U.S. District Court Southern District of Florida has held that Applied Behavioral Analysis (ABA) be covered by Medicaid - Link to Permanent Injunction order included

MIAMI - In a precedent-setting victory for the rights of all children with autism who are insured by Medicaid, Judge Joan Lenard of the U.S. District Court Southern District of Florida has held that Applied Behavioral Analysis (ABA), a proven and highly effective treatment of children with autism, be covered by Medicaid.

CLICK HERE TO SEE PERMANENT INJUNCTION ORDER

The Court ruled in favor of the three plaintiffs in the case. K.G., a five-year-old Florida Medicaid recipient suffering with autism and two other plaintiffs ages two and five, were denied ABA treatment by the State of Florida, on the grounds that it was an ‘unproven treatment.’ K.G. was diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) at approximately 19 months of age, after his mother, Iliana Garrido began noticing signs of significant regression in K.G.’s development. These signs included: the inability to verbally communicate, avoiding eye contact, the inability to eat solid foods, extreme irritability, hyperactivity, incessant screaming, aggression, and frequent tantrums.

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This American Life Transcript: Can't Vouch for the Truth of Mike Daisey's Apple in China Monologue

This American Life and American Public Media’s Marketplace has revealed that a story first broadcast in January on This American Life contained numerous fabrications.

" the most powerful and memorable moments in the story all seem to be fabricated. "

This American Life devoted its entire program this weekend to detailing the errors in the story, which was an excerpt of Mike Daisey's critically acclaimed one-man show, "The Agony and the Ecstasy of Steve Jobs." In it, Daisey tells how he visited a factory owned by Foxconn that manufactures iPhones and iPads in Shenzhen China.

Here is an exert:

As best as we can tell, Mike's monologue in reality is a mix of things that actually happened when he visited China and things that he just heard about or researched, which he then pretends that he witnessed first hand. He pretends that he just stumbled upon an array of workers who typify all kinds of harsh things somebody might face in a factory that makes iPhones and iPads.

And the most powerful and memorable moments in the story all seem to be fabricated. At the time that we were factchecking his story we asked Mike for the contact information for the interpreter that he used when he was visiting China, who he calls Cathy in his monologue. We wanted to talk to her to confirm that the incidents that he described all happened as he describes them.

And When we asked for her information he told us her real name wasn't Cathy, it was Anna and he had a cellphone number for her but he said when he tried it, it didn't work any more. He said he had no way to reach her. And because the other things Mike told us – about Apple and Foxconn – seemed to check out, we saw no reason to doubt him, and we dropped this. We didn’t try further to reach the translator. That was a mistake.

I can say now in retrospect that when Mike Daisey wouldn't give us contact information for his interpreter we should've killed the story rather than run it. we never should've broadcast this story without talking to that woman. Instead, we trusted his word. Although he's not a journalist, we made clear to him that anything he was going to say on our show would have to live up to journalistic standards. He had to be truthful. And he lied to us.

Here is a link to the entire transcript:

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South Florida Legal Events - January 30th, 2012 CLE, Networking & Charity

Click to launch the full edition in a new window

Color Coded!!

Broward - Miami-Dade - Palm Beach

Sign up for a free Events Newsletter subscription http://eepurl.com/YSBw

Tue Jan 31, 2012

11:30am Palm Beach Bar Joint Luncheon with the Forum Club of the Palm Beaches with guest speaker U.S. Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito http://goo.gl/4apVx

Where: Palm Beach County Convention Center

Cost: $40 per PBCBA Member (no guest tickets available at this time);Judges

Complimentary

Wed Feb 1, 2012

3pm Hispanic National Bar Association State of the Union Conference Call

Where: Call-In Info: Dial: (641) 715-3200 - access code: 811836#

Description: Please join Senior White House and Agency Officials and the Executive Committee of the Hispanic National Bar Association for a conference call to discuss policy areas outlined in the President’s State of the Union address. This meeting is off the record and not for press purposes.

6pm B'nai B'rith Justice Unit Cooking Event

Where: Publix (Upstairs) 1181 S. University Dr., Plantation, FL 33324

Description: At the event a full Italian menu will be prepared and wine will be provided.

Cost: $40 by check made payable to "B'nai B'rith Justice Unit5207"

RSVP: Holly Krulik at hkrulik@krupnicklaw.com

6pm Broward Paralegal Assoc: Practicing Law in England - Similarities / Differences with Florida - With a Focus on Medical Malpractice w/ TAMARA L. KLOPENSTEIN, ESQUIRE

Where: Coral Ridge Yacht Club, 2800 Yacht Club Blvd., Fort Lauderdale, FL 33305

Cost: $30members, $35 non-member, $30 students (with proof of student ID

RSVP: Susan Sabra at ssabra@kahaneandassociates.com

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Miami Attorney At Law Magazine May 2011 Featuring ABA President Stephen Zack

Check out the latest edition here - http://goo.gl/9a55b

Now when you sign up for the legal community update newsletter you will also have a chance to receive a free digital subscription to Attorney At Law Magazine Miami Edition. Simply click here to sign up - http://eepurl.com/YSBw

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Relax, They're Still Making Typewriters

Read the articles here:
RIP Typewriters: Last Manufacturer Closes Its Doors

Relax, They're Still Making Typewriters

A rumor swirled around the internet this morning that the last manufacturer of typewriters had closes up shop. I immediately smelled a rat as on many a visit to a law firm I see this classic tool on a table in the corner waiting to complete a contract or fill in a form.  The Legal Industry may be slow to evolve, but I am curious just how many firms still use a typewriter. 

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A mother is pleading for help after her daughter was hit during a bike ride in Fort Lauderdale last month.

Video from NBC6 with Abramowitz, Pomerantz & Coffey attorney Sam Coffey being interviewed. http://www.nbcmiami.com/news/local/Family-of-Accident-Victim-Needs-Help-118190464.html

Family of Stephanie Goodrich, a young woman who was seriously injured in a biking accident, is looking for answers to solve the case

By STEPHANIE SANTORO

Mar 18, 2011

A mother is pleading for help after her daughter was hit during a bike ride in Fort Lauderdale last month.

On Friday, February 18, 35-year-old Stephanie Goodrich was routinely training for a triathlon when she was sideswiped by a Saturn while crossing the A1A and Hibiscus Avenue intersection.

“He was not cited,” said the Goodrich’s attorney, Samuel Coffey, of the driver, “should he have been? We think Stephanie had the right of way. We believe she had an unobstructed path of traffic. He shouldn’t have turned in front of her, but he might not have seen her.”

The accident left the tri-lingual Stanford graduate with an MBA from Duke with severe brain damage; due to swelling, part of her brain was removed, as well.

“I have had various stories,” Stephanie’s mother, Jean Goodrich said, “she hit the car, the car hit her. I want to know what happened to my daughter.” Goodrich said she just wants answers and is asking for eyewitnesses to come forward to bring justice to a woman who was badly injured.

Stephanie has come out of her coma, but will be undergoing extensive physical therapy to learn to walk and talk again.

The Goodrich family is asking locals and the media for help to resolve this case.

“She is a wonderful daughter who grew up to be my best friend,” said Jean, “and I want my best friend back. They just tell me it is going to take a long time.”

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