crisis in SL Start Group Home URGETN

[Developmental Disabilities Advocates]

I am writing as an advocate for a boy with autism who lives in a group
home. This boy lived at Frances Haddon Morgan Center in 2010 and was
able to be moved to a community home closer to Mukilteo, his home in
September 2010 on the Roads to Community Living Grant. All was well
as long as disability advocates could use this family to promote
passage of SSB5459 and The Arc of Snohomish County used this mother to
be the "poster child" of the cause. Once the bill passed, the
mistreatment started and these advocates who were so supportive of her
and her family, turned their backs on her.

Below is my letter to all state legislators informing them of this
tragedy. There are also links to Margaret's letters to Ms. Lindeblad
(Asst. Secrestary of DSHS) and her Senator, Paull Shin. I am meeting
with Margaret tomorrow and I do hope to have some better news about
their situation but what disturbs me is the cover up of the abuses
that occur in these group homes.



Dear Representative Pedersen,



Thank you all for your hours and hours of hard work the past 6 months
in Olympia – your work is appreciated. I also understand that you
need to rely on your advisors and aides for information regarding many
of the issues as it is just too impossible to be aware and
knowledgeable on so many critical programs and issues.



I am writing tonight though to update you all on a crisis that is
occurring, in part due to the passage of SSB5459 last year. It is
extremely unfortunate that most of you were given inaccurate
information and had to use that to the best of your knowledge to make
the right choice as you believed and understood.



The facts though are very different. Advocates who were aware of some
of the more accurate information were silenced while those who
supported SSB5459 used manipulation of some of our community members
to testify and “write” letters. This is very disturbing and I was
aware of it when it occurred but there was nothing that I could do
since my voice had already been silenced.



This family has contacted me again and has given me permission to tell
the story. While this family cooperated with advocates for SSB5459,
they were groomed and treated with respect and support. After the
legislative session was over, the family began to notice extreme
changes in treatment, health and safety.

Margaret (the mother) complained to SL Start, the supported living
home in Lynnwood where her 16 year old son, Suubi lived. Suubi was
thin to begin with but he lost twenty pounds and had to be admitted to
Seattle Children’s for malnourishment and sleep. She says “As soon as
I complained, I became public enemy” which began a series of abuses
against the family.

CPS was called while Suubi was in the hospital because Margaret had to
leave him for 30 minutes to tend to another pressing issue with her
other child. She informed the staff of this. When she returned, she
was greeted with CPS – not to investigate SL Start but to investigate
her for “abandonment.”



Margaret has now lost custody of her son, she is not allowed to visit
and has to have supervised visits with SL Start or CPS personnel. She
had a scheduled meeting time with her son tonight to play a basketball
game with him and she waited and waited at the YMCA meeting place.
Her son and staff never showed up, she tried to call the home and
there was no reply. This is just the tip of the iceberg of the
mistreatment of this young man and his family. Margaret is a very
supportive and loving mother and these accusations are totally unjust.



This boy is having his civil and human rights violated. He is not
allowed to worship or have Christian posters up since the home is
Muslim and their faith is extremely important to them. The family is
being shattered at the hands of the system – a system which is
supposed to support these families.



I have written to Assistant Secretary MaryAnne Lindeblad and Margaret
has also written to her. Ms. Lindeblad informed me that this is being
investigated. As a mom of youngster with intellectual disabilities
though, I know that no investigation is fast enough to reunite this
family.

This is a very dangerous and critical situation which I’m afraid is
happening more than we know because once people complain, the
advocates do not support them and the families are left alone in a
crisis, struggling the best they can.



I have attempted to contact Disability Rights Washington but the
advocacy line is almost impossible to get through to talk with
someone. I have called the Complaint Resolution Unit with DSHS. I
believe that Ms. Lindeblad will help remedy this situation but I’m
very concerned that this may be happening to others in our community.



Margaret has told me that she would never move her child out of the
institution knowing the mistreatment that her son received in the
community. She was coerced into this decision by advocates pushing
the Roads to Community Living. She says “I was their poster child”
and she is very angry for the trickery and also the lack of support
when she started to notice mistreatment.



Thank you,



Cheryl Felak, RN, BSN
Because We Care – Beyond Inclusion
Seattle, WA

Links:

Margaret's Letter to Ms. Lindeblad
Margaret's Letter to Senator Shin

Please feel free to contact me regarding this or any issue pertaining
to our citizens with intellectual disabilities. 206-545-3846

[Saskia Davis]

Hi Cheryl,
Until this 2 paragraph intro, I have found the issue confusing. This
makes it much easier to understand. So glad you are spearheading help!
I am sending an inquiry to someone who may have something to offer.
Not connecting you/them, yet because I want to try to be sure he is
the right person first.
Sass
On Apr 17, 2012, at 11:44 PM, Developmental Disabilities Advocates
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