Alright – so, if you have a child with autism, work in the field or are an advocate – you heard of Minnesota Autism Center (MAC). They are arguably the biggest applied behavior analysis (ABA) center in Minnesota with over three hundred kids and even more employees. They are also arguably the most greedy, most dictatorship and selfish provider (my humble little opinion).
The MAC school is run by a politician, former chair of Minnesota Republican Party of Minnesota – Mr. Ron Carey. There are so many things wrong with this scenario one of which is a politician running a school is like a Catholic Nun running a night club. It just doesn’t fit or make sense. Nevertheless, Mr. Carey who has high political connections in the state decided to do just that. He has opened two fake schools in Minnesota which are located in Eagan and a recent one in Mankato.
Here is the problem with these schools. THEY ARE NOT A SCHOOL.
Mr. Carey tells the Minnesota department of education – they are a nonpublic school or a private school. Then he tells the families they are a public free school that is paid by medical assistance. Then, he tells the state Medicaid department – they are an ABA center so they can bill Medicaid. In other words, medical assistance cannot cover education, but MAC school takes no public education funding. Sound confusing and deceptive, right? Because it is and that is the way Mr. Carey likes to run things. Oh, and he is from the party that tells everyone to pull their darn selves by their darn bootstraps. Yet, he seems to be pulling himself by Medicaid bootstraps to the tune of over $150,000 a year salary and MAC collected over $34 millions from DHS just the last two years alone. How do you like them apples!
You see all of this drama happens under the nose of DHS and Commissioner Jesson. Let’s remember this is the agency that goes after Somali child care owners if they sneeze the wrong way. Yet, for Mr. Carey – their response is mediocre at best. They are looking into it, are writing policy request letters, my favorite “what are we suppose to do with the over 100 kids that go to the fake school?”. Ah, excuse me Commissioner Jesson, but where was this compassion when your agency was closing minority child care centers like they were flies, faster than a NY minute and dropping charges on them like a hot potato? Come on now.
You can’t be this unfair and bias in a publicly funded program.
To make matters worse, many families, advocates from the disability law center, the Ombudsman’s office and Pacer have been complaining about this fake school and how children don’t graduate, the families have no due process rights, etc. All the while, DHS wants to play see no evil and hear no evil. Come on DHS – your primary responsibility is to assure children with disability including autism and their families are not lied to which is what Mr. Carey is doing and to assure the safety and quality of care.
Additionally, DHS has zero idea how many kids exactly go to the fake Eagan and Mankato school, how many hours kids do there, what are their ages, how much they paid them for just these two locations, etc. In other words, DHS just approves a blank check with no oversight, accountability or assuring quality of care nor treatment is individualized. Really, who the heck needs those things anyway.
I think DHS is failing in this miserably and intentionally.
Commissioner Jesson, You are by far one of my favorite state agency commissioners, but you can’t play Jim Carrey Dumb and Dumber or Richard Pryor/Gene Wilder see no evil/hear no evil forever. You are smart and can see this, and must address it soon.
How can you say such sweet words, yet have such salty double standard and bias policies in how minority vs. Anglo providers are treated. How do you do that – talk both sides of your mouth? Why can’t you be fair and equal as well as protect vulnerable children with autism and their families?
Ask Mr. Carey;
1. if this is a private nonpublic school, how much does it cost per year?
2. do children graduate, how many have graduated thus far?
3. If this is a private nonpublic school, why do the kids take medical transportation?
4. If this is a private nonpublic school, why do you bill Medicaid? Better yet, why don’t you pull DHS records and check this.
This is your responsibility alone and no one else. You have the authority and quite frankly the obligation to correct this problem that has been going on for a long time. Have you not learned any lessons from the Jensen case. If you don’t fix this, the families of these children who are abused, neglected and bullied might start another Jensen. If that does not wake you up then God help us all.
Above words do not represent any candidate, agency or committee.
Idil – Somali Autism Mom & Minority Advocate