OK, so let’s think about this. The Minnesota House of Representatives voted (not by a landslide but a majority) to give money to the wealthier autism families to the tune of FOUR MILLIONS DOLLARS THIS COMING BUDGET YEAR AND YOU KNOW HOW HARD IT IS TAKE SOMETHING BACK ONCE YOU GIVE IT. This means four million dollars from health and human services budget every year for families who can afford autism therapy, whose children overwhelmingly get early autism services, get the majority of waiver funds and so much more. Come on – don’t they already have enough help.
Imagine if the state used that money to;
1. Fund autism research that could lead to a cause and cure for autism symptoms which would save millions because less children will need lifetime support as they do now.
2. Use for waivers for the thousands of children and adults on wait list for years for Disability Developmental waivers. I have seen some families on wait list for years, even over a decade.
3. Use that money to start a website and an autism guidebook for newly diagnosed children so that their parents know what to do from the gate.
4. Use that money to train law enforcement to find wandering children faster and safer.
5. To use that money to invest in better wandering device technology.
6. To use that money to train and educate thousands of MN autism families about autism and how to help their children.
7. Train more autism teachers, speech therapist, behavior therapist and occupational therapist.
8. Train and intentionally recruit minority autism therapist and professionals given there is NO minority owned autism therapy clinic and less than few minority autism mental health professionals.
9. Use that money to help families to assure their children is safe in their homes since many kids with autism live in homes not designed for them.
10. Use that money to help those in need first and be my brother’s keeper instead of giving to those with so much already.
Therefore, we ask the Senate Conferees for HF3172 To Reject the House Position of taking $4 Million from the have nots to give to the haves. It is cruel and un-American.
Clearly – the state of MN can use such money for much better and productive ways rather than buttering the buttered up. The Senate does not seem to want to do this so far and the governor did not put it in his budget. Nevertheless, the fat lady has not sung yet, which means anything can happen. It also means we especially in the low income and/or minority autism families must watch what the governor does. For example, even if the Senate agrees with the House (God I hope not), the Governor does NOT have to sign it. In other words, the governor can indicate or hint his wishes to the chairs and they usually follow him since he has the signature pen.
Remember when the house and senate passed an education reform bill that would have eliminated the last hired – first fired among other outdated policies, and Gov Dayton vetoed because the education union did not want it and he needs their support. You see, they all make political calculations to vote or sign anything. It is all about politics and this is an election year.
The only one who could care less and quite frankly has been against minority autism kids from the get go is Rep Huntley because he is retiring this year. Everyone else has to come back for votes and I would bet the Governor is the weakest politically given he won with less than 9000 votes last time and that is when we were sleeping politically. Now, our community and other minority communities have figured out 2 + 2 is four and if we vote for you then you address our issues – period.
Time will tell and we will learn from this. By the way, if we had a Somali or even a Black policy adviser in the Governor’s office – this would have been nipped from the gate. Hence, the need for us to ask and demand equal hiring policy at Dayton’s office. It does not exist now. Yes, I know he hired a Somali toddler couple of months ago, but he is in outreach dept and he does not understand policy from poop. In other words, we can’t and should not tolerate what happened to Siyad Ali with Sen Amy K who has more degrees than any of her staff, but after years and years is still a constituent outreach. We have smart and educated people and if they want our votes then they need to hire us equally and fairly in leadership positions – period.
Above words do not reflect any candidate, agency or committee.
Idil – Somali Autism Mom & Minority Advocate