Monthly Archives: December 2024

MN EIDBI Clinical Lead Nicole Colludes with Racist SOB Dr. Larsson to shut down Somali EIDBI Providers – WTH

idilabdull | December 16th, 2024
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Alright – so, if you follow any autism policy or my blog then you know that Dr. Larsson whom I think is arguably the most racist and arrogant SOB psychologist and runs Lovaas autism center and Minnesota Department of Human Services’ EIDBI clinical lead Nicole Berning have been colluding and meeting for months to strategize how to close, shame and shut down Somali owned EIDBI centers.

Now, one would say what the heck? Well – let’s dissect it. Nicole used to work for Lovaas/Eric Larsson. She thinks highly of him. She wants to open her own EIDBI center and has been pushing the board certification for behavior analysts. Guess who wrote that legislation with Lovaas/Larsson – drum roll please ….wait for it…..Rep. Kim Hicks who was the policy person for EIDBI and you guessed it, Nicole Berning. How do you like them apples. It gets better and more collusion happens.

  1. They (Nicole and Kim) meet with Larsson while getting paid under DHS. What now, aren’t state employees supposed to stay neutral. Yep, except if you are white privileged white woman.
  2. They also meet with Lovaas/Larsson during their off time – according to Hicks. Why the heck is Hicks even doing double job, a state legislator from Jan to May then a DHS/EIDBI employee from June to Dec. Ahhh, it must be nice to be soooo privileged and have no none hold you accountable including the village idiot assistant commissioner at DHS – Merz.
  3. Nicole and Kim draft the language for the licensure even though that is ….what is that called – unethical at best and illegal at worst. No one at DHS gives a flying hoot about it. Not yet anyway.
  4. Then according to some Somalis at these exclusive meetings that Nicole organized, Larsson goes after and trashes Somali EIDBI agencies and its owners. How lovely and so righteous of him. This is the guy who discriminated against young children with autism including my son.
  5. He claims they do not know what they are doing, they hire young people. What the heck. Excuse me – Mr. righteous, when my son was going to your ABA agency, all your behavior therapists were between the ages of eighteen to probably early twenties. Of course, when you do it (asshole) it is fine, when a Somali does it – ooohhhh fraud. How original.
  6. Larsson/Lovaas along with Nicole talk about how Somali EIDBI centers are stealing and wasting Medicaid funds. What now? Excuse me (asshole) you stole $2,862,769.00. Ain’t that the pot calling the kettle black.
  7. Nicole is a state employee and should never be attending or colluding with anyone let alone a known racist piece of shit like Larsson/Lovaas (not a typo).
  8. When Larsson/Lovaas stole and committed Medicaid fraud, what did DHS do? just you wait, you will like it…drum roll pls….They negotiated with him, forgave most of the money, did not shut him down, did not report him for investigation, did not contact the media and let him continue as though nothing happened. Yes, siree bob. 
  9. Now, DHS is led by Commissioner Heartless Harpstead who was hired by Gov Walz who has been elected by most of Minnesotans including many Somalis. How do you like them apples. When will we learn to vote wiser.
  10. About two years ago, Somali Autism Advocacy agencies went to DHS EIDBI manager – Mr. Flint asking to partner with them and train both Somali EIDBI providers and families. They told him “We do not want our children with autism to become collateral damage as the kids in the daycares did. Let us help you and provide training on EIDBI as so many in the Somali community do not understand this.” He refused to partner and stated “DHS did not have money”. But they have money to go after the Somali EIDBI agencies. Can real racism please stand up.
  11. Behavior Dimension stole Medicaid funds to the tune of $2,772,517.00. What did DHS do? Made deals with them, did not shame them, did not report them to the media or the federal government. Instead, they treated owners Jay O’Neill and Nancy Schussler as friends, not a foe. DHS ensured, their business continued without interruption and shame. Please tell me that is not pure and blatant discrimination.
  12. Lazarus Project provides ABA therapy was started by a group of white autism parents, stole Medicaid funds to the tune of $369,979.00. Guess what happened to them. Nada, they hired a lawyer from Byron and Fredrickson and like magic, they paid not even pennies on the dollar of what they owed. If you do not know who Byron and Fredrickson is, please stop living under a rock. I can write a book about them.
  13. When Larsson, Schussler, and O’Neill steal millions in Medicaid funds, nothing happens to them, and it does not become a lighting news story. When a Somali is alleged, not even convicted, or proven, it is the news in every outlet from corner to corner. Everyone is having a meltdown and wants to shame the whole community. I thought it was innocent until proven guilty, nope, if you are Somali and/or any other minority.
  14. My suggestion to the chairs of senate and house human services committees which now are four since the house is 67 DFL and 67 GOP, need to request data from back a decade ago to make the case of when a white provider steals millions in Medicaid, and compare it to whatever they are accusing of the Somalis now. Fairness must prevail.

As a Somali Autism Mom who sued racist SOB Larsson/Lovaas when he discriminated against my son in federal court, I am heartbroken by this. I am mad, sad, frustrated and most of all disappointed in our community and our elected officials who never seem to have a backbone.

Ok, let’s assume there are few Somali EIDBI centers who have done wrong, must the bias media label all the Somali community thieves. Must we be traumatized again. Why can’t the Somali legislators whose job is to protect and serve their constituents ask DHS Commissioner Heartless Harpstead, Nicole and Kim the following:

  1. How did these alleged autism centers get approved?
  2. Who the heck gave them authorization?
  3. Don’t you have mechanism to ensure accurate billing and reporting?
  4. If the statute says autism and related conditions, what are the related conditions? who diagnoses the child with that? how come they are not under fire?
  5. Why isn’t DHS not doing training and oversight to ensure quality of services for the child/family?
  6. Why is DHS blind and deaf to the board certified behavior analysts who are essentially robbing these Somali agencies blind? I thought the almighty BACB board had ethical guidelines, or is that a front?
  7. Why haven’t you reported or even took the money white autism centers/agencies stole since you are hot and heavy against the alleged Somali autism centers?
  8. Who the heck holds you at DHS accountable for your intentional negligence and disregard for fairness?

The Somali elected officials need to get a backbone and ensure fairness prevails. 

The law for the state of Minnesota to pay for autism therapy passed in the state legislator on a rainy Thursday night on May 16, 2013. Can you imagine, I was the only person of any color/race/ethnicity left in the conference committee room that night when the autism Medicaid waiver 1915i added by Gov. Dayton was finally added to the final omnibus bill. Then we advocated at the federal government to cover autism therapy which they allowed on July 14, 2014, If you only want to hear the EIDBI part, go/click to Medicaid coverage section which I think is slide 16. Minnesota then changed its autism waiver to a state plan amendment which was approved by CMS on March 2015. I have been in every step of this process from day one to the last day it got approved. I along with other Somali autism parents have worked sooo hard to ensure the language of the legislation and the amendment were person-centered and culturally responsive. We made sure the family training component and rights/responsibilities were a big element, and to see all our hard work talked about negatively has been excruciatingly painful for me and other autism parents. It is more painful for our elected officials to do nothing and not hold DHS accountable for its double standards again.

When does justice prevail and stand tall. When?

The above words do not reflect any candidate, agency, or committee.

Idil Abdull – Somali Autism Mom & Retired Advocate

Category: Autism Policy

MN State Medicaid Agency Commissioner & Chairs of Human Services Held a Community Town Hall Meeting – 8.15.24

idilabdull | December 11th, 2024
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Alright – so, the chairs of human services in the Minnesota Senate and House (Hoffman & Noor) along with the state Medicaid agency commissioner (Harpstead) held a community town hall meeting on August 15, 2024. I know I am writing this blog a bit late, I am trying to retire and all.

Anyway, like an African wedding, they start unfashionably late. Then all three of them praise themselves on how good they are and have done. They tell us they passed this bill and that bill and they are yum yum. Most of the people, including me are thinking – what planet are they living. What now?

Ok fine, in the interest of fairness, they did pass some good legislation but not enough to praise them when they finally opened the mic to the public.

First, Noor tells all of us Somalis to make our comments short – I tell him – don’t dream. The commissioner tells us – thanks for your candid and frank comments. Well, her words were that, but her body language was saying to us “screw you”. No worries, we are used to this by now.

Finally, the public was allowed to speak. I had a long speech prepared for how racist and heartless DHS has been under commissioner Harpstead towards minority autism families and providers, then I heard so many others with real heartbreaking stories one after another, not that racism isn’t heartbreaking, but I bit my tongue and did not say what I wrote. Instead, I asked them to address clear disparities in DHS and hire more people who reflect the communities they serve. I also asked which is more important to me – lack of services for adults with autism. There is literally nothing for children like mine. When children age out of EIDBI and school, there are maybe less than 10 agencies that provide services – none of them look like us and they all have endless waitlists. This reminds me of the state of Minn before EIDBI when we had five agencies. Let me rephrase that – five blood sucking greedy racist crap autism therapy agencies. Ufta.

Sen. Hoffman said to me – Idil what is your deal with me, why do you keep writing negative blogs about me. What I find really interesting is when people are advocating at the state capitol, there are a lot of raw emotions and we all speak from our perspectives. However, when the session ends and you win some and lose some, it is all fair in love and politics. But when anyone who is black or maybe brown is advocating and says their opinions, white legislators and white state agencies take it personally, but they don’t take it personally when a white person does the same thing. I remember when I was advocating at the state legislator, I would see white autism families looked at as passionate and caring for their children. On the other hand, they would think I am angry, should have no right to have emotions or feel what I felt. Such double standard and they do not even realize it.

I also remember the level of disrespect they sometimes had for each other, but it was never personal – it was simply part of the landscape. One time, long ago, Rep. Thissen was in the health conference committee with Sen. Yvonne P Solon, and he told her “To come down of her high horse and walk on the ground”. I was sitting next to one of the health insurance lobbyists who said, “they are just tired now and insulting each other”. That was it, none of the legislators even noticed or commented on that disrespectful comment. Another time, maybe multiple times, the chair of the education finance committee in the house (CY) would scold and demean the members especially the republican ones and no one would blink or call her out. One time, she had a teenager meltdown and said to Rep. Peggy “not right now, I haven’t had my coffee yet”. Imagine if a black legislator said that it would make the news.

You see this double standard of I can say my feelings and my opinions as a white person, and they should be looked as my heartfelt opinion and perspective but God Forbid if a black/brown person says the same thing then – they have a meltdown.

Here is my say to Hoffman, Merz, Thissen and all those elite liberal white and privileged either publicly elected officials or work in a publicly funded agency – get over yourselves, it is not about you, if you want no one to be mad at your horrible policies then please find a job in a shoe store or maybe an ice cream shop. I am sure everyone is happy at those places. But if you choose to work in a publicly funded agency or are a publicly elected official then the PUBLIC in every race and ethnicity has the right to criticize, critique, and comment on your policies or lack thereof.

Now, I did say to Hoffman that I will write good review blogs if/when he does something good for autism. In 2024, he supported us when we needed to add QABA to EIDBI behavior analysis. Thanks for that. He also met with several Somali autism parents and promised them he will hold DHS accountable for their deliberate and subjective biased policies towards Somali autism centers and families.

The above words do not reflect any candidate, agency, or committee.

Idil Abdull – Somali Autism Mom & Retired Advocate

Category: My two cents - ok 1 1/2 cents