Politics?

I don't like politics. I never have. I don't know the difference between right wing and left wing, nor do I truly understand liberal or conservative. For the most part, they're a bunch of people making bad decisions with my money! If I don't like someone in political office, it's certainly not because of their party alignment. It's probably because I think they are not looking out for the best interests of their constituents.

That being said... let's talk about politicians.

Senator Jill Vogel: At the very beginning of our fight for the child development clinic, I presented her with a petition. She sat me down, listened to everything I had to say and assured me she would help. She gave me her business card and wrote her personal cell phone number on the back. She has been as good as her word! The Senator and her office personnel have been an invaluable resource! Everytime I have called her, she has gotten back to me quickly. She has taken time out of her busy schedule to have long drawn out conversations with me. I am eternally grateful, and she will always have my support.

Candidate Larry Yates: I had the pleasure of meeting this gentleman at one of our CDC meetings with the state health department. He had approached us and wanted to help. He has shown a concern for our disabled community and has made himself accessible for advice and assistance in our fight for the child development clinic. He encouraged me to take the opportunity to speak at a local forum he hosted for the disability community. He seems to be a very down to earth gentleman with genuine care and concern for the community.

Candidate Mark Berg: This gentleman is running against Larry Yates for the 29th District Delegate seat. I have attempted to contact him on several occasions. I took the time to explain our work to keep services local for intellectually and developmentally disabled children and adults. I had invited him to our meetings as well. Mr. Berg sent a response to me which didn't even address my original email. When I posted on his Facebook page about my disappointment, the post was quickly removed. I was soon contacted by one of his handlers who promised me a quick response by the candidate himself. As of yet, I have not heard a thing. Another gentleman posted his concerns as well, only to have that removed. Apparently he doesn't seem to realize that 1 in 50 children have autism... and that child has two parents who most likely vote. One in 25 parents in the 29th district are influenced to vote by his actions. His inactivity is going to cause them to vote for someone else.

I have absolutely no idea what political affiliation these three people have... I don't know if they are Republican, Democrat or Independent.

And I don't care.

The only Tea Party I have ever heard of occurred in Boston a long long time ago.

But I DO know who has shown concern and care for our community. I have seen who is willing to roll up their sleeves and fight for our children. That's what matters. Our children today are the leaders of tomorrow. How we lead them today influences how they lead us in the future!

What kind of leader do you want?

The politically correct filter

I received a letter from the health department today. It was a letter to tell me to expect a letter. I'm guessing I must have caught them off guard. If you read my previous post you will see my letter to them asking why they've been dragging their feet in their communications with us.

So, the letter I'm about to post below must be a placeholder for me while they run their actual response through their politically correct filter...

Please feel free to comment let me know what you think
.......................................................

This is in reply to your recent email to the Virginia Department of Health regarding child development services in the Winchester area.  Thank you for contacting us to express your concerns.

 

We are currently researching the questions that you raised in your email and will be in touch with you shortly with a more specific response. 

 

Should you have questions in the meantime, please contact Sidnee Dallas, Program Administrator of the VDH Children with Special Health Care Needs Program with the Division of Child and Family Health.  You can reach her by telephone at 804.864.7716, or by email at Sidnee.Dallas@vdh.virginia.gov.

 

Cynthia C. Romero, MD, FAAFP

State Health Commissioner

109 Governor Street

Richmond, VA 23219

Another letter to Richmond...

I've emailed the Virginia Department of Health YET AGAIN. They have been lax in their openness with information. I believe they are of the idea that as long as they can drag their feet with us, the less they need to do. They probably are hoping we will go away...

NOT GONNA HAPPEN

Here's the email...

Greetings,

I am emailing to communicate with you about our progress and open communication with the JMU staff. We have had a very productive open dialog with the staff at Harrisonburg. They have been so very helpful and informative about the possibilities of a satellite office in the Northern Shenandoah Valley. They have also voiced concerns about the lack of consistent communication on your side of the equation. "It's almost like the right hand doesn't know what the left is doing," Zingraff said. "It doesn't help that all of us have talked with several key players, but never at the same time or about the same issue." For example: the files still at the CDC in Winchester, which we had mentioned to you on several occasions, WERE NOT refused by the JMU staff as you had informed us. They had actually prepared space for those very files!

We have been in constant communication with your office about all aspects of our work toward serving the special needs community in our area, but your responses have been slow and lacking any true information. Doctor Devine has constantly been in the know as far as our progress is concerned.

When can we expect an answer as to how the state can help the special needs community in our area? The longer the personnel in your office remains inactive, the greater the number of children in our area aren't served. Your inactivity is negatively impacting a growing number of children.

Please open the lines of communication with us. And supply us with facts, ideas and answers.

Jack Starry
540-692-6136
www.nsvar.org
facebook.com/nsvar
twitter.com/nsvar

Musical Chairs and more unwashed hands

Our meeting with JMU was a lengthy and fruitful one! We were very pleased to have Rhonda Zingraff, director of JMU's Institute for Innovation in Health and Human Services, and Kim Hartzler-Weakley, director of the Office on Children and Youth join us! First and foremost, I want to thank them for their candidness and openness. I hope we can continue to enjoy such an open dialog with them.

Leading up to the meeting, our local TV3 Winchester friend and reporter Hattie Cheek aired a story about the CDC and our fight to keep services local. Hattie has been a great supporter of our cause and has enabled us to keep our fight in the public eye. Her news story can be found here: LOCAL WOMAN FINDS SERVICES SHE NEEDS AND HELPS TO KEEP THEM LOCAL

Thanks Hattie!

At the meeting, we were joined by Kim Walter from the Northern Virginia Daily newspaper. She took copious notes during the meeting and the article was published today! You can read it here: JMU CLINIC SUPPORTS IDEA OF CHILDRENS SERVICES SATELLITE

Its a very well written article and clearly sums up our meeting! We value and appreciate Kim for her time and attention to the matter! Thank you, Kim!

Now... on to the meeting.

One of the things we had been asking for was an explanation as to where the money went. We went forward with a Freedom Of Information Act request, and this non-answer is what we got:

Kinda looks like a case of "Hide The Money" doesn't it?

 

 

As I am sure you read in the newspaper article, the JMU CDC took on a lot more than just our catchment area. Their service area is a long laundry list of cities and counties.  

 

They have had meetings with the VDH just as we have, and are running into the same problem.

 

Musical Chairs.

 

Almost every time we have had a meeting with VDH, its been with different people. Their office has been a revolving door as far as their personnel are concerned. Every time we meet, we find ourselves having to re-hash all the information... all over again. Seems excessively counterproductive, doesn't it? The folks at JMU have had the EXACT SAME PROBLEM!!!

 

How are we supposed to accomplish anything when we keep having to backtrack? On top of that, we aren't getting answers from the VDH. We asked to be part of the conference call taking place this Friday at 10AM. Dr. Charles Devine informed us that we probably won't be included.

 

Why? What does the state have to hide? Is there something they don't want us to hear? I would hope that they had the best interest of our children in mind... but I'm not getting that warm and squishy feeling from them. At all.

 

JMU wants answers just as much as we do! You can only take so much of "That's a good question, we will have to get back to you on that" before you've had enough.

 

YOU'VE HEARD OUR QUESTIONS AND HAVE HAD AMPLE TIME TO "GET BACK TO US ON THAT" How about those answers?

 

To quote Rhonda Zingraff "It's almost like the right hand doesn't know what the left is doing," Zingraff said. "It doesn't help that all of us have talked with several key players, but never at the same time or about the same issue."

 

Musical Chairs.

 

OK people. The music has stopped. Let's everyone have a seat now and start paying attention to what really matters. OUR CHILDREN.

 

It's time the VDH stopped playing games with us, with JMU and with the welfare and future of OUR children.