Re: Swap stories - DEB -- long

[Guest guest]

Dear Deb,

I read your post today and it made my

HEAD SPIN! I can't (actually I can) believe all the *bullshit* the state is

putting you through to get on GA. And

I can't imagine why your SSI is pending. Well (actually I can), cause

the social worker that *helped* me fill

out my original paperwork f**ked up

big time. Something like five months

later I check with DSHS to see what was

going on with my application. Turned

out the DINGDONG SW put HIS BLOODY NAME

ON MY APPLICATION!! *Deep Breath* Anyway, the next SW I got was a wiz!!

Shot off the app to SS, I went to the

shrink (lucky I got one I knew and liked) and she said yes she's definately

suicidel and too f**ked up to work. Long story short, was approved

on my first real application:)

Gosh, I sure feel for you and have a

pretty good idea what your going through, with " the system " . A month ago

got the gumption to call welfare and

tell them " I'm housebound " , how do I go about applying for assistance for my son

and I. " Got a big envelope from them a couple days later, an it's been

lying there, unopened ever since. Filling out paperwork and getting landlord,

school, SSI, ect. to fill out

their paperwork seems like a paralizing

undertaking! Matter of fact, can feel a headache coming on!! Better go.

Hope you can get the help & respect, you deserve...

Marina

> In a message dated 7/13/01 1:58:39 AM Pacific Daylight Time,

> angelbear1129@a... writes:

>

>

> > HOW ARE YOU DOING???

> >

>

> Well, the eye doc is going to give me two sample boxes of the eye drops I

> need (twice daily) because I can't afford to get a prescription of it right

> now. (that's good news)

> I talked to my rehab 'case worker' this afternoon and she emailed me a number

> for 'resources for independent

> living' so I called them and now have an appointment there to get some help

> filling out the paperwork to apply for GA. (general assistance)

> I have been sooooooooooooo frustrated with them, I don't remember if I

> mentioned it on the list, but I've been trying to apply there since last

> week! When I went there last week to pick up an application, I told them I'd

> need help filling out the paper work. They asked me how, I told them I have

> learning disabilities, she looked at me like she was staring at a carton of

> sour milk and trying to decide whether to throw it out or put it back, then

> told me to 'just fill it out' and give it back to her. She also said I could

> take it home and bring it back...so that's what I did, but I called them and

> told them after taking a look at it I needed help filling it out, I was told

> to come in the next day and someone would help. I came in the next day and

> was told 'its not filled out, fill it out'!!!

> I did the best I could and gave it back to the woman. She asked me what was I

> applying for, I said GA and Medical and she said I'm not eligible for medical

> because of my age and the fact I don't have kids. (what am I supposed to do,

> go out and get pregnant? I dunno think so!)

> Side note: I asked the rehab case worker today how can they print all over

> their paper work that they can't discriminate against age, race, religion,

> sex, etc., and then tell me I'm not eligible for something *because* of my

> age????? She had no idea and thinks I should ask.

> Well, she tells me to take a seat and she'll call me...She does and then says

> there's a few questions I haven't answered (amazing!) so I answer them after

> asking her what they mean and then she sets up two appointments for me. One

> for the next day (7/11) and one for today (7/12). The one for the 11th was at

> 5:30pm, the one for the 12th was supposed to be at 7:20am. (do they actually

> expect people to show up at that hour?) The next morning I sat down to try

> and fill out the paper work for that appointment (5:30pm that evening) and

> almost immediately got confused and frustrated. I called them and told them I

> need help filling out the paper work and that there's no way I can get

> everything they ask for before the appointment time. I'm told to fill it out

> as best I can and to show up for the appointment 'even if' I can't get

> everything.

> I show up for the appointment (which I'm told I cannot be even 1 minute late

> for) and sit for 15min before I'm even called for 'attendance' (how do they

> KNOW I was there on time?????) then I have to sit there 20 MORE minutes to

> wait to be called. I go in and the guy (amazing case of perception here!)

> says 'its not filled in'!!!!! lol I e'splained once AGAIN, I told him I need

> help filling out the paper work, I told him I said it the first time I came

> in to apply, I told him I've called several times stating the same thing. I

> told him I was told to show up regardless of the papers being filled out or

> being in possession of the items they ask for.

> He starts to help me fill out the paper work at that point, and it quickly

> became apparent to him that I was SERIOUS in needing help filling it out. He

> stopped and 'suggested' I don't need to apply for medical because it can take

> 6 months to be approved and I have an SSI case pending *then* adds that SSI

> and medical are the SAME. (this is NOT true!) I asked him if he was telling

> me I shouldn't apply for medical (wanted him to confirm it before I asked him

> to put that in writing) and he seemed to think about it a second before

> saying no. Then he said I should reschedule and take the paper work home and

> fill it out. He 'said' he'd go reschedule, but when he came back, he had a

> manila envelope with his name and the address of the GA building on the front

> of it and told me to go home, fill out the paper work and send it back to

> him, so I 'don't have to come back'!

> Well, I left in tears, pissed off and frustrated beyond my limit! Are they

> just dicking me around until I give up??? Or trying to??? I called them again

> today (and no, I didn't go to the second appointment, saw no point) and the

> woman I talked to told me to come in (hahahahahaha) at around 10am and ask

> for her, gave me her name and told me she'd help me fill the paper work out.

> But I'm thinking it'll be the same as it has been.

> I don't know whether to go or not...I guess if I do and run into the same

> problems, I can just 'log it' with the rest of it and wait until weds which

> is the appointment with the resources for independent living place. I just

> don't know what to do. I have under $100 left, haven't paid *any* bills this

> month, including house payment, have no 'income' and no quick hope of having

> one. Sigh.

> Tonight I've done some dishes (its difficult because of my hands) and played

> with Tora (kitten) for a while, got some piccy's....

>

> Deb (well, you asked!)