Independence is a fallacy

The federal government has created a monolithic state of uncertainty as it changes so many systems we depend on.

This immediately trickles down to fiscal planning and legal quagmires at state, county, and other local levels, down to our own families’ ability to budget and plan.

As always, demographic groups are impacted differently with the underserved being inordinately impacted.

Families with a child with special needs is one of these groups.

They’ve fought tooth-and-nail for every law and budget line item that supports their needs.

Every month.
Of every year.
Continually.

• And in today’s governmental chaos, protecting services addressing their needs is more necessary than ever.

But many of these families are already stretched well beyond their limits and advocacy actions may be next to impossible to fit into their schedules.

Things like attending school board and city council meetings.

State or federal budget hearings.

Email and phone call campaigns.

• This is where allies can step in and use their voices to counter budget proposals that will negatively impact these families.

Francis Perkins designed Social Security (a comprehensive system of social insurance programs).

She also advocated against the drafting of women to serve in the armed forces.

Ms. Perkins unveiled the truth of women’s caretaker roles in society:

—“Who will do all that work if women go off to war?”

She won her case:

—Yes, someone still needs to stay home and take care of children, the sick, and the elderly. (Duh!)

• The same is true for services that give a disabled child every chance possible to live a fulfilling and productive life:

Someone still needs to fill these roles.

Things such as:

Special Ed. resources.

PT and OT.

Respite for caregivers.

Nursing.

Medical treatment.

Mental health care.

Early intervention screening, diagnostics, and treatment.

Transportation.

This is where the African proverb:

• “It takes a village to raise a child”

could never be more true and is more necessary than ever right now.

Even as budget cuts take place and services are eliminated, it’s up to us to create havens and support one another as best we can.

I invite you to reach out to someone and lend a hand, even in a small way.

Independence is a fallacy.

We are interdependent and have community-oriented roles to fulfill that go beyond our own lives.

—Julie