[NAGDU] FW: [Njagdu] Connecticut Bill On Guide Dogs Misguided

[Tracy Carcione]

From: Njagdu [mailto:njagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Ginger Kutsch
via Njagdu
Sent: Thursday, February 25, 2016 8:25 AM
To: New Jersey Association of Guide Dog Users
Cc: Ginger Kutsch
Subject: [Njagdu] Connecticut Bill On Guide Dogs Misguided

 

Connecticut Bill On Guide Dogs Misguided 

State Senate Bill Would Interfere With the Way Blind People Acquire Guide
Dogs

Elizabeth Rival and her guide dog, Finbarr.

(Posted by kjurgens01, Community Contributor)

February 23, 2016  Hartford Courant

 

I write to ask the public's help in defeating a new state Senate Bill that
would medicalize the way blind people acquire our guide dogs.

 

As it is currently written, the bill in question, SB 35, will see medical
service providers making decisions about what types of rehabilitation
services we need, something they are absolutely not trained to do. Health
insurance and medical personnel need to leave it to experienced
rehabilitation professionals.

 

SB 35 will take us away from the philanthropic funding model, which is
already working quite well, and stack yet another cost onto health
insurance. The current guide dog system isn't broken and I don't want the
General Assembly to try to fix it. 

 

While the National Federation of the Blind of Connecticut appreciates
well-meaning people have authored SB 35 to help us, it poses serious
potential to do a lot more harm than good.

 

Right now, guide dogs are funded through charitable donations. No doctor is
required to say I need one, and no unit of government says where I must go
to get a dog. Please do not let SB 35 change that. Legislators should reject
this bill until the language about guide dogs has been removed. 

 

Elizabeth Rival, Kensington

The writer is second vice president of National Federation of the Blind of
Connecticut.

 

This article is related to:  Connecticut General Assembly,

 

 

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