Unfortunately, Rep Norton who seems to have so much time on her hands this session decided that eliminating the only statewide autism free and all volunteer committee was the right thing to do. As a result, Norton has spread lots of incorrect information in order to sell this HF 2282 in committees. So, here are facts and false information.
Fact – Minnesota Autism Task Force Does not have a Final statewide plan yet. It only has a draft that is not even yet well discussed and no sub groups to finalize per recommendations yet formed.
Fact – Minnesota ASD TF has met monthly for years even though meeting that many times is not in its charge.
Fact – MN ASD TF has done a lot of good including many research and policies, such as a new study just released last week done by school of public health in collaboration with MN health dept, Confederation Somali Community of MN, Latino and Hmong communities highlighting the barriers for those families in accessing and understanding autism. MDH should post this study soon in their autism website.
Fact – MN State legislature passed a first in its kind Autism Medicaid therapy coverage for children from birth to eighteen years old that will cover behavioral and developmental services. This happened because of the work and recommendations from MN ASD TF.
Fact – state of MN received half million dollars in funding and resources from Federal agencies to study autism prevalence in Somali, Caucasian, Hispanic, Hmong, Native American and Black – Non Somali children in Minneapolis. This was possible because of the work of members from the MN ASD TF. See that study here.
Fact – MN ASD TF is cost free to the state, all volunteer based, has parents, advocates, doctors, funders, state agency reps and state legislatures all working hard to support the over 17, 000 Minnesota autism children and their families. See charge here. And, membership here.
Fact, MN ASD TF is suppose to sunset and end in June 2015 on its own per its charge which would give enough time to finish its work by not just sending a not ready draft, but a ready statewide plan that all stakeholders are in the process in creating and implementing.
Fact, Sadly, all of the MN DFLer’s (the ever-welcoming, sooo progressive, sooo moving forward, loves committees, increased their own house committees in 2012) that were present voted to take away parent voice, advocate ideas and eliminate MN Autism Task force.
Fact, All of the MN GOP’s present (ever inclusive, reasonable, helped Somali autism, did the first Somali autism study and the last one, created MDH autism website, started DHS autism benefit & wrote this task force) voted to keep parent voices at the table. Think about that for a minute, especially if you are a minority specifically Somali how you voted and how you will vote this year. Insanity is voting for the same people and expecting different policies or ideas.
Fact, Rep Ward – DFL who represents district 53A offered to change this autism task force to again free advisory autism committee and the hard core Putin like Norton and Liebling refused that offer, Imagine that.
Now, despite all of good and amazing work done by a group of folks that come from very different background, communities and regions of the state, Rep Norton has started false and nasty rumors to support her HF 2282 and dismantle, disband, dismiss, disregard and disrespect the hard work of so many in the autism community.
Additional facts – it turns out that Minnesota department of health is helping Rep Norton to eliminate the free MN Autism Task Force, go figure. Apparently, MDH representative sent the call in number for the last meeting at 7:56am. The meeting was suppose to start at 7:45am, then man
y had trouble with the call in number and did not call until towards the end at 8:30am. Yet, MDH apparently wrote meeting minutes stating there was a quorum at the beginning of the meeting. How exactly is that humanly possible? It is not. Not to mention this draft was written by Rep Norton and Mr. Trahan who is not even a member anymore and no discussion by more than half of the members. Yet, somehow Norton and MDH are trying to convince us that they had a quorum, it was open to the public via following open meeting laws, was written and discussed by majority of the members who then voted on it. Ain’t that all just convenience?
I always thought African government wrote and dictated policies. Well – I guess Rep Norton and MDH do it here in the land of free democracy. Sad and cruel by the state health agency to be in bed in bad policy with Rep Norton and Sen. Eaton who just introduced the sister bill in the senate today SF 2892. Why are Norton and Eaton always against autism families, especially low income and minority communities?
False rumor – MN ASD TF does not meet or function smoothly. I am sorry, but I like to see a group of folks talking about autism that gets along with anything autism. If you google any autism committee, blog or advocacy agency, there are so many disagreements in cause, cure, services, ABA vs RDI, Floortime, alternative medicine, biomedical therapies, vaccines, vs genetic to you name it. Autism is extremely emotional, complex, confusing and there are hardly any agreements on anything. Think about this, you have a perfectly healthy child and something goes wrong around two years. You take your child to the doctor and the doctor tells you – he/she has autism which has no cause, no cure, and lasts a lifetime, have a nice day. Tell me what parent is going to be happy about that. So, yes autism mothers have the same level of stress level similar to a soldier in a combat. See that here.
False rumor – MN ASD TF does not meet. Wrong, because they have met more than it was even recommended by its charge.
False rumor – they have not accomplished anything. Just see how much MN and autism has been brought to light all the way to the White House, to NIH, to CDC & to the United Nations. The only place we have not taken autism is the moon. This by far is the most hurtful false rumor by Rep Norton.
False rumor – MN ASD TF has finished its work. This by far the worst lie since everything including all meetings and meeting minutes are public in following open meeting laws – as you can see there is incorrect and false rumor being told by Norton to state legislators.
You see – many other states are starting and passing State autism commissions that are permanent and funded with staff and resources. Here in Minnesota – the land of 10,000 lakes and 10,000 racial disparities – Norton and her associates are eliminating the only free one that exist. Instead, they could create an autism plate, an autism commission, an autism wandering prevention given the high rate of autistic kids wandering as research states, an autism family coordination center housed in DHS, update and modify autism waivers and allow physical activities to be part of waiver funding since obesity is prevalent in autistic children. etc and etc. They can even allocate resources to start a statewide surveillance system which we don’t have. I mean rather than do good in moving us forward the MN DFL controlled house wants to abandon the little we have accomplished. Imagine the frustration of that thinking and the disconnect of that.
As they say – if there is a will, there is a way. I along with so many Somali autism families are determined to defeat Norton at the polls and even if we don’t succeed this fall, we will try until we do. They say to get good fruits, it is best to plant great seeds. We need to plant and elect legislators that will write good policies and Norton ain’t one of them.
Help us defeat Rep Norton this year or until her bad seed autism policies are out of MN House. Let me repeat again, insanity is voting for the same party or folks and somehow expecting different results. It ain’t going to happen, we must vote smart and wise based on their votes, their policies and their inclusiveness – not their useless campaign words, but with what they do when they get to the state Capitol.
Thanks!
Above words do not reflect any agency, committee or candidate.
Idil – Somali Autism Mom & Minority Advocate (determined to fight for autism families from every valley, river and mountain)