New Hampshire

Developmental Services System 1991 (NH State Audit Compressed for 2021 Standards)

Clickford, Steven M.1 Comment

In 1991, after the Laconia State School closed, the State of New Hampshire did an audit of the system and services for the developmentally delayed. Out of respect for modern day technologies, the original PDF can be seen here, at the expense of your network or cell data plan, This was the time where Macintosh computers were not used by many, so it’s lousy in design quality. The PDF was converted at some point from it’s original DOS-like word processing in 1998, and thanks to RSA 91-a, I am doing you a public service by hosting a lighter version of this PDF because am I a native nerd to the the government affairs, not “obsessed with the system”.

Sadly a lot of the core context in this file has never been addressed. Bill of Rights is kinda the theme here, and sadly the developmental disability system has been audited several times since 1991. But ironically the audits never go back to the original blueprint of the 1991 audit. Sadly I don’t even think our current agencies at the Department of Education or at the Bureau even have this document

Do understand in 1991, there was a dueling thing going on, and that was special education. I entered into Londonderry just months before, and there was a lot of growing pains across the state for Special Education, that was done on a reactionary measure, that then carried into adulthood so people like your’s truly was then hungover with the neglect at the SPED level.

The compressed PDF will be the source of many future writings or postings of content related to my condition and the ever so declining system that isn’t just me that’s having the problems. I can only speak for myself and presently I am the only one that is the most outspoken for the rights of me and my peers.

The Search to the Demise of Democracy

Clickford, Steven M.

An ongoing series to find out why one of the smaller states may had been the very state that lead us – that is also the United States into the hellhole politically. This subject is on “the media”.

“The media” gets a bad rap, and I suspect the phrase “the media” like it being “the enemy of the people” is unfairly characterized, but its improperly directed at the wrong groups. The people behind the institutions are often the targets, but it’s really the way the media has become a commercialized entity where the content is a slot machine, that like a modern day slot machine in Vegas is “rigged”. Lax rules in the industry by the FCC, helped make radio a painful medium no matter if it’s Class A AM or Class C FM. The content for a lack of a better word, sucks.

In order to be part of a productive member of a democratic society, one must be informed of their surroundings of their local institutions.

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“Election Day” in Merrimack, NH

Clickford, Steven M.1 Comment

In today’s narrative, I thought, I’d share my thoughts with this alleged day in one of the largest towns in the state that’s not a city. More on the illegal use of “Election Day” in a few ‘graphs.

I’ve lived in Merrimack, New Hampshire for almost a decade; my family and I moved here for some specific reasons, a large selling value was the proximity of being close to Nashua and other areas east of the River. Merrimack, was historically known as a “big town” with a lower population than say Londonderry, which had one of the highest population centers.

When I relocated, the town’s population in 2000 was hovering around Londonderry, but an estimation in late 2010, put it at nearly 27,000 as a “projected” population count.

The rate of low income housing being built, and more housing, any attempts for open-space has gone out of the wayside.

Certain people in Merrimack have a certain distrust to the government. This is the majority of the town, because other than having a population second or third to Derry or Salem, the population is mostly “townies”. Worse people who have hyper-cynical beliefs that the town government is out to get Joe Doe from 127 Main St (we don’t really have a “Main Street”). In recent years, the anger amongst townies was Comcast. There was no facility for people to drop off dysfunctional set top boxes; and going across the river to just the other side of Hudson on 102 was too much for the people.

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Old Man of the Mountains Fifteen Years Plus 1 Month

Clickford, Steven M.

On Saturday, May 3rd, 2003, the “face” of New Hampshire changed forever. The Old Man of the Mountains, located at Franconia Notch State Park, was a natural formation of an old man when seen to the pointing to a certain perspective facing south near Profile Lake.

It was man-preserved for many years up till an early May night, when it came crumbling down into Profile Lake. It made headlines the following morning. Since it was almost a couple hours where I once lived, we went right up there.

©2003 Steven Clickford. Please do not use these photos publicly without permission.

New Hampshire’s Growing Racism (amongst all)

Clickford, Steven M.

Starbucks closed stores late afternoon in all locations in the US for a sensitivity training, as reported by the media for months now.

However, the government known as the State of New Hampshire, a controlling, micromanaging dictatorship form of bureaucracy, where department heads cannot be contacted by citizens (unwritten rule), and questioning them (is an unwritten rule of harassment to government employees) mixed in with RACIST and ABLEIST police officers and chiefs of police with ZERO respect to anyone who doesn’t share their same skin color.

While racism and ableism can be a strong word, let’s just say that many of our governments, of the two hundred in this state with water companies, school districts, counties, cities and towns, as well as 40 state agencies, that discrimination and prejudice is discriminatory. They fear because someone see things differently or doesn’t talk in the most clearest English or doesn’t share the same skin tone, or makes the same amount of money that they shall be damned, disrespected, and worse if it’s a police force, to punish them.

New Hampshire does not like diversity. And notice how I have not mentioned Republicans (which is the majority that sets this logic) but my liberal peers are just as evil. I sometimes think our leftists have little tolerance to anyone who isn’t like them.

Sadly given this is a discussion on the public sector, it’s also highly disturbing that in emails, that is protected under RSA 91a, that people will willingly discriminate, and shut out voices in public records.

The state (I mean any government below Federal) is so controlling, so micro managing, and so discriminating, and prejudicial, it’s really disgusting. New Hampshire makes people whose not
“normal” (whatever that means) make them very sick. No matter why so many are leaving the state in droves with people between 25 to 34…

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ABA – What happens when they Become Adults?

Clickford, Steven M.

Applied Behavior Analysis is an apparent practice used for children on the autism spectrum. It consist behavior plans and Excel spreadsheets and possible PivotTables to execute all the data.

I really have no idea because all the questions I’ve previously asked were often given in the same vague fashion similar to your company’s IT Guy You’d Like to Punch at it’s head! They don’t really explain how it works.

It may be because I technically do not have a High School Diploma equivalent to the “normal functioning” people and I can’t understand open ended answers with open ended questions.

But if it works for children, and teenagers, then what happens after their 21st birthday? I seen no day program in my area where they clearly use ABA.

Let’s not let this “good practice” be destroying adults with autistic disorders if it can be prevented.

The Lack of Direct Support Professionals

Clickford, Steven M.

2017 Update: I still have not found a dedicated DSP outside of my program.

For adults with autism spectrum disorders, at least in my backyard; finding good help is one thing; finding help at all is even worse.

Direct support professionals (also known as DSPs, caretakers, caregivers, respite workers, etc.) is supposed to be a growing trend by 2020. The difference between DSPs and the traditional sense, is there is more standards, competencies and even ethics. While it’s good in the abstract, I find it flawed as the c-suite will continue to possibly hire incompetent managers and continue to operate unethically.

For my case, a simple DSP to take me out for fun to get away from the horrible realities of living with autism in a region regressing in service delivery, oppressive special needs systems, etc, took nearly 6 months from concept to a possible new hire. I went through every professional acquaintances  and – nothing! Even my remaining Massachusetts connections – and no luck!

Is it a case of if its too good to be true then it must be?  or is it “I don’t want to work with an autistic, because they are slow childlike boys- I can’t stand those people.”

You know who I accuse this of? Bad leadership in New Hampshire. Bad training standards (because they are taught to find “flaws” with the individuals, glorify the negativity and dilute any positive abilities of the students or clients.)

What’s worse is the training is hard to come by here in this state with the various conferences relevant to special needs. I blame the Granite State being so desperate, they’ll take out of staters who clearly want to oppress the severely autistics and train future professionals the negativity as the headline and any positives as a footnote.

I’m in my late twenties, and I haven’t been active in any advocacy or became an agent of some change till recent years. But from what I’ve gathered from the outside was that the state’s better years could’ve been the days when the Great Stone Face was still up in Franconia Notch – nearly 12 years to the day. But around 2003, remember, many of them just became of age, or would become of age. So in the days of progress, there were few people on the autism spectrum as adults, as so many were children, and in those days many were suffocating of big heavy smoke of destructive political actions of the leadership of the time.

I feel like its worse living in New Hampshire and with autism than years past! Why are we settling to such a low level? I call this Unanswered questions.