Congratulations Ivan,
It is good to hear you are back home, regaining health and dignity,
and a measure of individual control.  The key is persistance....

The site I sent you some time back has been totally revamped
and is well worth another visit....  Check it out!

Welcome to Individualized Funding Information Resources
. . . a site dedicated to providing comprehensive information
about the development of ways that people with disabilities
can gain control over the funds to pay for needed community
services & supports - a crucial step towards self determination
and citizenship.
http://members.home.net/tsalisbury/

Cheers .......... murray

On 22 Apr 2001, at 18:02, Ivan M Suzman wrote:

> Dear friends,
>
> I am writing to report that I have WON the battle to retain
> 13 hours of PCA (personal care attendant ) coverage each day,
> seven days per week, and to be allowed a night attendant.
> The case now enters a re-evaluation phase.
>
>
> My thanks go to God for giving me the faith,
> the endurance, and the spark.  to emerge victorious
> in this first phase of my legal ordeal to receive home-care,
> and avoid unnecessary placement in a nursing home.
>
>
> On Thursday , April 19, 2001, I received official notice,
>  by  certified letter from the Augusta, Maine central office of
> the Maine Commissioner of Human Serivces, Kevin W.
> Concannon, that due to the risk to my health that would
> result from the October 23, 2000 home-care assessment, which cut me back
> to only
>  5 hours of PCA (personal care attendant) coverage per day, the
> 13 hours per day of PCA coverage I have been receiving since 1998, under
> the " Medicaid Waiver Services fot the Physically Disabled"  is
> RETAINED.
>
> A new assessment has been ordered, "to be conducted as soon as
> possible."
>
> I am hoping this will restore my hours, but if it does not, I
> "will continue to receive the services " of 13 hours per day of
> home-care
> byPCA's whom I amm responsible to interview, hire and train.
> The 13 hours is continued if the new assessment gives me fewer
> hoours of daily home-care, until " final resolution of any appeals that
> may resuolt from the findings of the new assessment."
>
> This victory was achieved with the tremendous help of Helen Bailey, my
> attorney, at the federally-funded Disability Rights Center office, 24
> Stone Street, in Augusta, Maine.  I believe there is supposed to be a
> branch of the DRC in every state in the USA.
>
> THANK YOU  all for any surface mail letters sent in support of my case,
>  especially those written by Linda Herman and Camilla Flintermann.These
> apparently may have had more impact than e-mail or telehone messages.
>
> Maybe next time an unfavorable ruling happens to a person you know,
> whether a Parkinsonian, or someone suffering from another dreadful
> disease, my case will be a precedent.
>
> I also wish to thank new PIEN member Katie Wolfe of Wisconsin, for her
> moral and emotional support, and SteveSchwartz, for acting as a sounding
> board when I was under stress.  Also, messages from Connie Tate, despite
> Jack's recent difficulties, from old friendsGreg Sterling, Maryhelen
> Davila, and HilaryBlue, and support form my current crew of PCA's made
> an immeasurable difference.  There were also messages I may not have
> returned, from  Joan Hartman and others that I cannot remembering right
> now.
>
> Finally I must mention the wonderful support I received from Angie
> Fusco, at the Parkinson's Action Network in California.
>
> Again, thank you all  for being a virtual "family"  for me.
>
> Ivan Suzman
>
> :-)
>

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