April 6th Rally in Tally Against 15 % Cuts

Join us Wednesday, April 6, 2011
10:30 a.m. Tallahassee Capital Complex
Meet at the Senate Portico!
400 South Monroe Street • Tallahassee, FL
Further information to follow!

Hi Everyone,

Today was yet another sad day for those of us who have dedicated our lives to serving individuals in need. In my education to become a social worker, we were taught the importance of coming together and raising our voices for those that were unable to do so for themselves. In my reality, I learned that advocacy in the macro system is extremely difficult to manage when you are constantly fighting in the micro for the health and well-being of the individuals you serve. I have observed and participated in the mindset of "well that's great that they are lobbying, but I am too busy to participate myself". Things will take care of themselves and everything will be okay. I have to provide the service, bill, pay my staff, raise my family . . .on and on and on. But I knew from my education that this is wrong, and we all saw last night that this was a terminally wrong philosophy. We work so hard in the micro system that we didn't see the attack from the macro. I apologize to the individuals my agency serves for not being proactive and I promise that I will do all I can do to make sure that individuals are protected at a macro system.
Some of you may be saying what in the world is she talking about. If you are one of those people, I am talking about Governor Rick Scott, APD, and ACHA agreeing to an Emergency Rule put in place at 4:54 p.m. yesterday to drop provider rates "15%"
(See http://apd.myflorida.com/news/news/2011/emergency-rule-filing.pdf). This Emergency Rule includes the delusion that they would provide the rate reductions "in a manner that minimizes the potential diminution of service providers due to decrease in compensation". The fact is that they did not do anything to prevent the diminution (diminishing of providers). They told providers of this new rate reduction that is closer to a 40% rate reduction on March 31st, 2011 less than 24 hours before the effective date April 1, 2011. We have endured cut after cut from APD and our Legislature. The Review of the Home and Community Based Care Waiver Program (03/31/2011) published with the Department of State reports several cuts in available services in 2007, a 4.25% rate reduction in December 2007, Implementation of a tier system in the fall of 2008, a $43 million across the board rate cut in July 2008, another 3% rate reduction in January 2009, more eliminated services in October 2009, decrease in funding of levels in the tiers in 2010 (http://apd.myflorida.com/news/news/2011/emergency-rule-filing.pdf, pp. 12-14). I spoke to one agency owner today who could not talk long because all of her providers "bailed" today when they heard of the cuts. Rumor has it others are closing their doors for good.

I spoke to Ven Sequenzia of the Autism Society of Florida. He wants to make sure that our voices are heard! So as a provider and advocate I have to say, I voted in November and thought that was good enough! It was not, I will now go on Wednesday, April 6, 2011 to Tallahassee! Originally there was an Autism Awareness Day scheduled, we have been invited to join individuals and families to raise our voices! Pease forward to everyone you have on your contact list that is going to be effected by this Emergency Rule! I apologize if you receive this e-mail multiple times, however the importance outweighs the annoyance of pressing delete. Please join us!

Thank you for your help!

Sincerely,

Sally K. Giacobbe, BSW, MBA
www.wjsadventures.com

Please see attachments for more details on Tallahassee!

PINELLAS COUNTY PARTICIPANTS

If you would like to participate in a caravan, please respond to this e-mail. We will meet at 4:45 a.m. at the end of the Target parking lot in the Largo Mall. I will be driving a blue Dodge caravan and will be asking for other driver's that are able, to let me know so we can plan appropriately. We will leave promptly at 5 a.m. You can reach me at (813) 482-7413 or my business partner, Judy Hansen at (727) 501-3170.

PASCO COUNTY PARTICIPANTS

Lin Brown, Administrator of AFIRE OF PASCO COUNTY INC. has agreed to be the point of contact. Please e-mail her for further information on location of set-off meeting location as well as the time the group will go. Lin can be reached at 727-849-8982 or at afireofpasco@verizon.net.
OTHER COUNTIES

Please let me know what your plans are and I will try to get them out to as many as possible!

Sally Giacobbe, BSW, MBA
813-482-7413
WJS Adventures, Inc.
P.O. Box 48411
St. Petersburg, FL 33743-8411
Fax: 727-214-1965