Alot of goings on

What we have been going through over the past month or so. Where to begin.

ODJFS has been trying to shut down Step by Step. They have been attempting this for the past year or so. They are using the fact that they will be out of compliance if they don't change certain ways that the services are paid for. They claim that the Federal Gov't will fine the state. What is interesting is that the Federal Gov't has stated that the states shouldn't do anything until they come up with mandates regarding Autism treatment. Apparently someone at ODJFS (Ohio Department of Jobs and Family Services) thinks they know exactly what the Federal Gov't is going to do, and assumes that we will be out of compliance. WRONG!!!!!

If the Federal Gov't says wait..you wait. Don't make assumptions. I have not heard of any other centers being threatened by this move. However, I don't think that ODJFS is going to stop at Step by Step. They will try to save the state some money on the backs of the children that need the help the most. It seems like Gov. Strickland cares about the kids, but just won't give them the money they need to help themselves. ODJFS is a red tape machine. They have attempted to trip up parents of children who are attending Step by Step by trying to get us to say certain things. Why do they INSIST on trying to hurt our children by taking away the services they need to help themselves. One of the commissioners of ODJFS even suggested that we insitutionalize our children. If this is a supposed caring organization, that wouldn't even be considered by them. They want to sweep the problem under the rug and let our sons and daughters not make anything of themselves.

I'm asking anyone who reads this to contact their state and federal senators and representatives to help stop this rule change from taking effect. ODJFS and Gov. Strickland have said they are trying to find alternatives, but those alternatives won't help them, or we won't be able to access them either due to the waiting list, or the cost of the service being prohibitive.