"We are building the plane while we are flying it."

The New York State Early Intervention Coordinating Council was scheduled to meet a couple days ago but the meeting was cancelled and a subsequent video/teleconference was scheduled for today, 3/15.  The original meeting was rescheduled to 4/18, but that may still change based on member availability.It is difficult to not be cynical, but did they cancel the meeting to limit participation and comment prior to their 4/1 switchover when NY State takes responsibility from the Counties for administration of the program?  I asked people in the Bureau of Early Intervention in Albany and they told me that they thought that having a video/teleconference would allow more people to participate than if they just had the meeting in Albany.  What they failed to mention was that the new meeting would not be open for public comment or participation.  In other words, today's meeting was a one way communication and propaganda opportunity for the Department of Health.During the meeting today they spent 2/3 of the allotted time discussing the Governor's proposals for the 2013-2014 budget year.  The NYS Assembly has already rejected most of the Governor's proposals and the NYS Senate has also similarly rejected reform proposals.  Budget negotiations are still ongoing so where this will all end up is still anyone's guess.  We will undoubtedly know more after the weekend and early next week.  I was disappointed that they spent so much time discussing a budge...
Source: ABC Therapeutics Occupational Therapy Weblog - Category: Occupational Therapists Tags: Disability rights health insurance Source Type: blogs