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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 > > :-) > ******** [log in to unmask] ---------------------------------------------------------------------- To sign-off Parkinsn send a message to: mailto:[log in to unmask] In the body of the message put: signoff parkinsn