American Legion Children's Home - Helping Veteran's Families

INSIDE THIS ISSUE:

Federal Rule Update - pg. 2

We Survived Summer Survivor!! - pg. 3

Sweet Dreams by Falisha - pg. 3

Birthdays - Pg. 3

Sweet Dreams - pg. 3

Outstanding Employee - pg. 3

Farewell to “Babe” - pg.4

Five Star Annual Fund Report - pg. 4

Back to School - pg. 4

Email Offer - pg. 4

Memorial Contributors - pg. 5

A Busy Summer, With More to Come - pg. 6

AMERICAN LEGION CHILDREN'S HOME

Need to Know
SUMMER, 2010 - Issue #73

Federal Rule Update...

     As some of you already know, we had a crucial meeting on July the 21st. Senator Myers called the director of the Health Care Authority (HCA) and the director of the Dept of Human Services (DHS) to the meeting as well as aides to Senator Inhofe, Senator Coburn, Congressman Lucas, Congresswoman Fallin and myself. Our hope was that the meeting would initiate for us an exemption to the federal Medicaid rule and to finally gain the details to the other options which we have been requesting since March 26th of this year.

     You should be proud to know that Senator David Myers argued quite admirably as to the importance of this Home to our children, our veterans, our city, state and our nation. However, in the end, it was obvious that the only viable option which will satisfy DHS & HCA is for us to lose all but 16 of our kids. When asked by Matt Ball of Senator Coburn’s office, “Where would you place the kids if you remove them from the ALCH?” They answered, “They will probably go to inpatient facilities/hospitals”. What a disgrace! Why is this acceptable to them? They do not know our children – our kids do not belong in mental hospitals!

     It was abundantly obvious at the meeting that DHS, whom our contract is with, is demanding that implementation begin immediately. Director Hendricks said, “I’m getting ready to pull the plug.” He also stated, “Just send me a letter and I’ll come get the kids.” I cannot believe that after decades of taking care of these children that they can’t give us 1 more year to secure an exemption and to find other sources of funding! As we have told you before, private funding will cure this issue all together. If we are not receiving federal Medicaid dollars then this Medicaid rule will not affect us.

     After 4 months of asking and several meetings, we still have not received the “rules” from either DHS or HCA. Therefore, all parties agreed that our attorney would meet with the attorneys for the other two agencies to examine and reach an agreed interpretation of this rule.

     Therefore, make no mistake - there is still plenty of hope. We have only just begun this battle and have no intention of closing this Home! If we can survive the Great Depression and the Dust Bowl, then with your help we can certainly survive this crisis.

     Truly, we are grateful to you, our supporters, that we have had such an exceptional year with our fundraising. As you know we have been planning for more than 2 years now to raise the funds to release the state from our contract. We just need more time. No organization could absorb a 75% loss in such a short time.

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