[blparent] The latest on Baby Micaela

[Deborah Kent Stein]

Dear Stacy,

Thank you so much for the update!  This is such a heartbreaking story!  I'm 
glad we all have an avenue to pitch in and help, but it's tragic that this 
should be happening in 2010!

Debbie

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Cervenka, Stacy (Brownback)" <Stacy_Cervenka at brownback.senate.gov>
To: "Sean Whalen" <smwhalenpsp at gmail.com>; "'Gregory DeWall'" 
<gdewall at mail.csuchico.edu>; "'Jason Ewell'" <jewell at nfb.org>; 
<blparent at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Wednesday, June 30, 2010 3:25 PM
Subject: [blparent] The latest on Baby Micaela


> Everyone,
>
>    I just spoke with NFB of Missouri President Gary Wunder. Here is the 
> latest:
>
>    The parents initially thought that if they played by the rules, surely 
> the judge would give them back their daughter at the first hearing. 
> However, this did not happen, so a second hearing was scheduled for June 
> 16. At this point, the parents realized that they needed an advocate and 
> contacted the NFB of Missouri. After visiting with the couple in their 
> home and determining that there were no extenuating circumstances and that 
> blindness was the only concern CPS had about these parents, the NFB hired 
> an attorney to assist them. The cost of this attorney is $250 an hour, and 
> $85 for the services of the attorney's assistant.
>
>    About two weeks ago, on June 16, the parents had their second hearing. 
> The judge seemed outraged that the hospital had taken the child from this 
> couple with so little cause and was further astounded that the hospital 
> had never dealt with blind parents before. Unfortunately, this was not an 
> evidentiary hearing, so no decisions were made and it was announced that 
> there would need to be a third hearing. The problem is that this judge is 
> going on vacation, so the earliest they could get a hearing with her was 
> on July 20. The parents could have chosen to get an earlier hearing date 
> with a different judge, but their attorney advised them to wait for this 
> judge to return from vacation, because she had seemed so sympathetic and 
> on their side at the second hearing.
>
>    So, the situation as it now stands is that the parents are awaiting 
> their third hearing on July 20, with this hopefully sympathetic judge. 
> Meanwhile, the NFB of Missouri is paying for the parents to receive voc 
> rehab training, to get letters from the state VR agency saying that these 
> parents can indeed perform the tasks that were of concern to CPS. The NFB 
> realizes that we shouldn't have to get a permission slip from the state VR 
> agency to have kids, but their main focus at this time is to address the 
> ridiculous "But, how does a blind person do that?" concerns of the 
> hospital and CPS and get baby Micaela back with her parents where she 
> belongs. So, the NFB of Missouri is incurring additional costs, as they 
> are paying out of pocket for these voc rehab services for the couple. Once 
> Baby Micaela is back home with her parents, the NFB of Missouri will 
> likely pursue other legal action against the hospital, so that this never 
> happens to another blind parent.
>
>    Gary asked me to pass along that the NFB of Missouri welcomes donations 
> to help defray the sky-rocketing legal expenses and the cost of getting 
> letters from VR professionals asserting that these parents have received 
> training in the skills of parenting and can perform the required tasks. 
> They are setting up a specific fund for these donations. You can make a 
> contribution at the NFB of Missouri's affiliate table in the Exhibit Hall 
> or by visiting Gary in the Missouri delegation during General Session.
>
>    If you can't make a monetary donation or if you'd like to help further, 
> I'm collecting names and contact info of Federationists who would be 
> willing to baby-sit during Convention for parents who want to get out for 
> an evening or even just attend a few Convention events without their 
> children, and donate the proceeds to the NFB of Missouri to help with the 
> legal costs of not only returning Micaela to her parents, but also 
> pursuing legal action against the hospital in the future.
>
>    If you'd like to volunteer your time, please contact me at 
> stacy_cervenka at brownback.senate.gov<mailto:stacy_cervenka at brownback.senate.gov> 
> or on my cell at 708-359-3301. Please let me know the best way to contact 
> you at Convention, a little bit about your experience with kids (this 
> might include being a parent yourself, having worked as a counselor at a 
> summer program, etc.), and which times you would be available.
>
>    Furthermore, feel free to share my contact info with any parents who 
> might be interested in this service during Convention.
>
> Thanks,
>
> Stacy Leigh Cervenka
> Legislative Assistant
> Office of Senator Sam Brownback (KS)
> 303 Hart Senate Office Building
> Phone: (202) 224-6521
> Email: 
> stacy_cervenka at brownback.senate.gov<mailto:stacy_cervenka at brownback.senate.gov>
>
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