security and its ability to monitor Iran's burgeoning nuclear program. While many have speculated that Plame was involved in monitoring the nuclear proliferation black market, specifically the proliferation activities of Pakistan's nuclear 'father,' A.Q. Khan, intelligence sources say that her team provided only minimal support in that area, focusing almost entirely on Iran." "Several intelligence officials described the damage in terms of how long it would take for the agency to recover. According to their own assessment, the CIA would be impaired for up to "ten years" in its capacity to adequately monitor nuclear proliferation on the level of efficiency and accuracy it had prior to the White House leak of Plame Wilson's identity." There is speculation from Wayne Madsen, a reporter and former NSA employee, who wrote on July 2, 2005, "CIA sources report that at least one anonymous star placed on the CIA's Wall of Honor at its Langley, Virginia headquarters is a clandestine agent who was executed in a hostile foreign nation as a direct result of the White House leak." Whether this is true or not, just the fact that the administration blew the cover of myriad's of America's covert CIA agents working to prevent Iran from garnering material which could be used in constructing a nuclear weapon, does not make sense when taking into account Bush's so called stance on national security and rhetoric towards Iran on enriching uranium. This should inform America on the dangers of our allowing this President and his entire cover-up administration to remain in office. This administration is dangerous to the safety and protection of the American people. The borders are still wide open, our military is stretched so thin that we couldn't counter another threat if we wanted to. Our nation risks going bankrupt due to the frivolous spending of Bush as he has already borrowed more money than all other Presidents combined. The outing of Valerie Plame Wilson by the White House in 2003 for political gain, caused significant damage to U.S. National security and its ability to counter nuclear proliferation abroad. America does not yet fully understand how and to what extent we as a public and our intelligence apparatus were put at risk, however it is absolutely clear to even average Americans struggling just to survive, that this President holds no credentials at all to be trusted further with any matter important to America. Bush said, "If there's a leak out of my administration, I want to know who it is. If the person has violated law, that person will be taken care of. I welcome the investigation. I am absolutely confident the Justice Department will do a good job. I want to know the truth. Leaks of classified information are bad things." He also said that he did not know of "anybody in my administration who leaked classified information" and that he told his administration to "cooperate fully with the investigation and asked anyone with knowledge of the case to come forward." He even made his staff go through an ethics class after the leak was reported. Isn't it passed due that we impeach this criminal President. How can we trust him to defend our nation when he violates international law, our Constitution, and places us in grave danger by following a unilateral declaration of preemptive war, CIA sanctioned kidnapping, and torture. When will the rest of America join John Bonifaz, a lawyer for the Center for Constitutional Rights call to impeach Bush. "The President of the United States has been actively engaged in a conspiracy to deceive and mislead the United States Congress and the American people about the basis for going to war against Iraq. If true, such conduct constitutes a High Crime under Article II, Section 4 of the United States Constitution: The President, Vice President, and all civil officers of the United States shall be removed from office on impeachment for, and conviction of, treason, bribery, or other high crimes and misdemeanors." George Herbert Walker Bush said in 1991 at the dedication of the George Bush CIA headquarters, "Even though I'm a tranquil guy now at this stage of my life, I have nothing but contempt and anger for those who betray the trust by exposing the name of our sources. They are, in my view, the most insidious of traitors." Little did he know his own son would be this most 'insidious of traitors' and as an insidious traitor he needs to be impeached and removed from office before he places our nation at even greater risk. "The fact that the president was willing to reveal classified information for political gain and put the interests of his political party ahead of America's security shows that he can no longer be trusted to keep America safe," said Democratic National Committee Chairman Howard Dean Zen Garcia Mon, 22 May 2006 00:00:00 EDT http://www.lgtinc.org/articles/121/1/Did-YOU-receive-this-from-Heidi-J.-Moore-directly%3F April 13, 2006   Dearest Advocates:   Unfortunately, late Friday night I had a "Computer Malfunction".  Somehow Comcast deleted a few of my advocacy distribution lists (in particular many of the last names beginning with A and B). As you can imagine this has been a nightmare! I have been working for hours and hours trying to recover as many names as possible BUT I NEED YOUR HELP!   When you receive this e-mail, please distribute ASAP to anyone you might think would have been on my distribution list letting them know about this problem.   If you received this e-mail from someone else and not directly from me, that means you are no longer on my advocacy distribution list.    If you would like to be added back to the advocacy distribution list, please submit the following information: 1. E-mail. 2. Full name. 3. If you are a provider, parent (child's disability and if denied the Katie Beckett Waiver), therapist, or why you want to be on the list, etc   If you received this e-mail in error, please let me know that you want to be taken off the advocacy distribution list as well.   I have been working for hours trying to recreate the information, but I'm sure I still have a number of email addresses deleted.   Thanks in advance for your cooperation in this matter. As always, you can review my past e-mails by going to the following website: http://www.lgtinc.org/authors/41/Heidi-J.-Moore   (Please remember that there are multiple pages so page down or go to another page if you can't find the information you are looking for).   Thanks again for your cooperation, Sincerely, Heidi --Heidi J. Moore (Proud Mother to Jacob - 6 years old with Down syndrome & Jared - 4 years old) "Help The Children Now, So They Can Help Themselves Later!" The material contained in this e-mail is for general information only. It is not intended in any way to provide or offer legal advice. To obtain legal advice, please consult with your attorney or a qualified legal representative. Heidi J. Moore Wed, 26 Apr 2006 00:00:00 EDT http://www.lgtinc.org/articles/92/1/Remembering-the-Past%3B-Creating-Our-Future I was never much of a 'student of history' in school, either secondary or post-secondary. But, there is an oft repeated truth - "Those who don't know and understand history are doomed to repeat it." Understanding history as a community of people with disabilities is extremely important in these times.   There is ongoing discussion and movement toward more consumer controlled and directed community-based living - and this is a good thing for our community of very misunderstood people.   However, as we must celebrate victories and arrive at this point in time, it is important to understand the history of how we got here! We meaning those of us here today and those who have gone before us.   We must remember Justin and Yoshiko Dart's 50-state tour to gather testimony from 30,000 people with disabilities; documenting the systemic, endemic discrimination against and segregation of our people that saturated to the core all parts of this country, to set the national stage for Capitol Hill and the President to bring about passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act in 1990, our landmark civil-rights law; and its overwhelming passage in both the House - 377-28 - and Senate - 91-6 - as a testament to Justin, Yoshiko and disability advocates!   We must remember Wade Blank organizing the "Gang of 19" in 1979; that "gang" of de-institutionalized people with disabilities who, seen as "powerless", surrounded two buses in downtown Denver to provide demonstrable evidence of the lack of access to public transportation. That "gang" led to the development of the disability-rights "MONSTER" ADAPT, which has been a not-always-treasured national force for progressive change for transportation, civil rights law, housing and home and community-based services for almost 30 years.   We must remember the disability-rights activists that sat-in at the HEW office in San Francisco for 28 powerful days - longer than any other demonstration at a Federal building in U.S. history! Those 'balls-to-the-wall' activists forced HEW Secretary Joseph Califano to finally sign the regulations implementing Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 in 1978; Section 504 is the foundation upon which ADA was built!   We must remember the battle to remove the shroud of deceit surrounding President Franklin Roosevelt's well-disguised mantle of disability, and proclaim that disability did not deprive him of any abilities as he led this country out of a depression and through the horrible years of WWII. Those hidden crutches and braces, and that wheelchair with which he negotiated daily living were not 'HANDICAPS'!, they were TOOLS!   We must remember the 1988 student protests at Gallaudet that shut down "business as usual" to demand that the president of the university be a person who is deaf; and, I. King Jordan being appointed the 'barrier breaker' to re-shape the way the public thinks of deafness.   We must remember what it has taken to get where we are today - the huge societal barriers we have fought to overcome- the most profound of which is- ATTITUDE - with historically long social and deeply embedded psychological roots that date back millennium and examples of laws that state legislatures enacted in such enlightened centers of thought as: ·         Alabama that declared us a "menace to the happiness...of the community;" ·         Pennsylvania where we were termed "anti-social beings;" ·         Washington where we were "unfitted for companionship with other children;" ·         Kansas where we were "a misfortune both to themselves and to the public;" ·         Indiana where we were required to be "segregate[d] from the world;" ·         South Dakota where we simply did not have the "rights and liberties of normal people." In every state, the laws and policies adopted and designed were to keep us out of sight and out of mind; our people couldn't receive a 'church' marriage because we couldn't procreate - LITTLE did they know!   Such were the written, and unwritten, attitudes that mandated discriminatory treatment and segregation of our community for decades by medical professionals, state and religious officials, family members, democratically elected state and federal legislatures; even the United States Supreme Court - evidenced by this descriptive, 'empowering' phrase of Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes in upholding Virginia's sterilization laws in the 1927 decision Buck v. Bell. He wrote, "The purpose of the Legislature was not to punish but to protect the class of socially inadequate citizens named therein from themselves, and to promote the welfare of society by mitigating race degeneracy and raising the average standard of intelligence of the people of the state."    Six years later, that 'progressive' Nazi regime in Germany modeled its eugenics program on U.S. sterilization statutes; beginning with the sterilization of disabled individuals in 1933, later executing thousands of persons with disabilities and millions from other "unfit" populations.   From what "intelligent" line of reasoning did that statement from one of the nation's most 'preeminent' Supreme Court justices evolve?   In an attempt to relate that "line of reasoning" to today's world, think of this: all over the country there has been an ongoing "clamor" from our community, both young and old, to have the right to "choose" to live in the community and manage the service delivery system that allows us to live much like everyone else.   But, remember how we spend our money - the vast majority does NOT go to community living, and a lot that does go to community living - in fact the large majority - is based on outdated, outmoded institutional and medical models - from nursing homes and state institutions to ICF/MRs. This is long-term services money from Medicaid and Medicare, both social models, which are under increasing attack by Federal and State budget planners.   And from where do we expect these cuts to come? Any and all social programs that assist our people to live in the community - HCBS, housing, education, health service, protection from discrimination, public transportation.   If we "hide and watch", we will again be on the sharp edge of the 'cutting sword'! and it will not matter that on July 26th, 1990 then President George Bush signed the Americans with Disabilities Act into Federal law "granting" us our INDEPENDENCE!   But, we must remember nobody GAVE us anything!!! We came by it honestly - WE EARNED IT!   On that historic July day (7-26-90) for disability rights, President Bush, flanked by Justin Dart and Even Kemp, said, - and powerful and descriptive were the words - "Barriers to employment, transportation, public accommodations, public services, and telecommunications have imposed staggering economic and social costs on American society and have undermined our well-intentioned efforts to educate, rehabilitate, and employ individuals with disabilities. By breaking down these barriers, the ADA will enable society to benefit from the skills and talents of individuals with disabilities, will allow us all to gain from their increased purchasing power and ability to use it, and will lead to fuller, more productive lives for all Americans."   The prelude to its passage and the intervening years has been a long, hard, bruising and continuous struggle to bring OUR civil rights law to the national table and to maintain the protections of ADA against rampant discrimination and marginalization of a large class of people - US?   We must remember, it was a typical battle led by a band of atypical people - Justin, Wade, Becky, Judy, Even, Dennis, Janine, Diane, Eunice, Ed, Frank, Hughey, Marilyn, Mark, Mike, Mary Ann, Bob, Stephanie, Tim, Steve, Marca, Pat, Lex, and so many, many more who fought and died before ADA's fruition - a culmination of: Our 'unthinkable' thoughts and ideas; our calm and heated discussions; our human-face papers; our pouring-out-our-soul letters; our inaccessible-office visits; our real-life testimony; our legislative drafts and re-drafts; our unpaid, non-suited lobbying in the halls of power and on the all-to-real streets of desperation and dreams with people; our people in the inaccessible jails and paternalistic courtrooms- all the drama of a segmented and segregated population's struggle to assert its right to be part and parcel of the larger society, and under the protection of its laws. But first, there must be an internalized emotional change; laws alone haven't, don't and won't work in and of themselves.   As ADAPT's Bob Kafka has so succinctly written on "Empowered Service Delivery": "Since the beginnings of the "Independent Living Movement" in the early '70s, there has been an ongoing, often contentious debate about the role of our Centers for Independent Living in the arena of service delivery and advocacy. This 'aging', often raging debate has revolved around the philosophical definition of the role of the "true" advocate versus the provider of services.   "The questions: 'Should we become part of the system?', or 'Should we stay outside?' have occupied many agonizing hours of conference workshops, staff and board time and general discussion.   "The traditional, or conservative view has been that "pure" advocates would be co-opted by the economic pressures that a service delivery role would bring. Instead of being a strong, powerful voice of advocacy for the interests of disabled people, the Center might become more interested in the bottom line, or keeping its contract with a State agency.   "Traditionalists argue that only by being outside the system can one truly advocate for the things necessary to change that system.   "Over time, and with the ongoing maturity of CILs across the country, this argument has become un-sustainable; it doesn't hold water; you can no longer fool all of our people all of the time!" And, the reality was, and is, that very few centers are strong, powerful voices for our population that the traditionalist point of view has promoted!   With the "shattering" advent of managed care, the health service delivery system has drastically changed- roaring in like a "West Texas tornado", crushing, bending and obliterating the fragile, fragmented and outmoded system it's replacing.   "The questions the disability rights / independent living community must confront itself with are: What do advocates, service recipients and service providers, want; and, what role will be played in developing the policies and providing the services of this delivery system?"   New Mexico's Sherry Watson is prone to say, "We have to be sitting at the table telling policy makers -state and federal officials and managed care corporations- what we want, or we will continue to be at the mercy of traditional service providers", which understand little about our functional support needs, the independent living philosophy or the social/cultural aspects of living our lives in the very misunderstood community of disabled people. Simply stated, it's getting the time-tried, and -tested independent living concepts of consumer choice, control and direction stamped and imprinted fully onto any and all delivery systems.   Our community, for good reason, has long cast the great morass of the current delivery system as the "medical model" enemy; an outdated, outmoded model that does not take the individual into consideration; a model that spoke volumes of "we know what's best for you and we'll deliver what you need on our terms".   As ADAPT founder and disability and civil rights advocate Wade Blank used to say, "We are in a Southern plantation society where disabled people are the "cotton" crop that is being picked for profit by the service provider industry!"   However, like so many other minority groups that have struggled to discover, define and gain civil and human rights, and find a meaningful place in society, the disability community has reached a point of  'cultural imperative' - we must begin to take control of "our neighborhoods", specifically, long term services.   Now, stop for a moment and consider who we are battling to gain control over our lives: medically and professionally-driven service providers, together with politicians, policy makers, parents and families, bureaucrats, labor unions, corporations, well-heeled lobbyists, whole corporate-minded communities, based on profit and control.   All, and more, have been and continue to be the deeply embedded and interconnected component parts of the current delivery system that has kept and maintained disabled people always, always on the outside, used and abused as the "cash crop" for this lucrative, profit-driven system that literally harvests BILLIONS of dollars off the backs of our people, based on a depressing and dis-empowering "model" that can no longer be accepted or tolerated!   Historically, we must remember the disability rights and independent living answer to this outmoded, time-worn and dis-empowering system was to shun it; to close our eyes and make believe it doesn't exist. I wish…I wish…I wish…   People with disabilities, who want to receive services in the most integrated setting, appropriate to each individual's functional needs, should not have to ask, demand or fight for - it should just be there if that's what you choose.   We must remember that, yes, sometimes the "justice" system does come down on the side of empowerment and promotion of community living - witness written words from the 1999 OLMSTEAD decision. An anomaly no doubt, but a powerful link for breaking the historical bonds of institutionalized oppression; but also a break in the powerful funding source - Medicaid - for home and community based service delivery.   Moving our centers for independent living into service delivery means bringing all of the IL principles into the system on a day-to-day basis. People with disabilities would then be able to select, manage, train and dismiss personal attendants, no matter the severity of functional need or place of residence.   Services would be delivered to enhance the person's ability to function in the community, rather than delivered in a manner to "make" us more normal.   More precisely, this new, progressive model Kafka so clearly emboldens all to embark on, takes a social, community view of each and every service plan, with the emphasis on the recipient and not the service agent. ILCs and other progressive community-based providers can bring unique social and cultural perspectives to this delivery system.   As this new empowering model becomes more fully implemented, fine-tuned, explained in a clearly understood manner and develops a history, the delivery system will turn right side up to where people with disabilities become even more fully in control.   Armed with IL philosophical concepts, this new system can be the ideal link to empowering independent living centers and service recipients.   Now, just where does your State and ILCs fit in this new progressive paradigm?   Are there examples of what empowering service delivery can become? If so, great! If not, why not?!   Remember you have to demand a seat at the table as the regulations are cussed and discussed, written and re-written, demanding that IL philosophical concepts and principles be incorporated.   Then, you have to have the unmitigated gall to demand that the program(s) offer a 'consumer directed' component to service delivery!, and the audacity to demand, that people receiving services have a RIGHT to manage their own services!   WHAT A FOREIGN CONCEPT!, People with disabilities actually having a voice - the MAIN voice - in the delivery of services.   Standing up and making a difference in folks lives - and sending out a beacon of advocacy that says - I'LL STAND BESIDE YOU IN THE ONGOING FIGHT FOR DISABILITY RIGHTS AND FREEDOM LIVING IN OUR COMMUNITY, ACROSS THE STATE AND IN OUR COUNTRY! - that's the mission of our CILs!   These CILs, along with open minded, progressive thinking legislators, will have to struggle against the strong winds of tradition to make this empowering change happen; to assist States in moving toward implementing self-direction, or consumer direction, across our Medicaid waiver programs and, the TRULY amazing re-direction of long term service dollars in Money Follows the Person; to begin the process of moving our people to community living.   But, you know, it truly is a celebration of remembering the past in our struggle in the ongoing fight for the RIGHT of people with disabilities to live … to exist … to function in our communities as a viable part … an integral part of the fabric of this great society, and this grand experiment of tolerance and acceptance called America.   It should always a great mission for our community to be actively and directly involved in disability advocacy for progressive change; to shape and mould our own future as we see and define it, not marching to someone else's distant drum; to shed the 'lapdog' mantel that has shrouded our independent living centers since their inception - "Like SAILING in the Good  'SHIPROCK' on the TURBULENT, LIVING WATERS of ADVOCACY"! By Jim Parker, with excerpts from 'Empowered Service Deliver' by Bob Kafka Jim Parker Mon, 27 Mar 2006 00:00:00 EST http://www.lgtinc.org/articles/86/1/Eli%26%2339%3Bs-Choice Eli's Choice       Eli's Choice? Michael Bailey Portland, OR       A young man with Down syndrome "chooses" to drop out of his carefully crafted inclusion placement and opt for a self-contained classroom. The lack of social integration in high school suggests not only that his decision is correct but, indeed, inevitable. Why is that?   Is an inclusion placement impossible to implement in high school? What is inclusion anyway?   A Simple Choice   The Wall Street Journal, in a December 30, 2005 article by Amy Marcus, discusses an inclusion dilemma of a Maryland family. The article, Eli's Choice, focuses on the "choice" the 14-year-old Eli made to renounce his inclusion placement and opt, instead, for a self-contained high school placement. The article emphasizes that this is Eli's choice, made to the surprise of his family.  Eli feels lonely and isolated being the only student in his class with Down syndrome. Like all teenagers, Eli would like friends. And the friends he has are people among other students with disabilities. The "choice" is presented as a simple one. Friends vs. Social Isolation.  But, people created the customs of isolation and people have the ability to dissolve them. The article implies tacit acceptance of the barrier of social isolation. What it should have called for are creative solutions, not surrender.   Eli's mother was shocked by his choice. Her reluctance was mollified when she visited the school science fair where Eli was displaying his project. Even in that environment he asked her about his high school placement and she realized the level of his anxiety. "I really had to step back from my personal beliefs," she said.    Social Integration Presented as an Impossible Barrier   Given the results of a cited study by the Center for Social Development and Education at the University of Massachusetts in Boston, Eli's choice is presented as inevitable. The study found that social integration of students with disabilities in high school has remained "stagnant."  In spite of demonstrated success of students from inclusion placements living more independently as adults, having more friends and better jobs, the article implies that an inclusion placement is impossible, given the attitude of classmates toward kids with disabilities.   The cited study involves 5,600 seventh-grade and eighth-grade students from seventy schools across the country and concludes that while half the students said they were "willing" to interact with peers with disabilities during school hours, only one-third said they would consider social activities with them away from school. "Student attitudes continue to be the most formidable barrier to inclusion," the study concluded.   Because there is an unknown factor, in this case social acceptance, the article suggests that families are paralyzed by fear of the unknown and, if not endorsing, at least acquiescing, in more restrictive placements. The choice is portrayed as simple: a happy child is a segregated child. Segregation is reality; inclusion a mere dream.   Why the focus on negativity? The study concludes that one of three high school students are willing to socialize with disabled peers outside of school. With a little courage and creativity this is surely a fertile seed with which to grow social integration. I find the results encouraging.   But it is not simple. And Eli's choice is not a reasonable choice.       When Choice is Not Choice   My first reaction was to ask myself, "Who in the school system can make a "choice" to attend school only with people exactly like them?" The answer is, no one.  No one, that is, except kids in special education. Afro-American girls cannot choose a public school that is exclusively for Afro-American girls.   The fact that we cling to self-contained classrooms does not tell us one thing about the students in them. It only tells us that unknown factors, such as isolation, have paralyzed our collective ability to move beyond fear of the unknown and plan inclusive placements where social acceptance is a priority and not an afterthought. What is missing here is not appropriate candidates for inclusive education. What is missing is creativity.   Why is it that kids with disabilities are the only ones offered the opportunity to opt out of the real world? If a non-disabled child is struggling with algebra we don't send them a special school for math underachievers.   Inclusion is not easy. But it has been around for over thirty years and the time long ago came and went where schools and parents can honestly behave as if inclusion were a wheel that needed to be invented.  Inclusion is a model that works. Its benefits are well known. So why are we still acting like it is something so new and different that we just can't figure out a way to make it work?   The celebrated case of Brown vs. the Board of Education rejected as unconstitutional, the idea of a "separate but equal" education for children of different races. The road to racially integrated education has not been easy. We have all put a lot of effort into learning how to do it. No matter how difficult it has been, no one has suggested the option of giving children the "choice" of opting out of racially integrated education. No one is calling for a return to segregation because of difficulties with inter-racial friendships. Why is special education different?     Uninformed Choice is Not Choice   I do not criticize other parents for educational decisions they make about their child. These are personal matters best left to the judgment of families. This is not a critique of the Lewis family, who appear to be highly skilled advocates, struggling to do what is best for their son. But they should never have been forced into this sham "choice."   The bedrock principle of self-determination is choice. Implementation of self-determination is really a question of the best method to redress the historical absence of any kind of choice, for both children and adults with disabilities. Disability "services" have been created on a one-size-fits-all model, totally indifferent to choice. The paternalism of traditional service models does not allow for the possibility that someone with a disability would have either choice or the ability to exercise it. Fear of the unknown, in this case what people with disabilities would do with freedom if they had it, stopped the process in its tracks. We opted for safety over risk, and eternal childhood over the scary adventure of becoming an adult.   In our enlightened modern world "choice" has become the holy mantra of self-determination. Any flim-flam notion, dressed up as "choice," is regarded as unchallengeable. In this mode of reactive thinking, we are compelled to honor "choice."  The issue is simply tossed off onto an adolescent with a disability and, because it is his "choice," we are, somehow, expected to bow down before it.   This may or may not be a good policy for adults with disabilities. But Eli is not an adult. He is a child. Just how informed can a fourteen year old be?   What would your reaction be if your fourteen-year-old daughter with Down syndrome came home and announced that she had made a "choice" to have a baby? Or, "chosen" to become a user of marijuana? Since these things are "choice," are parents bound to accept them? Of course not.   Our whole culture is based on the belief that no fourteen year old can simply "choose" to reproduce or ruin their health with drug abuse. We recognize that childhood "choice" is an immature choice or, put another way, not an informed choice. And we override those choices everyday. We intervene, we prohibit, we monitor. What we don't do is tacitly accept destructive, bad or illegal behavior because it is a "choice." That is what parents do. Parents make choices for their children until the children become adults.               Is Inclusion a Dream?   "Inclusion," said the late Marsha Forest, "is a battle cry, a parent's cry, a child's cry to be welcomed, embraced, cherished, prized, loved as a gift, as a wonder, a treasure." Is there anything more that a parent could want for their child, disabled or non-disabled, then to be welcomed into the world, embraced by family, friends and community, cherished, prized and loved?     Inclusion, as described by Marsha, seems the panacea of normalcy that so many of us wish for our child with a disability.  Inclusion ratifies our belief that our children are normal kids with important contributions to make to our world.   In the marathon game, that raising a child with a disability has become, there is, perhaps, nothing that parent advocates strive for more than community endorsement of their child's place in the world. The first skill a parent needs is the ability to believe in their child and his or her capacity. Inclusion is a word we use to describe what is, in fact, a dream of normalcy. Normalcy may be unrealistic, and we know that, but we like to minimize differences and emphasize human similarity. The first gift of inclusion is the gift of dreaming of a world where our children belong and matter.               Dreaming is an essential part of advocacy. But inclusion must be more than a dream. A dream is imprecise. Inclusion is the opposite of exclusion. And exclusion is not what we want for our child, any child, or ourselves.               Inclusion as Philosophy   . If we want a world of inclusion, independence and opportunity for our child with a disability we must develop our own philosophy of inclusion and learn to use it .An inclusive world is a familiar place to us. Most of us have not had the experience of labeling and exclusion and, when we think of those things in relation to our child, it gives up the creeps. And it should.   The great mathematician and philosopher, Bertrand Russell, said that the principle goal of teaching philosophy is "to teach how to live without certainty and yet without being paralyzed by hesitation." Much about how we will include our child in a normal world is unknown and cannot be known. Inclusion is both philosophy and art. And, like those things, it requires creativity both to achieve and to maintain.   An essential part of the creative process is hesitation - without it, divergent thinking is impossible (and inclusion is divergent thinking) - but we need to find a way to move through the hesitation and beyond it or we risk being paralyzed by the very uncertainty that makes creativity possible.   Like any philosophy, inclusion contains inherent contradictions and it is in the mastery of the contradictions that we avoid the paralysis that Russell warns of. We would prefer a world of certainty. We would like assurance that if we do A, B and C the result for our child will always be D. But neither life, nor philosophy, comes with a guarantee. It is uncertainty that gives us the gift of creativity. And without creativity, we are lost.   A Natural and Normal Part of Life   Disability has been around since the first human walked the earth. Having Down syndrome is normal. It is time we all accept that. But it seems to be one of the last things the culture will accept. People with disabilities may appear different. They may act different. Instead of accepting those facts as just another square in the quilt of life, we have focused on differences. Why, more than a half-century after Brown, do we still maintain separate educational facilities for kids with disabilities?   Eli's choice is really Eli's dilemma. Given that we offer separate schools and classes, he must choose inclusion or separateness. That is a false choice. It should not be there for him to make.   But, we know that the choice is there and it is real. There are positive steps for social inclusion that could be tried in Eli's inclusive high school. The National Down Syndrome Society maintains an excellent web site with suggestions about how to implement social inclusion with IEP goals. This is the kind of thing that we all need to know. But we also need to remember that we are living in an artificial world. Such things as social inclusion goals would not be necessary in a world that accepts difference and diversity. We cannot create that world by dreaming. We have to make it happen.   The philosophy of inclusion is just what Russell said it would be. It presents us with a world of uncertainty. Our job is to learn to live with unanswered questions and to travel untrodden paths.   The writer, and advice-giver, Cynthia Heimel, wrote, "When in doubt make a fool of yourself. There is a microscopically thin line between being brilliantly creative and acting like the most gigantic idiot on earth. So, what the hell, leap."   Don't be stopped in the pursuit of what you think is best. Believe in your child. Believe in your family, its history and its values. Being a parent is not easy. We must balance our natural concern for our children's immediate happiness with our own responsibility to be good stewards of their childhood. There is no substitute for your judgment.   Eli made his choice. We  wish he and his family well and hope for the best.   At the same time, we do not dishonor Eli or his family, by recognizing that this "choice" should not have been presented in the first place.   We are all part of the human family, in all of its complexity, confusion and good intentions. Let's start by believing that. Let's believe in our children.      Separate but equal is a false choice. Let us work to create a world where acceptance is the norm and not the exception.   Disability will be a natural, normal and accepted part of the human condition when we all accept it without second glances or judgments. Only then will we get to make real choices and set aside for good those administrative conveniences and fears that still plague our children. It's time to move on.     Michael Bailey is the father of two teenage daughters. His 17-year-old, Eleanor, has Down syndrome. He is a member of the Board of Directors of the National Disability Rights Network.   Mr. Bailey is author of "SPECIAL EDUCATION: A Families Guide to a Child's Success," which will be published in April, 2006.                           Michael Bailey Tue, 21 Mar 2006 00:00:00 EST http://www.lgtinc.org/articles/83/1/What-We-Hunger-for What we hunger for   Those of us who make up the physically limited society of the United States would like very little from those of you who make up the able bodied society of the United States.  In actuality we hunger for only two things.  The first thing would be acceptance.  You will ask, "What do you mean by this?"  What we mean by this is your understanding that life is fragile and is filled with many painful realities.  There is nothing man can do about these realities. You cannot run from them nor hide from them.  They will always be there wherever you might travel.    Those of us who make up the society of physically limited understand we are the true representatives of reality.  This is because we have been struck by reality head on.  Meaning we have lost a limb or two, we have become paralyzed horizontally or vertically or a limitation has come in some other way.  True, the able bodied society chooses to label us in their own way by saying we are disabled or better yet handicapped.  This is why we ask those of you who are able bodied on the face of this earth, "Who on earth is able to run a one minute mile?"  No one has the ability to run a one minute mile, of course.    This is why everyone is unable to do something; therefore giving everyone a disability.  Name one person on the face of the earth who does not need something.  Again everyone is in need of something.  This is why everyone has a handicap, meaning everyone could hand their cap out for something.  Think about this; fifty thousand Americans become physically limited each year by various means.  This is just one reason the able bodied society fears reality so much.  Now, you will ask, "How can we accept you, when there is no way we can conquer our fears?"  This is how.  We want you to put forth the effort to understand although, our bodies have been weakened physically we are still human beings, just as you are.  We want you to understand our minds remain strong.  We have character, personality, wit, along with mental strength you may not want to focus on.  You will ask, "How can you carry these traits with you when your body is weak?"  The answer is simple and that is through the power of the human spirit.  You cannot understand the power of the human spirit until you are required to use your human spirit.  I challenge you to think about this.  "Life is a challenge to see what one can get out of life."  Those who are challenged more get more out of life.  If you would offer all of those who are physically limited your acceptance, you would learn one valuable lesson and that is, you do not know what you have in life until you lose it and that life is the second greatest gift of all.  You would understand that there is no definition for life and that you have no choice, but to live life day by day.  This is why we want to be known as physically limited people, not disable or handicapped people.  This is why we want you to focus on the individual that exist, not on the limitations that are present, so you can see our strengths and abilities.  If you concentrate on our limitations you will only see our weaknesses and never see are strengths.  The same goes for those who are mentally limited. They are not retarded, they are just mentally limited and please understand that is not by choice.  Since mental limitation take place from birth and not during one traveling the road called life there is absolutely no reason for fear.  It is your concentrating on their mental limitations that brings discomfort.   The second thing we want from the able bodied society is for them to give us the opportunities we deserve.  Although we are physically limited, this does not mean we are mentally limited.  We hunger to know why you can only concentrate on our physical limitations and not focus on our mental abilities.  I, myself, have been physically limited since the age of eleven from a series of hemorrhages in my brain, meaning strokes.  Finding a job for myself has always been a difficult task.  I landed my first full time job with the Georgia Department of Education in February of 1987.  I went through eleven interviews with a number of state departments before this took place.  I was very pleased to have been given a chance, for the first time.  I continued working for the state of Georgia, getting a few promotions here and there.  In January 1990 I entered Georgia State University.  On August 27, 1994, I earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in History.  By this time I was a principal clerk with the Georgia Department of Revenue Division of Motor Vehicles.  Having a college degree I thought would open many doors for me.  I applied for a number of jobs and got reply after reply, stating I was not qualified.  Then in December of 1996, I was unjustly terminated by the DMV for not making quota for title examination.  I lost my ADA law suit against the state.    I would not find another job until August of 1998.  This is when I began working for a rather large fortune 500 Company.  Now I thought I would have a chance to make a stand and rise up to new ranks.  This would never take place.  After five years of service I was laid off.  Today, I am on disability, but I am eager to go back to work.  Having been unemployed since December 2003 I have applied for over one hundred jobs.  This would include twelve with the federal Government, fifty five with the state of Georgia, fifteen with the Georgia Institute of Technology, seven with Georgia State University and the list goes on and I continue to search for an employer.  This is just one reason we want opportunity to come our way.  We want everyone to understand that a weak body can carry character along with a strong mind.  Everyone includes every potential employer in the U S.  We want you to give us the chance to prove what we are made of.  The ADA does nothing, employment wise, for those of us who are physically limited and it does very little other wise.   I hunger to see my autobiography "The Joys of Living" and "My Expressions of Life" published, not for my sake, but for the sake of mankind.  Not a day passes, when I do not think of the words President John F. Kennedy spoke at his 1960 Inauguration, "Ask not what your country can do for you, but instead ask what you can do for your country."  I simply ask, "When will you let us have the chance to do something?"    In closing here is a point to ponder "If one's mind could open as wide as one's mouth an ocean of understanding could enter".   Darrell A. Deeds March 12, 2006 Darrell Deeds Tue, 21 Mar 2006 00:00:00 EST http://www.lgtinc.org/articles/51/1/Hiring-Attendants---1999 I have found it necessary in the 5 years that I have been a recipient of the Independent Care Waiver Program to learn how to hire people my self to fill spots vacant in my shifts. I find it is better for me to always have 4 or 5 attendants to cover just in case of emergencies, car trouble, unpredictable circumstance, sickness or want for vacation. I do all my own ad placement, interview coordination, and hiring selection because I am the one who will be sharing my time with these individuals and not the case manager or provider agency who will come to know these individuals in a personable way. I think whenever possible it should be the responsibility of the consumer to fill staffing and help create their own circle of support. Having the power to hire your own staff is the most important tool a consumer can have in controlling life and surrounding environment. And as long as one has a good attitude it should never be a problem to assemble, fill, and maintain good people. I have been asked many times by others how I maintain a staff that can do the job and still have fun. So I decided to write an article to assist those of you who may need a little help in this matter. First, a positive attitude and goal oriented outlook on life will make time spent hanging out with attendants easy passing. I have been around hundreds of people with disabilities from all parts of the world and nation and find that no matter what the severity of their condition, a good attitude creates easier working conditions and better space to share than the traditional medical model of long-term care, where a person is hired because of nursing skill and not casual relating. I take pleasure in meeting potential friends and helping people out who will in turn be helping me out as well. I have moved 6 times in the past few years to different parts of the city or state and have had to transfer my help and fill staffing many times. The wording of the ad is the key that will dictate the kinds of people who will call for interview. When I place an ad I word it in such a way that will have a different feel and attract a different kind of curiosity than the regular seeking c.n.a. ad that most agencies write for their consumers. I place the ad in the general help wanted section -seeking enthusiastic individual to aid poet with disability in activities of daily living, the particular shift, the pay, if there are any benefits, and travel necessary. This kind of ad attracts both the medical I like to help kind of people and the artistically inclined person seeking new job opportunity. Poet can be replaced with student, artist, elderly, etc… depending upon the particular individual and the kind of people one is trying to attract. I put travel necessary to allow for ADAPT and recreational trips and to weed out individuals that are so committed to other routine that they are unable to spend large amounts of time with me. Travel also draws interest from many individuals seeking opportunity to get outside of the state even for a few days. Anybody can do the job what's important to me is will I be able to share good space and memory with the attendants I will soon spend more straight one-on-one time with than most married couples spend in daily routine. Whether or not they have the medical credentials, I know I have the necessary skills capable to train anybody in the particulars of my personal care. I place more importance in the feeling I have when I meet and talk to people during the initial phone dialogue and follow-up face-to-face conversation than I do if they already have prior experience in personal assistance. Once I have accumulated enough names and telephone numbers, I begin the face-to-face assessments which consequently determines who I will hire and introduce to my provider for paperwork and rest of procedures necessary to join my staff. When I do interviews with people I write down their names, phone numbers, areas where they live, whether they have reliable transportation, and if they've had any experience with people with disabilities before. I then tell them about the job requisites and what they entail. I then ask them about their interests- what movies, books, foods, artists, painters, poets, musicians, people they like... the usual hi my name is dialogue to get to know other people. I like to know what they do with their free time just to get a general feel for them as people in their own lives. After allowing them to ask me any questions about the job or interests, I let them go and wait for the next person to come. I am careful to thank each person for coming to interview and I let them know no matter if I hire them this time or not, I always keep this list for later reference. It is important to relate most everything up front especially in terms of personal care. Any expectations should be discussed and preferences shared in the face-to-face interview. Topics such as boundaries, likes, concerns, and dislikes should be openly conversed to better transition the consumer and the aid into each other's lives. Like marrying on the first date, if the consumer and hired attendant consider all measures up-front there will be less likelihood of the consumer entering into a bad situation. After all the face-to-face interviews, I call in the people I have chosen for a second face-to-face where I clear up any further confusion about the job, explaining fully the provider, procedures, pay, benefits, and every aspect of my care. Then if everything is still good, we finish the paperwork, background checks, drug tests, TBI test, first aid, and CPR. Then I train them hands-on with people I already have on staff. This way everybody gets to meet everyone else and the new people not only see the training, but do it and feel it until they have it right. This process can be simple for someone like myself who has done it dozens of times in the course of living with disability. It took me a few attempts to refine this procedure but I find it to produce very good results and have tested it in different parts of the state. The only other tips I can think of providing is, if you feel vulnerable and uneasy about inviting strangers into the household, meet them on mutual ground, a restaurant or center for independent living. For individuals that cannot verbalize clearly their wishes, handouts could be generated for potential attendants to read upon initial meeting. Topics can include responsibilities, expectations, household rules, consumer preference, duties, chores, etc. It is important too, that when the contract is drawn up between the agency, consumer, and aid, that all parties be present to consumate the deal. This gives the potential employee the idea that the consumer is responsible for their hiring and that will create respect for the consumer from the new employee. As much as it is important for consumers to hire their own employees, it is very important that the consumer be responsible for finding a provider who will treat their employees with the respect they deserve as their personal caretakers. There are providers out there that will try to milk the consumer and the employee for as much profit as they can get away with. But there are also new providers agencies out there that have the health and independence of the client in mind, knowing that how they treat their employees has as much to do with the quality of their clients health as good food or the proper medication. Next month I'll write an article that discusses my experience with providers in this state and how that got me involved with the creators of Calle Vinas, who stand to be part of the next generation of providers that last because of their understanding of good business and relationship dynamics.   Zen Garcia Sat, 18 Feb 2006 00:00:00 EST http://www.lgtinc.org/articles/46/1/Advocates-Celebrate-5th-Anniversary-of-Olmstead-Decision 47 year old, Elaine Wilson, characterized with a mild mental disability and a personality disorder, just wanted out of Georgia Regional Hospital, where she had been a mental health patient. In 1995, Wilson joined a lawsuit filed by fellow patient 31 year old, Lois Curtis, who had been diagnosed with a mild mental disability and schizophrenia. She had been institutionalized for three years at Georgia Regional before Atlanta Legal Aid lawyers filed suit in federal court in Atlanta on her behalf. Sue Jamieson, an Atlanta Legal Aid lawyer, contended that "The Americans with Disabilities Act mandates that people with disabilities get to decide if they want to live a reasonably normal life in a community setting." Jamieson's arguments had prevailed in Atlanta when U.S. District Judge Marvin Shoob first ruled in her favor and in the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals when a three-judge panel also ruled in her favor. "Certainly the denial of community placements to individuals with disabilities such as L.C. and E.W. is precisely the kind of segregation that Congress sought to eliminate," Judge Rosemary Barkett wrote in a unanimous opinion. Before the case even reached the Supreme Court both women had been released and were living successfully on their own. Wilson had taken up ceramics, crocheting and cooking while living with a roommate in College Park. While Curtis takes six classes a day at a rehabilitation center with an interest in art, a far cry from her stay at Georgia Regional, where she sat in a day room for hours at a time and smoked up to three packs of cigarettes a day. Since her release, she has stopped smoking and lives in a group home in Decatur. The case continued on to the U.S. Supreme Court because 26 states joined Georgia in its appeal and in December of 1998 the high court decided to hear the case. Tommy Olmstead, then commissioner of Georgia's Department of Human Resources with the support of past Governor Roy Barnes appealed to the Supreme Court that States have the right to continue denying community access to people with disabilities because it had been historically in the best interests of people with disabilities to receive treatment in nursing homes and mental health institutions. Olmstead feared releasing patients would jeopardize their/our receiving the proper care. When I first heard that the Olmstead vs. LC/EW case was going to be reviewed by the Supreme Court, I was a senior at Mercer University in Macon getting my degree in social work and leader of the local ADAPT advocacy group based out of Disability Connections, a middle Georgia Center of Independent Living. Bart Floyd brought it to my attention that Tommy Olmstead was a resident of Macon and lived not far from where we held our meetings. That was when we schemed doing an action at his house and confronting him face to face with the media following. It had been a month since we as MaconADAPT went up to join the Atlanta posse for a rally at 2 Peachtree- where the DMA building was, to try and get Tommy Olmstead in a meeting for dialogue about long term care in Georgia. Of course he was too busy to address us peons of society, being important has its prejudices. In fact, he had been too busy to even answer the calls I'd been making to him everyday for the then past 2 weeks since I found out he lived in Macon. I knew he wouldn't call. He thinks no one knows about what he's doing and saying, that this petition would go unnoticed, but ADAPT knew and we were here to let him know we knew. 30 strong we met the media, both local stations WMAZ 13 and FOX 24 at a nearby Dairy Queen and then converged on Tommy's Stonycreek residence armed with fluorescent signs inked in slogans of equality and civil rights for people with disabilities. We found lone car and silence as welcome to our campaign. So we lined up in front of his quiet neighborhood house, covered the street in protest, and stopped traffic while I interviewed with the media letting them know about Olmstead vs. LC/EW and Georgia's bias stance on long term care. We then decorated his mailbox and yard with signs and logo to mark our presence for his later arrival. Macon like Tommy's neighbors found out where he stood as a man on issues concerning the institutionalization of human beings based solely on disability. Macon also learned where ADAPT stood as a grass roots organization fighting for the civil rights of the elderly and disabled populations. Tommy was fired as head of the Department of Human Resources a week later. By the time the case was first argued in the Supreme Court in April of 1999, more than half the states originally lined up to back Georgia, under growing political pressure to support the concept of maximizing community placement, dropped off leaving only seven states: Colorado, Hawaii, Montana, Nevada, Tennessee, Texas, and Wyoming. Mark Johnson, advocacy coordinator for the Shepherd Center in Atlanta said, "To people with disabilities, this case is as significant as Brown vs. Board of Education was to people of color. When the ADA was passed, it was a mandate for integration. Now we've got our state challenging our right to integration." Olmstead vs. LC/EW began as a civil rights case for two women who desired life in the community and ended up being a case representing the rights of all people and symbolic of the many decades of legal government segregation and civil rights abuse. Advocates found that State's were at the same time fining nursing homes for abuse and neglect while giving them bonus for keeping the cost per resident per capita down. This caused an outcry from advocates across the Nation, who through acts of civil disobedience and loud protest drew battle lines with States to decide long term care placement. Involved with the Department of Medical Assistance's Long Term Care Advisory Board at the time, I gave many speeches in the Public Outreach Forums the DMA put on every year to assess the needs of people with disabilities. Since incurring my own disability I had noticed a cycle of misrepresentation that condemned people like myself to nursing home placement. In these forums I declared on several occasions, "It is not a lack of money that is the central issue when it comes to long term care but whether state's and corporations have the right to profit at the expense of the people."   Zen Garcia Sat, 18 Feb 2006 00:00:00 EST http://www.lgtinc.org/articles/45/1/Results-of-The-Long-Road-Home-II---June-2005 Sunday June 19th, 17 vehicles carried 55 marchers from 6 regions of the state to Gracewood Regional Hospital, a last vestige institution that would have been closed down if it were not for some parents of residents opposed to shutting its doors. The state of Georgia supports legislation which can lock us up, segregate us, and detain us for someone else's profit. They can place us on feeding tubes out of convenience to nursing home and hospice staffs. They then can withhold food and water, forcing people with disabilities through the most torturous and horrific experience of dying that even our nation's worst criminals and animals are protected from. Things here and all across the country must change. Like some ghetto run public housing the government provides to the poorest of the poor, Gracewood was an old run-down, near should be condemned soon, if not already institution still profiting at the expense of 250-275 people confined there. They locked down the facility and closed doors trying to keep people separate from the message we were trying to bring. We slithered down every road leading past every wing shouting messages of hope to our brothers and sisters incarcerated because of cruel legislation. We began our march here because we wanted those confined there to know that they too could live similar lives of freedom and independence. We wanted them to know that there were people on the outside who did care about their ordeal even if their own families did not; that state and national efforts were happening on their behalf to free them from situation. We wanted them to hear us so that they would ask what was going on outside of the four walls that had segregated them from the rest of life for so long. We wanted them to ask how we had gained our own freedom, how we had taken control of our own lives. We wanted them, more than anything to question the relevance of the system that continues to isolate them from the rest of the world. We wanted them to challenge the authority binding them there in that institution. We wanted them to demand justice be served for in questioning their circumstance, realities could then begin to change. People introduced to hope, begin to hope themselves. When prisoners learn of a way to escape to freedom, that escape that freedom becomes the focus of being; to know there is a chance is to know there is possibility. It's time for governing bodies to do the right thing and set our people free. 30 residents of Gracewood demanded access to community after our march. Monday, June 20th was mostly a chill day wherein those who had been part of the movement for some time could over meal share story with those new to disability and our push for civil rights. Walton Options hosted a grill out to celebrate the 15th anniversary of the passing of the Americans with Disabilities Act. On Tuesday, June 21st, Georgia ADAPT was escorted by the State Patrol as march from the student dorms at the University of Georgia to City Hall for a meeting with Athens Mayor Heidi Davison, who agreed to work with us on future occasion to strengthen Athens as a model city for all people with disabilities. She also agreed to call the Governor on our behalf. We then marched to Broad Street for an ADA rally in which Vicci Decker from the Institute of Human Development and Disability, Marc Christensen from People First, Peggy Chavis from Multiple Choices, and Doug Hatch from ADAPT and I from Endeavor Freedom each gave speech. We then lit candles and together ignited an ADA torch promising to work to form a broader coalition with all other disability rights groups in Athens. Later that evening a reception was held for former residents of River's Crossing followed by a candle light vigil to honor ADAPT supporters who had died in the last 6 years. Wednesday, June 22nd, the 6th Anniversary of the landmark U.S. Supreme Court decision Olmstead vs. LC/EW began with a rally at the King Center in Atlanta where Lois Curtis was presented an award. We were then privileged to hear an inspiring speech from Fred Taylor, a contemporary and fellow marcher of Martin Luther King. He invigorated us with message of universal struggle in which those opposed have always had to rise up in defiance of powerful odds, to fight for their God given right to freedom. Even in our country where we have from inception had recognized articles protecting the liberties of certain citizens and rights as human beings, many minorities have still had to fight for their inalienable and deserved rights to be included under those articles. Native Americans, African Americans, women, Latinos, disabled, gays and every other minority have found it of vital necessity to rise up against the tyrannical policies of biased government considered justifiable by law. Government does not give us liberty freely; citizens must demand liberty from government. Fred let us know that we were just a part of the many peoples which had been abandoned and victimized over the years by accepted policy; we were just another part of a long and continuous history of public injustice. Terry Schindler Schiavo was just another in a long line of public lynching. After marching from the King Center to the Capitol in Atlanta we were met by Senator Adelman, who gave inspiring speech in support of Olmstead, MiCASSA, and Money Follows the Person. Samuel Mitchell and I then gave speech to rally the troops and prepare them to step it up as stepping it up was necessary otherwise we would always be stepped on and continually squashed by a callous, unjust system which doles out life sentences to people who have committed no crime beyond being disabled by circumstance. We then went inside and gathered beneath the capitol rotunda preparing for an assault on the Governor's office. Before action could begin Abel Ortiz came out to speak to the group and made excuses about why the governor and staff did not participate in the 6th anniversary celebration. More empty rhetoric lead to heckling by our group until noticeably disturbed, he fled like a coward, sensitive to the ferocity of our demands. We then charged toward the governor's office to demand proper respect. We flooded all sides of his office until we had every door blocked with associates of the governor trapped inside and unable to leave. We chanted, "Just like a nursing home you can't get out" as we effectively disrupted their appointments, there would be no business as usual. If they wanted to make all of there regularly scheduled meetings, they would have to settle our grievances quickly. One part of our posse followed me, made up mainly of old school Macon and some old and new school Athens people; we took the right side of the office as Kate, Mark, and Sammy lead assaults on the other entrances/exits. Christy and I backed in tight against the door while Darlene Coggins, Julie Prough, Mark Dyer, Jack Nicholson, Tyrone Johnson, and Dano Blaxton crowded in around us to create further impediment for the authorities. There was a thousand pounds of motorized wheelchair blockading any departure from the governor's office. We would be a formidable barrier to removal as later turned out to be the case once Capitol police realized we were not moving willingly. It took a forceful display from authority to even begin to budge us as officers strained and tugged against the weight of our chairs locked in place and our group's sheer desire to hold on to each other at all costs against them. We had situated ourselves in a way that all of us could lean forward towards center and lock on to each other; this made it that much more difficult for officers to remove us as barrier. Each time they tried to pry one of us away, we just tighten our grips on the remaining members of the group determined not to lose another of the pack. As they were yanking Jack back away from the group, Darlene, Julie, and Mark leaned towards Christy and I, and we assembled ourselves into a circle of interlocking arms. The police yanked and tugged trying to separate us from each other. Julie was dropped to the floor as some officers pulled on the frames of chairs and some move us bodily. They grew furious in opposition to our defiance. Once it got to be just Christy and I, we were that much more determined to hold on and not let them break our link to each other. We did not want them to defeat us wholly. Finally with assistance from other Atlanta city officers, they were able to succeed in removing us as a barrier to the normal routine of state business. However, it was not until we had already been promised two meetings - one the following July 5th in time for celebrating the ADA and one next October 5th in time for National Disability Employment Month. I was proud of the way that Georgia Adapt came together. Nobody backed down when it came time to escalate our demands. We projected a united front and that is why we succeeded. The further government can divide people from each other the easier for them to subject us to their desires and wishes, imposing on us rules and regulations which may not be beneficial for the people. It is when people come together in recognition of their similarities rather than their differences that we can unite in true strength with the power of mass numbers. We control their right to govern and if they cannot govern and conduct themselves in a way that honors the edicts and will of the people; it is the duty of the people to remove them from office. Sonny, consider yourself forewarned and tell your friends they are not immune to being targeted by our group. The people united will never be defeated. Update: www.endeavorfreedom.org - Georgia ADAPT met with Able Ortiz We met with Abel Ortiz today and went through the list of demands that we had generated for the Long Road Home campaign. We discussed many ways to empower individuals with disabilities, while, at the same time, reducing the Medicaid burden of the state. It was discussed how nursing homes have become dumping grounds for people who have no more family supports and nowhere left to go. Many of them are able bodied and do not even need an Independent Care Waiver to give them access to personal freedoms and their own independence. We discussed several models of leading states and how they were able to generate and enormous cost reduction to the long term care budget by moving to a model which fully implements community based services so that people are supported, families are supported before being forced through institutionalization. All of us felt really good about how the meeting took place and how it unfolded. A lot of good dialogue was shared with many significant points being revealed on both sides. Now that the groundwork has been laid, we will see what kind of action the state puts behind their promises. For our friends camped out in the Tennessee Governor's office for the 16th day, Georgia ADAPT supports your every effort. We stand with you in citizenship to hold accountable politicians who think they can sell us out our lives without a challenge to the corporate powers influencing legislation. Civil disobedience is the last option of a group which can no longer stay idly by allowing them free reign over our lives. Like Tim Wheat said, "This is true democracy in action." - www.mcil.org Zen Garcia Fri, 17 Feb 2006 00:00:00 EST http://www.lgtinc.org/articles/41/1/What-We-Hunger-for   Those of us who make up the physically limited society of the United States would like very little from those of you who make up the able bodied society of the United States.  In actuality we hunger for only two things.  The first thing would be acceptance.  You will ask, "What do you mean by this?"  What we mean by this is your understanding that life is fragile and is filled with many painful realities.  There is nothing man can do about these realities. You cannot run from them nor hide from them.  They will always be there wherever you might travel.    Those of us who make up the society of physically limited understand we are the true representatives of reality.  This is because we have been struck by reality head on.  Meaning we have lost a limb or two, we have become paralyzed horizontally or vertically or a limitation has come in some other way.  True, the able bodied society chooses to label us in their own way by saying we are disabled or better yet handicapped.  This is why we ask those of you who are able bodied on the face of this earth, "Who on earth is able to run a one minute mile?"  No one has the ability to run a one minute mile, of course.    This is why everyone is unable to do something; therefore giving everyone a disability.  Name one person on the face of the earth who does not need something.  Again everyone is in need of something.  This is why everyone has a handicap, meaning everyone could hand their cap out for something.  Think about this; fifty thousand Americans become physically limited each year by various means.  This is just one reason the able bodied society fears reality so much.  Now, you will ask, "How can we accept you, when there is no way we can conquer our fears?"  This is how.  We want you to put forth the effort to understand although, our bodies have been weakened physically we are still human beings, just as you are.  We want you to understand our minds remains strong.  We have character, personality, wit, along with much strength you may not want to focus on.  You will ask, "How can you carry these traits with you when your body is weak?"  The answer is simple and that is through the power of the human spirit.  You cannot understand that until you are required to use it.  I challenge you to think about this.  Life is a challenge to see what one can get out of life.  Those who are challenged more get more out of life.  If you would offer your acceptance, you would learn one valuable lesson and that is, you do not know what you have in life until you lose it.  This is why we want to be known as physically limited people, not disable or handicapped people.  This is why we want you to focus on the individual, so you can see our strengths and abilities.  If you concentrate on our limitations you will only see our weaknesses.  The same goes for those who are mentally limited. They are not retarded, they are just mentally limited.   The second thing we want from the able bodied society is for them to give us the opportunities we deserve.  Although we are physically limited, this does not mean we are mentally limited.  We hunger to know why you can only concentrate on our physical limitations and not focus on our mental abilities.  I, myself, have been physically limited since the age of eleven from a series of hemorrhages in my brain, meaning strokes.  Finding a job for myself has always been a difficult task.  I landed my first full time job with the Georgia Department of Education in February of 1987.  I was very pleased to have been given a chance, for the first time.  I continued working for the state of Georgia, getting a few promotions here and there.  In January 1990 I entered Georgia State University.  In August of 1994, I earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in History.  By this time I was a principal clerk with the Georgia Department of Revenue Division of Motor Vehicles.  Having a college degree I thought would open many doors for me.  I applied for a number of jobs and got reply after reply, stating I was not qualified.  Then in December of 1996, I was unjustly terminated by the DMV for not making quota.  I lost my ADA law suit against the state.    I would not find another job until August of 1998.  This is when I began working for a rather large fortune 500 Company.  Now I thought I would have a chance to make a stand and rise up to new ranks.  This would never take place.  After five years of service I was laid off.  Today, I am on disability, but I am eager to go back to work.  Having been unemployed for eighteen months I have applied for over one hundred jobs.  This would include twelve with the federal Government, forty five with the state of Georgia, four with the Georgia Institute of Technology, five with Georgia State University and the list goes on.  This is just one reason we want opportunity to come our way.  We want everyone to understand that a weak body can carry character along with a strong mind.  Everyone includes every potential employer in the U S.  We want you to give us the chance to prove what we are made of.  The ADA does nothing, employment wise, for those of us who are physically limited.  I hunger to see my autobiography "The Joys of Living" published, not for my sake, but for the sake of mankind.  Not a day passes, when I do not think of the words President John F. Kennedy spoke at his 1960 Inauguration, "Ask not what your country can do for you, but instead ask what you can do for your country."  I simply ask, "When will you let us have the chance to do something?"    In closing here is a point to ponder "If one's mind could open as wide as one's mouth an ocean of understanding could enter".   Darrell A. Deeds Darrell Deeds Fri, 17 Feb 2006 00:00:00 EST http://www.lgtinc.org/articles/32/1/The-Significance-of-the-Downing-Street-Memo-for-People-with-Disabilities The government has been run so poorly since Bush Jr. took office, he surpassed all 204 Presidents before him in adding to the national debt. Our country will raise our debt ceiling to 11 trillion dollars promising to spend money forced on the backs of our children's children who are expected somehow to repay it back. Because of the flow of money being used to fund the wars on terror, States are hard-pressed to reform budgets and justify spending. The loudest call being demanded by the White House is to cut Medicaid programs, which directly affect the poorest of the poor: the elderly, the disabled, the impoverished. People in my situation are dependent on government assistance, penalized if we work, our benefits immediately cut should we attempt to increase income above the poverty norm people with disabilities have learned to survive within. Forced to live below the poverty line, many are barely holding on to life in the community, struggling just to manage. States are now being asked by Bush Jr. to impose cutting certain coverage in how the Medicaid program delivers assistance to those that need and deserve it the most. Cuts are being forced on programs already overburdened by populations waiting years on lists just trying to get access to services which will enable their freedom, dignity, and independence. The Veterans Administration is also strapped for funding having had a billion dollars shed from its budget just last year and at a time when tens of thousands of soldiers are returning from war with what will be serious lifelong disabilities. Unable to find help through an ailing VA system, this huge population of medically deserving soldiers will filter onto Medicaid and Medicare, creating more strain on an already incapable long term care delivery system. Already cruel hardships are being imposed to address the incapacity of Medicaid, Medicare to handle the growing populations of elderly and people with disabilities in our country. Children born with disabilities such as Down's syndrome or Spina Bifida are routinely being disconnected from emergency care and life sustaining foods and hydration. I have already documented in my article, "The Dangers Of Being An Organ Donor" how the elderly and people with disabilities are quietly being euthanized as the cost of health care increases. Governors of states like Illinois and Tennessee are openly denying access to emergency treatment, such as feeding tubes and ventilators, for people considered too expensive to continue coverage for by the State - items which directly support life for so many like ventilators and feeding tubes. The Governors refuse to even meet with those impacted by their callous policies. We were forced in Georgia to block off the exit and entrances leading to the Governor's office, trapping him and his staff inside until he agreed to meet with us. At the same time in Tennessee local disability activists took over the governor's office for a month just trying to get the governor to discuss alternatives to just expecting this population of individuals to disappear. Every night citizens of Memphis came out to support activists and pressure the Governor. He means for these people to simply disappear, die quietly somewhere one by one. The cost of the wars on terror, are directly linked to the suffering being imposed on the domestic agenda here in our country that is why it is of utmost importance that people with disabilities and all Americans understand the significance of the Downing Street Memo, a leaked super secret memo of minutes from meetings between President Bush and Prime Minister Blair which in essence show that Bush had set his mind to invade Iraq, even before the Security Council met at the United Nations and Congress had given him the power to war. A careful study of the Iraq war timeline proves in fact that plans to invade Iraq had been constructed even before Bush Jr. took office in 2000. I wrote about the pre-9/11 Cheney Energy Task Force which targeted Iraq's oilfields as imperative to the National Security of the United States of America. When asked in the Rose Garden about the Downing Street Memo soon after the leak, caught off guard Bush and Blair danced around the question until they managed to say in doublespeak "We only wanted war as a last resort," rather than deny the existence of the minutes. Reading the Downing Street Memos, we see that they had decided for war and knew that they would have to "fix the facts around the policy" since Britain was still bound by the International Criminal Court and could be charged for war crimes if the invasion was found unjustified. Deciphered, it means, "Lie as much as necessary to lay the groundwork for war using fear as a catalyst to deceive the American and British people to support an unjustifiable illegal war of conquest" - a clear and defined war crime according to the Nuremburg Trials and the Geneva Convention. Congressman John Conyers convened a meeting about The Downing Street Memo aired on C-SPAN proves Bush and Blair acted in a unilateral unwarranted act of aggression against a sovereign nation. War was not the last resort, but rather decided and then supported by a pack of lies to be perpetuated by the likes of Judith Miller and other American media in bed with government to instill fear into the American people of the so called threat of Saddam Hussein's nuclear program, bioweapon program, connection to Al Qaeda, and connection to 9/11, which all turned out to be bald-faced lies. Over 800 billion dollars has gone into forcing democracy and occupation on the Afghani and Iraqi people. During this time the American people who require the assistance of government programs just to be able to live in poverty, are asked to do without. The most expensive recipients such as ventilator quadriplegics are now being asked to simply disappear or make it the best way they can, often with no support at all. Those that do not have family support are being forced into nursing homes where they suffer literally unto the death. There is a direct correlation between the lack of government support in our country for those that need it the most and the flood of money leaving our country supporting what now is undeniably illegal wars of conquest benefiting corporations awarded multi-billion dollar no-bid contracts at the expense of both the Iraqi and American people. We saw, in the government's response to Hurricane Katrina, how people were left, in the streets, thirsty, hungry, dying of the heat, after following the directions of authorities. We now know that FEMA deliberately sabotaged all efforts from outside individuals to assist the victims struggling to make it a single moment more. Bush and Cheney did not even end their vacations to address the dire situation unfolding in New Orleans. Condoleeza Rice was booed in New York while shopping, amusing herself, buying shoes. She was booed out of an evening of entertainment taking in a play. The disaster illustrated so effectively why all Americans and especially people with disabilities must support the Anti-war movement. We cannot support people at home and at the same time fight a nameless faceless war on terror that Cheney claims will not end in our lifetimes especially when research into the war on terror points to Al-Qaeda being an asset of Western intelligence agencies namely the CIA, MI6, and Mossad ever since the muhjadeen where financed to fight the Soviets. There are high level people in all three governments who have come forward linking government sponsored terror to the war on terror. This knowledge is being brought forth more and more everyday and has everything to do with the still ongoing Chicago grand jury Patrick Fitzgerald investigation into the outing of covert CIA agent Valerie Plame. Plame was ousted by high level government officials and may lead to the indictments of Karl Rove and Scooter Libby the counsels for the President and Vice-President. We must end this war and support the domestic agenda, supporting the American people, which suffer indignation daily. We must then without question rid the government of those people who lied, deceived, and coerced the American people and Congress into supporting those illegal wars. The American people are less safe now than we were on the days before 9/11/2001. The borders are still wide open, most of the goods coming into our country are not checked, all of the baggage from airplane travel is not checked. What is wrong with the picture here? Why is America supposed to expand freedom and democracy to the rest of the world, when America can't even take care of its own in a time of crisis? Disaster preparedness is what the taxpayers' money should have supported, but instead, time and time again, money was diverted away from fixing and strengthening the levies in New Orleans, a known disaster waiting to happen. Instead time and time again money was diverted from the levees to fund the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. This administration has involved our country in wars of conquest and occupation of other peoples' lands. They have destroyed our reputation by not working with allies to peaceably deal with Saddam Hussein and by involving our troops in torture said to not be the policy until Bush threatened to veto the Senate's Anti-Torture Bill because he says we must be able to torture 'insurgents' to get the answers we need, when everyone knows people will say anything they can to just not be tortured. The same handful of sweetheart companies hired for huge no-bid contracts in Iraq have now reaped multimillion dollar no-bid contracts to rebuild New Orleans as a casino city devoid of the soul that made New Orleans internationally known - the people mostly poor which have been displaced and now are being left out of city planning. Local communities, contractors all heard Bush promise that the money would reach the people on the ground wondering what next to do, having just lost everything they knew before. The next day Haliburton was awarded a 30 million dollar no bid contract. Unless we end the wars, and stop the flood of money out of our country, the long-term care situation in American will continue worsening as more and more people are labeled too expensive to support. Families will be forced into making the worst kinds of decisions like do we okay the hospital providing emergency treatment for a loved one or simply allow them to die so the family will not be forced to incur the debt from such procedures. Programs domestically are breaking down and people are being denied their right to simply be. We have been asked to do without and now we are being asked to die, as State governments okay Medicaid cuts which slash vital services which keep many people alive. The acceptable norm is now to allow people, elderly and those with disabilities, to pass often horrifically from starvation/dehydration in hospitals, hospices and nursing homes. Here we live in the richest country in the world and yet our for-profit health care system, fails to provide coverage for over half of our residents. People are being forced into bankruptcy just trying to pay for health care. Our government does not even provide universal healthcare for all people. If it fails in that one single service, then it has failed as a system and must be changed. It is we the people who will continue to suffer egregiously, purposely deleted, and targeted as a population ripe for organ harvest. Hospitals now profit more from a patient's death than in aiding a person to life. We are living in a nightmare, and to think it is unfolding in America! This nightmare is far from over, and it is becoming public knowledge that bodies and fetuses from abortion clinics are harvested for their parts and sold for high dollar. What kind of world are we living in? Wake up, people! If we are to take care of ourselves, and address the needs of this country, then all the wars we are involved in outside of our country must end so that we can do the work that must be done here. We must first rid Congress, the White House, and the Judicial Branches of the corrupt forces which do not have the good of the people in mind. We are at war people with forces inside our own government. We are living in a fascist state and the sooner you people realize this the quicker we can resolve the issues facing us as a country. Know your enemy. Zen Garcia Wed, 08 Feb 2006 00:00:00 EST http://www.lgtinc.org/articles/29/1/Record-Defense-Budget%2C-Tax-Cuts-for-the-Wealthy-Could-%3D-Death-for-Many-Americans-Dependent-on-Medicaid-Medicare-VA-Recipients Zen Garcia - February 7, 2006 United States Budget People with disabilities are increasingly being put at risk by the Bush administrations focus on funding the 'war on terror' and the development of a 'police state' in America. "While the Pentagon budget is soaring, the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, warns that President Bush is proposing to make cuts in hundreds of domestic programs. This includes education programs, environmental protection programs, numerous programs to assist low-income families, children, and elderly and disabled people, and research related to cancer, heart disease, and other medical conditions. In one case, the Center estimates 420,000 low-income seniors will lose food assistance from the Commodity Supplemental Food Program." The 'war on terror' is simply fueling the terrorists and providing them with massive recruitment opportunities especially when you take into account the torture being perpetuated on muslims as a 'tool' in this war on terror. Homeland Security is doing nothing more than striping Americans of our constitutionally guaranteed rights and civil protections in the name of security. The President's authorization to spy on Americans (mostly anti-war groups which let's you know who the government thinks the enemy is) is currently being hotly debated in congressional hearings as the execuative branch tries to establish dictatorial powers overthrowing constitutional balance in the branches of government. Most important to Bush Jr. is funding wars of occupation which the American people were purposefully deceived and tricked by lie into supporting. We should be impeaching the President over his refusal to explain the Downing street Memo not authorizing further funding especially when it is now known that over 8.8 billion dollars of tax-payers money simply disappeared and ten's of hundred of millions of dollars were squandered through elaborate schemes to defraud the American tax-payer and the Iraqi citizens who were suppossed to benefit from our assistance. The Pentagon budget for the financial year beginning on 1 October boosts current spending on defense by 6.9 percent, bringing the total amount spent on the military to a record $439.3 billion. Under the proposed budget, defense spending will increase nearly 7 percent to $440 billion. If approved the Pentagon's budget will become 45 percent larger than when Bush took office five years ago. One recent estimate put the cost of the Iraq war at $100,000 every minute. In 2 reports one by Truthout the other by MSNBC details of the plots are detailed including one agent who kept almost $700,000 in cash in an unlocked footlocker and mentions the assistant to the U.S. military coach for an Iraqi sports team gambled away as much as $60,000 in reconstruction funds in the Philippines, poor control over an oil pipeline repair contract that resulted in more than $3 million in overcharges, including billing for work not done. Other details include how investigators reviewed 43 contracts and found 29 had incomplete or missing documentation. For each of the 29, "We were unable to determine if the goods specified in the contract were ever received, the total amount of payments made to the contractor or if the contractor fully complied with the terms of the contract." An example cited, a contract for 15 double-cab pickup trucks for an Iraqi police department paid $87,500 before the trucks were delivered and an additional $100,000 without getting written records that the trucks arrived at the police department. In an article called "Staggering Amount of Cash Missing in Iraq" Three U.S. senators have called on Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld to account for 8.8 billion dollars entrusted to the Coalition Provisional Authority (CPA) in Iraq that is now missing. They pointed to "disturbing findings" from the inspector general's report that the payrolls of some Iraqi ministries, then under CPA control, were padded with thousands of ghost employees. They refer to an example in which CPA paid the salaries of 74,000 security guards although the actual number of employees could not be validated. The report says that in one case some 8,000 guards were listed on a payroll but only 603 real individuals could be counted. Haliburton overbilled American tax-payers $199 million dollars charging $50 dollars an hour to employees paid less than $5 dollars an hour in Iraq. Investigators looking into Haliburton fraud in Iraq could not track down 52 of 164 randomly selected items in an inventory of more than 20,000 items overseen by KBR, a subsidiary of Halliburton. The missing items included two electric generators worth nearly $1 million, 18 trucks or sport utility vehicles and six laptop computers. Auditors were unable to account for $97 million of the $120 million in Iraqi oil revenues earmarked for rebuilding projects. We are wasting millions probably billions of dollars in occupying Iraq and Afghanistan when it is clear we are not wanted there(Iraqi poll Afghani poll) and all the while the borders are wide open with terrorists elements killing Americans right here in our own country but you don't hear the media talking about that. These wars risk bankrupting our nation with both the trade deficit and national debt at record all time highs. This President has borrowed more money than all other President's combined. Bush has declared a war on the American poor and middle class calling for a reduction in 'non-discretionary spending' while at the same time increasing Defense spending to record levels. People with disabilities are being forced into poverty, starvation, and death while the Pentagon and Defense Department don't even have to account for the billions of dollars they squander. Bush Jr. claims he will spurn the economy by making permanent the tax-cuts he proposed back in 2001. However careful study of making permanent the proposed tax-cuts benefit only the wealthiest of Americans. In an article entitled "The Cost of Tax Cuts" put out by 2 senior economists at the Brookings Institute shows how detrimental the effects will be to our countries revenue intake and how the brunt of these tax-breaks will be deferred to the working class. William G. Gale and Peter R. Orszag claim, "Making the tax cuts permanent would generate large, backloaded revenue losses over the next 10 years. Combined with a minimal but necessary fix to the government's Alternative Minimum Tax, making the tax cuts permanent would reduce federal revenues by almost $1.8 trillion over 10 years - and that's in addition to the $1.7 trillion of revenue losses already locked into law. By 2014, the annual revenue loss would amount to $400 billion, or 2 percent of gross domestic product - almost the size of this year's federal budget deficit." " Paying for the tax cuts would require monumental reductions in spending or increases in other taxes. To offset the revenue losses in 2014 would require, for example, a 48 percent reduction in Social Security benefits, a 57 percent cut in Medicare benefits, or a 117 percent increase in corporate taxes. Over the long run, making the tax cuts permanent would cost as much as repairing the shortfalls in the Social Security and Medicare Hospital Insurance trust funds. Thus, to the extent that Social Security and Medicare are considered major long-term fiscal problems, making the tax cuts permanent should be seen as creating a fiscal problem of equivalent magnitude. Making the tax cuts permanent would be regressive; that is, it would confer by far the biggest benefits on high-income taxpayers. Once plausible methods of financing the tax cuts are taken into account, more than three-quarters of households are likely to end up worse off than they would have been if the tax cuts had never taken effect." They end their Report with, "The 2001 tax cut was a centerpiece of President Bush's electoral campaign in 2000, and much of the 2003 tax cut was a partial acceleration of the 2001 tax cut. Now the administration proposes making these tax cuts permanent. It is astonishing that, more than four years after the proposal was first made public, the administration has still not released an analysis of the plan's long-term economic effects, or even a statement of how it intends to pay for the tax cuts. Even supporters of the tax cut would presumably like to know the answers to those questions." The President's just released 2007 year budget recommends at least a 5 percent increase for Homeland Security up from this year's funding of $30.8 billion. Similarly, the budget will contain an increase of nearly 5 percent in the Pentagon's funding for next year. The $439.3 billion includes $84.2 billion for weapons systems, an 8 percent increase in weapons spending. Not wanting to limit his budgret, it does not even include the military expenditures being expended in the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.. The Pentagon announced it intends to ask Congress for an additional $120 billion -- not contained in the new spending plan -- to help pay for the wars this year and next. Both Medicare and Medicaid are being slashed significantly putting at risk people with disabilities and the poorest of the poor. Medicare spending is being reduced by $36 billion by 2011 -- and by $105 billion a decade from now. About $20 billion of the $36 billion would come from reducing automatic payment increases to hospitals and other institutional providers, such as ambulance services and skilled-nursing facilities, while the rest would be spread among other forms of care. The Medicare spending slowdown over the next 5 years Bush envisions is larger than the $6.4 billion in Medicare reductions that Congress approved after intense political fighting, in the current year's budget. Medicaid, Congress agreed would be cut by $4.7 billion, less than half what the White House requested last year. The Government Accountability Office (GAO) at the behes of Vetertans' Affairs Chairman Steve Buyer (R-Ind.), reported findings that found unrealistic assumptions, errors in estimates, insufficient data, and an unresponsive budget model contributed to health care funding shortfalls at the Department of Veterans Affairs in fiscal years 2005 and 2006. Certain categories of care that required additional funding not included in the initial budget recommendations for the VA, were care for returning veterans of the war on terror, funding for long-term care, and care for higher priority patients - essentially those who have service-connected disabilities, have special disabilities, such as spinal cord injuries, and the indigent. Learning of these and other shortfalls, Chairman Buyer began the effort that provided VA $1.5 billion in supplemental funding for 2005, with unused funds available for this year. The VA was unable to use the sum total of appropriations requested and therfore rolled over more than a billion dollars into 2006. I have heard from Veteran's on the ground here in the States that the VA is denying veterans care. Let them know that you know they have a surplus and see what they say. In a press briefing at the Pentagon, U.S. Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld said the record amount allocated for defense in the 2007 budget proposal submitted to Congress on 6 February would be used to boost the United States' ability to both fight unconventional terrorism and win conventional wars. "The president's budget request for the Department of Defense represents an increase over last year. It reflects what we believe should be the country's national-security priorities, namely to help defend the United States of America and the American people and their interests, to give flexibility to commanders, to prepare for both conventional and unconventional or irregular warfare, and, importantly, to work closely with partner nations." However, what he did not say was that most Americans feel we are less safe now than before September 11th happened and that the war on terrorism as it is being fought right now does nothing more than breed terrorism and set-up the conditions which only increase terrorism world-wide. Just look at what is happeneing on the border here in the states. People with disabilities and all americans must demand oversight and an accurate accounting of the mone