Comments on: The R-Word and Why It Matters: The Case of Jenny Hatch https://www.disabilityandrepresentation.com/ableism/the-r-word-and-why-it-matters-the-case-of-jenny-hatch/ Changing the Cultural Conversation Wed, 17 Jul 2024 11:01:40 +0000 hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.8.3 By: Freedom for Jenny Hatch | Indigo Jo Blogs https://www.disabilityandrepresentation.com/ableism/the-r-word-and-why-it-matters-the-case-of-jenny-hatch/#comment-293 Wed, 17 Jul 2024 11:01:40 +0000 https://www.disabilityandrepresentation.com/the-r-word-and-why-it-matters-the-case-of-jenny-hatch/#comment-293 […] Margaret Jean “Jenny” Hatch is an American woman, aged 29, with Down’s syndrome. Until early last year, she lived independently in Newport News, Virginia, and had been working in her friends’ store. She had an active social life and according to the Quality Trust for Individuals for Disabilities, an organisation which campaigns for the rights of people with developmental disabilities, counted “past and present members of the Newport News City Council and the Virginia General Assembly” among her friends. In March 2012 she was involved in a road accident while cycling, and briefly moved in with her friends but because of a dispute over who was to pay for her care, she was forced to move into a “congregate setting”, i.e. a “group home” (or care home as we call it here in the UK), which confiscated her phone and computer, rendering her unable to communicate with her friends. Since then, her mother and stepfather have petitioned for guardianship and have insisted that she remains in the “home” against her wishes. Her mother acquired temporary guardianship in February and her case comes to trial early next month. (I first heard about this story through the blog of Rachel Cohen-Rottenburg, Disability and Representation, and a more detailed story, as of last November, is here.) […]

]]> By: Matthew Smith https://www.disabilityandrepresentation.com/ableism/the-r-word-and-why-it-matters-the-case-of-jenny-hatch/#comment-292 Wed, 17 Jul 2024 11:01:30 +0000 https://www.disabilityandrepresentation.com/the-r-word-and-why-it-matters-the-case-of-jenny-hatch/#comment-292 I’ve also been reading about Ayn’s case (I’ve written three articles in fact) and am aware of other cases of families who have relinquished the care of their disabled relative (child or adult) because they need medical care in a crisis, thinking it was only temporary, and found that they could not regain that care afterwards because the state would not relinquish it. The particular case I am thinking about happened in Canada, but someone mentioned to me that it’s happened in Australia too (I have not heard of it happening in the UK). It is a consequence of means testing — that only the extremely poor can get medical and social care, while the rest have to pay, and can’t. On the other hand, the USA seems to find money for corporate nursing-home care for people with severe disabilities, but much less to support disabled people in their home.

I had a look at the Justice for Jenny Facebook page and was disappointed to see that factual updates on the situation were difficult to find amid all the emotive rants about the injustice of the situation. Unfortunately this is all too common in websites soliciting support for families in disputes with social services, and the rants often twist the facts to support the point of view of the family. The issue has become a difficult one to campaign on, because very often the family is the only source of information and will not tell you the full facts of why their children were removed, or not being returned. I recently had to end my involvement in a case here in the UK, because the mother’s actions (despite consistently claiming she had a rock-solid case and that her lawyer had said so) made me suspicious that she had more problems than she was letting on.

]]> By: Anita https://www.disabilityandrepresentation.com/ableism/the-r-word-and-why-it-matters-the-case-of-jenny-hatch/#comment-291 Wed, 17 Jul 2024 11:01:22 +0000 https://www.disabilityandrepresentation.com/the-r-word-and-why-it-matters-the-case-of-jenny-hatch/#comment-291 This is an American tragedy! What ever happened to “the land of the free and the home of the brave”? Jenny sounds like a very competent young lady and she should be able to make decisions for herself! My heart aches for Jenny!!

]]> By: Mylinda Elliott https://www.disabilityandrepresentation.com/ableism/the-r-word-and-why-it-matters-the-case-of-jenny-hatch/#comment-290 Wed, 17 Jul 2024 11:01:15 +0000 https://www.disabilityandrepresentation.com/the-r-word-and-why-it-matters-the-case-of-jenny-hatch/#comment-290 What a horrible thing to happen to this young lady. This is just so heartless. I wonder if anyone has contacted that states protection and advocacy organization.

In Louisiana it’s called The Advocacy Center. Every state is supposed to have one. It’s a law firm for people with developmental disabilities.

]]> By: The Informal Matriarch https://www.disabilityandrepresentation.com/ableism/the-r-word-and-why-it-matters-the-case-of-jenny-hatch/#comment-289 Wed, 17 Jul 2024 11:01:05 +0000 https://www.disabilityandrepresentation.com/the-r-word-and-why-it-matters-the-case-of-jenny-hatch/#comment-289 ooo also, I’m blogging about this today.

]]> By: Rachel Cohen-Rottenberg https://www.disabilityandrepresentation.com/ableism/the-r-word-and-why-it-matters-the-case-of-jenny-hatch/#comment-288 Wed, 17 Jul 2024 11:00:58 +0000 https://www.disabilityandrepresentation.com/the-r-word-and-why-it-matters-the-case-of-jenny-hatch/#comment-288 In reply to The Informal Matriarch.

I’ve heard about Ayn’s story as well. Just awful. For those who don’t know about her case, here’s a link for more information:

http://www.justice4ayn.com/

]]> By: The Informal Matriarch https://www.disabilityandrepresentation.com/ableism/the-r-word-and-why-it-matters-the-case-of-jenny-hatch/#comment-287 Wed, 17 Jul 2024 11:00:49 +0000 https://www.disabilityandrepresentation.com/the-r-word-and-why-it-matters-the-case-of-jenny-hatch/#comment-287 This is CRAZY! There’s a similar story happening right near me with a little girl name Ayn who was taken from her father over a year ago.

]]> By: kerri https://www.disabilityandrepresentation.com/ableism/the-r-word-and-why-it-matters-the-case-of-jenny-hatch/#comment-286 Wed, 17 Jul 2024 11:00:41 +0000 https://www.disabilityandrepresentation.com/the-r-word-and-why-it-matters-the-case-of-jenny-hatch/#comment-286 I am speechless. That this could happen and that no one would be aware. I worry for my child who one day may be a victim of this abuse. Thank you for making us aware.

]]> By: Diane Wilson https://www.disabilityandrepresentation.com/ableism/the-r-word-and-why-it-matters-the-case-of-jenny-hatch/#comment-285 Wed, 17 Jul 2024 11:00:32 +0000 https://www.disabilityandrepresentation.com/the-r-word-and-why-it-matters-the-case-of-jenny-hatch/#comment-285 What is being done to Jenny Hatch is heartless and cruel. The same thing was done to my mother. She was under guardianship because I applied to be her guardian to protect her and my sibilngs fought it. The court appointed guardian kidnapped my mother from her home and incarcerated her in a nursing home against her will, despite the fact that I was willing and able to care for her 24/7. I fought hard to get her out but she died two months later, twelve days before her freedom. She was miserable and told me she prayed to die every day she was there. She was drugged as well. She died of a broken heart and spirit. This is our country now, what the media refuses to report. We all need to wake up very quickly. We are all in danger of them coming for us next.

]]> By: louise https://www.disabilityandrepresentation.com/ableism/the-r-word-and-why-it-matters-the-case-of-jenny-hatch/#comment-284 Wed, 17 Jul 2024 11:00:22 +0000 https://www.disabilityandrepresentation.com/the-r-word-and-why-it-matters-the-case-of-jenny-hatch/#comment-284 This is outragous!

Let Jenny live where she wants to live!
xxx

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