Support sought for bill

Support sought for bill

EDITOR:

On behalf of the thousands of families in Ohio, and the hundreds of individuals here in the Mahoning Valley dealing with the hardships of autism, including my 4 year old son Hunter, I am writing to ask for support of House Bill 170. The bill would stop private insurance companies from being able to exclude medically necessary autism treatments. We know that this is unfair, discriminatory, and needs to stop now.

It’s time for the private health insurers to shoulder their fair share of costs for treatment. With early and intensive therapies, children with autism have the best chance to reach their full potential and become productive members in society.

Right now the steps that we’re taking to treat our children, with little help from any government agency, and very little insurance reimbursement, have caused many families to flirt with bankruptcy. Patricia Frost-Brooks, president of Ohio Education Association, in a letter to state Rep. William Batchelder, chairman of the House Insurance Committee, agrees that the “...lack of insurance coverage for autism represents a real obstacle to many families in getting proper treatment for their children.”

A new autism case is being diagnosed every 20 minutes. That means that there are 72 new cases each day. In the past 16 years Autism has risen from affecting 1 in every 10,000 persons to today affecting 1 in every 150.

Eight other states including our eastern neighbor Pennsylvania, have already passed similar bills. There are many others, including Ohio, with bills waiting for a vote. We urge the 20 House Insurance Committee members to send this bill on for a full bipartisan house vote when the General Assembly resumes its sessions. If you agree with us please contact your state representative and ask them to please support our children with autism and vote in favor of House Bill 170.

JASON GONZALES

Boardman

The winner inherits a mess

EDITOR:

After reading several articles in last Sunday’s Vindicator I am really fired up. First of all on racism, even though Obama has brown skin he is still half white and half black, so what is the big deal?

Why did two of our state officials feel they had to retract their comments on the race issue when everyone knows it’s true? Read that poll in Sunday’s paper. An Ohio poll of Ohio potential voters stated that McCain has a 48 percent lead to 42 percent for Obama. How can a prediction be made from such a small percentage of Ohio voters?

On “60 Minutes,” John McCain was asked if we are in a recession; he replied, not technically. He is truly out of touch.

Throughout our country there is joblessness, many uninsured, factory closings, banks failing, foreign countries buying our industries, etc. etc.

We have endured eight years of negative economy with no relief in sight, yet there are those who will vote for a Republican who has been in office for 26 years, who now only changes his platform to “Change” since he chose a woman for his running mate.

Personally I wouldn’t wish the presidency on anyone during these critical times. I feel that only God can get us out of this turmoil, so regardless who wins we had better do a whole lot of praying.

OLLA L. TATE

Youngstown

Deciding what’s important

EDITOR:

Let’s discuss voting history in the United States by African-Americans. Since the Civil Rights years of the ’60s and the elimination of the Jim Crow laws that prohibited blacks from voting, African-Americans have voted Democratic nearly 80 to 90 percent of the time. In the past four decades or so, only 10 to 12 percent of African-Americans even registered as Republicans. But with each election since the ‘60s, 18 to 20 percent of African-Americans, Republican or Democrat, have voted for the Republican candidate.

Such is not the case this time. Recent polls have shown that only two in 20 of those African-Americans who, historically, have voted Republican will do so this time.

Nearly 90 percent of the African-Americans who have voted Republican will abandon ideology and political sway to vote for the color of their own skin. Regardless of their economic, social, national and/or international conservatism, they believe that race is more important than their own future. Is this what our country has become?

RUSS HALL

New Castle, Pa.

A portrait of respect

EDITOR:

On a warm summer day we were slowly moving in a funeral procession of a beloved uncle to SS. Peter and Paul Church. As we passed Westlake housing, a group of four or five young teens were standing outside.

A young man wearing a baseball cap was walking toward them. As he saw the funeral procession moving by, he removed his cap and placed it over his heart and made the sign of the cross. This young man with so much respect didn’t care that his friends were there.

This area of town and the people living there have so much negativity directed toward them by others. Let this young man, who obviously had some special people raising him, be an example of the type of respect all who love God should exhibit in their lives, no matter where you live or the color of your skin.

CHERYL SYLVESTER

Youngstown

Children are vulnerable

EDITOR:

Last week was a time of unthinkable tragedy for children in Trumbull County. As we read about the deaths of the newborn in Leavittsburg and the toddler in Bristol, we are reminded of just how vulnerable children are, and how fleeting life is. Though I am writing as an agent of Children Services, I do not want to imply that either of these deaths were cause for our department to investigate — each was a terrible accident. Rather, in light of these tragedies I would suggest that it is a good time for us all to take inventory in our homes, as to what could possibly be harmful to infants and toddlers. By doing so, other children and families may be spared from devastating loss.

Are medications locked or safely stored out of a curious toddler’s reach? Are we careful not to drop any medication on the floor? Even one stray pill can be deadly to a small child who mistakes it for candy. Are windows and doors secured to prevent children from falling or getting out into the street? Are stairways protected by safety gates. Are electrical appliances far away from water? Are outlet sockets properly plugged? Are chemicals, firearms and other weapons safeguarded? Is there a family plan for exiting the house in case of a fire? Are there working smoke detectors and carbon monoxide detectors? Is the bed or crib safe for infants and toddlers? Babies can nestle their way into areas where suffocation is a risk.

Of course, no child should ever be left unattended in a bathtub—not even for a few seconds. Scalding and drowning can happen so quickly. Also, in a house with more than one adult caregiver, never assume that the “other” person is responsible for a child. Many times children are innocently left unsupervised, with one adult thinking another is in charge.

If we could all just keep safety and supervision of children forefront in our minds, a tragedy might be avoided.

Meanwhile, our hearts go out to the families who have lost their precious children. We send along our prayers and sincere condolences.

MARCIA A. TIGER, executive director

Trumbull County Children Services

Warren