http://www.lgtinc.org en-us http://www.lgtinc.org N/A contact@lgtinc.org Fri, 30 Jul 2010 09:54:47 EDT 20 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/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/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/140/1/Survey-of-Human-Resource-Professionals A recent research study found that nearly half of the 200 human resources representatives surveyed in metro Atlanta said, "Disabled persons cannot adequately perform required work duties."  Story at http://jobnews.ajcjobs.com/news/content/careercenter/articles/2006_0507_diverse1.html Mark Johnson Sat, 01 Jul 2006 00:00:00 EDT http://www.lgtinc.org/articles/66/1/Daring-To-Dream People with disabilities need to determine their mission in life and create careers based on their passion and what they love to do.  This is true of everyone, of course.  But people with disability experience specific oppression which makes it more challenging.  This article gives specific examples of how the oppression hurts us and how we can find our power, our passion, and our mission despite the specific problems. Dale Brown Thu, 02 Mar 2006 00:00:00 EST http://www.lgtinc.org/articles/47/1/President-Clinton%26%2339%3Bs-Proclamation-for-National-Disability-Employment-Awareness-Month---1999 Summer fades to memory as the cool hand of fall returns to the scene. Children return from morning retreats just in time for after school snacks and play outside. My chair leans my head against a pole while I watch the complex interaction of people and environment. Warmth still holding, the day buzzes with activity as families interact courting children the best way they know how. Single mothers walk their young down sidewalk streets to check the mail. I live in Section 8 and all around me I see people living in some sense of poverty requiring labor beyond 40 hours a week. Some individuals work two jobs with spousal support and still can't maintain steady wage. I see frustration on people's brows, headaches in their minds, and nervousness in their walks. It seems so many people are strapped in desperate situations, needing and seeking jobs; not even jobs to fulfill interest, but jobs simply to pay bills and get food on the table. Society categorizes me as low earning potential because for quadraplegics self-preservation can be a difficult task. I think about my friends in similar situations-- baseline poverty, on government assistance, and looking for some way out. In a world where we are the last in line even with the testimony of paper degrees, where can we go and what can we do to force changes in attitudes which would open more doors to opportunity? Those with disabilities even lucky enough to live in the community are not necessarily granted access to its facility. Barriers remain and are everyday a certainty in life. I have come to be quick at adaptation and macgyvering situations to accommodate need, but I know many wouldn't have the confidence needed to challenge and advocate for accessibility in public situations. I feel all of us must become more confident in demanding civil liberty. It is up to me and you to speed up the change that will affect things on a grand scale. In order for the spirit of the Americans with Disabilities Act to be mirrored into our everyday realities, people with disabilities must go forward educated in rights and become the statement for equality the world will notice. "At a time when the unemployment rate in our Nation is at the lowest level in a generation-4.2 %-- a staggering 75% of Americans with Disabilities remain unemployed, even though the vast majority of them want to work" It was always up to us, to foster inclusion into our own lives and the lives of our children. We must break down the obstacles which obstruct the classroom and the world around. We must create inclusion which does not just assist in access but fosters interaction with life and culture. It is up to us as parents, people living with and associated to disability, to educate ourselves, and face the barriers which distort inclusion. We must compromise fair equality, by demanding access considered a privilege until it becomes a right. Every minority in America different in race, sex, or creed has had to fight and unite against the established powers that be. It will be no different for people with disabilities. There will be loss of life, silent suffering, and friends losing the battle. We will be beaten, spit on, and locked up. But in the end, we will prevail as we are prevailing now. Clinton ended his speech with, "Putting an end to negative attitudes and shattering destructive stereotypes will require the concerted efforts of all sectors of society. Until we integrate Americans with disabilities as full participants in our social fabric, we will never reach our employment goals." I am glad that Clinton recognized our hunger to be in the work force and to earn wages without the potential loss of Medicaid/Medicare benefits. It sucks when we as a group have been forced to choose between health care coverage or employment. But none of this focus on work or jobs can really matter if people with disabilities are denied the basic right to life outside of institutional settings. You like myself are only getting older, and none of us ever wish to experience being warehoused for age or disability. We must work to "Unlock the Waiting Lists" plaguing every State and pass MICASSA on a National level to generate alternatives to institutionalization which will get people out in the community to start confronting the obstacles which promote separation of any people to life full of diversity. We must commit to reducing the boundaries which disclude any individuals because of difference. Disability will never go away or disappear. We as citizens cannot any longer allow ourselves to remain shoved in the dark recesses of society. We need freedom and freedom must be earned, fought, and died for. The Americans with Disabilities Act guarantees inclusion and Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, the right to proper education. Those tools already in place by federal legislation will allow for our culture to demand judicially fair access and equality. This then will create the pride necessary to redefine disability in mainstream culture. Disability is nothing to be shameful about, it's peoples attitudes towards disability which contempt shame. Clinton also said, we must "recognize the enormous potential of individuals with disabilities and encourage all Americans to work toward their full integration into the workforce… I call upon Government officials, educators, labor leaders, employers, and the people of the United States to observe this month (and every month) with appropriate programs and activities which reaffirm our determination to fulfill both the letter and the spirit of the Americans with Disabilities Act." I must agree. Children with disabilities need interaction with other children of all variety as much as they need formal education. Real life relationships inspire interaction and growth. Children need educational forums which reflect the public form. Just because some may not be able to grasp the same techniques to interact with society as normal membership allows, this does not mean that those (myself included) cannot be contributors to society in large. With more interaction comes more freedom and solution to problems which exclude populations as 'lesser citizen.'   Zen Garcia Sat, 18 Feb 2006 00:00:00 EST