Aaron Bates

Aaron Bates
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Aaron Bates (JOHN DAVID MERCER/SPECIAL TO THE SENTINEL)
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Armed with a law degree from Florida State University and an offer to work as an assistant state attorney in Lake County, Aaron Bates was on the road to self-sufficiency despite being severely disabled almost from birth.

But in a classic case of Catch-22, the state warned Bates last month that if he accepts the job, it will no longer pay for an attendant, without whom he cannot function.

Bates needs someone to bathe and dress him for work, fix meals and help him get into bed at night.

"The system is so screwed up, it is hard to believe," said Bates, a victim of a crippling disease of the spinal cord called spinal muscular atrophy that has left him in an electric wheelchair with only limited use of his arms and hands.He said he was led to believe by vocation-rehabilitation officials while in school that the services could be continued after he was employed.

"Call me naive, but I took them at their word, just assuming Medicaid, Medicare, vocational rehabilitation, Social Security or some other agency provided for these basic services to allow a disabled individual to go to work," Bates said.
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Brad King, state attorney for the 5th Judicial Circuit, which includes Lake County, couldn't believe it when his plan to hire Bates was thwarted.
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"It's unfortunate and nonsensical," said King, who wanted to hire Bates at a salary in the $40,000 range -- not much more than it would cost Bates to hire a personal assistant to allow him to live independently.
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Bates, who worked as an intern in law school for the State Attorney's Office in Tallahassee, said he was shocked to learn the personal-assistant services such as those he had in school would not be available when he becomes employed.

"It was devastating," said Bates, 25, a native of Jacksonville who lives in the small town of Jackson, Ala., where his parents tend to his needs.
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Bates said he had gone to Tallahassee in October to be sure of getting a personal assistant.

He met with legislators, Senate Health Care Committee members and even Gov.Jeb Bush and said he received assurances that a way could be found to pay for a personal assistant for him for six or seven months.Bates said he realized any help would likely be temporary.

"The main reason I became a lawyer was to reach a point financially where I could cover these services out of my own pocket," he said.

But on the way to Lake County, he received a call from state officials that help would be available only for a month or two, and even that wasn't guaranteed.

Bates said he briefly considered having his mother remain with him in Tavares to act as a personal assistant until he could afford to hire someone on his own.

Armed with a law degree from Florida State University and an offer to work as an assistant state attorney in Lake County, Aaron Bates was on the road to self-sufficiency despite being severely disabled almost from birth.

But in a classic case of Catch-22, the state warned Bates last month that if he accepts the job, it will no longer pay for an attendant, without whom he cannot function.

Click Here> Bates needs someone to bathe and dress him for work, fix meals and help him get into bed at night.

"The system is so screwed up, it is hard to believe," said Bates, a victim of a crippling disease of the spinal cord called spinal muscular atrophy that has left him in an electric wheelchair with only limited use of his arms and hands.He said he was led to believe by vocation-rehabilitation officials while in school that the services could be continued after he was employed.

"Call me naive, but I took them at their word, just assuming Medicaid, Medicare, vocational rehabilitation, Social Security or some other agency provided for these basic services to allow a disabled individual to go to work," Bates said.
...
Brad King, state attorney for the 5th Judicial Circuit, which includes Lake County, couldn't believe it when his plan to hire Bates was thwarted.
...
"It's unfortunate and nonsensical," said King, who wanted to hire Bates at a salary in the $40,000 range -- not much more than it would cost Bates to hire a personal assistant to allow him to live independently.
...
Bates, who worked as an intern in law school for the State Attorney's Office in Tallahassee, said he was shocked to learn the personal-assistant services such as those he had in school would not be available when he becomes employed.

"It was devastating," said Bates, 25, a native of Jacksonville who lives in the small town of Jackson, Ala., where his parents tend to his needs.
...
Bates said he had gone to Tallahassee in October to be sure of getting a personal assistant.

He met with legislators, Senate Health Care Committee members and even Gov.Jeb Bush and said he received assurances that a way could be found to pay for a personal assistant for him for six or seven months.Bates said he realized any help would likely be temporary.

"The main reason I became a lawyer was to reach a point financially where I could cover these services out of my own pocket," he said.

But on the way to Lake County, he received a call from state officials that help would be available only for a month or two, and even that wasn't guaranteed.

Bates said he briefly considered having his mother remain with him in Tavares to act as a personal assistant until he could afford to hire someone on his own.
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Aaron Bates
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Aaron Bates

By Aaron Bates
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Aaron Bates is an intern for Canadian International Development Agency with the Tatamagouche Centre, now working with ADIVIMA in Rabinal, Guatemala.For more information contact info@rightsaction.org or www.rightsaction.org.