Fwd: [specialmomsspecialkids] Fwd: Update on Autism Insurance Bill, Medical H...

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Update:

FAU CARD Executive Director, Dr. Jack , has been told by state Representative Ari Porth's aide that the portion of the bill relating to repealing the autism insurance coverage was deleted. While other ASD-related issues remain in other bills, this one has been addressed in favor of parents and persons on the spectrum! Thanks go to Rep. Porth, Rep. Rooney, and the parents and family members for speaking up on this issue. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Medical Home Day

www.pbchd.com/medicalhome or 211

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT: press50@... February 2, 2012 O’Connor, or 211

PALM BEACH COUNTY, FL—For residents in need of healthcare who can’t afford a doctor, numerous public and private partners and 12 health centers are committed to opening their facilities on Saturday, February 11 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Medical Home Day is a one day medical event designed to connect residents without a medical home to medical information and services. Clients visiting the centers on the 11th will obtain medical services information, be seen by a medical or associated professional and arrange for a follow-up care appointment.

The 12 participating medical facilities are:

C.L. Brumback Health Center, 38754 State Road 80, Belle Glade

Pahokee-Glades Health Center, 1839 East Main St., Pahokee

Delray Beach Health Center, 225 South Congress Ave., Delray Beach

Lantana/Lake Worth Health Center, 1250 Southwinds Dr., Lantana

Northeast Health Center, 851 Avenue P, Riviera Beach

West Palm Beach Health Center, 1150 45th St., West Palm Beach

Jupiter Auxiliary Health Center, 6405 Indiantown Rd., Jupiter

FoundCare, 233 S.Congress Avenue, Palm Springs

Genesis, 564 E. Woolbright Rd., Boynton Beach

Community Health Center, 2823 N. Australian Ave., West Palm Beach

JFK Internal Medicine Faculty and Resident Practice, 160 JFK Drive

Suite 102, Atlantis

Florida Community Health Center 170 S. Barfield Hwy., Suite 103 Pahokee

In addition to the medical facilities the collaborating partners are: Palm Beach County, Palm Beach County Health Department, Health Care District of Palm Beach County, Quantum Foundation, Glades Initiative, Jupiter Medical Center, Town of Jupiter, El Sol Neighborhood Resource Center, Project Access, Florida Public Health Institute, 211, Palm Tran, and Federally Qualified Health Centers,

All centers are accessible along a Palm Tran bus route. Further information can be obtained by calling 211 or on the web atwww.pbchd.com/medicalhome.

FAU CARD does not endorse specific programs or points of view presented in this email.

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Action Alert – SB 1516

The Florida Senate Health Regulation Committee is about to take up SB1516 which will substantially alter how services are prioritized and individual consumer iBudget allocations are decided.

Background: Sen. Joe Negron filed SB 1516 on behalf of the Agency for Persons with Disabilities (APD) earlier this year. This bill changes APD’s responsibilities for services to those related primarily to health and safety. As filed, the bill limits APD’s responsibility for quality of life to individuals living in its two major state institutions. What this means in terms of iBudget allocations is that an individual’s need for funds excludes any need for adult day training, transportation, respite care, dental care, companion services and several others. With this methodology, people would have to choose what to give up if they wanted any of these services or find another way of funding them.

While there is no House companion, this is a very dangerous bill. APDs strategy is to get this bill passed through the appropriations process which could happen even without a House version of the bill.

Action Needed: Contact your Senators and tell them (in your own words) what it would mean if you had to give up any of these services. If your Senator is on the Health Regulation Committee ask them to vote against this bill. Below are the members of the Health Regulation Committee.

First Name

Last Name

District City

District Phone

Tallahassee Phone

Email Address

de la Portilla

Miami

portilla.miguel.web@...

Mike

Fasano

New Port Richey

fasano.mike.web@...

Don

Gaetz

Destin

gaetz.don.web@...

Rene

Hialeah

garcia.rene.web@...

Dennis

Seminole

jones.dennis.web@...

Jim

Norman

Tampa

norman.jim.web@...

Eleanor

Sobel

Hollywood

sobel.eleanor.web@...

iBudget/Core Services Talking Points

· Core services (or the list of services to meet extraordinary needs in SB 1516) are biased against consumers who live with their families.

o It excludes many services that families rely on to keep their child at home such as respite care and adult day training (ADT).

o Saying that people can choose other services with their budgeted amount is a hollow promise when there not enough money to go around

o In addition, spending on non-core services will make people only wonder how long before they no longer have that choice and those services will be cut too.

o Families and individual with disabilities need meaningful choice. Everybody is different. There is no one set of core services. No one size fits all.

· Saying that the Agency for Persons with Disabilities (APD) should be concerned with only health and safety for people living in the community ignores all of the other needs that people have and how community program really work.

o For instance, the impact of eliminating transportation services is will create isolated mini institutions where the well being of an individual will seldom be assessed by others and abuse can be easily hidden.

o It also sets up a double standard because APD’s leadership accepts a broader responsibility for people living in the state institutions including being responsible for their quality of life.

· Saying that people living in the community should get their needs met by other community resources ignores the millions of dollars that are already raised to supplement APD’s Waiver funding.

o As an example, ADT providers by proviso have for year raised 12.5% of the program’s cost through community match.

FAU CARD does not endorse specific programs or points of view presented in this email.