My Notes from Today's Hearing at EOHHS!

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARINGS
________________________________________________________________________

The Executive Office of Health and Human Services will be conducting two public hearings. Secretary JudyAnn Bigby, M.D., and the Assistant Secretaries at EOHHS are looking forward to hearing the views of members of the community regarding the agencies under their purview.

Wednesday, August 27, 2008 Reggie Lewis Center
1350 Tremont Street
Roxbury, MA
1 p.m. – 5 p.m.

THERE WERE A LOT OF PEOPLE THERE, AS WERE ALL OF THE COMMISSIONERS AND THE SECRETARY. CLEARLY ALL SAW THIS AS AN OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE SURE THAT THE POLICY-MAKERS UNDERSTAND HOW THEIR BUDGETS AFFECT THE WORLD.

1:00 to 2:00 Veterans, Elder Affairs, Soldiers’ Homes  

SIGN IN LIST SHOWED MORE THAN 30 PEOPLE SIGNED UP TO TESTIFY. I MISSED THIS PART OF THE MEETING, AS I HAD A CONFERENCE CALL THAT I HAD. IT WAS REPORTEDLY VERY ORDERLY.

2:00 to 3:00 Disabilities & Community Services – MCDHH, MCB, MRC, DMR DDS

THE SIGN IN LIST HERE WAS HUGE, MORE THAN 50 PEOPLE; I WALKED IN AS THIS PART WAS UNDERWAY, AS A NUMBER OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE DEAF AND HARD OF HEARING COMMUNITY MADE THE CASE FOR ENHANCED SERVICES FOR COMMUNICATION ACCESS IN THE COMMONWEALTH. SEVERAL MEMBERS OF A REALLY LARGE GROUP TESTIFIED, USING SIGNED INTERPRETATORS AND TELEPROMPTERS TO MAKE THEIR POINT. AFTER THAT LARGE GROUP, PEOPLE WERE MORE TERSE AND FOCUSED. WE HEARD THAT SPECIFIC LINE ITEMS FOR TRAINING OF PERSONAL CARE ATTENDENTS, AS THE DEMAND IS RISING WITHIN THE COMMONWEALTH. THE CARROLL CENTER SPOKE TO SOME VERY SPECIFIC NEEDS OF THE BLIND COMMUNITY: TECHNOLOGY FOR CHILDREN TO CONTINUE THEIR SCHOOLWORK AT HOME, AND THE TRANSITION FROM SCHOOL TO UNIVERSITY OR WORK OR ADULT LIFE. THEY DISCUSSED THEIR “EARLY INTERVENTION” PROGRAM FOR TRANSITION AND FELT THAT IT WAS, IN GENERAL, QUITE SUCCESSFUL FOR THE 13 STUDENTS WHO WERE INVOLVED. WE ALSO HEARD FROM A STUDENT FROM THE PROGRAM (WITH RETINITIS PIGMENTOSA). WE ALSO HEARD FROM A LARGE GROUP OF “MASSACHUSETTS ADVOCATES STANDING STRONG” (MASS), REPRESENTING THOSE SERVED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF DEVELOPMENTAL SERVICES, WHO WERE LOOKING FOR INCREASED SUPPORT FOR TRANSITION, FAMILY CENTERED CARE AND CARE COORDINATORS. THEY HAD A SIZABLE CONSTITUENCY THAT REALLY ADDRESSED THE NEEDS OF THE COMMUNITY AT LARGE. THEY WERE LOOKING FOR MORE CONTROL IN THEIR LIVES, AND MANY OF THE STORIES TOLD WERE QUITE POIGNANT, WORKING HARD TO BRING A HUMAN FACE TO THE HEARING, AND EMPHASIZING THE RANGE OF CAPABILITIES OF THE PEOPLE SERVED BY THE DEPARTMENT. I LIKED ONE OF THEIR LINES “INVEST IN THE PEOPLE, NOT IN THE PAPER”. WE ALSO HEARD A LOT MORE ABOUT THE NEED FOR SUPPORT FOR “TRANSITION” SERVICES, AS CHILDREN WITH DOWN’S SYNDROME AND OTHER PROBLEMS “AGE OUT” OF THE SCHOOL SYSTEM. FINALLY, MANY SERVICE PROVIDERS SPOKE OF THE NEED PROVIDE HOUSING AND INDEPENDENT LIVING CENTERS TO HELP MOVE PEOPLE OUT INTO THE COMMUNITY. THIS GROUP WENT ON FOR 1.75 HOURS; CLEARLY THIS IS A MATTER THAT GENERATES A LOT OF PASSION. THIS IS WHAT MAKES IT SO DIFFICULT. ALL OF THESE SERVICES MERIT OUR SUPPORT, AND THE SECRETARY HAS TO DECIDE WHICH OF THESE THINGS MERIT HER SUPPORT.

3:00 to 4:00 Health Services - DMH, DPH, DHCFP, MassHealth

ANOTHER 30 OR SO SIGNED UP HERE, BUT MATT NOYES FROM HCFA GOT US ON THE DOCKET REASONABLY EARLY. PEOPLE TALKED ABOUT SUBSTANCE ABUSE SERVICES, COMMUNITY MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES AND HEALTH CARE REFORM. WE HAD TWO MINUTES TO TALK ABOUT CHILDREN”S MENTAL HEALTH, AND WE COMPRESSED OUR DISCUSSION DRAMATICALLY; AND I THINK EFFECTIVELY. MATT THANKED THEM FOR SUPPORT FOR THE BILL, AND URGED THEM TO SUPPORT IMPLEMENTATION IN THE BUDGET. I SPOKE OF THE WORK DONE IN THE CHILD BEHAVIORAL HEALTH INITIATIVE TO DATE, AND URGED INNOVATION TO BE SURE THAT THE INITIATIVE IS IMPLEMENTED BOTH IN BOSTON IAND IN THE REST OF THE STATE. IT WAS SHORT, SWEET, AND HOPEFULLY HEARD. AFTER US, THE TESTIMONY WENT ON.
THE FEDERATION FOR CHILDREN WITH SPECIAL HEALTH CARE NEEDS CALLED FOR MEDICAL HOMES FOR CSHCN. (APPARENTLY, MASSACHUSETTS IN NOT LEADING ON THIS). THE CONSUMER COUNCIL CALLED FOR THE ESTABLISHMEN OF COUNCILS. AND SO IT WENT. AT 4:40 PM, THERE WERE STILL LOTS OF PEOPLE WAITING TO TALK. I DECIDED TO CALL IT A DAY- 2.75 HOURS IS ALL I COULD HANDLE.

WHAT DID I LEARN FROM ALL OF THIS? FIRST, MY RESPECT FOR THE COMMISSIONER AND THE SECRETARY IS EXTRAORDINARY- THE WAY IN WHICH THEY LISTENED TO THE VAST ARRAY OF FOLKS IN ATTENDENCE WAS CARING AND CAREFUL, AND THEY WERE EXTREMELY POLITE IN THEIR EFFORTS TO MOVE THE PROCESS ALONG. SECOND, THE COMMONWEALTH IS FULL OF EXTRAORDINARY PEOPLE DOING EXTRAORDINARY THINGS, AND THEY ALL DESERVE FUNDING. I KNOW THAT THERE MUST BE A PROCESS FOR SORTING OUT ALL OF THESE NEEDS, BUT I CANNOT IMAGINE WHAT IT IS. THIRD, IT IS WORTHWHILE WAITING YOUR TURN TO SPEAK, AND THEN HAVING SOMETHING TO SAY. WE WILL SEE HOW THIS GOES FORWARD.

4:00 to 5:00 Children, Youth and Families - DCF, DYS, ORI, DTA

NOT TOO LATE TO HAVE YOUR SAY!
Due to the numbers of persons anticipated to attend, oral testimony will be limited to two minutes. In the interest of time, representative panels are welcome. In addition, written testimony is strongly encouraged and may be mailed to:

Secretary JudyAnn Bigby, EOHHS

One Ashburton Place, Room 1109, Boston, MA 02108

Or emailed to: eohhshearings@massmail.state.ma.us