I’m sitting in the peanut gallery of the Interim House Human Service Committee.  This is one of the weeks between regular legislative sessions when House and Senate committees meet to hear about important issues and adjust the state budget.  The budget news hangs in the air like an impolite odor.  Advocates for human services are trying to figure out how to save services in an era of higher demand and much less money.  I give my opinion by quoting Ben Franklin: "We must all hang together or, assuredly, we shall all hang separately."

Yesterday, DRO attorney Jim Wrigley testified at the House Education Committee about the need for state law to require schools to have the “burden of proof” in special education hearings.  Now, if a parent wants to challenge a school’s failure to provide adequate services for their child, the parent must first present enough information to show that the school is not meeting its legal duties.  The school, however, holds all of the relevant information and assessments.  It has all the professionals.  It has the money and the lawyers.

DRO, parents and advocates believe the present requirements are not fair.  Schools should have the duty to show that a student is receiving a legally adequate education program rather than forcing the parent to prove inadequacies.  We believe that this change would promote more communication between schools and parents and encourage resolution of problems short of formal hearings.

While Jim was talking to the committee, I was down the hall at the Senate Health Committee talking about the need to change how people with mental and cognitive disabilities are held and treated when they are involved with the criminal justice system.  DRO and other advocacy groups are urging changes in how the Psychiatric Security Review Board works with the state hospital.  We are also asking the state to stop plans to build a new, expensive state hospital in Junction City.  Our message is that this planned hospital is both too expensive and a step in the wrong direction is creating an effective and humane mental health system.

Right now, James Toews from the state Seniors and People with Disabilities Department is talking about how budget cuts are threatening services for these populations.  Case loads are going up as the population ages.  Federal funding agencies will not allow Oregon to change its eligibility standards and must approve reimbursement rate cuts for services.  These factors limit how the state can adjust to the double whammy of increased demand and less money.

Next up are Richard Harris, Greg Roberts and Nina Strickland to talk, once more, about Oregon State Hospital.  Greg is the new superintendent of OSH, Nina was the acting superintendent and Richard is the head of the state additions and mental health agency.

Greg just said that some of the problems of the hospital can be solved quickly and all problems can be solved eventually.  Rep. Ron Maurer from Grants Pass says he wants to be optimistic but many attempts to fix OSH have not worked.  When should the state cut bait?  Greg says that OSH is a lot like Greystone Hospital in New Jersey where he was able to turn things around.  The biggest problem is the hospital losing its sense of mission.  This, he feels, can be quickly addressed.

I think I share Rep. Maurer’s skepticism and hope.  Can the guy from New Jersey get it done?  We shall see.  I feel the need for another quote and so I turn to Lou Reed:  "You need a boat full of faith to get by."