Minnesota Department of Health under Commissioner Ehlinger has decided to insult us and tell us (an oral society) that autism existed in Somalia all along and we just did not notice children not talking, not eating more than five foods, being bothered by sensory or children having hours of meltdown. That is right – we were just blind and deaf all along and all of the adults born in Somalia with autism somehow just disappeared.
Think about that for a minute, the agency that is or should be in charge of the health of all Minnesotans decided to just lie and pretend to be stupid or think we are. They have been going around saying to Somali parents that are usually hand selected in order to preach their lies – we should just suck up autism and deal with it. They have no idea how autism has impacted Somali families, some of whom have 1, 2, or even three and four children with autism. Can you imagine that level of disconnect and dismissive attitude.
MDH under previous governor Pawlenty and commissioner Magnan were much kinder and more receptive to listening and validating. They did the first and only Somali autism study, the first and only Somali autism workshop and conference. They changed their website and added autism to the list of medical conditions. What is interesting about that is Gov Pawlenty & Commissioner Magnan never preached equity, never pretended to care or never told us how the other side was the problem. They just did their charge of assurance, assessment and policy. They had a kind and can do attitude.
Under this commissioner – boy can he preach equity this and equity that. Yet, when you look at his policies, they are as cold as the south in 1950’s. His top leadership as diverse as a golf club in Alabama in 1960’s. His words however are as sweet as Sugar Ray Leonard. My take is this, don’t buy the empty words, the empty hype, the empty promises and the empty actions.
As an autism mom and advocate – my advice to Somali autism families and new Somali parents would be “don’t listen to MDH’s words anymore”. They don’t give a rats you know what about your children’s health or your concerns. They will preach one thing and practice another. Never trust their words and go with your gut feeling or find a really good doctor to talk to about autism.
Never listen or do what MDH tells you would be my advice as a Somali autism parent that have begged them to address autism for years in a tangible manner. I have given up asking, the only hope we have now is a change of leadership through our votes. Never believe their useless words and never trust their word because Autism DID NOT exist in Somalia. We are known to be an oral society, yet our children are silent and the state health agency is so clueless and out of touch that it is not worth listening to them anymore. My advice would be whatever MDH tells you as a parent – do the opposite.
The only hope we have now is if we replace Gov Dayton and Commissioner Ehlinger which hopefully can result in change of those in charge of children’s health at MDH. Leadership in my opinion is doing not talking and giving useless speeches which is exactly what we got from MDH for the last four years. Further, their communication department that had Buddy who communicated with our community very well now has arrogant and rude folks who seem confused on the importance of having good communication skills with various communities.
Above words do not represent any agency, committee or candidate.
Idil – Somali Autism Mom & Minority Advocate