2009/02/18/email to The Durham Center

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This is just an update for the team...

Yesterday we received the reply to our complaint about the reduction in Josh's service hours. I have posted a copy here:

http://wiki.hypertwins.org/Josh/2009-02-17

Basically, Ms. Sved maintains the reduction in hours, and states that Josh should be in a group home "until CAP funds are available for him".

I don't think I need to point out how backwards this appears, but just for the record:

1. we are needing these services only *until* he can be placed in a group home
2. it was our understanding that CAP funds are necessary for placement...
3. ...and that there are long waiting lists, even for CAP-funded consumers.

So suggesting that a group home is a good waiting place until Josh gets CAP makes no sense at all; the CAP slot is a *prerequisite* for group home placement, and there will probably be additional waiting even once a CAP slot is awarded (assuming it ever happens, which is looking very iffy at this point).

Also, a key point: group home placement is the main *goal* at this point; I hope everyone is clear on that.

These services are desperately needed in order to maintain Josh's behavior at tolerable levels in the interim and so he will be in good emotional shape for entering a group home when one becomes available. If services are reduced too much, we fear that Josh's behavior will deteriorate and he will be denied admission to group homes on that basis -- and yet still not be an "extreme enough" case to qualify for PATH at The Murdoch Center.

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We were informed by Yolanda at the meeting last week that SSI would be helpful for group home placement as well, so we are working on that too.

We are also sending in an appeal of this decision.

Terry: Please let me know if there has been any news about the CAP slots. I get the impression that the Recovery Act funds may help get CAP moving again, but I don't have any specifics.

Thank you,