|
Joe
Uecker
State
Representative
5/22/05
When
you are $5 billion short on a budget of $51 billion, where
do you make the cuts to cover the 10% shortfall?
One area that was being contemplated for cuts were
the facilities that care for the mentally handicapped
known as ICF/MR (Intermediate Care Facility for the
Mentally Retarded). During
the budget process the State House was swamped with folks
who were advocates for their particular passion.
One such group that stopped by my office was made
up of a dozen or so parents who had children of various
ages that were being cared for in one of these facilities.
I had no idea what these places do, so I took them
up on their offer to visit. I first made a scheduled
visited at a local privately run facility.
It consisted of two beautiful buildings that had a
“home-like” atmosphere about them.
I met several of the residents.
I was very impressed with the quality of care these
residents were being given.
I struggle to call the two buildings nestled in a
small neighborhood a “facility” but perhaps should
simply call them “homes”. Frankly, to see the cards
that life has dealt the residents, I cannot imagine anyone
begrudging the almost inconceivably small pleasure of
giving them a place to live that they can call “Home”.
After
my visit, I went back to Columbus to voice my opinion on
why we should not eliminate this funding.
It is now in the Senate’s hands and I believe
they too see the valor in keeping funding for these often
overlooked neighbors of ours.
In
an almost humorous turn of events I recently, and
inadvertently, got my calendar dates mixed up for another
site visit and showed up two weeks early for a planned
visit to a state run ICF/MR, the Southwest Ohio
Development Center located in Batavia.
The administration decided to take the time right
there and then to take me on a tour of the facility. After
a short wait for them to gather a few staff members, I was
able to see yet another example of how well tax dollars
are being spent for those much less fortunate than many of
us. I was just
very impressed at how clean and orderly the facility was
maintained. It
was a “Spartan” facility with no frills yet the
resident’s rooms’ were beautifully decorated and
brightly colored. I was equally impressed at the various
programs they have for these residents.
I
wanted to make this point very clear; it was an accidental
surprise visit and I observed a state run facility that
could have looked no better if they were actually
expecting me… just as it should be!
I believe those who work at these facilities are
exceptional individuals to be able to serve these special
people. I want
to thank them for the job they do and assure them that I
for one will continue to always vote for their levies and
try to protect their funding at the State House.
Joe
Uecker
State
Representative
Ohio’s
66 District
Representing
Batavia, Goshen, Miami and Union Townships as well as the
Cities of Loveland and Milford and the Villages of Batavia
and Amelia.(614)
466-8134
District
Office (513)-248-2565
Website:
www.JoeUecker.com
Email:
Joe@JoeUecker.com |
