Patrick, moreover, has not provided the Commission with a staff or budget. As a result, Jean McGuire, assistant secretary of health and human services, has been put in charge of it.
Patrick has also failed to appoint anyone representing facility residents to the re-established Commission. At least nine of the 13 members he appointed or reappointed either have ties to human service vendors who do business with the state, with DMR itself, or with groups that provide community-based services.
In announcing last month that they are planning to close four of six remaining state facilities for persons with mental retardation, the EOHHS and DMR stated that the Governor's Commission will have oversight of the facility closings. In our view, this subverts the original intent of the Commission.
Weld's original executive order had noted that the purpose of the Commission included “monitoring the quality and effectiveness of the state's services to people with mental retardation.” Weld also charged the Commission with recommending resolutions of disputes between DMR and its clients and making its analyses public twice a year.
Now, with a top EOHHS official in charge and with no staff or budget, the Commission's purpose will be to provide political cover to the administration as it dismantles the facilities.
Weld's original executive order had specifically stated that the Commission would be located in the Governor's Office and that its administrator would be provided with “staff, secretarial support and other resources necessary to meet their responsibilities.” Patrick's executive order re-establishing the Commission states only that the Commission and its now EOHHS administrator “shall be provided with resources necessary to meet their responsibilities.”
The downgrading of the Commission actually began under Romney, who took it out of the Governor's Office, removed its reporting requirement to the governor and made it report to the Secretary of Health and Human Services.
If there is no budget or staff, how can this Commission satisfy the commitment to improvements that Judge Tauro talked about and how can it monitor the quality and effectiveness of the state's services?
On top of that, if the Commission does not include any guardians or family members of facility residents, how can it effectively resolve disputes involving facility residents? And with a top administration official calling the shots, how can the Commission act with impartiality in overseeing the closing of facilities?
Unfortunately, this is one more case in which this administration has shown its lack of concern for a group of some of the most vulnerable citizens of this state. Their interests are no longer being represented in the way the original Governor's Commisson on Mental Retardation had intended.
Why am I not surprised?
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p>Its just another in a series of “slight of hand” tricks put forth by his administration to turn the focus away from the real travesty that is taking place. Lets have a commission because it sounds good but don’t give them any resources so they can’t do anything. But just in case they have to do something the “deck is stacked” so no matter what the administration can do what it wants whenever its want.
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p>As I read this post it brought to mind something I heard the Governor say on the news today. He was talking about ETHICS and MORALITY (regarding the recent corruption charges). He was preaching the need for ethics and morality on network news as he is orchestrating the mass eviction of hundreds of profoundly mentally retarded CITIZENS from their homes. WHAT AN INCREDIBLE PHONEY!!! HE HAS NO SHAME, NO ETHICS OR EVEN A HINT OF MORALITY. Unfortunately those seem to be the requisite credentials to be a politician in this state.
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Just words. Our democratic Governor talks a good game. Mentally disabled folks don’t vote, no reason to cater to them. The budget for the elderly can be cut by 20%. Why not cut there? Nope can’t do that, they’re the biggest voting demographic out there. Might not get re-elected. We’re not doing so well in this absolute democratic power environment, are we? Just words. Just politics as usual in Massachusetts.
If you are a person with mental retardation – you will see very little difference between Romney and Patrick. Who would have thunk it? Both administrations have been driven by a cookie cutter, one size fits all ideology which has been proven to increase mortality for people with profound mental retardation. As I mentioned under a previous post, Dr. David Straus published a mortality study which indicated that non-ambulatory, non-verbal and incontinent people (that’s right – people!) die at a 72% higher rate once deinstitutionalized. Note: Shavelle, Robert & David Strauss. Mortality of persons with developmental disabilities after transfer into community care: a 1996 update. AJMR, 1999, 104(2), 143-147
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p>So why do this? Why go down a path proven to have a heavy body count when the facilities could be properly utilized to provide HMO care and other specialized treatment for both community living and residential living patients? Expanded care at less cost? Hmmmmm. Could it be because the vendors won’t get their cut?
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p>Yeah. They’re practically licking their chops.
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p>From MARC, whose membership includes numerous vendors:
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p>Opportunity for the same supports and services in the community? Ah – thanks, no, Leo, you self-serving syncophant. These are Ricci class clients, entitled to the same as or better level of service for life. The last thing that I would want for my medically fragile, profoundly disabled loved one is to have to wait months for a medical appointment in the “panacea” called the community – not when these same services are available at Fernald, a centralized service delivery cener. The only tremendous step forward here is in the money grab for the vendors.
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p>And God love Dr. Bigby. Dr. Bigby, the Secretary of the EOHHS, who purports to care so much about health disparities in minorities, fails to understand the real health disparities faced by people with MR in the “community.” With a 72% higher mortality rate, these fragile people will need more, consistent care – not less.
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p>I think I’m going to follow the money trail and start looking at the campaign finance reports. I think it should be interesting.
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p>I am praying that Obama takes our double-talking Governor out of here. Are you with me? We could start a Novena today.