Patti's Blog - Advocate for Elders, People with Disabilities and Their Families

TV report starved foster child

From MI Children's Law Discussion List:

Listmates: A disabled foster child has starved to death in Michigan.  His mother asked for help from the state, but instead the child was taken from her and killed in a foster home. You can see a news story about this tragedy, and other child welfare stories, on WXYZ (Detroit ABC affiliate) at 11:00 p.m. on April 29 & 30.  The stories will include a report on the Detroit Center for Family Advocacy (Tracy Green & Vivek Sankaran) and the William Mitchell case from Clinton County (Supreme Court reversal of a recession related termination).  The station plans more investigative reporting on the Michigan foster care system and CPS removals.

Here is the link to the preview of the broadcast.  Starved Foster Child  If you don't get WXYZ, you can go to wxyz.com and see videos of the stories.

Angela Hospice in Livonia nearly doubles its size

Excerpt from Crain's Detroit Business: (click for entire article)

Angela Hospice Care Center, 14100 Newburgh Road in Livonia, has opened its $10 million expansion project nearly doubling its size.

“I've been praying for this building for the past 11 years,” said Sister Mary Giovanni, CEO and founder of Angela Hospice. “I cannot tell you how grateful I am to see it finally standing before me. We will be able to help many more people now.”

The Southeast Michigan Council of Government projects that the population in Southeast Michigan ages 65 and older will almost double from 2000 to 2030 increasing from 567,210 to 1.1 million.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, people over 85 are the fastest growing segment of the population and are projected to grow to 7 million in 2020 and 19 million in 2050. The bureau concludes that 50 percent of that population will need personal care help.

Cox Charges Six for Scamming Seniors

Excerpt from the Office of the Attorney General: (click for entire article)

Attorney General Mike Cox today announced criminal charges against six individuals accused of financially exploiting senior citizens.  This brings to 50 the number of individuals charged as a result of Project $CAMS (Stop Crimes Against Michigan Seniors), an initiative to protect nursing home residents from scams, misappropriated resources and embezzlement.

Operated by the Attorney General's office, along with the Office of Inspector General for the Social Security Administration, Project $CAMS uncovers potential financial exploitation by identifying nursing home residents with past due accounts.  Since the project was announced in May of 2008, 50 criminal cases have been filed. 

Olympic Gold Medalists Put Disabilities on Ice

Excerpt from Business Wire: (click for entire article)

The Gold Medal won in Vancouver by the 2010 USA Paralympic sled hockey team was “in the house” at the Sugar Land Ice and Sports center, as were current and former gold medal winners Taylor Lipsett, Lonnie Hannah and Sled Hockey All-Stars from Dallas and San Antonio.

Everyone was in town to support the STARskaters (www.STARskaters.org) mission of providing an on-ice experience for individuals with disabilities. The event was a 3 on 3 half ice hockey challenge with competitors at all ages and skill levels. Players ranged in age from pee wee to seniors who competed in the 50+ division. Other levels of play included novice, women’s, recreational, A/B and open divisions.

Wellcare Health to repay state $1 million

Excerpt from the Chicago Tribune: (click for entire article)

A private insurance company that manages health benefits for the Illinois Medicaid  program for the poor will repay about $1 million after overbilling the state during a three-year period.

Wellcare Health Plans Inc., the largest Medicaid HMO in Illinois, said a "calculation error resulted in a minimum overstatement of capitation expense." The Tampa, Fla.-based health insurer said overbilling amounted to about 0.2 percent of the premium from July 2006 through June 2009.

Work centers nearing capacity

Excerpt from Ohio.com: (click for entire article)

Two new centers that opened last month to provide work opportunities for people with developmental disabilities already are near capacity.

The County of Summit Developmental Disabilities Board held grand openings on Wednesday at its newest Community Service Centers in Barberton and Cuyahoga Falls.

The centers provide a place to work that's integrated into the community for people with developmental disabilities, Summit DD spokesman Kevin McGee said.

Employee vs. Independent Contractor – Ten Tips for Business Owners

Excerpt from Daniel Stoica: (click for entire article)

If you are a small business owner, whether you hire people as independent contractors or as employees will impact how much taxes you pay and the amount of taxes you withhold from their paychecks. Additionally, it will affect how much additional cost your business must bear, what documents and information they must provide to you, and what tax documents you must give to them.

Here are the top ten things every business owner should know about hiring people as independent contractors versus hiring them as employees.

1. Three characteristics are used by the IRS to determine the relationship between businesses and workers: Behavioral Control, Financial Control, and the Type of Relationship.

Ex-cop struggles to find her new identity after her injury

Excerpt from Christopher and Dana Reeve Foundation: (click for entire article)

These are very compelling video and still images made by Liz O. Baylen from The LA Times about ex-LAPD officer Kristina Ripatti. Kristina talks about the struggle to find her new identity since her injury. She is a client of the NextStep Fitness facility, one of our community-based fitness and wellness centers, in California and our NeuroRecovery Network.

The story also talks about Kristina's desire to get back into sports, and especially to surf again. She sought out Jesse Billauer from our Life Rolls On division to teach her.

April 2010 ADAPT Action Report Washington DC

Excerpt from ADAPT: (click for entire article)

As the 20th Anniversary of the signing of the Americans with Disabilities Act draws near, the disability community is not busy celebrating because we are literally in a fight for our lives and our most basic freedoms.

The disability community cannot sit by as our freedom is negotiated away in back room budget deals. We must take action!

Malcolm X killer freed after 44 years

Excerpt from CNN Justice: (click for entire article)

Thomas Hagan, the only man who admitted his role in the 1965 assassination of iconic black leader Malcolm X, was paroled Tuesday.

Hagan was freed a day earlier than planned because his paperwork was processed more quickly than anticipated, according to the New York State Department of Correctional Services.

Hagan, 69, walked out of the minimum-security Lincoln Correctional Facility at 11 a.m. The facility is located at the intersection of West 110th Street and Malcolm X Boulevard.