In Florida, Disabled Children are being placed in nursing homes

[SaburoDaimando]

I dunno how many here read up about it, but this news article really upsets me. Apparently, Florida is being sued over the fact that they choose to put disabled children into elderly nursing homes in order to save money.

Special-needs kids have wound up in geriatric nursing homes, thanks to aggressive budget-slashing

The U.S. Justice Department filed a lawsuit this week accusing Florida of warehousing 200 disabled children in nursing homes, after the state cut safety-net programs that would have enabled them to stay at home. Federal investigators, who visited six facilities for the elderly, said that there was no reason for many of the kids to be there, and that some would clearly have been better off at home or elsewhere.

The case is a potentially high-profile showdown between the Obama administration and a Tea Party–dominated state legislature that has been cutting spending wherever it can. Three years ago, the state cut $6 million from a program to cover nursing for people wishing to stay out of institutions.

The Justice Department's civil-rights division is accusing the state of violating the landmark 1990 Americans with Disabilities Act, which bars discrimination against people with special needs. By cutting off aid, Florida has allegedly left families with no way to care for disabled kids other than to turn them over to a nursing home.

Florida has plenty of critics on this one. Stephanie Mencimer at Mother Jones says the state's hardline fiscal conservatives are refusing to spend money on society's most vulnerable children, whose lives would be much better if they were surrounded by their loved ones.

The state even went so far as to turn down $37.5 million in federal money that would help move children out of nursing homes, all because the money was seen as part of ObamaCare. Not even the threat of a civil rights lawsuit, apparently, was enough to get the state to do more. [Mother Jones]
This is not the first time the Obama administration has tried to force a state to do de-institutionalize the mentally disabled, as well as people in fragile health who could be cared for at home. Since 2009, the Justice Department has filed similar suits against 11 states.

Some of the children at the heart of the latest suit have suffered traumatic brain injuries and need to be on ventilators with round-the-clock nursing care. It can be much more expensive to care for them at home, without assistance from the state. That is why so many have wound up in geriatric nursing homes — some remaining there for years.

The state's Agency for Health Care Administration says the federal government is meddling in Florida's affairs. Agency Secretary Liz Dudek said in a statement Monday that the state has been improving an "already strong program," noting that 31 children with disabilities have been discharged from nursing facilities this year alone.

Dudek slammed the Obama administration, saying in a news release that the lawsuit "shows that Washington is not interested in helping families improve but instead is determined to file disruptive lawsuits with the goal of taking over control and operation of Florida's Medicaid and disability programs."

Now it's up to a court to decide whether the Justice Department is trying to score political points, or to defend people who can't defend themselves against the effects of partisan budget-slashing.

Works Cited: http://news.yahoo.com/florida-being-...115800811.html

This is just completely sick the way these kids are being treated. Makes me wanna not touch Florida till they get their act together.

[Khaza-R]

That's Rick Scott for you.

[Adam Jensen]

That's Rick Scott for you.

Well, they did vote for Lord Voldemort. I don't know what they expected. The man hates children as much as he hates Muggles.

[apepi]

Well...Florida does have a lot of them, are Nursing homes cruel or did I miss something?

[King Shark]

It's Florida. They've been ass backwards since Bush's first term.

[Vthug]

Well...Florida does have a lot of them, are Nursing homes cruel or did I miss something?

Not cruel, just seems like a strange place to place them. You don't really get the care that you are needed.

[prwraith]

I don't see why this is such an issue? Nursing homes have trained nurses and staff.

In a controlled environment.

Wheres the issue?

[Destruktion]

I don't see what's so sick about placing children who need round-the-clock care in a facility that's designed for such a purpose. Unfortunate, sure, but at least the children are being cared for properly.

And, forgive me, I don't see the point in the first place. Every time I see a disabled child in one of those wheel chairs, hooked up to a ventilator and unable to do anything but make vague movements and vocalizations, I think about how awful it must be for them.

[Khaza-R]

Well, they did vote for Lord Voldemort. I don't know what they expected. The man hates children as much as he hates Muggles.

In all fairness, retirees in Florida hold a vast amount of the political power in the state. Especially on the state and municipal level. Which in turn leads to decision making that is horrid for long-term economic or social growth. You can't really blame the whole of Floridians for that.

[SaburoDaimando]

I don't see why this is such an issue? Nursing homes have trained nurses and staff.

In a controlled environment.

Wheres the issue?

The issue is more that the children who are raised there do not get the proper education, not to mention they are isolated from others(Especially from Family and Friends. And they don't even get to communicate with the elderly there)

[jugzilla]

#Justicefortrayvon in action here folks.

[prwraith]

The issue is more that the children who are raised there do not get the proper education, not to mention they are isolated from others(Especially from Family and Friends. And they don't even get to communicate with the elderly there)

From the article some of the worse off kids sound like they could never socialize anyway. I imagine the kids who can attend school are being sent. As far as socialization, old people are fascinating to talk to.

[apepi]

Not cruel, just seems like a strange place to place them. You don't really get the care that you are needed.

A lot of old people are disabled....why would they not have the proper care?

[Shennanigans]

Where do you think severely disabled children should be placed then? Some parents don't have the resources or time to provide 24 hour care that some require. Some parents have to work to keep a house over their head and food on the table, perhaps there are other children. Disabled children have been going to long term facilities for years this is not a new thing. Years ago when I was a nursing student I worked in a nursing home, there were three or four children there. It's very common, don't get your panties in a wad, they just need skilled round the clock care.

[Sousoulsu]

I guess organizing everybody who can't care for themselves at any point in for the rest of their lives in a home where they're looked after is the best thing they could do.
It works for old people - why not kids born into a world that demands basic cognitive ability?

[Woakerio]

I don't see what's so sick about placing children who need round-the-clock care in a facility that's designed for such a purpose. Unfortunate, sure, but at least the children are being cared for properly.

And, forgive me, I don't see the point in the first place. Every time I see a disabled child in one of those wheel chairs, hooked up to a ventilator and unable to do anything but make vague movements and vocalizations, I think about how awful it must be for them.

My aunt acted as a 24/7 caretaker for my 8 year old cousin for nearly 8 years...my cousin was deprived oxygen during birth and suffered impaired brain function which resulted in a final seizure that left her brain-dead, but my aunt just couldn't accept it. She insisted that my cousin was still 'there' mentally and would get upset with the family if we didn't have one-sided conversations with her and treat her like nothing happened.

Speaking from experience it seems like in these situations, the parents/family have a hard time accepting the essential 'death' of the person (I view a brain-dead person as being dead) and letting them go. I guess when the body is still alive, its hard for some people to realize the person isn't there since they physically seem to be. I have told family members that if I get that way and there's no chance of even being semi-coherent again, to just pull the plug.

[Adam Jensen]

I guess organizing everybody who can't care for themselves at any point in for the rest of their lives in a home where they're looked after is the best thing they could do.
It works for old people - why not kids born into a world that demands basic cognitive ability?

Because children and old people have different needs.

[DEATHETERNAL]

Wait, so it is the government's fault for not throwing enough free money at them instead of the parents' fault for not providing for their children? I don't think so.

[prwraith]

Wait, so it is the government's fault for not throwing enough free money at them instead of the parents' fault for not providing for their children?

I really don't think this is as big an issue as people seem to think it is. Special needs kids are segregated in schools ANYWAY. They generally only socialize with each other. Which would seem to be the case here. As well as receiving round the clock care.

[Rucati]

Well it is Florida, pretty sure they're second only to Texas in the "Doing incredibly stupid things" department.