From the Atlanta Journal Constitution (February 12) - The waiting list for disability services for some people in Georgia is as many as eight years, while others can't get help until their parents or caregiver dies, according to David Blanchard, the coordinator of the Unlock the Waiting List Campaign.
From the Fremont tribune (February 12) - The death last month of an 18-year-old woman with developmental disabilities at the troubled Beatrice State Developmental Center in Lincoln, Nebraska was due to medical negligence, according to her family. David Manes, who filed a claim against the state on Thursday, says his daughter died after at least 10 missteps by staff, and blames the center's management.
From the San Francisco Chronicle (February 12) - Two Bay Area residents have filed a class-action lawsuit against Kaiser Permanente, accusing the health maintenance organization of refusing to treat children with autism in order to save costs. The suit said Kaiser Foundation has a legal duty to treat autistic children.
In this post, Ruth at Wheelie Catholic discusses "wheelchair rage". An excerpt: "Much like road rage, wheelchair rage occurs when someone decides he or she wants to be first or someone else does something that annoys him/her or gets in their way. Due to the common misperception that wheelchairs will slow others down (when actually wheelchairs go faster), wheelchair rage can happen upon the mere sight of a wheelchair. Unfortunately, this can lead to overreactions that create problems and situations."
To read "Wheelchair rage - the other side" by Wheelchair Dancer, see here.
From the International Herald Tribune (February 11) - Ms Eluana Englaro, who has been at the center of a right-to-die battle in Rome, Italy, died on February 9 in a private clinic. Ms Englaro, 38, who has been in a coma since a car accident in 1992, was moved last week to a private clinic in Udine, northeast Italy, that agreed to remove the feeding tube after other public clinics refused.
From Canwest News Service (February 10) - Health Canada is investigating the deaths of five people, including several children with cerebral palsy, who had been injected with Botox to treat medical conditions such as neck and muscle spasms.
From The Associated Press (February 9) - The friends of an 18-year-old autistic man charged with attacking his mother who later died say that she "would want people to know that autism doesn't equal violence."
From the Des Moines Register (February 9) - An Iowa meat-processing plant (Henry's Turkey Service), has been accused of exploiting 21 male workers with intellectual disabilities. The men, who were evacuated from the premises, had worked for at least 20 years at the facility. According to an Iowa inspections administrator, the conditions there were “deplorable.” In this Feb 12 update by Chron.com reports that the men's employer has been profiting from the labor of the men, earning as much as $40,000 a month.
From the Daily Dunkin Chronicle (February 9) - A Dunklin County (Missouri) man has been sentenced to to 30 years in prison in connection with the rape of a 16-yar-old girl with developmental disabilities. The 43 year old man will be required to serve at least 25 and a half years in prison before he is eligible for parole.
