Bernadette Franks-Ongoy, Executive Director

A year ago my older brother George moved to Montana. I asked him to come. I wanted him in my life. I wanted my children’s lives to be enriched by having their uncle around. We are an “ohana”, meaning family in Hawaiian.

George is a great guy. He has a tremendous faith and a very kind heart. He also lives with a psychiatric disability and epilepsy which at times can be challenging.

George wants to live a fully engaged life in the community. I want him to live along side me in our community. For that to happen George needs more than just his family’s love and support. He needs community support.

I have watched in utter amazement his transition from Hawaii to Montana.  Going from primarily 80 degree sun shining weather to -10 degrees and learning to walk on icy sidewalks; going from a 100% fully accessible island-wide, 24-hour transportation system to our local 7:30 AM to 5:00 PM week-day-only HATS system. And watching his excitement as he goes from knowing every variety of tropical bird in Hawaii to discovering a whole new set of birds here in Montana.

With George here I am also now in the position of navigating through Medicaid and Medicare, SSI and SSDI payments, section 8 housing, obtaining his medication, community service providers, and doctors. Some of the process has gone smoothly. George is living at Eagle Manor.  He has his own apartment and is the king of his house! He loves it. The people at Eagle Manor; Patsy, Carla and Karen to name a few, are fantastic! They have a ‘can do’ attitude, always looking to make it work for George.

There has, and continues to be, major hurdles to making this a successful transition, and frankly, the hurdles have invigorated my commitment to people with disabilities and their civil rights. The most infuriating and humiliating hurdle has been to “sell or shop” George to providers. I have to package him up and be careful not to expose too much, too soon. Otherwise providers will not want to serve him based on their own insecurities and fears.  To the first mental health provider, I shared every bit of George’s history, both successes and challenges. All they heard were the challenges and said no, we cannot serve him.

To the second provider, I was honest but selective with information. I am now having to almost beg that they not bail on George and pray that they see him as valuable and worthy.

I am very angry with our system.

Our system of care and supports is fundamentally flawed and oppressive to people with disabilities and their family members if we need to depend on how well we beg or how much we pray. I am a very big believer in prayer and humility, but begging…I don’t think so.

I am a lawyer by trade and understand liability. I don’t understand or accept however the premise of having to prove or earn rights. George and all people living with a disability have the same rights as everyone else. I didn’t have to go through some approval process before I was granted the right to choose where I live. I did not have to submit an application in order to earn my liberty. And, God forbid, I do not have to ask permission to watch TV.

We all need to live within the rules of society and if we break the rules we bear the consequences. And if our human services and legal systems work well, then proper accountability follows. But, if the fear of liability without justification is the guiding light for our service delivery system then we have lost our way.

Life has not necessarily been easy this past year, but has been enriched because of George. I am also fully engaged in the work I love. Thanks, George!