Re: Madigan and other thoughts

[Guest guest]

Leonor...I meant no disrespect...I just reread my response to you...it was a bit

harsh, perhaps...I didn't mean to sound confrontational...it is all so

frustrating!

Ellen

Ellen Garber Bronfeld

egskb@...

Re: Madigan and other thoughts

Perhaps a way to influence Mr. Madigan is to use a bigger hammer. Perhaps he

would listen to Daley. Mr. Daley and many other powerful political

interests in the State of Illinois are focused on getting The Olympics to

Chicago.

What if there were Civil Disobedience Demonstrations at the State of Illinois

Building in Chicago, which threatened to shut the use of the building. Police

would be called to remove the demonstrators. This would present the opportunity

to take pictures and video of the police and demonstrators.

This could go out on You-Tube and point to a web-site dedicated to the plight

of the disabled community in Illinois. The message of the website would need to

be directed at the International Olympics Committee. Perhaps the message could

be something like; how can Chicago claim to be the City That Works when it is

part of Illinois that does not work. Il

linois Neglects Its Disabled Citizens and Social Service Delivery System to

pursue the Olympic Games. Information that might be put on the web-site could

show:

1.The statistics on how the state stacks up on housing for the disabled. The

cost to keep a person in a community=2

0setting versus the cost to keep a person in a state institution,

2.How the states ranks for spending on the disabled. .

3.How the GDP of the State of Illinois is the 5th – 6th highest in the

nation and is more than some countries in the world.

4.The real tax rates in Illinois,

5.The deaths at Howe, and the federal government withdrawing federal funds

6.The 17,000 + people waiting for services in Illinois,

7.The number of layoffs at social service agencies in the state and the number

of people losing services as a consequence of the layoffs

8.Videos of people and families losing services telling their story and what

the loss of services does to them,

9.Interviews with caregivers in Illinois who are 60, 70 and 80 years old with

no state support.

Organization and preparation would be imperative!!! A group would be needed as

leaders; a group would be needed to take pictures and video; a group to be the

public face as spokespersons would be necessary; a group would be needed to

create, maintain and update the website; lawyers would be needed for advice and

demonstrators would be needed.

If this seems like political arson, so what. The disabled have been largely

abandon by all political parties in Illinois. Many of=2

0the legislators say one thing to your face and vote another way. This might

be something they understand, Chicago style politics. If a big enough splash is

made, to get into the local and national news, it might be possible to get

attention to the web-site telling the=2

0story of the disabled in Illinois. Then Chicago political leaders and other

political interests in the state may be able to help Mr. Madigan change his

mind.

DEH

>

> Maybe Charlotte is right that we can't make an enemy of Magian but I can't

> see being nice to him. I hate the arrogant @#%$%! Term limits would take

> away the wonderful Sara enholtz who is my rep. I think maybe campaign

> finance reform is what we really need so we can get beyond pay to play.

>

> One of my fellow sibs wrote a 50 page paper titled " Community - based

> housing vs State Operated facilities Why is IL ranked 51st...... " I know

that

> one of her conclusions is that advocacy groups don't work well together. I

> think that is true and that we too fragmented. Both our local and national

> sib organizations are grappling with that issue right now. There are so many

> people out there not involved. It reminds me of the environmental movement

> that also struggles to make progress. It is too divided, too white and too

> upper middle class. In my sort of humble opinion we need to word together

> across disability, race, economic status and we need to

work closely with

> all self advocacy groups. We need to register people to vote. Many people

> have just given up, they just don't believe it matters, no one represents

them

> and they are struggling to get through the day. I think Obama won this way

>20and maybe we can too. Never give up but that said take a break. Nora

> **************What's for dinner tonight? Find quick and easy dinner ideas

> for any occasion.

> (http://food.aol.com/dinner-tonight?ncid=emlcntusfood00000009)

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

Leonor...I meant no disrespect...I just reread my response to you...it was a bit

harsh, perhaps...I didn't mean to sound confrontational...it is all so

frustrating!

Ellen

Ellen Garber Bronfeld

egskb@...

Re: Madigan and other thoughts

Perhaps a way to influence Mr. Madigan is to use a bigger hammer. Perhaps he

would listen to Daley. Mr. Daley and many other powerful political

interests in the State of Illinois are focused on getting The Olympics to

Chicago.

What if there were Civil Disobedience Demonstrations at the State of Illinois

Building in Chicago, which threatened to shut the use of the building. Police

would be called to remove the demonstrators. This would present the opportunity

to take pictures and video of the police and demonstrators.

This could go out on You-Tube and point to a web-site dedicated to the plight

of the disabled community in Illinois. The message of the website would need to

be directed at the International Olympics Committee. Perhaps the message could

be something like; how can Chicago claim to be the City That Works when it is

part of Illinois that does not work. Il

linois Neglects Its Disabled Citizens and Social Service Delivery System to

pursue the Olympic Games. Information that might be put on the web-site could

show:

1.The statistics on how the state stacks up on housing for the disabled. The

cost to keep a person in a community=2

0setting versus the cost to keep a person in a state institution,

2.How the states ranks for spending on the disabled. .

3.How the GDP of the State of Illinois is the 5th – 6th highest in the

nation and is more than some countries in the world.

4.The real tax rates in Illinois,

5.The deaths at Howe, and the federal government withdrawing federal funds

6.The 17,000 + people waiting for services in Illinois,

7.The number of layoffs at social service agencies in the state and the number

of people losing services as a consequence of the layoffs

8.Videos of people and families losing services telling their story and what

the loss of services does to them,

9.Interviews with caregivers in Illinois who are 60, 70 and 80 years old with

no state support.

Organization and preparation would be imperative!!! A group would be needed as

leaders; a group would be needed to take pictures and video; a group to be the

public face as spokespersons would be necessary; a group would be needed to

create, maintain and update the website; lawyers would be needed for advice and

demonstrators would be needed.

If this seems like political arson, so what. The disabled have been largely

abandon by all political parties in Illinois. Many of=2

0the legislators say one thing to your face and vote another way. This might

be something they understand, Chicago style politics. If a big enough splash is

made, to get into the local and national news, it might be possible to get

attention to the web-site telling the=2

0story of the disabled in Illinois. Then Chicago political leaders and other

political interests in the state may be able to help Mr. Madigan change his

mind.

DEH

>

> Maybe Charlotte is right that we can't make an enemy of Magian but I can't

> see being nice to him. I hate the arrogant @#%$%! Term limits would take

> away the wonderful Sara enholtz who is my rep. I think maybe campaign

> finance reform is what we really need so we can get beyond pay to play.

>

> One of my fellow sibs wrote a 50 page paper titled " Community - based

> housing vs State Operated facilities Why is IL ranked 51st...... " I know

that

> one of her conclusions is that advocacy groups don't work well together. I

> think that is true and that we too fragmented. Both our local and national

> sib organizations are grappling with that issue right now. There are so many

> people out there not involved. It reminds me of the environmental movement

> that also struggles to make progress. It is too divided, too white and too

> upper middle class. In my sort of humble opinion we need to word together

> across disability, race, economic status and we need to

work closely with

> all self advocacy groups. We need to register people to vote. Many people

> have just given up, they just don't believe it matters, no one represents

them

> and they are struggling to get through the day. I think Obama won this way

>20and maybe we can too. Never give up but that said take a break. Nora

> **************What's for dinner tonight? Find quick and easy dinner ideas

> for any occasion.

> (http://food.aol.com/dinner-tonight?ncid=emlcntusfood00000009)

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

I don't normally post here, but I do want to weigh-in on the ICF-vs-CILA.  As

someone who has worked (too?) long in the field I have been through CLFs, SLAs,

ICFs, CSLAs, CRAs, CILAs, and any other alphabet combination the state has come

up with.  I have always supported those I worked with to be able to be as

independent as possible. 

 

That said, I do feel there is a need for ICFs for those who do require that

level of medical and/or living support--but not in 20-100 bed options.  This is

something very close to home as my brother-in-law is profoundly disabled and

lives in a 6-bed ICF in the far-south suburbs and we are very happy with the

supports he receives there.  He had been in state-ops since the age of 11 and

was one of the first to leave Howe 15 years ago with the first round of closing

the state ops.  This is a good ICF option.

 

Thanks for letting me share!

 

From: ELLEN BRONFELD <egskb@...>

Subject: Re: Madigan and other thoughts

IPADDUnite

Date: Wednesday, July 22, 2009, 3:10 PM

 

There are some good and valuable thoughts in this, .

As much as I often think that we should be working to close ALL more restrictive

settings, the fact is I haven't seen all of these places in fact, I haven't even

been inside a state op...I guess what I am saying and what you said so much

better is, let's stop thinking that all ICFs are bad and all CILAs are good...we

make blanket assumptions and what we need to do is find common denominators that

allow all parties to work toward the common good...

Ellen

Ellen Garber Bronfeld

egskbsbcglobal (DOT) net

Madigan and other thoughts

Maybe Charlotte is right that we can't make an enemy of Magian but I can't

see being nice to him. I hate the arrogant @#%$%! Term limits would take

away the wonderful Sara enholtz who is my rep. I think maybe campaign

finance reform is what we really need so we can get beyond pay to play.

One of my fellow sibs wrote a 50 page paper titled " Community - based

housing vs State Operated facilities Why is IL ranked 51st...... " I know that

one of her conclusions is that advocacy groups don't work well together. I

think that is true and that we too fragmented. Both our local and national

sib organizations are grappling with that issue right now. There are so many

people out there not involved. It reminds me of the environmental movement

that also struggles to make progress. It is too divided, too white and too

upper middle class. In my sort of humble opinion we need to word together

across disability, race, economic status and we need to work closely with

all self advocacy groups. We need to register people to vote. Many people

have just given up, they just don't believe it matters, no one represents them

and they are struggling to get through the day. I think Obama won this way

and maybe we can too. Never give up but that said take a break. Nora

************ **What's for dinner tonight? Find quick and easy dinner ideas

for any occasion.

(http://food. aol.com/dinner- tonight?ncid= emlcntusfood0000 0009)

[Guest guest]

I don't normally post here, but I do want to weigh-in on the ICF-vs-CILA.  As

someone who has worked (too?) long in the field I have been through CLFs, SLAs,

ICFs, CSLAs, CRAs, CILAs, and any other alphabet combination the state has come

up with.  I have always supported those I worked with to be able to be as

independent as possible. 

 

That said, I do feel there is a need for ICFs for those who do require that

level of medical and/or living support--but not in 20-100 bed options.  This is

something very close to home as my brother-in-law is profoundly disabled and

lives in a 6-bed ICF in the far-south suburbs and we are very happy with the

supports he receives there.  He had been in state-ops since the age of 11 and

was one of the first to leave Howe 15 years ago with the first round of closing

the state ops.  This is a good ICF option.

 

Thanks for letting me share!

 

From: ELLEN BRONFELD <egskb@...>

Subject: Re: Madigan and other thoughts

IPADDUnite

Date: Wednesday, July 22, 2009, 3:10 PM

 

There are some good and valuable thoughts in this, .

As much as I often think that we should be working to close ALL more restrictive

settings, the fact is I haven't seen all of these places in fact, I haven't even

been inside a state op...I guess what I am saying and what you said so much

better is, let's stop thinking that all ICFs are bad and all CILAs are good...we

make blanket assumptions and what we need to do is find common denominators that

allow all parties to work toward the common good...

Ellen

Ellen Garber Bronfeld

egskbsbcglobal (DOT) net

Madigan and other thoughts

Maybe Charlotte is right that we can't make an enemy of Magian but I can't

see being nice to him. I hate the arrogant @#%$%! Term limits would take

away the wonderful Sara enholtz who is my rep. I think maybe campaign

finance reform is what we really need so we can get beyond pay to play.

One of my fellow sibs wrote a 50 page paper titled " Community - based

housing vs State Operated facilities Why is IL ranked 51st...... " I know that

one of her conclusions is that advocacy groups don't work well together. I

think that is true and that we too fragmented. Both our local and national

sib organizations are grappling with that issue right now. There are so many

people out there not involved. It reminds me of the environmental movement

that also struggles to make progress. It is too divided, too white and too

upper middle class. In my sort of humble opinion we need to word together

across disability, race, economic status and we need to work closely with

all self advocacy groups. We need to register people to vote. Many people

have just given up, they just don't believe it matters, no one represents them

and they are struggling to get through the day. I think Obama won this way

and maybe we can too. Never give up but that said take a break. Nora

************ **What's for dinner tonight? Find quick and easy dinner ideas

for any occasion.

(http://food. aol.com/dinner- tonight?ncid= emlcntusfood0000 0009)

[Guest guest]

Thanks for sharing this...I think there is a perception, which I also held, that

all ICF's were bigger...your brother-in-laws ICF is smaller than many CILAs!

And we all know, realistically that quality depends on what people are paid PLUS

the people themselves...all staff are not created equal...some are clearly

better than others...it is training and LUCK to get the right personalities and

the right mix of empathy, work ethic and intellectual ability to understand what

each individual needs in terms of support...

Again, if we are going to come together, we need to share this kind of

information and we need to keep our minds open to the possibilities...I know I

have a ways to go...

Ellen

Ellen Garber Bronfeld

egskb@...

Madigan and other thoughts

Maybe Charlotte is right that we can't make an enemy of Magian but I can't

see being nice to him. I hate the arrogant @#%$%! Term limits would take

away the wonderful Sara enholtz who is my rep. I think maybe campaign

finance reform is what we really need so we can get beyond pay to play.

One of my fellow sibs wrote a 50 page paper titled " Community - based

housing vs State Operated facilities Why is IL ranked 51st...... " I know that

one of her conclusions is that advocacy groups don't work well together. I

think that is true and that we too fragmented. Both our local and national

sib organizations are grappling with that issue right now. There are so many

people out there not involved. It reminds me of the environmental movement

that also struggles to make progress. It is too divided, too white and too

upper middle class. In my sort of humble opinion we need to word together

across disability, race, economic status and we need to work closely with

all self advocacy groups. We need to register people to vote. Many people

have just given up, they just don't believe it matters, no one represents them

and they are struggling to get through the day. I think Obama won this way

and maybe we can too. Never give up but that said take a break. Nora

************ **What's for dinner tonight? Find quick and easy dinner ideas

for any occasion.

(http://food. aol.com/dinner- tonight?ncid= emlcntusfood0000 0009)

[Guest guest]

Thanks for sharing this...I think there is a perception, which I also held, that

all ICF's were bigger...your brother-in-laws ICF is smaller than many CILAs!

And we all know, realistically that quality depends on what people are paid PLUS

the people themselves...all staff are not created equal...some are clearly

better than others...it is training and LUCK to get the right personalities and

the right mix of empathy, work ethic and intellectual ability to understand what

each individual needs in terms of support...

Again, if we are going to come together, we need to share this kind of

information and we need to keep our minds open to the possibilities...I know I

have a ways to go...

Ellen

Ellen Garber Bronfeld

egskb@...

Madigan and other thoughts

Maybe Charlotte is right that we can't make an enemy of Magian but I can't

see being nice to him. I hate the arrogant @#%$%! Term limits would take

away the wonderful Sara enholtz who is my rep. I think maybe campaign

finance reform is what we really need so we can get beyond pay to play.

One of my fellow sibs wrote a 50 page paper titled " Community - based

housing vs State Operated facilities Why is IL ranked 51st...... " I know that

one of her conclusions is that advocacy groups don't work well together. I

think that is true and that we too fragmented. Both our local and national

sib organizations are grappling with that issue right now. There are so many

people out there not involved. It reminds me of the environmental movement

that also struggles to make progress. It is too divided, too white and too

upper middle class. In my sort of humble opinion we need to word together

across disability, race, economic status and we need to work closely with

all self advocacy groups. We need to register people to vote. Many people

have just given up, they just don't believe it matters, no one represents them

and they are struggling to get through the day. I think Obama won this way

and maybe we can too. Never give up but that said take a break. Nora

************ **What's for dinner tonight? Find quick and easy dinner ideas

for any occasion.

(http://food. aol.com/dinner- tonight?ncid= emlcntusfood0000 0009)

[Guest guest]

Hmmmm, Daley as a " hammer " against madigan --

> >

> > Maybe Charlotte is right that we can't make an enemy of Magian but I can't

> > see being nice to him. I hate the arrogant @#%$%! Term limits would take

> > away the wonderful Sara enholtz who is my rep. I think maybe campaign

> > finance reform is what we really need so we can get beyond pay to play.

> >

> > One of my fellow sibs wrote a 50 page paper titled " Community - based

> > housing vs State Operated facilities Why is IL ranked 51st...... " I know

that

> > one of her conclusions is that advocacy groups don't work well together. I

> > think that is true and that we too fragmented. Both our local and national

> > sib organizations are grappling with that issue right now. There are so many

> > people out there not involved. It reminds me of the environmental movement

> > that also struggles to make progress. It is too divided, too white and too

> > upper middle class. In my sort of humble opinion we need to word together

> > across disability, race, economic status and we need to

> work closely with

> > all self advocacy groups. We need to register people to vote. Many people

> > have just given up, they just don't believe it matters, no one represents

them

> > and they are struggling to get through the day. I think Obama won this way

> > and maybe we can too. Never give up but that said take a break. Nora

> > **************What's for dinner tonight? Find quick and easy dinner ideas

> > for any occasion.

> > (http://food.aol.com/dinner-tonight?ncid=emlcntusfood00000009)

> >

> >

> >

[Guest guest]

Hmmmm, Daley as a " hammer " against madigan --

> >

> > Maybe Charlotte is right that we can't make an enemy of Magian but I can't

> > see being nice to him. I hate the arrogant @#%$%! Term limits would take

> > away the wonderful Sara enholtz who is my rep. I think maybe campaign

> > finance reform is what we really need so we can get beyond pay to play.

> >

> > One of my fellow sibs wrote a 50 page paper titled " Community - based

> > housing vs State Operated facilities Why is IL ranked 51st...... " I know

that

> > one of her conclusions is that advocacy groups don't work well together. I

> > think that is true and that we too fragmented. Both our local and national

> > sib organizations are grappling with that issue right now. There are so many

> > people out there not involved. It reminds me of the environmental movement

> > that also struggles to make progress. It is too divided, too white and too

> > upper middle class. In my sort of humble opinion we need to word together

> > across disability, race, economic status and we need to

> work closely with

> > all self advocacy groups. We need to register people to vote. Many people

> > have just given up, they just don't believe it matters, no one represents

them

> > and they are struggling to get through the day. I think Obama won this way

> > and maybe we can too. Never give up but that said take a break. Nora

> > **************What's for dinner tonight? Find quick and easy dinner ideas

> > for any occasion.

> > (http://food.aol.com/dinner-tonight?ncid=emlcntusfood00000009)

> >

> >

> >