BudgetIssues

 

Introduction/Definition/etc Body Conclusion Discussion Page History Page Statistics Page Views:  since creating page on 20081026

 

Introduction/Definition/etc

 

This should probably be called BudgetIssues2008, as it is a recurring theme,

but at the NVRPP aka Steering Committee, according to the outgoing

Fairfax County CSB Exec Jim Thur, in the presence

of a state legistlator (George Barker) "we have not seen cuts like this in 20 years".

 

 

Body

 

 

More gloom and doom, though I'm not sure if it's a trick or treat joke,

or 'press'/consumers being used/ played, it would be in really bad taste. 

Thinking [and saying] of finding a local bridge myself

after the beginning of the meeting presented the state

and local budget situations across the Northern Virginia jusidictions,

a few rays of hope were pulled from the muck.

 

The letter from the state DMHMRSAS [yes, Virginia, we

still use MR and outdated naming, despite a naming

vote?] commissioner Reinhart dated Oct 20, 2008

discussing a budget spreadsheet that was not included in the

handouts, so incomplete information, and in provider/ legislator

political jargon including programs only insiders know about

like Part C (whispering response from a neighboring attendee,

the Rev[isionist]. Bill, provides an answer: a childrens' program)

 

Hard to process what this meeting meant.  Out with the old

captain of the Titanic, on Veterans Day, the last one off the

ship, Lynn DeLacy, the NVMHI aka Institute director left in retirement

back in April or May, so no one to give the party to Jim?,

though we [and I] summarized the last four years

and discussed points of continuing "silo smashing"

and information exchange as Wendy called it,

and Mary Ann mentioning loss of Kaitlin?

an original [consumer?] member of the group,

but for me it was reviewing first seeing Jim at a

hospital bed shortage focus group, keeping dwindling

stock of outmoded facility based treatments,

but what most consumers only know, in crisis,

go to the hospital, with declining reimbursemnt rates,

closures, moving beds, and facilities, etc

and other issues, too numerous and

so long ago to remember, on up through starting On Our

Own of Fairfax Drop In Center, Michael Kennedy shootings,

Consumer Wellness Center opening,

RRWG starting up a state proposal, VA Tech crisis, and capped off

with the bittersweet 'Network of Care' diverted money

from the Website part of the proposal, while still

covering for a new Coordinator, losing my friend Patrick,

OOOFxCo board chair, only to have that

outside Lawyer take credit for spending money

he didn't obtain, while losing David O'Brien (who was caught

in the crossfire between CSB Execs?, as it were), Patrick Snow, and all

the VA Tech people (33 losses?), plus more at local drop in centers,

and in the community, totalling about 40 deaths,

by my count.  Seems like Virginia and the nation

can't change without deaths and conflict, but after

6 years of this and no real pay advancement nor

position, plus recovery personally,

'frankly Virginia, I don't give a damn...'

 

It was funny to the RRWG members when

the proposal parts I worked on were not funded,

but when it happens with them, it's tragedy,

and I'm supposed to help, be a token consumer

and even ended up saying 'this is dangerous' and

'are you trying to kill consumers?' picturing

the situations of a John Q. Consumer/ Survivor

walking into a facility or center looking for

help when they are under budget crisis,

their coworkers are furloughed, out on leave

looking for new work, bad morale, etc and

even with the usual chasm between the helper

and helpee in the best of times, now in

the worst, how does that happen?

 

 

But adding negative reporting, to the depression,

financial crisis, etc, maybe we become cheerleaders

and say all is well/ 'business as usual',  lying to the public, or just say

something like, "if you don't need the services,

don't use them, if you have to, it will probably

take longer and some will not be there for you,"

or use the buzzword of recovery and

realize you were in the drivers seat all along,

ill informed and left in the dark by a

system that pays itself, taking administrative

costs off the top (where's mine for Website?), leaving next to nothing

[for consumers] and consider your own

innate abilities and strengths, and

system/ person heal thyself?

 

 

Conclusion

Or similar

 

Discussion

A place for feedback on the page presented

 

Page History

 

20081216 Jerry

• review and cleanup writings

 

20081026 Jerry

• Jerry created this page to cover some of the issues about budget....

 

Page Statistics

Page Views:  since creating page on 20081026