Parents in Indiana have reportedly been told by state workers to leave their severely disabled kids at homeless shelters if they can't afford to care for them, in what advocacy groups say is a horrifying example of how government budget cuts are hitting home for ordinary Americans.
Some parents testified at a state hearing this week that employees at the state Bureau of Developmental Disabilities Services gave them the harsh recommendation, according to the Associated Press.
The parents had sought guidance after they failed to receive scheduled Medicaid waivers that pay to support disabled children living independently. GOP Gov. Mitch Daniels has made cuts to the budget of the Family and Social Services Administration, of which the bureau is a part.
"We are people and they are people," Becky Holladay -- whose 22-year-old son has epilepsy, autism and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder -- told legislators Tuesday. "They have lives that are worth something."
The Family and Social Services Administration says that it's not the agency's policy to suggest homeless shelters as an alternative--and that workers who make any such recommendation will be disciplined. Spokesman Marcus Barlow told The Upshot that budget cuts had not led to delays in the Medicaid waivers. "People aren't waiting longer for their waivers than they were five years ago," he said.
Still, advocates for the disabled say the waiting list for waivers grew to 20,000 names last month--and that 2,000 slots were recently eliminated.
They also say that despite Barlow's assurances to the contrary, suggestions to leave disabled kids at homeless shelters have been widespread. "It is something we are hearing from all over the state, that families are being told this is an alternative for them," said Kim Dodson, an official with the Arc of Indiana. "A homeless shelter would never be able to serve these people."
Advocacy groups also say that the state social services agency isn't alone in floating homeless shelters as a care option.
Daunna Minnich says that as funding for her 18-year-old daughter's residential treatment neared exhaustion, the private firm Damar Services told Minnich that if she didn't take her daughter Sabrina home, Damar would dump Sabrina at a homeless shelter. Sabrina, who is bipolar, has attempted suicide and threatened her sister.
Damar executive Jim Dalton says his company would never leave a patient at a shelter and even has some residents whose funding has run out. But that's not sustainable, he said. "I don't think it's fair at all that a private service provider be where the buck stops — and that in many cases appears to be what is happening."
"We're talking about youth that absolutely require services," Dalton said. "And no one is willing to fund them anymore."
(Photo of Gov. Daniels in 2007, after delivering his State of the State address: AP/Tom Strattman)
Thursday, October 28, 2010
CLINTON PUSHED BLACK CANDIDATE TO GET OUT OBAMA CAMPAIGNED FOR MEEK LAST WEEK
BUCHANAN: The country is up for grabs...
CLINTON PUSHED BLACK CANDIDATE TO GET OUT
OBAMA CAMPAIGNED FOR MEEK LAST WEEK
CLINTON PUSHED BLACK CANDIDATE TO GET OUT
OBAMA CAMPAIGNED FOR MEEK LAST WEEK
Conway Cover Up: Media Caught In Rand Paul “Stomping” Cover-Up
Conway Cover Up: Media Caught In Rand Paul “Stomping” Cover-Up
Conway Cover Up: Media Caught In Rand Paul “Stomping” Cover-Up
Conway Cover Up: Media Caught In Rand Paul “Stomping” Cover-Up. Jack Conway’s financial supporters dropped drug trafficking case in opposition to Conway’s brother following Senatorial applicant acquired tipped him awayWhilst hyperventilating over the Lauren Valle stomping incident, the corporate media has ignored a far bigger scandal swirling around the KY Senate race – the reality that monetary contributors to Rolland Conway’s campaign and Conway himself tipped off Conway’s brother to the reality that he was becoming investigated for trafficking medicines in an admitted obstruction of justice.
The KY Courier-Journal, which has favored Conway more than Rand Paul in the program of the Senatorial race, hid the bombshell tale behind a relatively tame headline this past weekend, presumably in a bid to protect Rolland Conway from the blowback of the astounding revelations contained in the 5 page report written by R.G. Dunlop.
The nitty gritty of the problem runs like this – Matthew C. Conway, prosecutor and brother of Rolland Conway, the Democratic applicant for U.S. Senator from Kentucky, was beneath investigation by the Louisville Metro Police for alleged drug use and medication trafficking.
Two narcotics detectives concerned in the case perverted the program of justice by tipping away Conway to the reality that he was beneath investigation. At least three narcotics officers are now under internal investigation for “policy violations”.
Following hearing detectives discussing the situation inside a restaurant, a Conway marketing campaign supporter then also associated the problem to Jack Conway, who in turn tipped off his brother.
“When investigators learned of the leaks and interrogated the two detectives and the prosecutor last March, all 3 at first gave false or misleading statements about what happened, those data show. The statements of Matthew C. Conway, the prosecutor, had been made beneath oath,” reports the Courier-Journal.
In August of this yr, Jefferson County Lawyer Michael O’Connell made the decision not to prosecute Matthew Conway. O’Connell is a financial supporter of Jack Conway’s Senate campaign.
Commonwealth’s Attorney David Stengel also dismissed the medication trafficking allegations, without revealing why investigators targeted Conway in the initial place. Like O’Connell, Stengel was a supporter and a financial contributor to Jack Conway’s Senate campaign.
“According to Fec.gov, Mr. David Stengel has donated $500 to Rolland Conway’s marketing campaign in the past, vested interest? Do we really desire a former Jack Conway donor overlooking this? Really?” asks the Capitalist Banner weblog.
“Alex Pappas of the Daily Caller reported that the Democrat’s campaign didn’t reply to an e-mail “seeking elaboration Saturday as to whether Conway, as attorney general, took any actions to involve himself in the study,” factors out the American Spectator.
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Louisville attorney Scott Roby can also be a Conway supporter. Roby informed Matthew Conway that the cops had been investigating him for either drug use or trafficking, thus allowing him to steer clear of a police raid. LMPD Detective Scott Wilson had told Roby about the investigation. Conway and Wilson each attended St. Xavier Higher College at about the same time and are longtime acquaintances, based on the newspaper.
Scott Roby donated $1250 to the Conway marketing campaign.
However it gets worse. It turns out that a Jack Conway supporter, businessman Charles Alexander, was the guy who overheard cops talking about the Matthew Conway situation inside a downtown Louisville restaurant. The narcotics detectives described Matthew Conway as “dirty” (corrupt). Alexander known as Jack Conway and knowledgeable him of the overheard conversation.
“According to Fec.gov, Charles Alexander is a $2400 donor to Jack Conway and a $4600 donor to Barack Obama, so there is little doubt Mr. Alexander was worried about the troubling allegations,” notes CapitalistBanner.com.
Rolland Conway and his supporters are concerned in a cover-up and an attempt to obstruct justice, but this does not seem to become on the corporate media’s radar screen. Instead, we’re harangued with absurd stories about Rand Paul, Aqua Buddha, and a fraternity prank invented by an anonymous woman.
Rolland Conway is involved in a brazen attempt to cover-up a police study of his brother. Supporters of his political marketing campaign facilitated obscuration of justice. Is this the sort of man the individuals of Kentucky want representing them in Washington?
In the name of objective journalism and fairness, the company media wants to include this story instantly rather than inventing new ways to tear down the Rand Paul marketing campaign.
Several disturbing problems stay unanswered regarding the involvement of Rolland Conway and his supporters in the tale.
Thomas McAdam summarizes a few of the crucial concerns.
one. What was the nature of the proof recognized to the narcs that prompted the investigation of Matt Conway?
2. Was any political pressure utilized to pull the detectives away from investigating the brother of Kentucky’s Lawyer General?
three. When and the way made LMPD Chief Robert White entail himself in the study?
four. When Matt Conway resigned from the Jefferson County attorney’s workplace in 2008, what was the status of the criminal study into his alleged medication involvement, and what made Jefferson County Mike O’Connell know about it.
five. What made Commonwealth’s Lawyer David Stengel know, and when made he know it?
6. Was the meeting at Jack Conway’s house, exactly where he introduced in high-powered criminal protection attorney Bart Adams, the only involvement by the Attorney Common in this matter?
7. It appears incredible that O’Connell, Stengel, and White might be concerned in an elaborate cover-up to protect a drug dealer. Shouldn’t the Conways come forward and shed some light on this affair, thereby dispelling any imputation of misconduct on the component of innocent law enforcement officials?
eight. How lengthy has reporter Dunlap been operating on this story, and made the timing of its publication have something to due with the upcoming election?
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