Health Department meeting today

I was invited to the Pima County Health Department meeting this afternoon. Apparently, they were asked to make a recommendation for the Supervisors concerning the report, now complete and well over due, from Pima Health System about the Attendant Care Program Proposal. This is the information they should have had ready for the Supervisors back in December, when this issue originally started. So the PHS representative, Robin Gwortz, presented the information in the big pretty binder. It sounded well organized and well studied, and convinced too many members of the board today that the county knows what is best and should be supported in all its endeavors. When Carolyn Trowbridge was given time to present the other side, she was basically dismissed because she was delayed in presenting her paperwork. Even though she mentioned all the deceptions, lies, missing information, cover ups and general disregard shown to the supervisors and all affected by the prospective changes, most of the members seemed bored. Basically, because she didn't have a big pretty binder available for the membership to read in the last week, they implied everything she stated was hearsay and general misinformation. Really, it was disgusting how they treated her and our concerns. And she also pointed out none of them made any appearances at any of the meetings when one of them had the nerve to criticize the public meetings and what he felt was the low number of client turnout. It really never occurred to him that clients were disadvantaged in many ways in regard to the meetings: we were only minimally informed of the meetings and some clients are going to have trouble getting to said meetings. But he saw it as only a lack of concern and problems, again confirming that those of us against the change are overreacting and general trouble makers.

Those who voted for it made their decisions solely on the PHS report. In the end, they voted 3 against and 4 for to recommend the report and its findings to the Supervisors as acceptable.

Now, they only thing we are waiting for is the supervisors' vote. As far as we know at this time, from the meetings with Pima County Interfaith Council and Carolyn Trowbridge, the Supervisors have relayed they are generally against the PHS proposition and most have stated they are planning to vote against it. Which would mean they would have to replace and reestablish what has been dismantled. Chairman Elias was unable to attend the meeting today due to family issues, but his assistant was there and he spoke to confirm that at least Chairman Elias is still very unhappy with the proposal. It didn't seem to make much different today, but at least we have some hope for the near future.

We shall see.

I am not sure of the date when the Supervisors meeting and vote at this time, but I will let you know when I do.

I would love to see the county forced to reestablish everything they have taken apart in the last few months;, the last year, really. I want to know that they are stopped in their tracks. I want to see them have to explain why they still think its okay to walk over the interests of so many for so little. I want to see consequences.

Getting ready for the PCIC seminar was a great deal more work than I thought it would be. The night before, they asked those of us speaking at the opening morning to meet at the hall for a run through. So, there I was suddenly on the spot. I HAD to speak. Had to. They sat us at a table and we waited for the signal and one at a time we read our stories into the mic, to the others there for the run through. And it wasn't as bad a I thought it would be, as scared as I was. My story is, of course, about the attendant Care Program and how I depend on others to get through my day, every day.

The next morning, April 4th, we gathered at Temple Emanu-El, at 8:00am. There was coffee and little muffins to snack on. And the real crowd was big and full of important people, those from the various churches and the government both. And at 9:00am they called on those of us asked to tell our stories. There were six of us with different life stories to tell. Everyone was very nervous and everyone did well. And then it was over. We sat at out table and drank coffee and listened to the morning speeches, numbers, and statistics. It was basically a morning of people being called upon to really, truly get some things done. To see that all the various issues are made obvious and known, as that their importance is made well known.

So, now we wait to find out how much we got started. The goal was to get individuals and groups organized into making changes in the issues presented and to find out what issues are considered more important. There are a lot of things the PCIC wants to be involved with, including immigration, child care, job training, education, and elder & disablilty care, which includes the attendant care program issue. In general though, they want to generate a greater respect for all those groups. The people in those groups tend to be the invisible and disregarded.

So we wait. Any comments or suggestions? Let me know, it's all appreciated.