In Memoriam | Carol Terrillion

It is with the heaviest of hearts that I must inform everyone of the passing of Ms. Carol Terrillion, CIL Program Coordinator. Carol was an advocate through-and-through and lived her life to the fullest, never letting disability dictate what she could or couldn’t do.  Indeed, this was the lesson Carol taught all of us everyday.

In recent years, Carol ran our youth program in Marion County where many students had the great fortune of learning so much from her.  Carol’s example was one of survival.  She had a natural instinct to fight for a certain kind of life that was full with satisfaction and success.  She so loved her family and her daughters and grandchildren were her joy. We will all miss Carol, always.

Services are being arranged by Hiers-Baxely Funeral Services.
http://www.hiers-baxley.com/obituaries/Carol-Terrillion/#/Obituary 

SPORTS-ABILITY Returns to Ocala, FL

OCALA – October 5-6, 2012

Friday, October 5, 2012: 10 am – 3 pm
ED Croskey Center, Hampton Aquatic Center MLK Recreation Complex, 1510 NW 4th Street, Ocala, Fl

Saturday, October 6, 2012: 10 am – 3 pm
Carney Island Recreation & Conservation Area
13275 SE 115th Avenue, Ocklawaha Fl

This event targets people of all abilities, their families or friends. Professionals, providers and students of recreation, technology, health care, rehabilitation and social work will be in attendance. No charge thanks to our sponsors! All Ages & All Abilities! There Are No Barriers Too Great To Overcome!

SportsAbility is the premier event of the Florida Disabled Outdoors Association (FDOA). This event is about enhancing the lives of people with disabilities by promoting active living. SportsAbility provides first hand access to resources and demonstrations of activities designed to encourage participation regardless of age or ability level.

Hotel that families can stay at: Courtyard by Marriott: 3712 SW 38th Avenue, Ocala, Florida 34474 / (352) 237-8000 /Mention SportsAbility to get $89 rate.

For information, sponsorship
opportunities, or to reserve a booth,
contact FDOA at info@fdoa.org,
or 850-201-2944 or 352-401-3916
or visit us on-line at:
www.fdoa.org

No charge to register & attend the event!

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Florida’s way: Nursing home profits trump sick kids’ special needs | Fred Grimm The Miami Herald

The feds just don’t understand how we do business down here in Florida. The Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division fired off a letter to the state attorney general’s office last week, threatening to sue the state for sticking medically fragile kids in geriatric warehouses.

Apparently the feds regard these individual as mere children. In Florida, they’re considered the very cogs that keep the state’s faltering nursing home industry humming along. They’ve been privatized.

The letter from Assistant U.S. Attorney General Thomas E. Perez charged that the state was failing to provide the appropriate community-based services required by the Americans with Disabilities Act.

“Hundreds of children are currently segregated in nursing facilities throughout Florida,” Perez wrote. “They are growing up apart from their families in hospital-like settings, among elderly nursing facility residents and other individuals with disabilities. They live segregated lives — having few opportunities to interact with children and young adults without disabilities or to experience many of the social, educational and recreational activities that are critical to child development.”

If the feds come down to Florida with some outlandish notion that the welfare of young Medicaid recipients ought to trump business interests, then, sure, the situation will sound like a Dickensonian nightmare. Perhaps Perez didn’t realize it, but the reason we consign kids to old folks’ homes was explained right there on Page 6 of his 22-page letter.

“During our investigation we learned that … the state has overseen the placement of hundreds of children into nursing facilities. For a majority of the children referred to these facilities, the state pays an enhanced rate of over $500 per day per child, which is more than double what the facility receives from the State to serve elderly individuals and other adults.”

There you have it. Double the reimbursement. Nursing homes may not be so good for the children, who could be cared for at home as out-patients, probably for less money, but children are very good for nursing homes.

Back in March, a coalition of advocates filed suit against Florida’s Agency for Health Care Administration claiming that AHCA had illegally warehoused some 250 fragile children in adult nursing homes and was pressuring the parents of some 3,500 others now receiving treatment at home to move their kids into geriatric facilities.

The charges looked even more unseemly next to a report from the Florida Association for Medically Fragile Children, which stated: “The number of older men and women in nursing homes in Florida is decreasing. So owners of geriatric facilities are now competing to take fragile children in order to remain profitable, without regard to their special needs.”

The report stated, “With their eye on their shrinking bottom lines, geriatric facilities are lobbying to fill their empty beds with medically fragile children and young adults. But they are not equipped to do so. Even worse, they are lobbying to provide reduced levels of care.”

AHCA filed a narrow legal answer to the federal lawsuit, denying any illegalities, leaving the moral issues unaddressed. The agency looked bad. Gov. Rick Scott’s administration looked bad. But AHCA has remained obstinate. Paolo G. Annino, director of the Health Care Access Project at the Florida State University law school, one of the advocates behind the lawsuit, said Friday that AHCA has not even hinted at a settlement. “I’m really finding this hard to understand,” he said.

Instead, the festering lawsuit caught the attention of the Justice Department, which hired a consultant and launched its own investigation, visiting nursing homes in Miami, Fort Lauderdale, Orlando, Tampa, and St. Petersburg that housed some 200 of these children. The DOJ described finding children who could be treated at home, who could be living with their family and interacting with the community, but were kept in isolated nursing home wards. Meanwhile, Perez said, the state has cut the availability of in-home services so drastically that parents of other medically fragile children are being forced to institutionalize those kids, too.

Perez warned that the Supreme Court has held that “public entities are required to provide community-based services to persons with disabilities when (a) such services are appropriate, (b) the affected persons do not oppose community-based treatment, and (c) community-based services can be reasonably accommodated.”

The court warned that “institutional placement of persons who can handle and benefit from community settings perpetuates unwarranted assumptions that persons so isolated are incapable or unworthy of participating in community life.” And that “confinement in an institution severely diminishes the everyday life activities of individuals, including family relations, social contacts, work options, economic independence, educational advancement, and cultural enrichment.”

Sure, that may be the law. That also may reflect the values of a moral society. But that’s just not the Florida way.

If these medically fragile children expect to be treated as well as nursing home operators, well, let them hire themselves a lobbyist.

That’s how we do business here in Florida.

** Photographs are courtesy of Mike Coonan Photography and our friends from The Florida Office on Disability and Health (FODH) at The University of Florida.

Read more here: http://www.miamiherald.com/2012/09/08/2992779/floridas-way-nursing-home-profits.html#storylink=cpy

 

 

 

“Boogie Nights” | Fundraiser

Join us for a night of retro fun as we return to the 70’s & 80’s this Saturday Night, August 25th, at The Sharab Lounge. Proceeds from “Boogie Nights” will benefit our youth program, High Scool High Tech, by helping to pay for this year’s field trips.  We hope to see you there!!
Tickets can be purchased at the CIL, Stein Mart or at the door Saturday Night.

DD Waiver Waitlist Litigation Settled


Thursday, July 26, 2012

Dykes v. Dudek Settlement Agreement Summary

Disability Rights Florida filed the Dykes v. Dudek lawsuit in March of 2011 on behalf of individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities who needed care, treatment, and habilitation and who were on the Waitlist for DD Medicaid Waiver services. Some of the plaintiffs resided in private ICF/DDs or nursing homes and some of the plaintiffs resided in their families’ homes. Many had been on the DD Waitlist for over five years.

The lawsuit sought to compel Florida to develop a reliable and accurate means of tracking and projecting service demand and associated trends in order to design and implement a comprehensive plan for the continued enrollment of over 21,000 persons waiting for DD Waiver services. In October of 2011, the court denied our motion to proceed as a class action and the case proceeded instead on the basis of our agency’s standing to sue and on behalf of the named plaintiffs.

On July 3, 2012, the lawsuit was settled. Under the settlement agreement the Agency for Persons with Disabilities (APD) and the Agency for Health Care Administration (AHCA) will engage in the activities described below. The agreement addresses five key areas:

  1. Individuals Residing in ICF/DDs and Nursing Homes            Click this link to continue reading…                 

CIL Annual Open House Scheduled


Join us on Friday, July 6th, 2012 from 1pm to 3pm as we open our doors to the community!

During our 2012 Open House we will have various programs exhibited as well as outside partners who will be bringing important information about a variety of community resources.

Check back for updates!
(Click on Flier to enlarge)

Nursing Home Transition

More than 1.6 million Americans live in nursing homes and probably won’t leave the homes until their deaths. Several small studies have suggested that for-profit nursing homes, which make up two-thirds of the nation’s nursing homes, offer poor care. Of the homes in this study that had similar findings, 65.8% were investor owned, 27.7% were nonprofits, and 6.5% were public.

Nurse staffing in all types of nursing occupations was lower at investor-owned homes, which may have something to do with care quality. Investor owned homes were larger than private nursing homes, which may impact quality. Yet public nursing homes were usually larger than investor owned homes and rated higher on care quality. The most obvious explanation for poor care, the researchers theorized, is that profit seeking takes funds from clinical care. The nation’s largest nursing home often make $5.28 per patient each day. Harrington, C., Woolhandler, S., Mullan, J., Carrillo, H., & Himmelstein, D. U. (2001, September).

Does investor ownership of nursing homes compromise the quality of care? American Journal of Public Health 91(9), 1452-455. See  http://www.getriil.org/~getriil/cgi-bin/details.php?anum=783

Art Show will benefit CIL’s youth program

Our first Art Fundraiser “Perspectives” was wonderfully received and attended. We want to thank our awesome corporate sponsors:

Amelia’s    
Terranova Catering
Corks and Colors Studio
Edible Arrangements
Harold’s Frames and Gallery
Manuel’s
Publix
Sam’s Club
Sweetbay
Target
The Top
Wine and Cheese Gallery

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The High School/High Tech Program will be hosting its first Art Fundraiser, entitled“Perspectives”.  The event will be  held on Saturday, May 26th at the Hippodrome Theatre from 6-8 pm.  Tickets are now on sale for $15 in advance and $20 at the door.  Students will be serving appetizers, desserts, and beverages as they display their artwork, both for sale and admiration.  There will also be student led presentations of some of our favorite workshop activities as well as a timeline juxtaposing the history of art with the history of disability rights and advocacy.  It promises to be a fun evening and both HS/HT staff and students are looking forward to it and hoping to share the evening with you.

Saturday, May 26th at the Hippodrome Theatre from 6-8 pm

If you, or someone you know would like to order tickets, please email Amy Tarpe.

View the Perspectives flyer for more info >

Here are of our HS/HT students working on their art!

 

   

Advocacy Update

July 17, 2012

SURVIVORS OF TROPICAL STORM DEBBY MAY QUALIFY FOR FEMA RENTAL ASSISTANCE

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — While survivors finish repairs to their homes or find a new place to live, money may be available to help them pay for a clean and safe place to stay.

Survivors who have been staying with friends or relatives because their homes were damaged or destroyed by Tropical Storm Debby may qualify for temporary rental assistance.

Florida survivors living in a county designated for Individual Assistance may be eligible for federal disaster aid. By law, the Federal Emergency Management Agency cannot duplicate insurance benefits.  CLICK HERE TO READ MORE…

June 28, 2012

Click to view The Department's statement

The Florida Department of Children and Families (DCF) is committed to improving the delivery of services to Floridians who are deaf or hard of hearing.  It is essential that the Department eliminate or reduce barriers these clients experience when seeking services through our programs.

To reach this goal, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and DCF have entered into an agreement to ensure that auxiliary aids and services are provided for these clients or their companions.  This website has been designed to provide DCF staff as well as the Department’s contracted service providers with resources enabling them to meet our goal to eliminate or reduce barriers, thus ensuring effective communication with deaf or hard of hearing clients and companions as outline in the agreement.  Questions regarding any information contained on this website should be directed to the DCF Office of Civil Rights, 1317 Winewood Blvd., Building 1 Room 110, Tallahassee, Florida 32399-0700.  Staff may also call the DCF Office of Civil Rights at (850) 487-1901 or the Region Civil Rights Officer.

http://www.dcf.state.fl.us/admin/servicedelivery/index.shtml

April 16, 2012

U.S. Department of Justice, Civil Rights Division:

According to regulations issued [by the Department of Justice, Civil Rights Division]and in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) in 2010, many hotel pools are likely to be noncompliant with ADA regulations by March 12 when they take effect.  According to the regulation created in 2010, hotels must have pool lifts to provide people with disabilities equal access to pools and whirlpools or have a plan in place demonstrating they are trying to obtain a lift.  The fine for not complying with this rule is up to $55,000.  Most hotels have pools and the cost of pool lifts ranges from $3,000 to $6,000.  It is being reported that many hotels may close their pool altogether to avoid having to purchase such a lift.  New hotels being built must include the lift in the pools’ construction plan.  While the American Hotel & Lodging Association, the hotel industry’s lobby coalition, has requested that the Department of Justice extend the deadline, reports state this request was not granted and the regulations did go into effect yesterday.  Eve Hill, Deputy Chief of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division stated, “They’ve had quite a bit of time to do their planning.  If they have legitimate reasons in good faith that they can’t comply, then that will be taken into account.”  For more information, visit:
http://travel.usatoday.com/hotels/story/2012-03-13/Disabled-access-rule-may-close-some-hotel-pools/53517388/1.

Career Exploration in Action: An Innovative Strategies Practice Brief | NCWD/Youth

Our youth program, High School High Tech (HS/HT), recently received a “Innovative Strategy/Best Practice” mention by The National Collaborative on Workforce and Disabilty, in their most recently published brief.

Career Exploration in Action: An Innovative Strategies Practice Brief | NCWD/Youth.

This Innovative Strategies Practice Brief provides practical examples and resources used by promising and exemplary youth programs to engage youth in career exploration. The youth programs and school systems featured in this brief have been recognized by NCWD/Youth as Innovative Strategies. NCWD/Youth’s Innovative Strategies features workforce development programs and practices that serve youth with disabilities, either as a target population or as part of other youth populations.