Candidates for Special Needs

[Guest guest]

Hi , I was wondering if you could post this..Regards,LeahCandidates for Special Needs

On

Aug. 24th the State of Florida will hold

primaries that will determine what kind of government we have going

forward. Special needs advocates should

look at the entire slate of candidates.

Yomin

Postelnik is running for Florida House of Representatives, District 91, which

encompasses East Broward and South Boca (although the issues that candidates

for state representative run on always affect the entire state, as they can

only vote on state, and not local) matters.

Aside

from his business, jobs and education plans, Yomin has put special needs on the

front burner. Among his plans:

Award McKay

Scholarships to be Awarded without a year waiting period, so that early

treatment can save more children

End classroom

restraining rooms

End Insurance

Discrimination

Fight for greater

access to all competitive treatment options

Yomin

explains that special needs advocacy is an area that is particularly important,

due to the fact that those who are most in need of a voice are most preoccupied

with the noble and special task of caring for their loved ones.

Yomin

decided to take the plunge and opened his campaign with the website

www.ABetterFlorida.com. His platform

encompasses the needs of the district and what he feels are common sense

solutions, but special needs advocacy is a central part of his mission.

Whether

you’re a conservative, a liberal or a moderate; whether you are a Republican, a

Democrat, an Independent, a member of any other party or a member of none, if

you care about special needs and have expertise in this area or a desire to

assist those who do get involved in the legislative process.

In

light of the above, two judicial candidates have offered their insights into

special needs.

Judge

Ed Merrigan is known to take great care in finding out the particular obstacles

that individuals appearing before his court may face. He noticed that

this is especially true of special needs individuals, who cannot make eye

contact or respond in a ways that are considered standard in most cases.

While Judge Merrigan goes the extra mile in his courtroom, he also gives this

advice to special needs individuals before they testify in other courtrooms

that may be less familiar with their needs.

"The

parents or guardians of special needs individuals should make the court and

their staff aware of their special needs, not only so that those needs are

understood and accommodated, to the fullest extent possible, but also so that

alternative sentencing and alternative courts can be utilized when available

and appropriate."

Judicial

candidate Jill Tamkin Rafilovich describes a similar process that she would go

through in determining the competence of a special needs child in matters that

involve their giving testimony:

“Under

Florida law a

child may be declared competent as a witness if the child has minimal

intelligence and the ability to accurately perceive, remember, and relate; as

well as an ability to understand the importance of telling the truth. When

determining whether a child with a special disability may be competent to

testify, it is imperative for the judge to understand the distinctive

personality traits and characteristics of the child and the disability. The

court should select experts who have the ability to properly and sensitively relate

to the child, and who are schooled in the appropriate psychological methods of

eliciting information from the child. I will be a compassionate and

contemplative judge who is sensitive and recognizes individuals with special

needs. I will follow the law while ensuring that I carefully listen and

properly weigh all of the evidence on a case-by-case basis.â€

Judge

and judicial candidate Mindy Solomon have also shown a desire

to improve conditions for special needs individuals, as have many others. Oliver is a member of the Optimist’s

Club, the Lions Club and a former Kiwani, with a track record of community

service. We urge readers to stay

informed and to stay active, as much good can be accomplished by so doing.

There

is work to be done. Autism insurance

discrimination must end and testing for autism must be covered. Many kids can be mainstreamed through early

detection and treatment. It’s the right

thing to do and besides, it will save the system, the insurance companies and

the government a substantial amount in the long run.

Advocacy

for special needs parents must be made less cumbersome. Red tape must be eliminated and the system

made more effective. Most importantly,

the education system must adhere to basic standards of treatment for special

needs kids and never ostracize children who need extra encouragement or

attention.

If

you don’t have the time or the ability to run yourself, advise a politician or

a campaign that is receptive to the needs of autism and of the special needs

community in your area. The difference

you may offer can be profound.

Autism Health and

Wellness offers a forum to any candidate who has concrete ideas on special

needs advocacy.

[Guest guest]

This was really helpful.

Thank you.

Candidates for Special Needs

Hi ,

I was wondering if you could post this..

Regards,

Leah

Candidates for Special Needs

On Aug. 24th the State of Florida will hold primaries that will determine what kind of government we have going forward. Special needs advocates should look at the entire slate of candidates.

Yomin Postelnik is running for Florida House of Representatives, District 91, which encompasses East Broward and South Boca (although the issues that candidates for state representative run on always affect the entire state, as they can only vote on state, and not local) matters.

Aside from his business, jobs and education plans, Yomin has put special needs on the front burner. Among his plans:

Award McKay Scholarships to be Awarded without a year waiting period, so that early treatment can save more children End classroom restraining rooms End Insurance Discrimination Fight for greater access to all competitive treatment options

Yomin explains that special needs advocacy is an area that is particularly important, due to the fact that those who are most in need of a voice are most preoccupied with the noble and special task of caring for their loved ones.

Yomin decided to take the plunge and opened his campaign with the website www.ABetterFlorida.com. His platform encompasses the needs of the district and what he feels are common sense solutions, but special needs advocacy is a central part of his mission.

Whether you’re a conservative, a liberal or a moderate; whether you are a Republican, a Democrat, an Independent, a member of any other party or a member of none, if you care about special needs and have expertise in this area or a desire to assist those who do get involved in the legislative process.

In light of the above, two judicial candidates have offered their insights into special needs.

Judge Ed Merrigan is known to take great care in finding out the particular obstacles that individuals appearing before his court may face. He noticed that this is especially true of special needs individuals, who cannot make eye contact or respond in a ways that are considered standard in most cases. While Judge Merrigan goes the extra mile in his courtroom, he also gives this advice to special needs individuals before they testify in other courtrooms that may be less familiar with their needs