Vast Horizons, Inc. are an advocate organization for people with special needs, including developmental disabilities and autism, and they have just released their latest -- and updated -- newsletter. Below are their top news items. You can click on the link at the bottom of the post to read more.
US REP. DUCKWORTH FIGHTS 'GAMING' OF DISABILITY BENEFITS
Rep.Tammy Duckworth plans to co-sponsor a bill to tighten the rules on who can receive veterans disability benefits and contract set-asides, after the revelation that a federal contractor was collecting excessive payments for...
GOVERNMENT EASING THE WAY FOR DISABLED AIR PASSENGERS
Federal regulators say they’re issuing new rules aimed at making flying easier for passengers with disabilities. A rule issued Monday by the Dept. of Transportation requires airlines to make pages of their websites accessible...
OFFICIAL FIRED AFTER CRITICIZING AFFORDABLE CARE ACT CHANGES
William White was fired from his job as D.C.'s insurance commissioner one day after he questioned the president's proposed healthcare fix. White told NBC News that on Thursday he released a statement reacting to the president's...
DEAF FOOTBALL PLAYER FORGES ON, WITH TEAM SUPPORT
A hearing impaired high school football player masters the game through courage, with the help of the coaches, teammates, and his ASL assistant, who even attends daily practice with him.
WHY 'AUTISM SPEAKS' DOESN'T SPEAK FOR ME
A social media firestorm erupts after the only Board member of the nonprofit Autism Speaks who is on the spectrum resigns over the organizations latest call to action...
To READ MORE on any of these articles, or to find out more about Vast Horizons, Inc., go to the VHIconnect.org website.
Wednesday, November 20, 2013
Monday, November 18, 2013
Changes and progress at SDC: Message from Executive Director Karen Faria
The following was written by Sonoma Developmental Center (SDC) Executive Director Karen Faria in the latest issue of the Eldridge Press. You can read or download the entire November issue here: Eldridge Press, 11/2013.
On October 30th the Quarterly Governing Body Meeting occurred. Information was shared from July 2013 to September 2013. The minutes from the Governing Body meeting are available for viewing on the Intranet. I thought I would take this opportunity to share what I reported:
Message from the Executive Director
On October 30th the Quarterly Governing Body Meeting occurred. Information was shared from July 2013 to September 2013. The minutes from the Governing Body meeting are available for viewing on the Intranet. I thought I would take this opportunity to share what I reported:
- The roll out plan for the Physical Nutritional Support (PNS) for this facility will be to identify high-risk individuals, have Interdisciplinary Teams review the risks and develop PNS plans per the current PNS guidelines. The state-wide PNS Policy is still in draft form and will be implemented fully at SDC when a completed policy is available.
- Much planning was conducted in the last quarter, but specific consolidation moves did not occur. All moves involved the relocation and return of the people who had lived in nursing residences (NF), to accommodate the installation of the new federally-required sprinkler system. Planning was conducted to determine the best moves of client service areas to make them closer to the individuals’ residences.
- The essential activities in the last quarter were to re-establish policies, committees and procedures that had lost their effectiveness or operational outcomes.
- Another major activity during the quarter was the hiring of staff into all classifications and to attempt a reduction in the amount of Mandatory Overtime use.
- We needed to provide sufficient information and cooperation with the Delmarva Foundation so that they could conduct their data collection for their Root Cause Analysis which was approved on 9/3/13 by California Department of Public Health.
- Summaries were discussed of what remains to be done in order to be fully compliant with the combined Conditions of Participation for General Acute, Nursing and Intermediate Care Facilities. (See page 2 for details)
- Almost all of the clinical areas have current Individual Development Plans (IDP—for staff); Program 4 and 6 are completed and NF is just about complete. Administrative Services will work on their IDPs next.
- Clinical Nurses are now on all ICF residences and individual health needs are just starting to be more thoroughly and timely addressed.
- Email accounts have been given to all of the NOC shift employees. Plans were put into place for getting drop lines and computers in the conference rooms for better recording of meetings. The older servers have been removed and data was sent to the less old servers.
- The return of the Administrative Services Director has improved the budget monitoring process and hiring of administrative staff just started to occur at the end of the quarter.
- Quality Assurance (QA) Plan and Indicators are completely developed and data is being collected. A consolidated facility-wide QA committee has been initiated and is reviewing all the data.
Friday, November 15, 2013
Open Letter to Secretary Dooley: On the possible closure of Sonoma Developmental Center
Dear Secretary Dooley,
I am writing you regarding the current status of Sonoma Developmental Center (SDC) and it's possible closure. I am both a staff physician at SDC and a citizen with a brother who is living in the community with intelectual disabilities (ID) . As such I feel I have a unique perspective on the effects facility closure would have on our clients with ID.
I have significant concern regarding the possiblity of closing SDC. Currently we have a unique and highly dedicated staff of nurses, physicians and consultants with expertice in disability medicine that I do not believe can be matched in the community setting. Closure of the facility would have a dramatic negative impact on the well being and medical management of our clients, in my opinion. My collegues and I all have anectodal experience of poor outcomes, and in my case at least one death, due to transfer of clients into the community setting. Unfortunately, despite our efforts to obtain objective data of follow-up and outcomes of our clients following communty placement, we have been unable to obtain such data. While anecdotal evidence should not determine policy, the medical staff here is unanimous in our assessment that closure of this facility could be extremely burdensome if not catastrophic for our most challenging and sickly clients, especially the elderly residing most of their lives here.
As a brother of a person with ID I can not tell you the frustration and challenge I have had obtaining proper medical care for him in the community setting, with regards to his epilepsy and mental health needs . While his doctors are compassionate and well intentioned, it has become obvious to me, especially since working at SDC, that their expertice in managing his special medical needs are lacking. I have had, on numerous occasions, had to prescribe urgent or emergency medical management to him due to lack of availability or knowledge base of his physicians. My recurrent thoughts in such incidents are: "we are both extremely fortunate I have this unique medical training." and " what do others who have no such training do for their family or loved one with such disabilities in these settings?"
Rather than closing such a valuable institution I believe we would all be best served by strengthening it to both maintain residence for those most challenged individuals, and even expanding its services. As an outpatient referral center for those already residing in the community who require specialty care in neurology, psychiatry, physical medicine, geriatrics and palliative medicine, our facility, physicians and consultants would be uniquely trained to offer state-of-the-art, cost-effective medical care to this underserved demographic of our citizenry.
As I physician practicing disability medicine for some of our most challenged citizens, and as a brother of one such citizen struggling to maintain his health in the community, I urge you to strongly consider the negative effects of SDC closure on these vulnerable individuals.
Sincerely,
Gerald Camarata, MD
I am writing you regarding the current status of Sonoma Developmental Center (SDC) and it's possible closure. I am both a staff physician at SDC and a citizen with a brother who is living in the community with intelectual disabilities (ID) . As such I feel I have a unique perspective on the effects facility closure would have on our clients with ID.
I have significant concern regarding the possiblity of closing SDC. Currently we have a unique and highly dedicated staff of nurses, physicians and consultants with expertice in disability medicine that I do not believe can be matched in the community setting. Closure of the facility would have a dramatic negative impact on the well being and medical management of our clients, in my opinion. My collegues and I all have anectodal experience of poor outcomes, and in my case at least one death, due to transfer of clients into the community setting. Unfortunately, despite our efforts to obtain objective data of follow-up and outcomes of our clients following communty placement, we have been unable to obtain such data. While anecdotal evidence should not determine policy, the medical staff here is unanimous in our assessment that closure of this facility could be extremely burdensome if not catastrophic for our most challenging and sickly clients, especially the elderly residing most of their lives here.
As a brother of a person with ID I can not tell you the frustration and challenge I have had obtaining proper medical care for him in the community setting, with regards to his epilepsy and mental health needs . While his doctors are compassionate and well intentioned, it has become obvious to me, especially since working at SDC, that their expertice in managing his special medical needs are lacking. I have had, on numerous occasions, had to prescribe urgent or emergency medical management to him due to lack of availability or knowledge base of his physicians. My recurrent thoughts in such incidents are: "we are both extremely fortunate I have this unique medical training." and " what do others who have no such training do for their family or loved one with such disabilities in these settings?"
Rather than closing such a valuable institution I believe we would all be best served by strengthening it to both maintain residence for those most challenged individuals, and even expanding its services. As an outpatient referral center for those already residing in the community who require specialty care in neurology, psychiatry, physical medicine, geriatrics and palliative medicine, our facility, physicians and consultants would be uniquely trained to offer state-of-the-art, cost-effective medical care to this underserved demographic of our citizenry.
As I physician practicing disability medicine for some of our most challenged citizens, and as a brother of one such citizen struggling to maintain his health in the community, I urge you to strongly consider the negative effects of SDC closure on these vulnerable individuals.
Sincerely,
Gerald Camarata, MD
Thursday, November 14, 2013
Mark Your Calendars Now for 2014 PHA Events
Before the end-of-year festivities and busyness overtake you, take a moment to mark your calendars for these important dates. 2014 will be here before we know it!
January 11, 2014 -- PHA General Meeting, 10 a.m., in McDougall Hall at SDC
We will have a presentation on the Sonoma Coalition. Sonoma Developmental Center (SDC) has long had the support of the surrounding community. Community members have concerns over the future of the site as well as supporting the maintaining of services for developmental center residents. Learn how banding together can help us achieve our goals of supporting services and protecting the environment for future generations.
March 8, 2014 -- PHA Annual Legislative Meeting, 10 a.m., in McDougall Hall at SDC
This year many of our legislative representatives will term out. Assemblywoman Yamada, Senator Evans and others are leaving and we need to hear from those seeking to replace them in their key roles as legislators who oversee Sonoma Developmental Center (SDC). Your attendance is important and it will give you the opportunity to learn who might support us in creating a path forward for our family members who reside at Sonoma.
March 29, 2014 -- Annual Event at the Vintners Inn in Santa Rosa
Our annual event is a wonderful opportunity to get together with others connected with Sonoma Developmental Center, enjoy a delicious meal, and lend support to the Parent Hospital Association's ongoing work representing the interests of the residents at Sonoma Developmental Centers and other developmentally disabled people in Northern California. Please join us in March and support PHA at our annual event -- we'll be at the Vintners Inn again this year.
January 11, 2014 -- PHA General Meeting, 10 a.m., in McDougall Hall at SDC
We will have a presentation on the Sonoma Coalition. Sonoma Developmental Center (SDC) has long had the support of the surrounding community. Community members have concerns over the future of the site as well as supporting the maintaining of services for developmental center residents. Learn how banding together can help us achieve our goals of supporting services and protecting the environment for future generations.
March 8, 2014 -- PHA Annual Legislative Meeting, 10 a.m., in McDougall Hall at SDC
This year many of our legislative representatives will term out. Assemblywoman Yamada, Senator Evans and others are leaving and we need to hear from those seeking to replace them in their key roles as legislators who oversee Sonoma Developmental Center (SDC). Your attendance is important and it will give you the opportunity to learn who might support us in creating a path forward for our family members who reside at Sonoma.
March 29, 2014 -- Annual Event at the Vintners Inn in Santa Rosa
Our annual event is a wonderful opportunity to get together with others connected with Sonoma Developmental Center, enjoy a delicious meal, and lend support to the Parent Hospital Association's ongoing work representing the interests of the residents at Sonoma Developmental Centers and other developmentally disabled people in Northern California. Please join us in March and support PHA at our annual event -- we'll be at the Vintners Inn again this year.
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| Parent Hospital Association (PHA) meetings are held in McDougall Hall on the Sonoma Developmental Center (SDC) campus in Eldridge, CA. McDougall Hall is the blue building pictured here at the corner of Sonoma and Wilson. |
Wednesday, November 6, 2013
Progress Report on Task Force Reviewing the Future of California's Developmental Centers
Meanwhile, the Sonoma Index-Tribune has published an article on the progress of the task force thus far. PHA President Kathleen Miller, who serves on the task force, was interviewed and gives her summary:
"Miller said the conclusions that can be reasonably drawn from the discussions held on a monthly basis since July are that, on the one hand, SDC won’t be sold by the state to private developers but that, on the other hand, its mission and resident population will likely change. What that change will be isn’t yet clear, Miller said, but it is not likely to happen quickly."
read the full article at Future of Sonoma Developmental Center under review, by David Bolling, Sonoma I-T (11/06/2013)
Friday, November 1, 2013
New Edition of The Eldridge Gazette is Available
The next general meeting of Parent Hospital Association (PHA) members and friends is coming up 10 a.m. to noon, Saturday, November 9th, in McDougall Hall at SDC. The agenda includes a panel discussion on community services and also discuss the new assessments that have been mandated for all developmental center residents.
The minutes of the last meeting are included in the September/October edition of the PHA newsletter, which is just hot off the press. If you haven't received your copy by snail mail or e-mail, you can download a copy from the website. Visit parenthospitalassociation.org/resources -- you'll also find links to all other back issues available.
We hope to see as many people as can make it next week. For everyone unable to attend -- there will be a full report in the November edition of the Gazette, so stay tuned!
The minutes of the last meeting are included in the September/October edition of the PHA newsletter, which is just hot off the press. If you haven't received your copy by snail mail or e-mail, you can download a copy from the website. Visit parenthospitalassociation.org/resources -- you'll also find links to all other back issues available.
We hope to see as many people as can make it next week. For everyone unable to attend -- there will be a full report in the November edition of the Gazette, so stay tuned!
 |
| McDougall Hall is the blue building at the corner of Wilson and Sonoma. |
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