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Candace Hawkins' Advice to Advocates Feeling Blue? I'll bet you thought that since your elected state officials are not in session, you'd have no chance to copy Missouri's success. Well, snap out of it. There's a golden opportunity between now and the November election. This is the time when you can make a meaningful difference.   First Your state officials are home so there's no travel or hassle to reach them. Plus they may be running for re-election in the August primary and November general election. That gives you a big edge. These folks are never more accessible nor willing to listen than when they are up for a vote. So get in gear, call them up, go to their community meetings, and press conferences. At meetings you can educate the general public about your issues as well as give candidates the chance to show their support for Olmstead. Whenever possible bring along a person trapped in an institution--put a face on the issue. First person stories have great power. Use it! Second State agencies are busy during the summer months pulling together their budget requests for the next fiscal year. Most have to complete their requests by Labor Day. (I know, I know the new fiscal year just started. But this is government, remember.) Clearly they will need dollars for Olmstead training, printing and public awareness efforts. Plus they should be requesting spending flexibility to allow Medicaid dollars to follow the person as well. A two-pronged effort will help convince your General Assembly about the urgent need for spending flexibility. Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to invite your state's long-term care administrators to join you in a meeting with legislators who control long term care cdollars. Third Visit facilities -- yes, nursing homes, long-term loony bins, and developmental centers [Link to page with downloadable pdf file of the regs spelling out advocates' right to do this.] and spread the good news to people incarcerated therein. Freedom is theirs for the asking. The promise of Olmstead is within their reach. But they gotta ask. So tell them: Ask, doggone it, ask. [Link to HHS-OCR complaint form] And you thought there was nothing more could be done this summer. Get going! Time's a-wasting. People, our people, are waiting in utter despair. Don't leave them out of your summer plans.   Freedom Clearinghouse is a project of Free Hand Press, publisher of Mouth magazine. Website developed by Cliffwood Organic Works. Website hosted by DIMENET. | E-mail | Home |