Conpassionate Conservatism: Agency for Persons with Disabilities Edition

The Agency for Persons with Disabilities has performed disgracefully. Former Director Shelley Brantley would not pay $360 for thermal blankets for Kevin Estinfil. The boy's body can not regulate body temperture. Brantley decided to spend thousands fighting in court over not paying a $360 tab. Jeb Bush refused to take federal money for KidCare. The result was 7,000 children being placed on a waiting list for medical care. The Agency for Persons with Disabilities waited five years to answer requests for financial assistance for Marissa Amora. The girl suffered permanent injuries after Department of Children and Families placed her back in her abusive home.

The Florida Legislature's answer to these problem is to cut the budget of Agency for Persons with Disabilities. The department has a deficit created by Bush. His cost cutting actually put the agency in a $126 million hole.

That sum is nearly one-fifth of the agency's annual budget, and an estimated 13, 000 eligible clients are on a waiting list for services.

"I've never seen a health and human services budget cut that deeply, " said John Hall of the Association of Retarded Citizens. "There's no way that's going to happen without the families of people with developmental disabilities losing support."

The budget also compels the agency to impose cost-containment measures, which are expected to curtail the scope of services for clients.

It is inexcusable to not give children medical care. The Florida Legislature can give $60 million to the Florida Marlins. They cut medical care to children on a waiting list. This is outrageous.