Abuse of Authority

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Abuse of Authority

By Geoff Metcalf

22 September 2005

| Voices Magazine | In the wake of Hurricane Katrina, as with previous

disasters, inevitably we hear horrific stories of those who attempt to

exploit the suffering of others for personal gain.

Nature may require parasites and vermin to clean up the decay and

corruption of biology. However, the parasites and vermin who prey on

the suffering of victims is beyond contempt.

Although the current news cycle may be focused on the havoc wrought by

a hurricane, there is another form of parasite and vermin who suckle

on vain hopes and fears.

I am investigating one specific arena of exploiters and frankly am

seeking your help, advise and input.

Families with autistic children face huge challenges daily. They

suffer very palpable emotional, physical and financial burdens that

are huge. That they are sustained by perseverance and love only

compounds the sins of the charlatans and incompetents who feed on

their hope.

These families need help and help is available. However, in addition

to the drains on hope, and money and the frustrations of reality the

ubiquitous discord in the force families of autistic children face

other dangers:

*

The systemic dysfunction of some bureaucracies

*

Not knowing what they don’t know

*

Bureaucratic malfeasance and/or incompetence

*

Shameless non-performing service providers

*

Collusion between private and public sector vendors

Autism, like Cerebral Palsy, and AIDS is a broad umbrella and

encompasses a very wide spectrum of challenges.

For example, Aspergers kids can be very bright and excel at

intellectual tasks. However the counterpoint is they suffer numerous

social interaction problems.

Some families with autistic children face the gut-wrenching reality

that eventually, inevitably their child will have to be

institutionalized after years of struggling to keep the family

together. It is not unlike paddling up river but at a slower pace than

the river that fights you.

Reportedly, only some 20 percent of parents actually get the services

they need and are entitled to receive.

Part of the problem is they don’t know what they don’t know. The more

egregious part of the problem is too often they specifically are not

told, OR they are intimidated into accepting what they get regardless

of the quality (or lack of quality).

Several families report having been forced to sign inappropriate and

unfair ‘parent agreements’ which restrict their involvement with their

own child’s program.

Some vendors providing service are great. Others are not. Among those

in the ‘not’ category there are reports of vendors colluding with

government agencies to provide minimum or non existent service and

actually bullying parents to accept less than they are entitled.

Such behavior exceeds even the smarmiest example of abuse of power.

I hope to explore in greater detail the good the bad and the ugly of

service providers and government agencies. And I am seeking your help.

I am asking you to share any information (personal, rumor, or urban

legend…I am assembling a team to help vet data and sort the wheat from

the chaff). We want to learn what is right and what is wrong.

For decades I have been saying, “It is not WHO is right or wrong but

WHAT is right or wrong that counts.†In this case we want to find and

recognize the good and bad players among government agencies and

private service providers.

Individual families have already accomplished some level of success in

compelling various government institutions to comply with the

requirements of the Lanterman Act and assorted rules and regulations.

Families for Early Autism Treatment is an organization that was

founded in 1993 by parents and professionals trying to improve early

intervention services specifically in and around Sacramento.

F.E.A.T has been doing a lot of heavy lifting and has realized some

tangible results.

We hope to give voice to those families already suffering to at least

get what they are entitled and hopefully expand the outreach into

areas not yet tapped.

In order to do this we are asking that YOU share this information with

us so that we may share it with the community.

It is reprehensible that families in need, families struggling to keep

families and marriages together are challenged by the very government

agencies created to assist them. That there are private companies

exploiting and victimizing families is beyond contempt.

Please help us help..