[blparent] The latest on Baby Micaela

Thu Jul 1 21:23:45 UTC 2010

Tere's a lot of things happening in 2010 that shouldn't be happening.The 
world is ruled by fear, and nobody wants to take responsibility for their 
actions anymore.
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Deborah Kent Stein" <dkent5817 at att.net>
To: "NFBnet Blind Parents Mailing List" <blparent at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Thursday, July 01, 2010 1:12 PM
Subject: Re: [blparent] The latest on Baby Micaela


>
>
> 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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