{Victory Achieved today!!!}

Some of the services that the Governor wanted to eliminate for children and adults with disabilities were restored today. The fight is not over but for now we have achieved a small victory.

Today Michael and I went to the E-Board meeting where the Senator's voted to keep several services for many people Michael included. It was nice to have them see Michael's little face as a representative of one of the children the cuts would affect. Michael got to meet Senator Jackie Winters who had allot to say about saving our services to the board.

Some of the services are back in place until March of 2011 and some until June 2011.

Guaranteed Michael and I will be out there in Feb doing another Rally as they will be in session during this time. We are not done fighting for our rights and the rights of so many other individuals who have disabilities.

Restorations specific to developmental disabilities include:
Medicaid Personal Care 20 through June 2011
In-Home Supports for Children / Long Term Care through June 2011
Case Management for Children through February 2011
Targeted Case Management in counties and brokerages through February 2011
DD Family Support Program through February 2011
Reductions that were not restored include:
Reduce county DD Program and brokerage administration by 10%
Eliminate county and brokerage quality assurance staff
Reduce comprehensive services rates by 6%
Reduce DD special projects and training
Reduce DD crisis diversion
Reduce county Regional Programs by 10%
Reduce housing extended maintenance

Article by Jeff Barnard with the Associated Press

http://www.canadianbusiness.com/markets/market_news/article.jsp?content=D9H3GIBO0&page=1

{Contact your Senator!!!}

My name is Michael Allen Curnow,
I am 3 years old almost 4. My parents Sharlene and Allen waited al long time for me to come. When I was born everything seemed normal. When I was 6 months old they realized I was not hitting all the milestones. Through much searching and testing I was diagnosed with Bilateral Periventricular Nodule Heterotopia.
This is a rare brain defect. I currently understand all the world around me but my body will not work with me. I can not speak or walk and I have a high level of behavior problems because I get so mad that I understand everything but I can not say what I want.
I am in ECSE services for my school where my teacher and therapists work with me to help me so I can learn like other kids. I need a lot of help to learn speech, sign language, daily activities like eating with a spoon, drinking from a cup. They also help me because my behavior and needs are a lot like another child with Autism I have to have learn how to transition and deal with stimulating tasks.
My mommy also relies heavily on our case worker through DD services. She has helps my mommy find resources they qualify for since we don’t qualify for Social Security or OHP for help. It is hard for my family because they do not make a lot of money but it takes a lot to raise me.
My mommy and daddy need to take breaks sometimes because I can get very mad and it is getting hard to move me around. Respite services can help my mommy and daddy take some time they need sometimes to do other things they need to be able to do to make sure we are all healthy.
I don’t know what my future is going to be like. I will hopefully be able to keep the help and teachers in my school so I get a chance at a good education just like the other kids that everyone calls “normal”.
I beg you to reconsider these horrible cuts to our services. Many of my mommies friends have other great kids like me and some of them including my mommy and daddy have sometimes been in a crisis when all they had was to turn to our DD worker to help us find someone to come to our house and help us deal with our frustrations and show me how to behave.
I am my normal, I am Michael Curnow, I am a person who did not choose to be born with this challenge, and I deserve to have the services I need to grow up to be as independent and educated as I can be. I am not to be thrown away or discarded, and my family deserves the support to help them understand me and be able to talk to me and me with them just like what you all call the “normal” kids.

Sincerely,
Michael Allen Curnow
Age 3 almost 4

{WE WILL FIGHT!!}

Sweetest son...Mommy is fighting for you. I don't understand this world we live in, so cruel sometimes that when things get though they immediately think to remove services from you and others who face a challenging life like you.
I am fighting to make sure you have all the same opportunities as the next person. You are special, bright, and deserve a fighting chance. This world is so money focused; we have found that only the super wealthy can get all the services medically they need ALL THE “LATEST” technology. Everything from therapy to special equipment can be a challenge to get for you as we make just over the limit to qualify for help. The cost of raising you has been more than we bargained for and believe me YOU ARE WORTH IT ALL!
In the 50's children like you were labeled Mongoloids and not allowed to attend public school, families were forced to either deal with the situation in the privacy of their own home or they would put their children in institutions they were horrible places medicating to suppress behaviors and not teaching children how to gain their own independence. Some people thought of them to be temporary solutions what the reality was, once checked in most did not get to leave.
My son you will NEVER receive less than our love and support to teach you how to be as independent as you can be. There are many people in this world who achieve much regardless of the disability they may have. You are strong, you are a fighter and so are we. We will not sit back and let life rail road you. You my sweat son will stand out in the crowd. YOU ARE WORTH FIGHTING FOR..WE LOVE YOU!!

{Write to your local Legislator}

Dearest Friends,
Currently there is a budget cut proposal that will affect the services our families and children receive.

In response to the budget shortfall, the Governor's Reduction Order has included the reduction or elimination of most services provided to children with developmental disabilities. The Order includes the elimination of all family support, elimination of Long term support for Children with Developmental Disabilities, elimination of PC20 Services, reduction in foster care, residential programs, proctor care, and raising case management ratios to 1 case manager to every 300 children.

The follow is a list of important contacts. I encourage you to send your stories to each of them so they can realize how utterly valuable these services are to each of us and the affects it will have if they are taken away or reduced.

Kathryn Weit
Kweit@ocdd.org or 540 24th Pl NE, Salem, 97301

To find Legislators in your area:
http://www.leg.state.or.us/findlegsltr/

Governor Kulongoski160 State Capitol900 Court StreetSalem, Oregon 97301-4047

Resource for you:
GEM Children’s Foundation
http://www.gemchildren.org/
Phone: (503) 409-9502