Monthly Archives: May 2010

On The Relaxin

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I was bothering no one I was merely

Reading out loud this thing I’d set down

A short time earlier I swearda God

I wasn’t botherin a soul

I had the t’s crossed and  i’s dotted

And I don’t believe I was dangling

Too many participles I was an innocent

Man just hangin out

…On the relaxin

*

There I was in mid-sentence stroll

Eyes meeting those in attendance

When slam pow screech

There you were and I

Slipped into the pool

Cause there was not footin

Left cause there you were

Soft eyed lookin straight back

…On the relaxin

*

I sucked up my gut

Broke free of a conversation

Braved my knee-buckling fear sweat

And with hands shoved in pockets

Invited you to coffee

With us and now you get real slippery

And say okay and I’m outside cool

Sayin certainly while inside

my little boy says – serious?

…On the relaxin

*

Soon we discover nestled mornings

Your very hot tea and my coffee

Sipped during the crackle rasp

Of newspaper pages turning

Putting all on hold here

And there making room for the kiss

And the skin to skin don’t let

The day begin embrace

…On the relaxin

*

Life seems to be with you now

We are fast joined growing hearts

Learning our landscapes

And I like your magic full

Length around me in gentle

Form the scent of peace

Is full in the air

We are the healing newborn

…On the relaxin

*

I see more sun in the day now

The movement of the lake

Outside my window seems smoother

And even the coffee tastes better

And who the hell knows

Maybe there is a God

Just look at you in cotton

Folks smiling at me

…On the relaxin

*

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Feeney Again – This Time Targeting Children

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This time it’s children.

Timothy J. Feeney has contracted with the Fort Ann Central School District in New York’s Washington County to work with children with behavioral issues, including, but not limited to, children with autism. In his contract with the district and in the resume he presented to the district, Mr. Feeney represents himself as having a valid PhD and masters degree and he doesn’t. District Superintendent Maureen VanBuren and district school members have been informed, but to date there is no reason to believe the district has severed its contract with Mr. Feeney.

I am not unique when I lay claim to a special form of disgust and anger when I see children being targeted. To portray yourself as Dr. Feeney or Tim Feeney PhD and then impact the lives of children, including children with disabilities no less, is both unconscionable and potentially dangerous for this child.

Apparently Feeney has no problem misleading the public, and one has to wonder about his staff as well, given the fact since it was revealed in 2008 that he is misrepresenting his credentials. Staff members Melissa Capo, Paul Akers and James Feeney were with him at the time. Feeney’s company website certainly wants you to think he is Dr. Feeney. It is no surprise that nowhere does he mention Greenwich University in his bio.

Mr. Feeney’s PhD and Masters were issued by a now defunct diploma mill called Greenwich University, pretty much a by-mail course since Greenwich University was located on Norfolk Island off the coast of Australia. When Mr. Feeney took advantage of its services he was living in New York.

The Australian Government was so concerned about Greenwich it formerly issued an alert. 

If Feeney’s website’s claim that he “travels the world over speaking to audiences about collaborative supports for individuals with brain injury, autism and related disorders, and individuals with challenging behaviors” appears accurate. One has to wonder what impact he has. After all, he is misrepresenting his credentials to families and their children, around the world.

According to District Superintendent VanBuren, the district has no specific policy to vet potential contract employees. You would think the parents and community would be up in arms over this. There is no excuse on God’s green earth for putting children at risk.

Mr. Feeney did not respond to a written request for comment.

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Belvedere Says No to Survivors’ Coalition

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I’d like to say I’m  surprised that the Belvedere Brain Injury Program owned by John Mccooey will not let the Kahrmann Advocacy Coalition, founded by brain injury survivors, the very people Belvedere claims to serve, meet with fellow survivors in the Belvedere program, but this has always been an honest blog and I see no reason to change that.

Of course, preventing a coalition founded by those you claim to care about from meeting with survivors who participate in your program is a red flag if ever there was one. But I am not surprised. I worked for and with Belvedere for quite some time. I actually interviewed with them on 9/11. At first it was a troubled provider but it appeared as if owner John Mccooey truly wanted to develop the best possible services for the brain injury survivors in the program and it actually became a really good program, until, that is, Belvedere opened a substance abuse component. When that happened, everything changed.

Michael Loiselle who headed up and, to my knowledge, still heads up the substance abuse program, was about as dictatorial as one can be. More than once I heard him inflict one of his favorite expressions, “Too bad, so sad,” on a survivor who was talking about some tough time they were having. Moreover, Mccooey, then and now supports Loiselle even though Loiselle and the entire substance abuse program dictates to survivors what workshops they will or won’t attend. Never mind that the TBI Waiver, governed by the New York State Department of Health demands that the program be driven by the survivors. Loiselle and Mccooey couldn’t get me out fast enough. In fact, I once lightly touched Loiselle’s shoulder while talking with him and like a whiny little boy he ran to upper management and charge me with workplace harassment because I touched him. Not surprisingly, an investigation determined that he was, well, wrong.

As for John Mccooey, I’d call him a wolf in sheep’s clothing but I happen to like wolves and see no reason to insult them by dragging them down into the filth.

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