To the Michigan Legislature, MDHHS, Detroit Wayne Integrated Health Network and all applicable officials, staff and directors. Mrs. Samantha Steffey's issues and policies to implement:

The following specific solutions are directly from Samantha Steffey. She knows exactly what is needed:

Item 1:

No agency that controls Medicaid services, can benefit off of unused funding. Restrict all employees from these agencies from receiving any bonuses from unused Medicaid funds.

Item 2:

Create a process & system change, that a separate entity that has no relationship with the agency; handles all recipient rights complaints, grievances, and appeals.

Item 3:

Provide advocacy officess, that provide assistance to individuals to properly submit ALL complaints and appeals.

Item 4:

Provide self directed handbook to all recipients, on how the self directed service is to be conducted on budget authority. Also in detail explanation on what a Person Center Planning is and how the individual budget supports the PCP.

Item 5:

Audit and forensic accounting performed at the end of each fiscal year, on Financial Management Service(FMS), on how many budgets were utilized by recipients and how much funding is sent back to CMH.

Item 6:

DWIHN must take all overages and put it back to the community, with providing special needs services and equipment such as special needs workshops on independent living, Augmented Alternative Communication workshops, sensory processing disorder workshops.

Item 7:

Audit and forensic accounting on how much over-estimated budget number, does Community Mental Health(CMH) receive and compare it to the budget number that is sent back to MDHHS.

Item 8:

I would like to see Detroit Wayne Integrated Health Network, take all unused Medicaid dollars and provide the downriver area with a large occupational therapy gym. That is run by Occupational Therapists and speech pathologists, that specialize in communication devices with children with special needs. This center will provide parent training on how to utilize special needs equipment for proper crossover in-home to help the child’s quality of life by learning to communicate and regulate behaviors to live a safe and independent life. We have down syndrome children that aren’t getting services and they deserve a right to get these services in their community as well.

This center will also have all resource pamphlets on display in their lobby on Home and Community Based Services.