Tuesday, March 1, 2011
A Story With Some Bite!
Finally, a story you can sink your teeth into. Lynn Public Schools, Mass Health, and Forsyth Dental coordinated the paperwork to get needed services to where the problem is. A few days ago before all this silliness, I saw dentla professionals visiting the Ford School working on the kids. Forsyth Dental had really cool, colorful vans. I understand that Ford was not the only school that had this program. Kudos to whomever initiated it. Direct services, that's where our emphasis should be.
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Congrats to you Stanley for hitting over 10,000.
ReplyDeleteWith regards to your recent posting, I agree....LPS is doing a great job connecting with Forsyth Dental. They have been coming to the Shoemaker for the past few years and the children really enjoy it. Now, this is a story that should get attention in the media....something positive for LPS and families.
D.DiFillipo
Thank Delores. I believe you are responsible for a significant part of that 10,000. I commend both you and Rick for being part of the discussion. If we are ever going to change things we need engagement of the masses.
ReplyDeleteI don't know why LPS doesn't tout such successes as the one with Forsyth Dental, To change the reality, you first have to change the perception.
It is great that LPS is connecting so many of our students with Forsyth Dental. But it has reminded me of something they do that isn't so great.
ReplyDeleteAt the end of many IEP meetings the chairperson passes a piece of paper, from Mass Health, to the parents asking them to sign it so that LPS can be reimbursed for the evaluations. This is great! The school can recoup some of our tax dollars for expensive evaluations! Except Mass Health only pays for one type of evaluation once a year i.e. only one Speech evaluation per year. So if the parents want to seek an independent evaluation through Mass Health - they cannot. And this little known fact is not explained to parents, many of which, have found this out because they have sought out independent evaluations and have been denied because LPS has already used their one for the year.
I personally received a letter at the beginning of the school year, asking if my children had Mass Health and, if they did, could I provide the school with their health insurance information so that the school could bill chargeable therapies to Mass Health. The letter did not explain if parents allow the school to charge their insurance company this will limit the amount of outside therapy that their child can receive from a provider that they choose. So if you feel that your child needs more speech therapy then the 1x30 that the school is offering, but you have signed that LPS can charge your insurance, you might not be able to access independent speech therapy services because your insurance only covers 1x30. Again this has not been explained well enough to parents and every month I am hearing horror stories from parents who are denied independent evaluations and therapies because LPS has used them all.
Melissa, when push comes to shove isn't LS obligated by law to pay for the independent evals? That is a question because I truly don't know for sure.
ReplyDeleteNo - they can deny it and then they'll take you to hearing at BSEA (which is very expensive for both parties and I personally have been threatened with several times by Atty. Jane Lavoie). What I think is equally concerning is that LPS can use up all of your "therapy" time through your insurance. Imagine the school uses up all of your child's speech therapy through your insurance, then denies you more then 1x30 even though your child's lisp is pronounced and they have an /r/ deformation. "It's okay," they say, "we can understand him."
ReplyDeleteI recommend to parents to have the evals done through the school, if the parent disagrees with the result then request a second eval (to be paid for by the school). This eval only pays "State Setting" rates, which is typically only accepted at hospitals (which have long waiting lists). So I then inform parents that they can go through their insurance for the same evals and they can hunt down the shortest line (which is what I did) bypassing the 45 school day wait. You still have to wait for your IEP meeting but at least you be prepared with your own evals in hand.
Except imagine if LPS has already used up the one evaluation the family gets though insurance and LPS denies the family a second eval. What then?
The heart of the issue is that the school isn't informing parents completely. Or in their native language. Parents should get informed consent, not "Here, just sign this so the school can get reimbursed. Don't you want the school to get reimbursed?"
Forewarned is forearmed. Good info.
ReplyDeleteThe program is a good one if you want your child pulled out of reading or math classes to have their teeth cleaned for free.Forsythe always comes during academic time, not after school or before school. NOTHING is free. The taxpayer is paying for something parents usually pay for. Something parents took responsibility for scheduling after school. Your tax dollar hard at work.
ReplyDeleteThe real truth to Medicaid is the money goes to the General Fund something I wonder if the Mayor is aware of this...this is money she can decide what to do with, but I'm sure the LPS Adminstration isn't telling her about it...STANLEY, TELL THE MAYOR! Melissa how do you like this it goes into the General Fund not to your kid...things amaze me because it fools the parents...some are quite aware of it like myself so I'll never sign for them to use it...always ask WHERE'S IT GOING! Special Education shouldn't want for a thing because of all the money that has come into the city, especially this year...look into grants and see what you might be able to get...review how the money is being spent; you might be surprised...read, read, and always read...ask, ask, and always ask...let's see what you find out...go to the DESE website and look at Lynn real close...get factual information asking how many COMPLAINTS WITH OR WITHOUT FINDING WERE FILED...remember to ask without finding they are never included in the numbers...ask how many went to BSEA, how many thrown out, and how many settled before going to BSEA...this should wake up alot of people including our Lynn School Committee Members and get the parents at the meetings...hold everyone accountable for their actions simply by asking who, what, when, where, and how much spent...I was amazed and would like to share but I have a case pending right now with my child I'm sure no one knows about...Dolores I like your input and yes I agree the kids should get everything they need...one question ARE YOU GOING TO RUN THIS TIME FOR CRYING OUT LOUD WE NEED SOMEONE AS SMART AS YOU AND THAT WILL ASK QUESTIONS...I HOPE TO SEE YOU ON THE BALLOT...WAITING TO HEAR!
ReplyDeleteAnon. citizen
A 604, I'm glad that you have t least the appearance of caring about the frugal spending of our tax dollars. That gives me hope that I can appeal to your sense of fiscal reasoning, despite your current faulty logic. A little preventive care now will end possibly saving some costly extractions. Who do you think is going to pay for pulling those teeth? Did you miss a lot of time in math class when you were in school and that is why your complaints just don't add up?
ReplyDeleteA. citizen 855 - You ask very interesting questions and I am sure several people will check them out. As for Delores candidacy, she announced it yesterday on another posting. I feel like Larry King.
ReplyDeleteSo sad but so true Sanley. If I don't pay for preventive care for other people's children I will have to pay to have their rotten teeth removed later on. So sad people can't make appointments after school and pay to take care of their own children. So sad our schools are failing because we ask them to do it all. I was teaching long division when the teeth cleaners came. I guess the dentist could teach them long division after school in his office instead. Is my frustration level clear enough? Off to class I go. (I enjoy your blog by the way).
ReplyDeleteA, first thanks for following my blog. The fact that you are a teacher (even if it is math) gives me a greater level of respect for you. I empathize with your frustration but the problems are more systemic. Education is the path out of our economic doldrums and children are a lot easier to teach than adults. We have to do everything we can to break the cycle.
ReplyDeleteYES, I AM RUNNING FOR LYNN SCHOOL COMMITTEE...
ReplyDeleteThis time I will have more than 5 weeks to plan ahead.....although almost 5100 votes in 5 weeks was not bad!
Thank you for your support and please continue to let me know your concerns/thoughts....I can also be reached at 781-589-7459 (cell as well as DiFillipo4@comcast.net. Please feel free to contact me. After careful consideration for my family, we have all decided that it is the right thing to do for our children and families in this city.....I will be the only candidate with my child in the Lynn Public Schools system. I have complete investment. As you maybe aware, I am very passionate about special education and making sure that all children in this city get the best possible education they deserve.....
I will be meeting with the press soon and look forward to seeing you at my fundraiser's...it will be posted here on Stanleys blog.....thank god for Stanley's blog.....
Regards,
Dolores J. DiFillipo, M.Ed,LSW
Candidate Elect for Lynn School Committee
A. Citizen 8:55 - I think you should come to tomorrow's LSC meeting and ask that very question. The question about the general fund - not if Dolores is running or not (since she's already answered it).
ReplyDeleteI think it is important to remember that some people want to express themselves when and where they feel comfortable. If Anon wants to ask a question and not show up at SC then they should feel comfortable to do so.
ReplyDeleteThis blog is the perfect place for people to feel safe and comfortable to ask questions and not feel pressured to go to the SC. We must remind ourselves that not everyone thinks and feels the way we do...passionate about our children's education and will speak in front of anyone at anytime....
I think when people are ready we will begin to see less ANON and more names attached to these blogs...but for now, freedom of speech.....
D.DiFillipo
The anonymity of the internet gives people the mask of invisibility or accountability so good or bad, more things are brought out. The greater overwhelming good is the fact we are talking.
ReplyDeleteA. Citizen 8:55 doesn't have to come tonight if they don't want to. Who ever they are they obviously know a lot about the specific issue that they were writing about. If they want to stay anonymous on the internet, I get that. I also am a stanch defender of our rights and I wasn't implying that A. Cit. 8:55 should be denied the right to post whatever, under any nom-de-plume they wanted. Who better to ask the SC the question then the person who has the most amount of knowledge about it? That's all I was saying.
ReplyDeleteThere is a culture of redistribution, retaliation, and reprisal. Who says they don't teach the three R's anymore. Time for a change.
ReplyDelete