Response Re: Doesn't anyone care that we never received funding????

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---------- Forwarded message ----------Date: Wed, Feb 22, 2012 at 7:11 PM

Subject: Re: Re: Doesn't anyone care that we never received funding????To: Ven Sequenzia Agreed, this site was built to support others fighting the same battles, NOT to get families to take out anger on each. We need to strike /recall against governor Rick and get our congress woman Debbie Wasserman Schultz to help us get through to Obama. I've signed so many petitions to recall already. We need more support to make it happen.

Sent from my Samsung Epic™ 4G Ven Sequenzia wrote:

 

Cheryl,I appreciate your input. I am actually trying to direct the anger where it is supposed to be. I am not fighting with anyone. I am trying to explain the real situation and give families the information, so they can get involved and make a difference. I agree that directing anger towards each other is never a good thing. That being said, I wanted to get some dialog going and I think I succeeded. It may not have been the right words to put in the email, but I received at least 15 or 20 comments on it. That is 4 times more than the original email I sent out, but it is very sad. I know everyone is busy, stressed, tired, etc. I am one of those people. However, if the disability community as a whole doesn't start getting involved and let the powers that be know that we are a force and that we are not going to stand by and let them undo our services, then I am afraid that in a couple years we won't have much left to fight for. 

I am not talking about the Family Cafe or the ARC conference or the Autism Society conference. I am talking about having the same effect on the Governor and legislature as FPL, Blue Cross and Walt Disney World. We can have that kind of power, but not as one group representing Autism or Downs Syndrome or Spina Bifida or families on the waiver or families on the waiting list. Every time someone comes out against another disability group receiving support or funding it puts us back years. Sorry that many are not receiving services and are on the waiting list,.but I did not cause it. The legislature did. If everyone wants the waiting list to go away, then a class action law suit is going to have to be filed against the state of Florida, like the one filed when Governor Chiles was in office (1990's). That one was settled and almost all the Med Waiver clients today were on that waiting list and had to fight to get what we got. Sorry, but the system stinks and if you want something fixed, nobody else will fix it for you. 

While I understand someone not wanting to support the current bills or APD's funding (I don't support what they are doing to the waiver), I cannot understand coming out against other families because you are mad at the state or APD. I know frustration better than anyone and based on my experience, most want somebody else to do it for them. I didn't ask for this 25 years ago, I made conscious choice to advocate and fight and try to make it better for my daughter and others. Nobody pays me to do this. So, everyone who is reading this, if you want something to change, you need to be apart of making it happen. Don't take your anger out on me or other parents. Take it out on the people who make the laws. If you don't know who that is, you haven't been paying attention.  

 

My child was cut to 0 funding last spring, after I had to go to court, we were allocated a few hours per week.  I had hoped that because so many of us were cut last year here in south florida then more would be added and I'm sorry that it didn't work out that way.  So many of us asked for help then and the discrimination against us for even having it in the first place was extremely hard as a parent to take.  I know that I am doing the best I can with the little I am given and feel blessed that I receive any help but it is so harsh to criticize us for having the same needs as so many of you also have and deserve.  Why is there fighting among the Autism community about this?  It should be directed at the APD and the funding system and to the governor who refuses to accept federal aid, there

should be no tax breaks for big corporations and sky boxes and luxury yachts.  You don't think we care but we do and it is heartbreaking to hear the infighting.  There is plenty of disappointment surrounding this issue,but to blame parents for being at the forefront to even getting the waiver in place so many years ago and their child being eligible for services is unkind.  It wasn't supposed to be this way when the program was started.  All of our children no matter what age need services, some perhaps are even more involved than others, lets hope the economy gets better so services to all work shops, respite, home care etc is refunded.  But please stop the blame game.

To: sList Sent: Wednesday, February 22, 2012 6:23 AM

Subject: Re: Re: Doesn't anyone care that we never received funding????

 

While I hate the thought of any person currently getting the med-waiver loosing their services, I cannot support this bill as it stands.  Not only do I not support this bill, I write my legislators and tell them so and explain why.  I sure hope they listen.

IF YOU WANT TO KEEP YOUR MED WAIVER SERVICES - PLEASE REPLY

> > To: ven@...

> >

> >

> > Anyone who is receiving the Medwaiver for their child or adult with a developmental disability needs to respond to this email, if you have been notified that your funding will be cut or you sent in a public records request to APD asking how the iBudget will affect you.

> >

> > If you have sent in the public records request that I sent out a few weeks ago or you picked it up at the Autism Society of Florida table at the CARD Conference, I need you to let me know what the reply was from APD. A couple of you have sent me what you received back, but I need more data.

> >

> > APD is implementing the iBudget in areas 1 and 2 (Panhandle area) and it is my understanding that everyone is receiving a cut in funding, which will result in a cut in services. This is happening even though APD stated that they would not be cutting services to our loved ones.

> >

> > If we don't act now, we will all have to live with what APD and Senate bill 1516 will do to our services. Please don't sit back and do nothing. If you don't want to lose services, then you need to respond to this email.

> >

> >

> > --

> > Regards,

> > Ven Sequenzia, Jr.

> > President

> > Autism Society of America

> > State of Florida Chapter

> >

> >

> >

> >

> >

> > --

> > Regards,

> > Ven Sequenzia, Jr.

> > President

> > Autism Society of America

> > State of Florida Chapter

> >

> >

> >

> >

> >

>

--

Regards,

Ven Sequenzia, Jr. 

President

Autism Society of America

State of Florida Chapter

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Hawk - CRPS

-- Regards,Ven Sequenzia, Jr. 

PresidentAutism Society of AmericaState of Florida Chapter

-- Regards,Ven Sequenzia, Jr. 

PresidentAutism Society of AmericaState of Florida Chapter