Seriously. Is it Friday yet?

Teeny disclaimer: This is from last Friday. I started writing it and then had to stop for some reason that I can't recall. I'm not as irritated as I was then, but the info is still somewhat relevant, so I'm posting it. Let the rant begin.

Today is finally Friday, right? RIGHT?!

You know what keeps coming to mind and making me chuckle every time? Brace yourself: it's not comedian funny, more like "WHA?" funny.

We got this letter in the mail a month or so ago. In it, it tells us how we are now responsible for paying for things that the Regional Center* used to take care of in full. Granted, it's a portion. A percentage. And I still am not completely sure why they do the things they do do, yet lack so much in areas that truly matter like frackin' therapy.

[*CA is broken into 21 regions that each provide services to people with developmental disabilities, some better than others.]

Ahem.

So, you know, I believe in the whole "Don't look a gift horse in the mouth" thing. I've accepted the benefits of things like respite and been happier for it. I mean, do I leave any doubt that I love Ms. J? I've even given California full credit for being good at things which they are good since I am so free to bash the things at which they suck. It's only fair, right?

Ok, so back to the letter. We read it. It said that come time for Playette's next IFSP, we'll be asked for our most recent tax info so that they could assess how much our contribution would be. Well, ok. I guess. I mean, if they gave us what we needed, I wouldn't be so protective of these wants I like so much, but ok. If Playette didn't have an extra chromosome, we wouldn't get anything. Mind you, I'd be 100% ok with that. Plus, I didn't have a differently-abled child for the "bennies." Trust me.

Apparently, this is what they do already with families of older children, but it's a new initiative for those of us with infants (0-3 years of age).

I put it aside and thought nothing else of it.

Until.

I got this weird paper in the mail. It was pink so I knew it was important. It meant that we were receiving some type of service. I look at it and it says "$2100"...$2100 for what?!

Well, apparently, the Regional Center is paying the school district $1050 per month (the paper was for 2 months?) to provide Playette with the federally mandated therapies she needs. Seriously? Again. Some more. Seriously? Trust me when I say that it's horrible. I dread those days that we meet with the Infant Program. I spend most of the time explaining what Playette can do (last time: "Really?! She's crawling? Since when?") and then telling the therapists what I've learned from the internet and other parents.

It's annoying to say the least. Where's the help in that?

You may wonder why we continue. Unfortunately, denying services just isn't an option we're comfortable with long term, so...

So I call the Service Coordinator (which I rarely ever do because it's always painful and never gets me anywhere) about the pink paper and confirm the reason for it since I had never seen one in the entire last year we've been in the program, then decide to ask about the whole "pay a portion" thing. Like, "What does that mean anyway?" You know, just in case we understood it wrong.

We didn't.

And then she proceeds to tell me that we don't have to wait until the next IFSP to start.

OMG, I'm still laughing.

Yeah, we'll get right on that.