The American Spirit is built upon the idea of independence and the freedom to achieve your dreams. However, there are those in our community and state who struggle to feel that sense of independence when they’re confined to a wheelchair and maintain a bleak outlook on their life. As technology and research advances so does new treatments and rehabilitation techniques. These advances will provide individuals with disabilities the opportunity to gain their independence and the ability to achieve their full potential.
A few years ago, I introduced and passed legislation that provided life-changing funding for those with spinal cord injuries. Instead of using these funds for wheelchairs and research, I focused these resources to fund rehabilitation for those with spinal cord injuries.
Many clinics and rehabilitation centers are providing life-changing therapy to those individuals with spinal cord injuries and assist them to become independent. I have seen individuals who were confined to a wheelchair and then after rehabilitation at clinics like Neuraworx, they have regained mobility. However, as much progress these individuals make at these rehabilitation clinics, insurance companies will only cover so many visits. This will not only limit an individual’s potential, but it can impose a burden back on families and our local and federal government to take care of these individuals for the rest of their lives. Our state is committed to helping care for the disabled community, but what a difference it would make to put funding towards to physical rehabilitation techniques have proven to help patients regain mobility and independence.
This fund is just the beginning of what we can do! This principle of assisting others in rehabilitation and therapy earlier in life or right after a catastrophic event can be applied to other disabilities or conditions. During this session, I will be introducing a bill that will take this concept and applying it to children with physical disabilities.
Children with Cerebral Palsy (CP) or other physical disabilities do standard therapy, however, there are rehabilitation clinics that use techniques and equipment that improves CP faster than normal therapy. For example, the Now I Can Foundation treats kids and young adults with CP with a NeuroSuit which is, “ an orthotic suit worn by clients to teach the brain and body correct patterns of posture and movement as well as to provide resistance and strengthening, and proprioceptive input.” This has allowed children to go from not walking to walking and receives a more significant impact than standard therapy. However, just as with therapies for individuals with spinal cord injuries, insurance companies will cover a few visits or none at all. If we could implement the idea from the spinal cord injury fund, we might be capable to give these children with physical disabilities the chance to gain mobility independence which would allow them to achieve their American Dream.
Some believe the government should take care of those who are incapable to take care of themselves, and I agree. However, if we have the opportunity to get people from being dependent to independent, we can immensely improve lives and change our nation for the better.
Eric, this is awesome I am so glad that things of this nature is finally getting the attention that is has so badly needed for years. I really hope this bill will pass.
ReplyDeleteHowever there needs to be the same amount of attention taken towards the older folks. Children grow older and if they are unable to do for themselves there is a 100% chance that they will end up in some type of service. Funding for these services are at a low, and this is the forgotten citizen. Through no fault of their own, and certainly not the family’s fault these people need to go someplace. That some place is called services. In the service network, these people are looked after by common strangers, and each person have their own set of standards and values, with low funding proper education, and updated training is lacking beyond words. Companies are left with no choice than to hire people they can afford to pay, with low pay many see this as a quick hire until they find something better. And the family member is left with broken hearts and having to start all over, with someone they see as a Stanger who don’t care. Sad thing is these folks are 85% right.
The folks in services live on a limit income, they do not qualify for any other help other than what services can provide for them, and that is barely anything. This is an environment where the rate of crime is low, but the will to do better and be more shoots off any scale.
Bottomline is that this section of society needs to be funded, and there needs to be more funded made possible.