[tri-med] Re: A Princess Phil Update

Fawna,

I don't know how it is where you live, but in Idaho almost anyone can get a 
commercial transportation license to transport to developmental centers, 
etc.  We run a transportation business with two vans, and we have seen some 
pretty awful things.  Things like vans breaking down in the middle of August 
and still being stuck there after 2 hours--with the clients, vans with no 
heat or a/c, drivers-oh don't get me started with the drivers...  The 
problem is that if the state is paying for the transportation, they pay next 
to nothing.  The transportation companies can't afford to hire people who 
are qualified to work with dd clients.  They hire people with no other 
experience (who can't get another job) but have decent driving records.  You 
may be able to find another company who is more responsible.  Our medicaid 
office carries a list of all transportation providers in our region, and if 
you know anyone at any developmental centers or even mental illness centers, 
they may be able to plug you in.  There is a couple of services whose 
owners, like us, quit the day centers and group homes, take care of clients 
in the home and run a transportation service.  Those are the best because 
not only do you get someone who owns the business and cares about it 
driving, but they also know how to deal with passengers and that you can't 
just drop them on the corner and expect them to know what to do.

Hope things go well!

Jennifer, mom to Arwen, 6; Elanor (t18), 4; caregiver to Joe (cerebral palsy 
& spastic displaysia), 25 & Eric, 18; and wife to Andrew
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Fawna Lockwood" <fawna33@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: "Tri-Med@Freelists. Org" <tri-med@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>; "Tri-Family@Freelists. 
Org" <tri-family@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Wednesday, December 22, 2004 3:07 PM
Subject: [tri-med] Re: A Princess Phil Update


> We had Philina's school IEP back on the 8th.  Once again she was between
> Regional Center workers, but since this was to be her last IEP, and we
> were concentrating mostly on where she'd be going after graduation next
> June, I called them up and told them they needed to have somebody there
> any way.  They came through, and the fill in accomplished more in a week
> then the last 2 workers did in the last 2 yrs toward figuring that out.
> I had finally figured it out on my own why that program I liked the looks 
> of
> wouldn't even consider her.  She's "too good".  They are primarily a
> behavior
> modification program, and her official paper trail doesn't currently show 
> a
> need for modifying her behavior....despite calling strange men "daddy" in
> the grocery store, and the bottom groping and shirt lifting.  (Seems she
> reserves those behaviors for people she really likes...i.e. mostly ME.)
>
> So now we're down to 2 local day programs we're considering.  The one
> closest to home, through Easter Seals who she currently utilizes their
> respite camp program,  say they will assuredly have room for her, and 
> think
> she would fit in just fine.  However Regional Center will be paying for 
> the
> program, and they prefer the other more intense vocational oriented one
> through United Cerebral Palsy.
>
> We toured UCP yesterday.  They have a 4:1 ratio for their work groups,
> were as Easter Seals' is 3:1.  They also aren't so sure they'll have room
> for
> her since they have recently lost their contracts to provide workers to 4 
> of
> the companies they work with.  They also warned me to beware of the bus
> service that we'd be directed toward to transport her to and from where
> ever she ultimately ends up.  Seems not only do you have to call them
> daily to arrange transportation, this company dumped a client out at
> their facility (adjacent to a major street) before any staff had arrived.
> They
> say they're not baby sitters.  They only transport, and once they arrive 
> at
> the contracted address, all their responsibility & liability ends.  NO
> WAY!!!
> This child would end up in Tijuana, or worse.  Other option seems to be
> me filling out more paperwork, and become a "Mom's Taxi" voucher program
> vender.  Paperwork is the bane of my existence....
>
> So I talked to the newly assigned Regional worker yesterday afternoon,
> and she will be sending out the appropriate paperwork to UCP.  Oh btw,
> for any old timers here who might remember the first person Philina ever
> groped at the age of 16, the male UCP swim lesson aide, well he works
> one day a week at the facility they want to attach her to.  (We'll just 
> see
> how her behavior paper trail holds up then!)  That is if they can even
> accommodate her.  Plan B will be to fall back on Easter Seals, if and only
> if,
> UCP can't take her.  One guess what my druthers would be...
>
> Fawna, mom to Philina 21yrs (PT6p & Moya Moya Syndrome)
> http://home.mindspring.com/~fawna33/
>
>
>                  Building ___ooOOoo__ Rainbows
>                       www.trisomyonline.org
>                  Families Helping Families On-line
>
> 


                  Building ___ooOOoo__ Rainbows
                       www.trisomyonline.org
                  Families Helping Families On-line

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