Thursday, August 27, 2009

Pre Person Centered Plan Meeting Preparedness 2009…

‘Tis that time of year again, y’all!

C-Money and this bitch are scheduled to attend our brother’s Person Centered Plan meeting tomorrow. As our older brother’s co-guardians, we get the opportunity to provide input and guidance in his plan…in the document that details his needs and wants, how he will be cared for and what services he will receive.

Trust me, these meetings are crucial and often a royal pain in the ass.

The good part?

The meeting will have all the key players in my brother’s life in attendance – staff from his residential treatment center, the state offices that monitor all things related to his care and representatives from the various departments that provide all manner of services...plus The Sisters of Bitchitude in our role as sisters and as co-guardians. By meeting’s end, we’ll have revised all things Bill related and have a plan to present to the Missouri Department of Mental Health with hopes that they will authorize all needed things and green light most wanted things.

The shitified part?

The meeting will have all the key players in my brother’s life in attendance – staff from his residential treatment center, the state offices that monitor all things related to his care and representatives from the various departments that provide all manner of services. At least one of them will get overly defensive in response to a valid critique, another will play the role of Corn Flakes pisser and happily predict several denials of authorization for some shit we really want for Bill. Still another will try to explain to us that our brother is autistic (no shit, really?!?) and that our expectations are unreasonable (only if failure is an option) and end up making me wonder if we’re not getting services because we can’t or if we’re not getting them because those positioned to demand them are requesting them with the expectation that they will not be authorized.

Sigh.

Person Centered Plan meetings are yearly reminders that public policy and government budgets play huge roles in the lives of millions of Americans...that we are too often a society that proclaims our goodness rather than manifests that shit through action. And they serve to remind this bitch that when the leadership of my state government chooses to pander to conservative interests rather than do the people’s bitness during legislative sessions the most vulnerable among us are left paying the tab.

So today I seek to settle my soul and fuel up my emotional battery so I can go into that meeting tomorrow and get the things my brother needs...even as I acknowledge the precious lack of resources we are left to play with when those in control of government claim to value Missouri families and life while in reality they value political bullshit and panderific greed more.

Mayhap I’ll make a drinking game out of it.

Annoying use of my brother’s formal name William instead of Bill = 1 sip vodka cran

Mention of budget cuts to programs already cut to the bone = 2 sips vodka cran

Condescending explanations of autism from new staffer(s) with less than 2 months employment under her or his belt = 1 big gulp of vodka cran

Pause…consider…continue.

Something tells me that wouldn’t be wise or good for a bitch’s liver (wince).

***logs off to get preparedness on***

8 comments:

Hypatia said...

I've been reading (mostly lurking) through several of these meetings, now.
Bless you, C-Money, and Bill.

L. Jackson said...

As a retired MSW I can honestly tell u that u are looking at two possible outcomes: the worker is tired of 'asking' so doesn't attempt to ask & just to applease u states it is impossible to receive (grin, ask for paperwork to confirm that it was requested, then rejected...that will bite them in the butt); the worker chooses not to attempt finding a solution or get creative in order to solve need problems. Sad but truth!

The 'system' is bound by a regulations book that is so thick that it takes years to even comprehend, let alone learning how to work around it. Roflmao, on new know-it-all workers that like to flaunt their 1st year knowledge...and why 5 years seems to be the turn-over rate??

Creative solutions can be found Shark but as sad as it sounds, it will take u & C-money to find out what can/can't be accomplished. For the worker will take the easy route of 'can't be' and it will take a firm stand on 'can do' with other suggestions..don't take no, tell them to look for solutions.

Shark it is a cop-out saying it is all the Mo. regs that stop things..look deeper!

LisaMJ said...

Hang in there and good luck, Shark-Fu. I hope you and C-Money are able to get everything Bill needs for the coming year. Despite all the cut-backs, he is lucky to have two sisters who care, are well-informed, and who are prepared to fight to get him what he needs.

Oh and hope the sorta-beagle who freaked over the thunderstorms is feeling better now! :-)

Lisa

frostbite9 said...

When are they going to make a Meryl Streep movie about you and YOUR bolg? I think THAT'S the question to ask in these perilous times. Good luck with William, er, Bill.

Shark-Fu said...

Queen Latifah has to play me in the movie of my life...with an afro, damn it.

Thanks!

annaliesa! said...

Wow, I just found your blog and I love it! I'm right there with all your crazy black bitching... except for the black part. (I'm so damn white I'm transparent!) But I think the angry bitch is universal, you speak the truth and are pissed about all the right things. Get on with your bad self!

My little brother is 23 and has Asperger's syndrome. Thankfully he is functioning enough that he can live with our folks but getting him the resources he needs can be a pain the badonk! Especially now that our golden state has bankrupt themselves. (again) You and your sister are angels for looking our for your brother. Keep up the good fight!

-Annaliesa

Unknown said...

As a vodka-cran lover, I love when you mention it in your posts. ;)

So, how did it go, the meeting?

Anonymous said...

We started video recording our kids' PCP meetings-- my my how some people's demeanor changed. Freaked some of them right out.

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