Patrick Rose

Conditions remain poor at Lubbock State School

mzapata — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 16:31:13 +0000

AUSTIN – More than a year after health officials said that federal civil rights violations inside the Lubbock State School had been addressed, Texas’ own quality rating system gives the institution for the disabled a score of 20 out of a possible 100 – worse than all but two other facilities.

As recently as this summer, a state inspection found critical deficiencies that jeopardized resident health and safety, threatening the school’s certification to care for mentally disabled residents.

The most serious finding was that staff could not prevent the facility’s hundreds of residents from punching, kicking, biting and sexually abusing one another – and that they weren’t always reporting the injuries.

"The state’s most recent quality review clearly shows the system is broken," said Rep. Patrick Rose, the Dripping Springs Democratic chairman of the committee that oversees the state schools. "It underscores the need to pass legislation next session that allows us to provide services to this population in a different and more cost effective way."

The U.S. Justice Department, which recently announced plans to investigate all of Texas’ state schools for the disabled, first reviewed the Lubbock State School in 2005, finding atrocious living conditions, civil-rights violations and 17 deaths over an 18-month period.

As early as March 2007, officials with the Department of Aging and Disability Services, the agency that oversees the state schools, said they had made sweeping changes in Lubbock to fix the problems, which included nursing shortages and a poor management structure. And lawmakers agreed to spend nearly $49 million to hire nearly 1,700 new state school employees, an effort to address staffing ratios and other health and training concerns system-wide.

But recent inspection reports and internal reporting measures obtained by The Dallas Morning News through the state’s open-records laws indicate the Lubbock facility, which remains in negotiations with the Justice Department over the 2005 findings, still faced major shortcomings as recently as June.

The state school’s "Quality Reporting System" score, which is designed to help the public compare different care facilities, is 20 out of 100, meaning the state school failed to meet one or more major conditions of its certification.

Agency spokeswoman Cecilia Fedorov said the scores – which are compiled by pairing a facility’s most recent inspection with its most serious abuse and neglect finding in the past six months – can be misleading. Ms. Fedorov said any facility that is cited for a violation in a major area automatically drops down to a 20, so the number is "not necessarily reflective of everything that’s gone on" to improve the state school.

She said Lubbock’s score was 60 several months ago and could rise again within a matter of months.

"Scores can fluctuate dramatically," she said. "All deficiencies cited in May were corrected within one month of the investigation."

Dennis Borel, executive director of the Coalition of Texans with Disabilities, said the low score is the agency’s admission "that the situation is still dismal."

"This doesn’t sound like improvement to me," said Mr. Borel, who supports moving more state school residents into group homes and independent living. "It sounds like the culture of abuse and neglect is unfortunately continuing at Lubbock."

Among the issues revealed in the May investigation was an incident where two clients were found engaged in sexual activity, one of them covered in feces. The month before, a resident was found dead in his bed, soaked in vomit. In both circumstances, allegations of staff neglect were not substantiated.

Other problems listed in the May inspection include:

•Staff failed to conduct annual vision and hearing tests and left some residents with broken or missing glasses.

•Fire alarms were broken or not functioning properly.

•Underage residents weren’t being moved into age-appropriate settings.

•A lack of personal hygiene, including nurses who applied lotion to several people without switching gloves, and brushed everyone’s hair with the same brush.

Follow-up reports indicate as of June, officials had plans in place to correct the deficiencies, including agreeing to add extra staff and to improve training on how to keep residents from harming each other.

Two other state schools, in Denton and Austin, also scored a 20.

The Denton State School’s spring inspection revealed some undocumented injuries, inappropriate sexual behavior between residents, and lengthy delays to treat some patient health problems. One staffer contributed to a restrained patient’s death by not checking on the patient at the proper times, and then falsified records to show that he had, investigation reports confirm.

The Austin State School was put under a strict monitoring status briefly in late 2007 after investigators learned that a resident had made eight suicide attempts over a six-month period, while supposedly on one-to-one supervision. The attempts included ingesting multiple foreign objects, such as perfume, broken glass, a ring and nail polish remover.

An inspection report indicated that staffers at the facility sometimes failed to give residents personal privacy, left some residents in front of the TV all day, and failed to ensure certain medications were administered properly.

Both state schools have implemented plans to address the problems.

The low scores are not across the board. The El Paso, San Antonio and Brenham state schools all currently have scores of 80 or higher; the state average is 61. Ms. Fedorov said there have been many recent improvements to the state school system, including a statewide reduction in the use of physical restraints, and new procedures for preventing and managing aggressive behavior.

It’s not clear whether the Justice Department has begun its planned review of all of Texas’ state schools.

NFIB To Endorse Patrick Rose; Groups Tout His Record And Leadership In Support Of Small Businesses In Austin

mzapata — Fri, 17 Oct 2008 22:35:57 +0000

Dripping Springs, Texas (October 17, 2008)—The Rose ‘08 Campaign announced today that State Rep. Patrick M. Rose (D-Dripping Springs) will receive the endorsement of the leading small business association in Texas. The National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB/Texas) will visit Buda with Rep. Rose to meet with local community leaders and small business owners to make the announcement.

“I share the values of Blanco, Caldwell and Hays County families and I will always fight for our local economies and small businesses in Austin,” said Rep. Patrick Rose. “I am proud of my record and my pledge to you is that I will always stand for your values and support policies that help foster job growth and creation.”

The National Federation of Independent Business is the leading small business association representing small and independent businesses. A nonprofit, nonpartisan organization founded in 1943, NFIB’s mission is to promote and protect the right of its members to own, operate and grow their businesses.

WHO: State Rep Patrick M. Rose

Lance Lively, Legislative Director

National Federation of Independent Business/Texas

WHAT: Announcement of NFIB Endorsement

Meet with local community leaders

and small business owners

WHEN: Monday, October 20, 2008

WHERE: 9:00 A.M. BUDA

Nonna Gina’s Italian Restaurant

214 North Main St.

Buda, TX 78610

State Rep. Patrick Rose Endorsed By Austin American-Statesman

mzapata — Tue, 14 Oct 2008 14:14:18 +0000

State House races are a referendum on GOP leadership

Tuesday, October 14, 2008

Races for the Texas House of Representatives this year are colored by the failed Republican leadership in the lower house of the Legislature.

House Speaker Tom Craddick’s disastrous handling of challenges to his leadership has heightened House races across the state, including several in Central Texas. Whether voters know it or not — and certainly most don’t — House races on the Nov. 4 ballot are a referendum on Craddick’s heavy-handed rule.

District 45

Incumbent Patrick Rose, 30, has distinguished himself as an effective leader and should be re-elected to a fourth term. Rose is a Democrat, but he has to be a bipartisan representative in his swing district, which covers Hays, Caldwell and Blanco counties.

Rose has voted his district, and his list of accomplishments includes road improvements, funding for Texas State University and support for local schools. In a district of independent-minded voters, Rose has gained their support by voting their interests, not either party’s.

Rose began the 2007 legislative session as a Craddick supporter, but by the end had joined the bipartisan voices challenging the speaker’s disgraceful rule. Rose should continue to oppose any speaker who will not recognize an elected member of the House.

Running against Rose is Republican Matt Young, 40, a former Marine and Wimberley businessman. Young hasn’t attracted enough support or money to mount an effective challenge, and his idea to eliminate both property and business taxes is too silly to take seriously.

Also on the ballot is Tom Gleinser, 60, the Libertarian Party candidate.

Rose, a lawyer whose family runs a real estate business in Dripping Springs, is clearly the best candidate on the ballot and should be returned to the Legislature.

Pedernales Electric Cooperative — Co-op issues bill credits

mzapata — Wed, 08 Oct 2008 04:48:18 +0000

Co-op issues bill credits

Pedernales Electric Cooperative will issue $4.7 million in bill credits to its customers this month as part of a provision in a contested settlement in a member-led lawsuit, the co-op said Wednesday.

The move marks the first round of bill credits that will be issued as part of a five-year plan for the Johnson City-based utility, which has 226,000-plus member-owners.

In May, the co-op reached a settlement in a yearlong member-led lawsuit, agreeing to issue about $23 million in bill credits over a five-year period. The settlement is being contested in the 3rd Court of Appeals; however, Pedernales has decided to move forward with the credits.

NRA and TSRA to endorse Rep. Patrick Rose during visits to Lockhart, Wimberley and Johnson City

mzapata — Sun, 05 Oct 2008 18:43:45 +0000

Dripping Springs, Texas (October 4, 2008)—The Rose ‘08 Campaign announced today that State Rep. Patrick M. Rose (D-Dripping Springs) will receive the endorsement of the leading 2^nd Amendment organizations in Texas. The National Rifle Association and the Texas State Rifle Association will visit Blanco, Caldwell and Hays counties with Rep. Rose to meet with local community and law enforcement leaders and to make the announcement.

"I share the values of Blanco, Caldwell and Hays County families and I will always fight for your 2^nd Amendment Rights in Austin," said Rep. Patrick Rose. "Last year, I passed legislation to protect the privacy of law-abiding Texans who are issued a Concealed Handgun License and I sponsored the "Castle Doctrine" bill so that Texans can protect their families and their homes in the case of a criminal attack. I am proud of my record and my pledge to you is that I will always stand for your values and freedoms."

WHO:

State Rep Patrick M.Rose

Tara Reilly-Mica,National Rifle Association

Alice Trip, TexasState Rifle Association

WHAT:

Announcement of NRA& TSRA Endorsement

Meet with localcommunity and law enforcement leaders

WHEN:

Monday, October 6,2008

WHERE:

10:30 A.M. LOCKHART

Chisholm Trail BBQ

1323 S. Colorado

Lockhart, TX

1:30 P.M. WIMBERLEY

Fresh Coffee Shop

14201 Ranch Road 12

Wimberley, TX

3:30 P.M. JOHNSON CITY

Silver K Café

209 East Main Street

Johnson, City TX

###

Supporters Join Rose For 5th Annual BBQ Round-Up At The Salt Lick

mzapata — Mon, 29 Sep 2008 22:43:24 +0000

Driftwood, Texas (September 29, 2008) – Over 1,000 supporters joined State Rep. Patrick M. Rose (D-Dripping Springs) on Sunday for his 5^th Annual BBQ Round Up at the Salt Lick in Driftwood. Jack Ingram, Academy of Country Music’s 2008 New Male Vocalist of the Year, entertained the crowd while Blanco, Caldwell and Hays County supporters enjoyed the festivities.

During the evening’s program, Rep. Rose shared community accomplishments and some of the district’s priorities. Joining Rep. Rose on stage were teachers, small business owners, law enforcement professionals, and local community leaders.

“What happened at the Pedernales Electric Coop should not happen again. And it should not happen anywhere else,” said Rep. Patrick Rose. “You can’t have local control without fair elections. And you can’t have local control without Open Meetings – Open Records.”

“Next session, I am going to require both in statute, for our co-op and for the three million Texans served by co-ops across our state,” said Rep. Rose.

As the founder of the Texas Manufacturers Caucus, Rep. Rose is bringing legislators and the business community together to grow and create jobs here in Texas.

“Our economy is in tough shape right now, but we can stop the flood of jobs overseas” said Rep. Rose. “I founded the Genuine Texas program so that Texas families can identify products made in Texas and reward businesses that are as interested in our state as they are their bottom line. Next session, I will fight to make Career and Technology Education a reality and a priority.”

Rep. Rose serves Blanco, Caldwell and Hays counties in the Texas House and has built a reputation based on his hard work, independence and proven results for this district.

“When I first ran, I promised you that I would put you and the communities of this district above all else—above political party, above special interests, above political ambition, above anything,” said Rep. Rose.

“I kept that promise and you have stood with me. With your help, I will win this election.”

For more information about Rep. Rose’s record and to join his efforts to reform electric coops and to grow jobs in Texas, please visit his Web site at www.patrickrose.com.

Important support for Mid-Size Adjustment

mzapata — Wed, 24 Sep 2008 23:00:10 +0000

Last week, I testified before Chairwoman Lois Kolkhorst’s (R-Brenham) House Appropriations Subcommittee on Education to make the case for new state dollars for our public schools. Our coalition’s request to the subcommittee is for $106 million to extend the mid-size adjustment to the 48 Chapter 41 districts across Texas, for the 2010-11 biennium. For Wimberley and Dripping Springs ISDs, that would result in a $1,105,879 and $1,091,075 difference in revenue respectively for 2010.

Joining me at the hearing was Dr. Darrell Floyd, President of the Texas Association of Mid-Size Schools (TAMS). His organization is one of seven statewide leading education groups that have joined our efforts.

TAMS is recognized for its leadership in creating the mid-size adjustment during the mid-90s—I am honored to have them as a partner in our effort and thankful that they have made this a priority on their legislative agenda.

"We feel the time is right to right that wrong," said Dr. Floyd. "Rep. Rose is correct in that our organization is fully supportive of righting that wrong."

Robin Hood is broken when communities like Wimberley and Dripping Springs have to send money to the state. The first step to bringing equity to our school districts and taxpayers is to extend the mid-size adjustment as well as further increase the state’s share of funding for our public schools.

During the hearing, I told my House colleagues that I believe we have a unique opportunity to right this wrong next session—we have a budget surplus to fund it.

It is a fairness issue that must be addressed. The 48 Texas school districts that are Chapter 41 and mid-sized, I believe, are receiving an unfair deal today. It would be fair to fund $106 million in new money next biennium for those districts so that they receive the benefit that other mid-size districts do that are Chapter 42 today.

Working with Chair Kolkhorst, Chairman Dan Branch (R-Dallas) of the House Select Committee on Higher and Public Education Finance, over the last year, as well as parents, teachers, students, elected officials and education organizations across this state, we have built the coalition we need to be successful next session. Throughout testimony before these two committees, our momentum has continued to grow.

"One of my favorite days this spring was spending time in Wimberley. They were really wonderful people and they very eloquently talked about their needs," said Chairwoman Kolkhorst. "We need to be sensitive to this particular issue (mid-size adjustment) and make some corrections."

"It was helpful to see first-hand the conditions at Wimberley, and I support the effort to extend the mid-size adjustment to all mid-sized districts," said Chairman Branch.

Chairman Branch’s endorsement is a testament to the efforts of many community leaders in Wimberley and Dripping Springs. I want to thank each of you for writing letters and taking time to visit with Rep. Branch, Rep. Kolkhorst and me during our campus tours. Your willingness to share how the current system of school finance is hurting our schools has been—and continues to be—invaluable to our efforts.

I closed my remarks to the subcommittee by sharing my commitment to appraisal caps legislation. Closing corporate loopholes and establishing a fairer, broad business tax was the first step—in order for property tax cuts passed by the Legislature to be recognized by homeowners, we must stop out-of-control appraisals. That is why I support legislation to cap appraisal increases on homesteads at 5% per year.

I hope you will join my efforts to fund the mid-size adjustment for all Chapter 41 schools and to pass strong appraisal caps—I need your help to be successful next session.

Getting Eating Disorders Covered by Insurance Back on Agenda

mzapata — Fri, 19 Sep 2008 01:18:52 +0000

Hundreds gathering at conference on eating disorders in Austin to talk about illness, lack of insurance coverage.

By Mary Ann Roser
AMERICAN-STATESMAN STAFF
Thursday, September 18, 2008

Carolyn Dower of Austin calls her family one of the lucky ones. Although her daughter has an eating disorder that caused serious illness, Jenna Dower is getting the treatment she needs.

That’s not the case for many of the 11 million Americans — 10 million of them female — who have anorexia, bulimia and other eating disorders, according to the National Eating Disorders Association. It is holding its annual conference in Austin through Saturday at the Renaissance Austin Hotel and expects 500 attendees.

Many insurance plans don’t cover eating disorders, and even when they do, they often limit the coverage, especially when treatment is in a residential facility, said Lynn Grefe, the association’s CEO. Patients who must leave without finishing their therapy when the coverage runs out can relapse or even die, Grefe said.

"It’s one of the most frustrating things we face," she said.

State Rep. Patrick Rose, D-Dripping Springs, plans to sponsor legislation once again that would require Texas health insurance plans to cover eating disorders. Similar bills died in committee in 2005 and 2007, but Rose is hopeful that momentum is on his side for the 2009 legislative session, which begins in January.

"It’s an issue of great importance to us and the state," said Rose, who is scheduled to speak at the conference Friday morning.

When he heard about Sarah Whitworth, a former Hays High School student who had an eating disorder, "we realized millions of families in Texas who are fully insured don’t know today if their daughter or their son were in Sarah’s situation … they would be absolutely uncovered and personally responsible," he said.

Whitworth, now 20, said her father, Gene, withdrew $70,000 from his retirement account to pay for her to be treated at a residential facility in Reno, Nev., from Sept. 2 to Nov. 17, 2004. She said she is 5 foot 3 inches tall and at one point weight 72 pounds because of anorexia, a problem she had from eighth to 11th grade.

No event triggered the disorder, "which is scary, kind of," she said. "It’s personality. I’m a perfectionist. … I want to do everything right."

Whitworth, now a student at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, is featured in the current issue of Cosmo Girl.

Dower said her daughter Jenna Dower, 20, has been in treatment at a facility in San Diego since January and doesn’t know when she’s coming home. The treatment costs about $30,000 a month, but because the family’s insurance plan covers most of it, Dower can stay until she is well.

Dower’s eating disorder began after she was molested at age 13. It’s deeply entrenched and "not about the food," her mother said. "It’s about trauma suppression."

When Dower entered treatment, she was bulimic but did not look painfully thin, Carolyn Dower said. Even so, her heart had shrunk, and she had damaged her esophagus and had stomach problems, Dower said. Her doctor feared she could have a seizure at any time, Dower added.

Dr. Edward Tyson, the Austin doctor who treated Jenna Dower and Whitworth, is speaking at the conference. He said treatment is essential because eating disorders have the highest death rate of any mental illness.

Seventeen states require insurers to cover eating disorders, but the amount of coverage varies, Tyson said.

Texas health insurance plan representatives were not enthusiastic about Rose’s plan to reintroduce his legislation.

Mandates raise costs, they said, but "we generally take a neutral position" on them, said Jared Wolfe, executive director of the Texas Association of Health Plans.

maroser@statesman.com; 445-3619

UT School of Public Health Hosts Texas Obesity Awareness Week Events

mzapata — Thu, 11 Sep 2008 03:57:37 +0000

AUSTIN—(Sept. 11, 2008)—Texas State Comptroller Susan Combs, a leader in the fight against the obesity epidemic in Texas, will be the keynote lecturer Thursday, Sept. 11, in Austin at the Texas Obesity Awareness Week Lectures and Presentations hosted by the Michael & Susan Dell Center for Advancement of Healthy Living, part of The University of Texas School of Public Health Austin Regional Campus.

Larry Kaiser, M.D., president of The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, which includes the UT School of Public Health, will lead a panel discussion on battling childhood obesity in Texas following the lecture.

State Rep. Patrick Rose, D-Dripping Springs, who co-authored HB 2313 establishing Texas Obesity Awareness Week (Sept. 8-11), will be at the Thursday event to accept an award from the Michael & Susan Dell Center for Advancement of Healthy Living. Also honored are the bill’s co-author State Rep. Susan King, R-Abilene and sponsor State Sen. Robert Nichols, R-Jacksonville.

State Sen. Jane Nelson, R-Flower Mound, will be honored for leadership to the Center’s CATCH (Coordinated Approach To Child Health) school-based program, which disseminates education and skills concerning nutrition and physical activity to school-age children and their parents.

The University of Texas System Interim Chancellor Kenneth I. Shine will attend the event to receive the first “Friend of the Michael & Susan Dell Center for Advancement of Healthy Living Award” for his role in the development of the UT School of Public Health’s Austin Regional Campus and the Michael & Susan Dell Center for Advancement of Healthy Living.

Combs will speak on “Efforts to Combat Childhood Obesity in Texas” at 1 p.m. Thursday at the Joe C. Thompson Conference Center, 2405 Robert Dedman Drive.

Members of the panel discussion include Kaiser; Combs; Cheryl Perry, Ph.D., professor and regional dean of the UT School of Public Health Austin Regional Campus; Deanna Hoelscher, Ph.D., professor and director of the Michael & Susan Dell Center for Advancement of Healthy Living; Steven Kelder, Ph.D., professor and co-director of the Center; and Harold W. (Bill) Kohl, III, professor in the Division of Epidemiology in the School of Public Health.

As part of the week’s activities, parents and grandparents will be invited to eat a healthy “Go” lunch at Travis County schools; classroom teachers will teach CATCH lessons during the week; and physical education teachers will introduce CATCH “Eat Smart” Games.

In the second lecture of the Texas Obesity Awareness Week program, K. Srinath Reddy, M.D., will speak at 9 a.m. Monday, Sept. 15, on “Outsourcing An Epidemic: Obesity and Tobacco Use Prevention in the Developing World,” at the Joe C. Thompson Conference Center.

Reddy is president of the Public Health Foundation of India and professor and head of the Department of Cardiology at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences. His research, which has been funded by the World Health Organization and the National Institutes of Health, includes identifying the nature and extent of risk factors contributing to the rapid rise of heart disease in India and other developing countries.

The lectures are free and open to the public. For more information, call 512-482-6178.

Media Contact:

Deborah Mann Lake

Deborah.M.Lake@uth.tmc.edu

Media Hotline:713/500-3030

The Buck Stops With Us

mzapata — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 02:19:30 +0000

Dear Friends and Neighbors:

Recent decisions by the Pedernales Electric Cooperative (PEC) board to elect a member of its old guard as president and maintain its directors’ salaries well above the national median are deeply troubling. These disturbing decisions, coupled with the discovery of a $565,000 secret bank account,continue a pattern of mismanagement and abuse that falls far short of the standard deserved by PEC members and employees.

As the State Representative for PEC’s Johnson City headquarters, and thousands of PEC members and employees, I am committed to ensuring our co-op’s long-term success by ending this pattern of abuse. It has become clear that state government must act – the only way to ensure real change at PEC and to prevent similar events at other Texas electric cooperatives is to pass strong reforms next session.

Legislation requiring all electric cooperatives in Texas to comply with Open Meetings and Open Records statutes is the only guarantee that business practices are transparent and accessible to co-op members. This is a critical component of reform because it creates the environment necessary for local control to truly exist. Communities need the reality of Open Meetings and Open Records in order to ask questions and guarantee real answers that keep boards of directors and management accountable.

Furthermore, the PEC experience has taught us that all Texas co-ops should submit annual audits to the state’s Public Utility Commission for review, limit investments outside their core business of providing electricity, and guarantee fair and democratic elections for the board. Next session,the Texas Legislature must require all four of these critical reforms in statute so that reform is lasting. Strong local control for Texas’ 3 million co-op member-customers is the surest way to prevent fraud and abuse, while guaranteeing the lowest electric rates possible.

As I testified on this matter in Washington D.C. last month, members of Congress questioned our state’s ability to solve this problem. The federal government sees PEC’s questionable business practices as an indicator of similar problems at electric cooperatives nationwide. We must show Congress that the Texas Legislature has the tools it needs to address these problems and that we are committed to necessary reform.

Our message to Congress and to Texas families must be that the buck will stop with us. It is important for co-op members and legislators alike that we fully understand what went wrong with PEC in order to prevent further mismanagement. A financial and governance review by Navigant Consulting, Inc., ordered by State District Judge John Dietz, is ongoing. That report, and any light that it sheds on the events that took place at PEC, must also shape our legislative agenda. Our Texas Legislature is equipped to craft legislation that serves as the foundation for local control, while avoiding the unnecessary costs associated with over-regulation.

On the whole, Texas co-ops are providing their member-customers with excellent electric service at a cost that is considerably lower than the average rate charged by investor-owned utilities in areas such as Dallas, Houston, and South Texas. Publicly-owned utilities bring an important balance to our energy market – it is public power that keeps energy costs affordable for many middle-class families across Texas. Particularly in today’s economy, this is an asset we must protect.

Public power only works, however, when it is transparent. And without transparency, there is no meaningful local control. We can achieve this balance with the right reforms at the state level – let us work together to make Texas an example for other states.