Maryland ADAPT began the fourth and final day of Medicaid and waiver
 program budget hearings on February 14th in Annapolis.  For the three
 day build up to the "Let the money follow the person" Rally-campaign
 kick-off, one or two ADAPTers testified at each hearing: "WE propose
 RELIEF for the Medicaid budget--Free our People! Let the money follow
 the person from the nursing facility to the community. Texas did it.
 So can we!"

 New member Linda M. told of her fears for her 14-year-old
 recently-orphaned stepson in foster care, placed too far away to see
 her in the nursing "home." Committee members teared up when she said
 she felt her life had been stolen, and she could not be there for the
 child she had raised until her stroke five years ago.

 She asked for better oversight of the program she applied to a year
 ago to leave her institution. The program claimed to be targetting
 nursing home applicants but had only 32 people, less than 10%, of the
 total waiver participants, transitioned from nursing facilities. She
 said she felt ignored and had gotten a housing voucher on her own,
 but now she needed help to use it and find housing.

 And the budget committees listened! Staff of the committees have
 asked our Counsel at the P&A, MDLC, to e-mail draft language for the
 budgets. On Day 4, Valentine's Day, security for the Senate Medicaid budget
 committee watched as we crowded into the tiny room. ADAPT, wearing
 the New Orleans "Our Homes, Not Nursing Homes" shirts packed the
 place.

 During the boring budget analyst presentation and admininstration
 budget defense, folks nodded off in the overcrowded overheated room.
 Then ADAPT and the room woke up.

 Recently freed Robert W told of his "costs" in the ManorCare hole
 compared to costs in the community and about his first Christmas with
 his kids in six years. As more people spoke about their lives, for
 only two minutes each, the message was seen on all the ADAPTers and
 heard by the Committee -- "Our Homes..." and "Let the money follow
 the person..."  The P&A's and Civil Rights Coalition's written
 testimoney spelled out the Texas model approach. At the conclusion of
 this section, the committee chairwoman said, " Well now, there's some
 money!"

 After the hearing, Maryland ADAPT and a dozen other people crossed
 the street to an area by the Statehouse to hold our "HOME is Where
 the Heart Is!" Rally.  We met up with about a dozen more folks for
 the Rally. It was really cold.

 We had a 10-foot long banner filled with hundreds of names endorsing
 our petition urging the governor to fund community support services.
 We taped the banner to a pillar and cranked up the bullhorn, getting
 testimonies from inmates and escapees from NH's and other
 institutions.

 Michael Taylor, recognized by the new Governor as having the American
 dream, spoke of his life on his own in his "Freedom Pad" after 30
 Stolen years in a state institution. Howard H spoke of his impending
 freedom from a nursing facility on March 1 after years of trying to
 leave. Tex spoke about his years inside and his life now.  Many spoke
 about Robert Smith, who died two years ago while waiting to move from
 a nursing facility to the community. Governor Bob Ehrlich was invited
 but did not respond.

 At the end of the rally, we marched to the front of the Statehouse
 and chanted "Our homes, not NH's." and others. After a while, Liz O.
 and I crawled up 12 or so steps and unrolled our banner of signatures
 down the steps. We were greeted by a nice man with a very big shotgun
 on his shoulder. While the group below chanted, "We want Bob" a cop
 came up and told us to leave, which we did eventually. Bob was at
 Camp David.

 Afterwards, we did a post-rally huddle and talked to the newbies
 about the experience of direct action and how WE make the decision of
 being arrested or not.

 We froze our butts off, but it was worth it. We have many more
 opportunities this session to continue the "medicaid relief"
 campaign, and we will keep the pressure up until we have our money
 moved.

Wow, what a day for Maryland ADAPT! Now, go back to the Current Events page, the ADAPT main page, or go back home, and check out the rest of my place.

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