With Labor Day approaching, I thought the BMG community would be especially interested in hearing about efforts to support the Salary Reserve for low-paid human service workers that the Governor and legislature have left behind for the last … [Read more...]
DMR Facility Closings
The truth of the matter is that our communities have proven that people with mental retardation can thrive in smaller settings while accessing the medical and recreation necessary to support their needs. While the community setting has … [Read more...]
dmr vendors cry foul
If you listen to the fernald league you'd think the dmr vendors were awash in gravy. Below is a press release from the dmr vendors trade association. The ceos of the vendor companies seem to feel under attack. Are they cutting back on their … [Read more...]
Finally a fix for Human Services. Please contact your representatives!
I have worked in Human Services for over 20 years. I have been at one agency for 16 years. I am in charge of 13 homes for adults with developmental disabilities. Some of those homes have not had an increase in funding since 1987. These … [Read more...]
The Truth About Fernald
There has been much discussion regarding a guardian's decision to move an elderly woman from Fernald to a home in the community. Most of the bloggers are discribing this woman's past 50 years at Fernald as idealic. Give me a … [Read more...]
Executive order establishes new Office of the Child Advocate on 12/20/07
Executive Order No. 494 has as a goal to protect the children involved with four agencies: DMR, DMH, DSS and DYS. That would be a change, as there is little oversight and little public scrutiny of any of these agencies unless or … [Read more...]
Need to change the way DMR is funded
The passage of Senate Bill 65 would change the way rates are calculated. Providers are currently required to bid to an agency's, i.e. DMR, pre-set contract prices. These prices are based on the agency's budgetary considerations and bear no … [Read more...]
Fernald – how did we get here and where do we go?
As a matter of disclosure, I work for one of the original plaintiff’s (MARC v Dukakis) that were consolidated into the Ricci case. The Arc of Massachusetts (our current moniker) does not have any fiscal obligations to the … [Read more...]
Globe weighs in on DMR accident
As McNamara put it:...the man who for nine years has headed the state agency responsible for the care of 24,000 adults with mental retardation in Massachusetts has left it to David and Linda Burke to cope with the fallout from their … [Read more...]