No Place Like Nursing Home

A few days ago the national Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services released a report on nursing homes throughout the country targeted for high-risk pressure ulcer and/or physical restraint improvement. Pressure ulcers are the same as bed sores, and are a result of someone who can't move without assistance staying in the same position too long. It's always necessary that they be moved in a timely fashion. Physical restraint is when someone's movements are restricted, with the idea of protecting themselves and/or others from aggressive behavior or moving about. It's not always a necessary measure.

Oregon has 33 such nursing homes which I'm listing here. Something to consider when placing a loved one in these facilities.

Targeted for Improvement in High-risk Pressure Ulcer Rates	Targeted for Improvement in Physical Restraint	Name	City	County	State
	X	AVAMERE HEART OF THE VALLEY REHABILITATION	CORVALLIS	BENTON	OR
X		MARQUIS CARE AT HOPE VILLAGE	CANBY	CLACKAMAS	OR
X		CLATSOP CARE CENTER	ASTORIA	CLATSOP	OR
	X	AVAMERE REHABILITATION OF COOS BY	COOS BAY	COOS	OR
	X	MYRTLE POINT CARE CENTER	MYRTLE POINT	COOS	OR
	X	OCHOCO HEALTH CARE CENTER	PRINEVILLE	CROOK	OR
	X	CASCADE VIEW NURSING	BEND	DESCHUTES	OR
	X	REDMOND HEALTH CARE CTR	REDMOND	DESCHUTES	OR
	X	HEARTHSTONE MANOR	MEDFORD	JACKSON	OR
X		MOUNTAIN VIEW LIVING CENTER	MADRAS	JEFFERSON	OR
X		AVAMERE REHABILITATION OF EUGENE	EUGENE	LANE	OR
	X	AVAMERE REHABILITATION OF JUNCTION CITY	JUNCTION CITY	LANE	OR
X		MENNONITE HOME	ALBANY	LINN	OR
X		TIMBERVIEW CARE CENTER	ALBANY	LINN	OR
X		PIONEER NURSING HOME	VALE	MALHEUR	OR
	X	TIERRA ROSE CARE CENTER	SALEM	MARION	OR
X		EVERGREEN PORTLAND H&R CENTER	PORTLAND	MULTNOMAH	OR
	X	GRACELEN TERRACE NF	PORTLAND	MULTNOMAH	OR
X		GRESHAM REHAB & SPECIALTY CARE	GRESHAM	MULTNOMAH	OR
	X	HEALTHCARE AT FOSTER CREEK	PORTLAND	MULTNOMAH	OR
	X	PROVIDENCE CHILD CENTER	PORTLAND	MULTNOMAH	OR
	X	REGENCY GRESHAM NURSING & REHAB CENTER	GRESHAM	MULTNOMAH	OR
	X	ROSE CITY NURSING HOME	PORTLAND	MULTNOMAH	OR
	X	TRINITY MISSION HEALTH & REHAB OF PORTLAND	PORTLAND	MULTNOMAH	OR
	X	NEHALEM VALLEY CARE CENTER	WHEELER	TILLAMOOK	OR
X		EVERGREEN HEALTH & REHAB CENTER	LA GRANDE	UNION	OR
	X	COLUMBIA BASIN CARE FACILITY	THE DALLES	WASCO	OR
X		EVERGREEN THE DALLES HEALTH	THE DALLES	WASCO	OR
X		AVAMERE REHABILITATION OF KING CITY	TIGARD	WASHINGTON	OR
X	X	EVERGREEN HILLSBORO HEALTH	HILLSBORO	WASHINGTON	OR
	X	MARYVILLE NURSING HOME	BEAVERTON	WASHINGTON	OR
X		NEWBERG CARE HOME	NEWBERG	YAMHILL	OR

Healthcare Heroes

I've written the following as a part of Disability Carnival # 31. The topic/theme of the carnival is "Superman" and will be up on Valentine's day at wheelchairprincess.com

It seems to me that there is danger in proclamations declaring individuals as being extraordinary people while they’re still alive. It has to do with ego and basic psychology. It’s kinda like; “You’ve arrived! There’s nothing more you need to do”.

I’ve seen it before; people being touted as “champions” of a particular cause. In my state they actually have a title known as a “healthcare hero” for someone who has done something to move the system to do what it should have done in the first place. I wonder if the idea is to divert people’s attention away from the failed system. Keep the masses at bay, and let them try to become the next hero. I’ve also noted that these heroes sometimes become complacent following their crowning achievement.

The celebration of the Reverend Doctor Martin Luther Jr.’s birthday is a prime example of what I mean. I don’t know what that’s like in the community where you live, but in Oregon it’s a day of glad handing and back patting to the extreme. There’s very little discussion regarding his bucking the system or calling people out when there was just cause. It’s all about congratulatory remarks about how wonderful select individuals are. Dr. King was never very big on accolades himself...

As for Superman himself; I’ve heard that the story is an analogy, so I’ll go with that idea with a bit of a twist. Here’s my take on it:

We all have green Kryptonite inside of us. Another word for it is “ego”. In the same way green Kryptonite weakens Superman, and can kill him if exposed to enough of it, so can ego make us impotent and take away our powers when out of balance. I think it best to stay away from the beaming admiration of onlookers who inflate the ego, and concentrate instead on the work that lies ahead.

Story of Success

Not all that's going on in our state is bad news. This story comes to you courtesy of the East Oregonian newspaper/website. When you hear over and over about the unmet needs of people with serious challenges, it can really bum you out. I know that personally it gets to me sometimes...
-------------------------------
Journey into the mind

Recovery center has unique mission

Many of the residents of the Blue Mountain Recovery Center come to the hospital caught inside a dark, confusing place - a place that exists inside their own minds.

A simulator invented by a drug company called Janssen Pharmaceutic helps mentally healthy people experience delusions common to schizophrenics, a disorder suffered by many BMRC clients. Using goggles and headphones, you journey into the mind of a schizophrenic who takes a ride on a city bus or going to the grocery store.

It's a frightening journey.

People stare at you from every aisle of a grocery store, a man in a television commercial yells at you, the label on a pill bottle turns into a skull and crossbones. You hear voices in front, behind and inside your head.

Sometimes these delusions lead people to do strange things in real life. One woman, for instance, ended up in police custody after she went into a stranger's house and started hauling the furnishings outside for a yard sale.

Most clients come to BMRC, the smallest hospital in the Oregon State Hospital system, from county mental health facilities around the state. Others come directly from emergency rooms, some handcuffed in the back of police cars.

Most have been civilly committed by the state for up to 180 days.

The recovery center, a palatial, two-story building, sits amid a huge expanse of lawn that is shaded in the summer by large trees thick with squirrels. The structure, though impressively large, is dwarfed by its razor wire-surrounded next-door neighbor - the Eastern Oregon Correctional Institution.

The Blue Mountain Recovery Center is invisible to many Pendletonians who have driven past numerous times, but never noticed its existence or maybe thought it was part of the prison.

The facility looms large for the 60 residents of the center, however.

Director Kerry Kelly said newly arriving residents are awash in an overload of mental stimuli.

"This is a very confusing place to come to initially," said Kelly.

Imagine trying to soak in a new environment and lifestyle while battling voices or waging other internal struggles, Kelly said. Some are paranoid, refusing to eat or drink, thinking BMRC staff wants to do them in.

It takes a while, in some cases, to build trust. Then, staff and patient work together for recovery.

"We agree with them completely that they don't belong here," she said. "The goal is to get them stable and back into the community."

Each client is different, Kelly said, but with a mixture of psychotherapy and drug treatments, most are able to get back on stable footing. One big challenge is convincing some clients they need certain drugs - such as a bipolar person who is in a manic state.

"Without medication, you feel like superwoman," Kelly said. "Why would you want to take medication?"

The drugs cause some unpleasant side effects, such as jitteriness, Kelly said.

Blue Mountain's parent hospital, the Oregon State Hospital, recently made the news after a U.S. Department of Justice investigation revealed numerous civil rights violations including life-threatening use of restraints, infection control issues, violence between residents and other concerns. The investigation took place in 2006 and was released last month.

Kelly said BMRC is not a miniature state hospital with all the same problems, though she admitted it faces some of the same challenges.

"We're working within a very narrow budget and our units are crowded," she said.

Clients sleep four to a room.

"At any given time, there's six to eight people waiting for that bed," Kelly said.

But the similarities end there. Pendleton's hospital isn't crumbling and the clients' conditions aren't as severe. The state hospital treats medical and forensic patients, while BMRC mostly has clients who have been civilly committed.

Fewer patients mean staff can respond quicker.

"We can take care of issues right away if they come up," she said.

Kelly wanted people to know the state hospital started working to improve immediately after its horrible review in 2006.

"Amazing work has already been done," she said.

The Pendleton hospital is smaller than its Salem counterpart. It only has two wards, one coed and the other male.

On Thursday, in the all-men's ward, a 20-something man stood in the hallway shaving as he stared into a full-length mirror on the wall, painted a soft green. A handful of other clients ambled around, some wearing headphones and others conversing.

Two staff members sat with one man who had earlier indicated he wanted to die. Suicidal clients always have two staff members with them at all times, Kelly said.

Thoughts of suicide plague some clients, she said, and staff takes the possibility seriously.

The hospital has two seclusion rooms for clients who are a danger to themselves or others. They are plain with only a mattress and four bare walls. The patient usually is free to move around and a staff member is present, Kelly said.

In contrast to earlier years, Kelly said, the rooms only are a last resort.

"Seclusion isn't a treatment modality," she said. "It's a failure of treatment - something wasn't working right."

The center sometimes goes for months without a client put in seclusion and that's how Kelly likes it.

"We will do anything, including standing on our heads, to avoid using these rooms," she said.

The center's patients eventually ease back into the community, after treatment.

"It's a process," Kelly said. "It happens over days, weeks and months."

Big Pharma Strikes Again?

I personally have suspected that vaccines are in fact one (if not the only) cause of Autism. I further believe that it was "ruled out" by doctors and scientists who were rewarded for their findings by big pharma. Apparently a new tv show is going to make this suggestion also. I'll be very curious to see what kind of backlash comes from it. From the internet...

ABC show fuels autism debate; doctors concerned

The premiere episode of ABC’s new legal drama, Eli Stone, may lead parents to believe there is a connection between autism and immunizations, doctors say.

by Leslie K. Tamura Published February 5, 2008 ⋅


MEDILL NEWS SERVICE

Dr. Alan Rosenblatt has given all the recommended vaccines to his own children and urges other parents to do likewise.

Rosenblatt’s recommendations may fall on deaf ears, however, if the premiere episode of ABC’s new legal drama, “Eli Stone,” leads parents to believe there is a connection between autism and immunizations.

“I think that [ABC] is using a very sensitive issue to raise interest in their product,” said Rosenblatt, a North Park neurodevelopmental pediatrician.
During the show’s first episode, a jury awards in favor of the plaintiff who accuses a pharmaceutical company of being responsible for her child’s autism.

“It implies that there is a cause and effect relationship between a mercury preservative in vaccines and the emergence of autism in children that is not consistent with the overwhelming evidence that is accepted by the scientific and medical community,” Rosenblatt said.

Last week the American Academy of Pediatrics argued there is no scientific data supporting a relationship between vaccines and autism and urged ABC to cancel the show’s Thursday premiere.

Dr. Renee R. Jenkins, the American Academy of Pediatrics president, wrote to ABC executives Friday, warning “this program could lead to a tragic decline in immunization rates,” which “could be devastating to the health of our nation’s children.”

ABC said on Monday it would still air the episode but will include a disclaimer about the show’s plot and direct viewers to the Centers for Disease Control’s autism Web site.

Nonetheless, the medical community is still wary about the “Eli Stone” episode.
“There are real health consequences with this drama,” Rosenblatt said.
“What has led to our present state of the public health, compared to one or two centuries ago, [was] the introduction of vaccines,” he said.

The Pediatrics Academy’s Jenkins worries that the episode’s content will influence parents to not immunize, causing “needless suffering and potential deaths of children.”

It is generally accepted by the medical community that there is not a causal relationship between vaccines and autism. Mercury was removed from vaccines in 2000 but the numbers are still going up.

Autism is one of a group of neurological brain disorders affecting child development. Many children with autism have unusual behaviors and interests and have difficulty with social interaction and communication.

Autism is the fastest growing developmental disability, now affecting 22,000 children in Illinois, according to the Illinois Department of Human Services.
Because there is no cure for autism and no causal connection with vaccines, people are looking for easy answers, Rosenblatt said.

This has pediatricians concerned about the influence of fictional shows on health care decisions.

Jenkins said in a news release that “a television show that perpetuates the myth that vaccines cause autism is the height of reckless irresponsibility on the part of ABC and its parent company, The Walt Disney Co.”

The show is already stirring debate on the show’s message board.

“I am terribly concerned about a TV show like this espousing the vaccine-autism theory,” one person wrote Tuesday. “If the creators think this won’t lead to people not vaccinating their kids, they are either purposely ignorant, or downright negligent.”

Another person wrote, “The parents of autistic children have enough to deal with, without having to combat idiotic autism mumbo-jumbo in the media.”
“Eli Stone” was created by Greg Berlanti and Marc Guggenheim and stars British actor Jonny Lee Miller. The new drama airs on ABC, Thursdays at 9 p.m.CST.

More Exploitation?

It’s all over the internet and every news source throughout the world. I'm talking about the "reports" that Al Qaeda used 2 women with developmental disabilities as unknowing suicide bombers. Folks are outraged that these terrorists would stoop to taking advantage of these women; who in most cases are being called “mentally handicapped”. The media is telling us this story using language that both infuriates and elicits pity. I have to wonder how they know these 2 women had developmental disabilities in the first place. I also wonder how they know these women weren't aware of what they were doing.

I have a question. Where have these same “protectors of the vulnerable” been while people with developmental disabilities have been struggling to eke out an existence in nearly all the countries of the world... for centuries? It seems as though these people are using a label of "mentally handicapped" to further their own agenda(s). People with disability labels are being taken advantage of, so that some people's beliefs and actions can be validated.

Don’t get me wrong; I don’t believe that suicide bombing of innocent civilians by Al Quaeda is anything short of heinous. It just troubles me that people with developmental disabilities, the same group of people that have been virtually ignored by society at large, are now being exploited in yet another way.

How to Create a Religious Following

Some time back I was tasked to find an appropriate group home for my kid who has a developmental disability. We checked out some of the places we were referred to, but he eventually was allowed to stay in the foster home of his choice.

One of the homes we looked at was run by Good Shepherd Communities, which operates group homes throughout the state of Oregon. I knew they are a Lutheran based organization, but there was no mention of them being religion driven.

Today I received a Google alert with the keywords being "Portland developmental disability problem" and found the following as a Help Wanted ad. It would seem that DHS is funding religious organizations. Whatever happened to separation of Church and State??
--------------------------------



Parish Ministry Consultant

Company: Good Shepherd Communities

Location: US-OR-Portland
Base Pay: N/A
Employee Type: Full-Time Employee
Industry: Not for Profit - Charitable
Manages Others: no
Job Type: Nonprofit - Social Services
Req'd Education: Not Specified
Req'd Experience: Not Specified
Req'd Travel: Not Specified
Relocation Covered: No
Posted Date: 2008/01/23

Contact: Martha Titterton Phone: 503-225-1631
Fax: Not Available Ref ID: 125


DESCRIPTION

Reports directly to the Regional Spiritual Life Director, who sets the overall direction for the work. Works cooperatively with management and staff of Good Shepherd Communities (GSC) to ensure that programs and activities are appropriate to the mission and goals of Good Shepherd Communities and are coordinated with other personnel who may be providing spiritual life supports. Trains and orients GSC program managers and staff in the area of spiritual life supports; assists congregations in developing and enhancing spiritual life supports that are inclusive of people with developmental disabilities; recruits and trains volunteers to provide Christian nurture and support for people with developmental disabilities and those who support them; ensures that spiritual life supports are appropriate to the needs and desires of each individual supported by GSC; other duties as may be assigned.

REQUIREMENTS
o Supports the spiritual life of people with developmental disabilities based on an assessment of the individual needs and desires.
o Provides orientation, training, resources and supports to GSC staff in the area of spiritual life supports.
o Coordinates programs and activities with other GSC staff that may be providing spiritual life supports.
o Facilitates the inclusion of people with developmental disabilities in the life of local congregations.
o Provides training, resources and support to congregations serving/seeking to serve people with developmental disabilities.
o Offers resources and support to families of persons with developmental disabilities.
o Work with BLHS religious life staff and resources staff in developing religious outreach materials, curricula, workshops and seminars.
o Maintains effective working relationships with Lutheran judicatories and other agencies supporting people with developmental disabilities.

• Education and/or Experience:
A communicant member in good standing of a congregation of the LCMS, ELCA, WELS, or ELS, a professional church worker on the active roster of his/her district or a college graduate with training and/or experience in developmental disabilities. Special Education courses or Clinical Pastoral Education and three or more years of experience in ministries with people with developmental disabilities are preferred but not mandatory.

o Certificates, Licenses or Registrations:
Applicants must maintain a valid driver’s license and an acceptable driving record.

Other Competencies:
Training in, and commitment to, the Lutheran doctrine and practice and the ability to work with the Lutheran Church on a local and national level. Applicants need to possess a demonstrated ability to work effectively with staff and volunteers, be able to communicate effectively through verbal and written presentations, and have the skill to set realistic goals and implement plans. An applicant must be intrinsically motivated, flexible, patient, an effective listener and communicator, with the ability and desire to work as a team member in a large corporation. Candidates must demonstrate knowledge, compassion and respect for people with developmental disabilities. A person must be willing to promote the spiritual, emotional and physical well-being of each person and seek the greatest possible inclusion in THE CHURCH AND THE COMMUNITY.

The Longest Month in History

Here we are finally... the last day of January. For the life of me, I can't recall a month that has lasted this long. It's not like it was a bad month. It just feels like 2008 has been hanging around a lot longer than 31 days. New Year seems like a mighty long time ago to me. Maybe it's because so much has happened this month. Any way; you probably have more important things to do than read this thought.

Oregon Concept 87 Pondering

In response to the latest, Oregon Legislative Concept 87 (LC87):
SUMMARY OF LC87*: Proposes, in response to an emergency, to change the Oregon code and/or statute and/or rules to reserve a “special fund” in the Treasury (the “Quality Care Fund”), set aside from the fines collected from agencies employing persons found of substantiated abuse, to be reserved for the exclusive purpose of allocating resources to DHS to administer the training, technical assistance and quality assurance necessary to meet their obligation under current requirements of law. *[DAWGOregon’s interpretation of a piece of the proposal].


After much thought about the Quality of Care Fund I’ve come to a few conclusions that I’d like to share with you. I don’t see this as much more than a temporary band aid for the problem of abuse/neglect. I’d like to know what your feelings are.

I guess the plan is to fund training and monitoring through fines levied on agencies where incidents of abuse and neglect of people with developmental disabilities occur. While I agree that this problem must be dealt with immediately, it’s hard to see how this plan will be preventative.

First of all, it seems to me that this concept is short sighted, and will only facilitate the cycle of abuse. The best way to demonstrate this is through a map I made in figuring this out. It’s below the text here.

Secondly, this unsustainable fund asks nothing of anyone other than people who experience abuse, their abusers and the agencies they work for. Isn’t it time that the people of Oregon invest SOMETHING in our citizenry?

I’ll look forward to your thoughts.

And From Tennessee...

Cops Now Taser an Unarmed Scared Mentally Handicapped Woman into Submission
Mentally Disabled Unarmed Woman Tortured and Shocked repeatedly with Taser

Officer denied using weapon, suspended after investigation
Sunday, December 2, 2007

Amanda Beets is 28 years old, but she still refers to herself as a child, even when discussing her own little girl, Ashley.

As she recalls the events of March 21, 2005, when she was shocked repeatedly by a Knoxville Police Department Taser although she wasn't fighting with officers, she describes the experience in the plainest of terms: "It hurt. It really hurt."

Beets lives in a small house on Connecticut Avenue in North Knoxville with her mother, Carol Dianna Lewis. A bout with spinal meningitis when Beets was an infant left her with a speech impediment and impaired mental functioning, problems that have kept her from striking out on her own.

Lewis is anything but evasive when asked who started the chain of events that led up to the Tasing of her daughter: She did, by leading Knox County deputies on a car chase that began in Halls and ended a few minutes later in her driveway.

She readily concedes that the deputies - and the two KPD officers who showed up at her house to provide backup - had every reason in the world to be scared and angry after the lengthy pursuit, which ended in her arrest on charges of evading arrest, driving on a revoked license and simple possession of marijuana.

Lewis said she understands that what she did was wrong. What she doesn't understand is why her daughter, who she says functions at the level of a 12- or 13-year-old girl, was hurt in the process.

When Lewis pulled into her driveway, she was swiftly taken into custody by the numerous officers who responded to the scene. Beets was inside the house with Ashley but ran into the driveway after hearing several loud bangs that she mistook for gunshots.

Terrified that her mother was dead or dying, she raced toward where Lewis was being subdued by deputies. She began screaming at the officers. She was grabbed by KPD Officer Brian Headrick, who was soon joined by KPD Officer Chad Riggs.

What happened next is unclear, although more than a dozen people were interviewed during the ensuing Internal Affairs probe. Beets said she was kicked by someone and that Riggs used the Taser on her three times even though she wasn't struggling with officers.

Riggs admitted that he got out of his cruiser with the Taser in his hand, although KPD's rules at the time prohibited officers from deploying the weapons without getting a supervisor's approval. He said Beets seemed to be attacking Headrick and that during the melee, Beets ran into him. He said he did not know if the Taser came in contact with Beets but that it was "possible," records show.

"Headrick said Beets was yelling and 'flailing her arms around' but did not try to attack him," according to the IA report filed later on the incident. "He described her behavior as 'disorderly' and also said it was obvious by this point she was mentally challenged or 'there was something wrong with her.' He said at one point he, Beets and Riggs were all in close proximity to each other and he 'heard a Taser going off'... for 'five or six seconds.' "

Beets was released without being charged, and Riggs later told Headrick that he hadn't used the Taser and therefore didn't need to fill out a use-of-force report, records state.

Headrick reported his suspicions to his supervisors, who quickly contacted Beets and her family to find out what their accounts of the incident were. Riggs' supervisors were able to use a computer printout from Riggs' Taser to confirm that the weapon had been discharged three times, and a physician who examined Beets said she had "dual Taser burns on her upper back, chest, neck and on (her) breasts," the IA report states.

Sgt. Keith DeBow, who heads KPD's Taser training program, said "he felt it was 'highly unlikely' that Riggs' Taser could have been activated accidentally three times," the IA report notes.

Riggs was later suspended for 10 days without pay after the IA investigation concluded that he'd used excessive force and failed to make a use-of-force report. He resigned about six months after the incident.

Beets has since sued the police department, Headrick and Riggs for $1 million in
compensatory and punitive damages in Knox County Circuit Court.

Headrick, who is still a KPD officer, couldn't be reached for comment, and Riggs' attorney, Richard W. Krieg, said he's advised his client to not discuss the case.

KPD officials and Beets' attorney, Herbert S. Moncier, declined to comment on the incident, citing the pending litigation.

Beets says she was traumatized both mentally and physically by the event and wants the police department to make sure that more officers like Headrick are encouraged to turn in officers who break the rules. "I want to stop this before another kid gets hurt," she said.

Lewis said that she has nothing but praise for Headrick, whom she describes as "one of God's own." Lewis, who has a history of low-level criminal offenses, said that before the incident with her daughter, she didn't trust police officers to be moral. But Headrick's actions and the swift response of KPD supervisors, she said, convinced her that KPD genuinely wants to do the right thing.

When it comes to Riggs, however, Lewis is clear that an administrative punishment isn't satisfactory.

"I admitted I did wrong; I pleaded guilty to what I was charged with," she said.
"He assaulted my daughter. ... I would prefer that he was put in jail."

Do You Qualify??

If you or someone you know are uninsured and low income in Oregon there is a chance you might be able to get on the Oregon Health Plan. It's only a bandaid, but you might be able to get help...

To: All DHS employees
From: Bruce Goldberg, M.D., Director

“Nobody made a greater mistake than he who did nothing because he could do only a little.”
Edmund Burke

DHS is about to take a step that will make a life-changing difference in the lives of several thousand low-income Oregonians. Each of us should be prepared to play a role in that.

On Monday, we will open the reservation list for the Oregon Health Plan’s Standard benefit plan, which will lead to the first new enrollments in Standard since June 2004. From that reservation list, the names of several thousand people will be randomly selected to receive Standard applications.

Sadly, right now more than 600,000 individuals in Oregon are without health insurance, over 100,000 of those are individuals in severe poverty. At its peak, OHP Standard enrolled nearly 132,000 people.

We at DHS know all too well the consequences that individuals and families who are unable to get health care face and the painful fact that those without health insurance are sicker and die sooner. We also understand how this blemishes our collective community, our humanity, and our state. We know health care is among our state’s and our nation’s top public policy issues. But on a human level, we don’t need polling data to tell us the impact it has on the lives of real people.

Reopening OHP-Standard for the first time since June 2004 is supported by one of the most aggressive public awareness campaign in this agency’s history. We’ve contacted hundreds of thousands of organizations, partners and households, printed thousands of brochures in 10 languages and taken our story to the news media.

Because the need for health care is so much larger than the available slots in OHP Standard, we’ve worked hard with our community partners to ensure the enrollment system is fair – that the individual in Scappoose, Shady Cove or Spray has the same chance to enroll as someone in Salem. That the last person to put her name on the reservation list on Feb. 29 will have the same odds of receiving an application as someone who signs up this Monday.

But the success of this effort isn’t limited to our hard-working employees who will be taking names for the reservation list. Every one of us at DHS should be familiar with the process so we can help people who ask us questions. I’m not asking you to memorize the 1-800-699-9075 toll-free phone number, although that would be nice. But you should at least know how to find contact information posted at the top of the DHS Web page (http://www.oregon.gov/DHS/).

True, one could argue that only a few people will ultimately be enrolled compared with the heavy demand. But see the Edmund Burke quote at the top of my message. For the several thousand people who are enrolled, it will make a difference in their lives.

Meanwhile, The Oregon Health Fund Board, (http://healthfundboard.oregon.gov/) born out of Senate Bill 329, is working hard to develop a comprehensive plan to reform Oregon’s health care system. They are making progress in designing the path that moves us rapidly toward being a state in which affordable and effective health care is available and accessible to all.

While we await that plan, which cannot come too quickly, we must still do all we can to help people get the health care that they need. Because DHS employees live and work in both our urban and rural areas, you are in a good position to spread the word about OHP Standard to people in your neighborhood, children’s school, a service club, faith community or other setting.

As an agency, we will show how well we can handle an unusually complex process to enroll people fairly in a high-demand program whose enrollment is capped. As individuals, each of us can do our part to reach out to as many Oregonians as we can.

Thank you for your energy and commitment to serving Oregonians.

Gaining Ground... Slowly

This is a short speech given by 2 women in the state of Virginia recently. It says a lot about the steps being taken to recognize folks with developmental disabilities as complete human beings.


Speech Given to Health, Welfare and Institutions January 15, 2008 and Health and Education January 17, 2008
by Jill Egle’ and Erin Thompson

Jill Egle’:In our self advocacy group, People First, we don’t like the “R word” which is label and stands for Retarded. We don’t like it because it hurts our feelings and it puts us down in our lifetime. 40 years ago doctors used to label us as retarded because it was accepted in society when a child was born with a disability it was okay to say the “R word”. Erin Thompson:In 2008 it is NOT okay to use the “R word” when you are talking about ANY PERSON. We want to be known as a person first. A person with a name– not called a diagnosis, an I.Q. Score, a mental age, or somebody’s child. If the State and state organizations must describe our disability– we request that the term Intellectual Developmental disability be used rather than the current termMental Retardation. Jill and Erin:We would like to leave today and be able to proudly state that HB 760 and SB 620passed unanimously and… Virginia is not Retarded anymore…

Martin Luther King Quote # 3

"A nation or civilization that continues to produce soft-minded men purchases its own spiritual death on the installment plan."

Martin Luther King Quote # 2

"All labor that uplifts humanity has dignity and importance and should be undertaken with painstaking excellence."

Quotes From Martin Luther King Jr.

An idea just came to me... why not post quotes I Like from martin Luther King on my blog in honor of his birthday. The hope is that readers will figure out for themselves what he was saying, and the meaning.

"A man who won't die for something is not fit to live."

The Struggle Takes No Day Off

I found the following on the net. I'm posting it in honor of the work Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. devoted his life to.



NURSING HOMES: BLACKS TREATED WORSE THAN WHITES

Here is a disturbing report: Black nursing home residents in Maryland and Virginia are more likely than white residents to be sent to hospitals for dehydration, poor nutrition, bedsores and other ailments because of a gap in the quality of in-house medical care, according to a new study.

Researchers affiliated with Brown University's medical school found that 23 percent of black nursing home residents in Maryland were hospitalized in 2000, compared with 17 percent of white residents. In Virginia in 2000, researchers found 20 percent of black nursing home residents were hospitalized, compared with 18 percent of white residents.

Researchers said the findings in the two states reflected a national trend. The study is scheduled to be published in the June issue of the journal Health Services Research.

Why? My guess is that economic factors play a significant role. Nursing homes which rely heavily on Medicaid have lower employee-to-patient ratios and often operate without a nurse practitioner or a medical director, which results in more residents needing to be hospitalized. Whatever the reason….its is a sad commentary on how we care for our elderly!

From The Mouth Of A Nun

Sister Helen Prejean summed up the reason people stay committed to attempting to bring about needed change in society for me this morning. She is the author of the book "Dead Man Walking" which was made into the Academy Award winning film. She says that those of us who become aware that the suffering people experience is caused by injustice, cannot walk away from it.

This is very powerful thought for me. I had the question posed to me yesterday, and couldn’t find the answer. In fact, at a focus group concerning the abuse and neglect of people with developmental disabilities, all in attendance were asked the question; “Why is it that you stay in the field for as long as you have; knowing how broken the system is?” We all looked around at each other like dear caught in headlights, with no answer forthcoming.

I think I’ll get in touch with the people who were there to share Sister Helen’s belief. Maybe they’ll also recognize her words as their truth.

Commercializing Martin Luther King's Birthday

At Thanksgiving we gather the homeless and hungry for turkey dinners. We make sure they have a hot nutritious meal...on that one day of the year. I tend to believe it’s more for the community at large than those being fed. It relieves guilt we may have for not taking care of these folks year round.

I see the same sort of dynamic growing more each year around Martin Luther King’s birthday. Next Monday there will be breakfasts honoring civil rights champions all over the country. There will be celebrations and TV broadcasts. There will be quotes and speeches about how great Dr. King was. There will be volunteer opportunities to paint, restore, clean up, and care...on that one day of the year.

I’m not buying any of it. I’m quite certain that Dr. King would not buy it either. He was much more of an in-the-trenches warrior than a celebrity. He was a year round activist who was more concerned with results than pomp and circumstance.

So I choose to have a day of fasting and praying on Monday. Something very low key. I’ll set my sights on what I can do when Tuesday rolls around.

What a Difference A Dollar Makes $$$

Back in June I wrote about a friend of mine who was “placed” in deplorable conditions to heal from an injured knee. The place was a Nursing Home, which catered to folks who were primarily on the Oregon health Plan (Medicaid), in need of rehabilitative services..

I wrote about what the place was like, how it smelled and the general vibe. It was nasty to say the least.

For the last week I’ve been dealing with another friend (this time a hip) who was discharged from a hospital to a Nursing Home which also provides rehabilitative services to people on better, private insurance and Medicare.

The differences in Facilities has been amazing! This place has a professional yet homey atmosphere. The paint and decor are very cheery and conducive to feeling good about one’s self and situation. Going there to visit is a pleasant experience compared to the depressive atmosphere in the other facility. The people there are talkative, smiling, and very much involved in their treatment.

I spoke with my friend yesterday, comparing her experience to my other friend’s. She didn’t feel guilty, but made it clear that she feels that everyone should be able to have the same sort of treatment for rehabilitation that she’s having. I couldn’t agree with her more.

Something New! Really...

I just finished writing the first verse and chorus to a new song. I have an idea for the melody and style for the song, but there's no title and it needs at least 2 more verses. A bridge would be cool too. In other words I want some help with it. I figure where else to go for help than the good old internet where there has to be a number of tunesmiths and poets who could contribute to this song. I envision a contest. The person/people who help me complete the song will receive free lunch on me as well as co writer credit.

So come on over and flex your writer muscles with me...

Song

I don’t want no “A” for effort
I don’t want no hero’s crown
I don’t want no fancy titles
Followin’ me around.

I don’t want no big ol’ paycheck
I don’t want pats on the head
I don’t want no fame or glory
For the flowery words I’ve said.

CHORUS

I want YOU to get up off your ass.
I want YOU, even more than me, to make something happen fast
If you’re sick of doing nothing while the fire turns to ash
I want YOU to get up off your ass.

The Nile Is A River In Egypt

I heard a guy on Democracy Now say “My personal mission is to leave the world a little bit better off than it was when I came into it” this morning. I think many people feel the same way he does. I know I do. His words got me thinking about the current state of the world, and whether I’ve accomplished my own similar mission. In all honesty, I have to say the answer to that question is no.

Have I tried? Absolutely. Where then, have I failed? I have failed because the world is a very corrupt and unfair place. On all levels. Watching a year in review show on Democracy Now really opened my eyes. All the national and international failures to improve the world in 2007 are far more numerous than the successes. You can say I’m being pessimistic or negative, but I believe I’m simply being honest and a realist.

Let me walk you through the year’s failures, not chronologically, but as thoughts come to me:

1) Kucinich tried to get Chaney deservedly impeached but he failed.

2) I tried to see justice served on behalf of a friend who was euthanized but I failed.

3) The occupation in Iraq continues in spite of the larger number of Americans opposed to it.

4) Bush continues to spy on us though it’s common knowledge he’s doing so illegally.

5) Hunger and homelessness throughout the world continues to grow.

6) AIDS still takes way too many lives.

7) The ideas I’ve brought to legislators regarding health and safety for people with profound disabilities have gone nowhere.

8) The whole Bhutto assassination has been mired in cover up and lies.

9) Corporate America continues to control us, like it or not.

10) Lack of accountability in Oregon and America in general, is the status quo. More so than at any time I can personally recall.

11) The disparity in income between rich and poor continues to grow throughout the world.

12) People with disabilities are still having their civil rights violated daily in the U.S.

13) Healthcare costs continue to rise while most of the people in the world don’t have any at all.

14) Israel is still practicing Apartheid on the Palestinian people.

15) The Democratic Congress that was supposed to shake things up has given Bush everything he’s asked for.

16) People continue to stick their heads in the sand, pretending everything’s just ducky.

ENOUGH! I don’t want to continue on with this list. The bottom line is that overall I believe humanity earned a “D” in 2007 for its successes in making the world a better place, and continues to move toward an "F". Including me.