…but I never really knew just how much until now. For a few years, I have talked about Florida Medicaid waiver funding and specifically how Florida ranks 50th out of the nation in funding for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. I complain and fuss about how ashamed I am that these special people aren’t [...]

Ten days ago, we posted how Governor Rick Scott imposed an emergency order with dire cuts to funding for those with developmental disabilities. We are ecstatic to say last Thursday evening those cuts came to an end! 
Florida Senate President, Mike Haridopolos, and Florida House Speaker, Dean Cannon, came to an agreement in the budget that will fund [...]

You ever have those epiphany moments when things just suddenly become clear?  I hate to sound like a broken record on the state of the Medicaid waiver system in Florida.  I guess it comes up every time the Florida legislature goes into session.  I’ve talked about it here, here and here as well as several other [...]

As state legislatures are convening all across this country voting on budget measures and working on new laws for their constituents, the fight for those with the smallest voices- those with developmental and intellectual disabilities- is stronger than ever.  That’s why it’s so interesting to note two totally different reactions at the state level in recent [...]

I had a parent of an ARC Marion client leave my office a few minutes ago, and because she’s also a friend, I told her that her story was “blog worthy.” (in my opinion of course)  Here’s what she’s dealing with right now.
Her son, who has Down syndrome, is nearly 26-years-old.  When he turned 18, [...]

While our Florida state lawmakers continue to do things that baffle me, I’ve got a new one that should ruffle your feathers, too.  The Florida Agency for Healthcare Administration who regulates and oversees service provider agencies across the state for everything from hospitals to nursing homes, mental health centers to those facilities serving the intellectually [...]

Sitting before the Florida House and Senate right now are two separate budgets.  The House budget cuts funding for the Florida Medicaid waiver system for providers by 10% across the board, while the Senate budget plan has a 6% across the board budget cut.  I just don’t get it. 
It doesn’t take a Rhode’s Scholar to [...]

Whether you agree or disagree with the legislation that was voted upon by Congress and signed into law by the President this week, there’s one thing clear to me.  Healthcare for the developmentally disabled is not going to change for the better nor has it even been discussed! 
First of all, allow me to step on [...]

The Rahm Emanuel incident has caused quite the conversation among journalists and media personalities throughout the country.  From nightly news broadcasts to radio talk shows it has definitely put the topic on the map. 
Recently the ladies of The View took it to task.  I learned something that I never knew until this incident, that Barbara Walters and [...]

 I don’t know if you want to call it ironic or a coincidence (which I don’t much believe it either) that just a few short weeks ago in this blog I was talking about our government leaders starting to understand our fight to advocate for individuals with special needs.  Just two days prior to that, [...]