What a week!
Wednesday, August 30th, 2006It has been quite a week–or shall I say two weeks! Busier than a beaver in springtime, I’ve been doing so much that I don’t know where to start. Silly me, I thought that I’d have a restful week chillin’ with my Mum, but of course, that was not to be. I was working on both ends–taking calls from back in DC, while helping out ADAPT in Denver. I’m getting ahead of myself, so I’ll summarize the week.
Wednesday, August 16
I arrived early at the airport, and went uneventfully through security. I say uneventfully, but for some reason, going through security is anything but uneventful for me. I’ve just gotten used to it. I must be a selectee, or on some kind of list, because every time I fly, I am taken to the side, and checked literally from head to toe. They start checking my hair thoroughly, and do everything but lift me from my chair. I find it amusing that they even check my hair. I’ve never seen anyone have their hair checked, but those who know me (or who pay attention to the pictures on this page, if they see them), know that I (now) have have very thick dreadlocks that hang well below my waist. Personally, I think its the dreads. Maybe the agents are instructed to check anybody with dreads. I asked the TSA agent why they routinely check my hair, and she said that they always check people with thick hair. It sounds silly to me because though I have extremely thick locks, there is no way that I can hide anything in them!
I make it on the plane, and as soon as it gets airborne, I get sick. I feel as if I’m going to faint, burst, and chuck at the same time. My distress is so obvious that the flight attendant allows me to go to the bathroom even though the seat belt light is still on. Thankfully, the episode passes, and the rest of the flight is pleasant.
We land in Denver, and I make it to baggage claim. I hear a voice behind me calling my name. Thank goodness–it’s my Mum. I’m really glad to see her! We go to get my bag. Poor Mum! She thought that I still had my distinctive worn burgundy suitcase with the ADAPT stickers all over it, but alas, I’d gotten a new professional looking black bag that looked like every other black suitcase on the flight. Finally, we found mine, and headed out.
Once at Mum’s, I greet the kitties, Tiger and Ralphie. I miss them, so I’m really glad to see them. I meet Murphy Brown, Mum’s Welsh Corgie. Ms. Brown is a cool dog–very bouncy, and extremely friendly. I settle in while Mum cooks dinner. We spend the evening talking and catching up.
Thursday, August 17
Mum has a doctor’s appointment, so I go with her. Her doctor, Dr. Ferguson, was once my doctor, so it’s really good to see him. He is such a good doc, a natural teacher, who understands disability issues, and the importance of independent living. He is the best doctor I’ve ever had!
We leave Dr. Ferguson’s office and head to Atlantis Community, the home of ADAPT. On the way, I receive a call about the bus forum, but I inform the caller that I am in Denver. We get to Atlantis, and say hi to all of my old friends. The folks in the Learning Center have made a really cool and beautiful banner for me. I ended up bringing it home with me. My best friend Dawn aksed me to stick around for the ADAPT meeting, but it turned out that the invitation was a cover for the fact that she had arranged a pizza party for me. How cool! The pizza and the cake were quite yummy. Hugs and kisses to Dawn!
I sit in on the ADAPT meeting. One of the topics of discussion was the fact that the new director if the Department of Health Care Policy and Financing (HCPF), Steve Tool, refused to apply on behalf of the state of Colorado for the Money Follows the Person (MFP) grants that the Centers for Medicaid and Medicare Studies (CMS) is awarding the states. These grants would allow the states to get more people with disabilities and senoirs out of nursing homes and other instutions, and into the community. Toole, however felt that Colorado did not qualify for the grant because the state has no waiting lists for the various waivers, and the budget in a Money Follows the Person fashion. The group decided to write him a letter stating the reasons why Colorado is eligible, and encouraging him to participate in a conference call with CMS so that he can find out if Colorado is eligible to apply. It will be hand delivered tomorrow. I agree to write the letter, and have Dale, Babs, and Dawn edit it. Here is the letter:
August 18, 2006
Re: State’s decision not to apply for the Money Follows the Person (MFP) grant.
Steve Tool
Department of Health Care Policy and Financing
1570 Grant St.
Denver, Colorado 80203-1818
Dear Mr. Tool,
According to Viki Manley, the State will not be applying because it feels that the budget is
designed to act in an MFP fashion, with no specific dollar amount assigned to nursing facilities or to home and community-based services. Ms. Manley also asserts that the State has no waiting list, and has plenty of room to add clients, as the capacity for their entrance into the non-developmental disabilities waivers is wide open.
Ms. Manley also feels that since Colorado received the Nursing Facilities Transition Grant, whose success led to the addition of a transition services benefit within the Elderly and Blind waiver, that this has made Colorado ineligible to apply for MFP.
The MFP demonstration program is very flexible, so it does not matter if the funds are all in one pot, or that the State has no waiting lists for its waivers. The program flexibility also allows the states to think outside the box, and include programs and agencies not previously included in a demonstration project. The grant also allows states to target multiple populations, specific areas, or locations, and most importantly, allows Colorado to look at other parts of our system that may be institutionally biased. Additionally, greater weight is given to states who partner with disability organizations in its pursuit of, and implementation of the grant. This means that Colorado has not lost its eligibility to apply for, and to participate in the Money Follows the Person demonstration project. This is very important because although our state has had success in transitioning clients from an institutional setting to community living, it has done so at a much slower pace when compared to other states. For example. under the Nursing Facilities Transition Grant, Colorado was able to move 93 individuals from nursing homes and other institutions, to the community, while Pennsylvania has managed to moved over 1,000 people into the community under a similar grant. The 75%-25% matching federal funds that Colorado would receive directly from the MFP grant would allow the state to expedite the transition of more of its citizens to full inclusion within their communities.
CMS understands that the states may have questions and concerns about MFP, and will be hosting a conference call on Tuesday, August 22, 2006, from 3:00 pm until 4:30 pm, EST (1:00-3:30 pm MST). Colorado ADAPT strongly encourages you to be a part of that conference call. The toll free number for the conference call is 1-888-390-8568. The caller
pass code is MFP DEMO.
According to Dr. Mark McClellan, Administrator of the Centers for Medicaid and Medicare Studies (CMS), in his National Council on Independent Living Annual Conference Keynote Address, “States that do not apply for this program are not only failing to give their beneficiaries the choice and control they deserve, they are also passing up a huge federal funding opportunity.”
Mr. Tool, ADAPT urges you not to miss this opportunity to partner with the disability community to make the dream of living at home a reality for even more people with disabilities who are currently institutionalized. Please let ADAPT know by Monday, August 21, 2006 if you intend to be on the CMS conference call.
Free our people!
Colorado ADAPT
Friday, August 18
I wake up, and dash off the letter, and email it to Dale. She edits it, and adds a quote from CMS administrator, Dr. Mark McClellan. Mum and I head out early to the airport to pick up my younger sister, Saundra, and my nephew, Logan. I haven’t seen them in years. Saundra hasn’t changed–she still is a looker–short, pretty, and pixie-like. Logan, however, has gotten tall and handsome–taller than me! We stop by the store to get the foodstuffs that we will prepare for Popz’s memorial tomorrow. We then head for Atlantis, pick up Larry Williams, and Dawn, and go to the State Building to deliver the letter. The woman at the front won’t allow us to go upstairs, and according to her, Steve Tool is in a meeting. She offers to give him the letter, but we ask her to send down Diane Rodriguez to talk with us. We have worked well with her in the past, and trust her to deliver the letter to Mr. Tool. We wait in an area off to the side, and a few minutes later, Diane arrives. Of course, she agrees to deliver the letter.
On the way back to Mum’s, we stop at the rental place to arrange the rental of some chairs and a canopy for the memorial. While I’m waiting for Mum and Twink (Saundra’s nickname, which I still insist on calling her), I get a call from my friend, Bill O’Field, who is with the Board of Elections and Ethics back in Washington, DC. he informs me that they are doing poll worker trainings, and have followed my suggestion to have actual people with disabilities do the presentations about disability sensitivity, instead of showing a video. he asks if I would be willing to do a training. I tell him that I am in Denver, but will call him when I get home. Of course, I will be glad to do a training!
Back at home, we prepare sandwiches for Popz’s memorial. We have dinner, relax, and do a lot of catching up.
Saturday, August 19
Judy, a friend, and one of Popz’s former attendants, comes by to go with us to the memorial, which will be at Georgetown Lake, in Georgetown, Colorado, which is in the mountains near where Mum and Popz used to live. Harry, another friend and neighbor comes by, and takes Logan with him in his truck to pick up the items that were rented yesterday. They will meet us at the site.
It’s cold, blustery, and threatening to rain. I did not bring a jacket, so I’m freezing. We stop by the store for a few last minute items, and run into some friends of Popz. Mum talks with them for quite a while, and they give her a gift of a beautiful plant. Upon arriving at Georgetown Lake, I try to stay out of the wind. I eventually decide that the only way that I will be able to stay warm is to make myself useful, so I help to get some of the suff out of the van. After setting up the canopy, table, and food, we blow up balloons with helium. I blow some up on my own. Slowly, I begin to feel better.
After a while, some old friends and neighbors of Mum and Popz drop by. We talk about Popz, and remember all the funny and cool things that he did. Mum has made a posterboard filled with pictures of Popz through the years, some with him on his motorcycle, some with Bubba, the coolest dog in history, and some with Twink, Cindy, and Logan, as a baby. Some of Popz’s favorite music was blasting on the CD player, and one of the foods that we brought was pumpkin nut bread, which was one of Popz specialties.
It began to rain, but fortunately, we were under the canopy. I’m really freezing, so Harry, who is a real sweetheart, and gentleman, gives me his jacket, and his brand new Rockies blanket to wrap around me so that I can get warm. When the rain lightens up, we write messages on the balloons, and release them. Although Mum brought Popz’s ashes with us, it’s way too windy to spread them. After a while, we prepare to leave. as we are doing so, Lacy and Melissa, two of Popz’s former attendants come by. Since we are leaving, they come home with us, and we continue the memorial at home. Later, Mum, Twink, Logan, Harry, and I go out to The Old Spaghetti Factory for dinner. Though it’s good, Mum’s spaghetti is far better!
Sunday, August 20
At 5:00 am, Twink and Logan come to kiss me goodbye. Their plane leaves in a couple of hours, and it’s way too early for me, as I’m not a morning person. Later, Mum and Harry return the rental items. Twink calls to say that they made it home safe. The rest of the day is spent resting and talking.
Stay tuned for part 2…


