New Mexico State Senator Dede Feldman's Blog

Leave No Child Inside: APS's Valley Cluster Funded to Move Kids Outdoors Thanks to Outdoor Classroom Program

Last week, the State Parks Division held an event down at the Rio Grande Nature Center (a state park) to herald the second year of the statewide Outdoor Classroom Program.  And the proof of the program's appeal was in the pudding - or actually, in the Bosque - as scores of elementary and high school students descended on the Nature Center from as far away as Ramah Navajo and as close as Georgia O'Keefe Elementary, in the Heights.
   
The idea behind the program is to get children outside, in nature, where they can learn science, geography first hand, and fall in love with nature.  In today's world lots of kids stay inside, playing video games, looking up their friends on Myspace-with occasional trips to the mall.  That's a far cry from my own childhood, where there was ample time to play outdoors, at the woods at the end of the street.  Now, in much of the country, there are no woods at the end of the street. But, thank goodness, there's the Rio Grande Bosque, and, further afield, the mountains, the desert and everything that makes New Mexico, well, New Mexico.

I thought the Outdoor Classroom program was a perfect fit for kids here in the North Valley where ten years ago I attended an alarming focus group for middle schoolers at Garfield Middle School. And it wasn't just the pizza and soda, with which the facilitators got the kids to participate, that was alarming. Many of these kids never went to the bosque and seldom played out side.  Meanwhile, the rate of obesity and diabetes continues to go up among this group.
 
That's why I was delighted in March when my appropriation for at least one outdoor learning experience for every 5th grader in the APS's Valley Cluster went through, and the overall program received $500,000 for school districts around the state. 
Yippee! Leave No Child Inside!

And the Campaigning Goes On

I'm walking the neighborhoods here in Senate District 13 and the wind keeps blowing.  I'm finding that most people opening the doors are still surprised to see a local office holder walking the neighborhood, and very responsive.  I'm handing them a survey, which many have filled out and returned.  Better schools and affordable health care are at the top of the wish list, so far, followed by concern about DWI.  No surprises so far, except for the amazing number and variety of dogs I've encountered. Little ones, big ones, barking ones, whimpering ones, yapping ones. Now I know what mail delivery people go through.  I should carry dog biscuits, no?

A hearty group of volunteers is walking with me on most weeknights and Saturday and Sundays at 2 p.m.  Won't you join the fun? You have nothing to loose but a few pounds. Call Janie at 345-7612 or Helen at 610-9009.

And the partying goes on….  Sunday May 18 from 3-5 p.m.. some friends from the West Side are sponsoring a coffee in Taylor Ranch  (yes, I do represent a small sliver of this huge neighborhood!). It will be at the home of Jean and Jim Genasci, located at 6147 Tallsman Dr. NW.  You can get there by going West on Montano past Coors, right on Montano Plaza, left on Stockbridge to Tallsman.   Call Jean at 898-8644. Or just drop by.
 
If you can't come, I still need your help. Here's what you can do:
Volunteer (call Helen at 610-9009)?
Help Dede Walk  (call Janie at 345-7612)
Make a Donation at www.dedefeldman.com?

Put up a Yard Sign if you live in Senate District 13  (www.dedefeldman.com has a map of the district on the constituent page)

Campaign Update

I've been walking the precincts and ringing the doorbells in Senate District 13, with some interesting feedback.  The economy is now top of mind for most folks, with the war and even the national campaign secondary-although most voters are aghast at what Hillary and Obama are doing to the Dems chances in November.   A hearty group of volunteers is walking with me on most weeknights and Saturday and Sundays at 2 p.m.  Won't you join the fun? You have nothing to loose but a few pounds. Call Janie at 345-7612 or Helen at 610-9009.

And the partying goes on….  Friday May 2 from 5-7 p.m. some Democratic friends from the mid North Valley are sponsoring a fundraiser  ($25-50 suggested or what ever you can do) at the home of Bob Ruth and Judy Griego Ruth at 3092 Rio Grande Blvd., one half block south of Candelaria on the West side of the street.  You can park along side streets.  There will be music, food and fun.  Drop by. 
If you can't come, I still need your help. Here's what you can do:
Volunteer (call Helen at 610-9009)
Help Dede Walk  (call Janie at 345-7612)

Make a Donation at www.dedefeldman.com
Put up a Yard Sign if you live in Senate District 13 
(www.dedefeldman.com has a map of the district on the constituent page)

One Constituent's Story - What the Stigma of Mental Illness Looks Like…

Here's a story from Desiree Woodland, whose young son committed suicide two years ago this week. She's turning this tragedy around by educating the public about mental illness and raising funds for a therapeutic farm called Casas de Vida Nueva.  She's put together a walk team for the upcoming NAMI NM Walk May 3rd, (check in at 7 :00 a.m. in the parking lot of the Hoffmantown Baptist Church at 888 Harper NE) and is looking for contributions and walkers.  E-mail her at scrappy1231@earthlink.net or give her a call at 344-4343.   Here's what she has to say…

What the Stigma of Mental Illness Looks Like
Unwittingly and unknowingly I perpetuated the stigma - I didn't know what mental illness was, what it looked like, much less thought about the people with it. I didn't know that mental illness is a real biological illness and it is not a choice. I didn't know that asking someone with severe depression to just get over it, get on with life; deal with it, was like asking someone with cancer to heal themselves.  It was like leaving someone bleeding on the side of the street without calling an ambulance.  I didn't know that clinical depression, schizophrenia, and bipolar disorder are some of the mental illnesses for which the symptoms look like disoriented thinking, erratic behavior, or emotional problems- but in reality are biological illnesses that require medical treatment.

I have learned that there is a continuum along which mental illness occurs. Levels of illness range from mild to severe. Depression is one of the most common. But it is more than sadness, which we all experience from time to time.  It is a deeper, lingering inability of the brain to release the chemicals that allow human beings to process the stresses of life.  At any place along this continuum, treatment could help ameliorate the symptoms. But, because of the stigma that exists most people don't want to admit that they are ill. Truthfully, who would want to, when it is seen as a weakness of character or constitution? Many people suffer in silence because they too believe the lie.

After my son's diagnosis 2 years ago of possible schizophrenia/delusional disorder I still didn't know.  I thought that Ryan could just take a pill and somehow miraculously return to us as the full human being he had been before.  I believed this was the cure - no more of this delusional thinking and arrested development. But for some people even the strongest antipsychotic cannot change the brain and make it work better.  Medications have improved and do make a significant difference for most people.  But, even when medications work, complications can occur if the person stops taking them, sending them into psychosis once again. For Ryan, his healing was not to be on this earth.  My precious son, 24 years old, never gave his family or himself the time to learn about mental illness, with the chance of learning acceptance because he took his own life only nine months after being diagnosed.

A new paradigm is needed through which to view mental illness.  As a society we need education because we believe the lie - we don't understand the biological nature of this illness. The majority of people who have a family member with mental illness or are afflicted themselves, suffer and struggle in silence, not feeling the support of society at large.  In the media we often hear only the stories of people with mental illness who commit violence. The reality is that the percentage of persons with a mental illness who commit violence is no greater than those without it. We judge and make assumptions about people who are depressed as lazy or making excuses.  We must educate ourselves- organizations like NAMI are making a difference. We must stop stigma whenever we hear people referring to persons with mental illness as crazy, schizophrenic, or manic depressive.  These are people with who have an illness - they are NOT the illness.  We must speak up when jokes are made, or we ourselves refer to our own lapse of memory as losing our mind or craziness. These metaphors continue to perpetuate the stigma. We must remember the seriousness of someone who must struggle against his or her broken brain and rely on medication to make a difference in his or her lives. Quoting Marja Bergen, the author of a book on mental illness recovery called Riding the Rollercoaster, We have come to believe, along with society, that our disorder reflects our personality.  We should remember that such ideas result from the stigma society has wrongfully attached to mental illness. There is no relationship between our illness and our self-worth.

This illness is something lived with day in and day out - perhaps year in and year out unless the illness goes into remission, which can and does happen as with other biological illnesses. Let us not forget the determination and perseverance it takes to learn to live with mental illness and the acceptance that must take place in the individual and their family before treatment can really begin.  I am working with a therapeutic farm called Casas de Vida Nueva whose mission is to help those learning to cope with, understand, and live with a mental illness. The farm will offer fresh air, open space and natural beauty. This therapeutic environment will enable people to focus on recovery through psychiatric services, forming community, and building practical skills through meaningful work on the farm.  For more information see the website: www.cvnfarm.org

Mental illness affects all people, from all walks of life. It afflicts without regard to socioeconomic status, race or gender. So, it is up to each of us to lead the way in reducing the stigma that is attached to the diagnosis of a mental illness.  It is up to us to educate ourselves, our families and friends about exactly what mental illness is - that it is treatable and that it is an illness like any other. Ryan would have benefited so much from the opportunity to live on the farm, learning to live with mental illness, and maybe also learning how to rediscover his potential.

Desiree Woodland
Mother of Ryan who died May 1, 2006

Editor's Note: New Mexico is 50th of 50 states in terms of per capita spending on mental health.

Campaign Update and more

Campaign Update

In the short time since I launched this Primary campaign, I've been heartened by the support I've received from a growing group of volunteers and folks in Senate District 13-and beyond. With the election only seven weeks away  (June 3rd-don't forget) we are now rallying the troops to help walk some precincts, put up some signs and alert voters to the upcoming election. The first step, as always, is a PARTY.  It's a MIX AND MINGLE OPEN HOUSE at my house Sunday April 20th from 2-5 at 1821 Meadowview NW. Stop by to pick up yard signs, literature, sign up for tasks, and enjoy the community a campaign creates.  For directions and to RSVP, call 899-5715 or 459-5921. Kids are welcome.

If you can't come, I still need your help.  Here's what you can do:
Volunteer (call Helen at 610-9009)
Help Dede Walk  (call Janie at 345-7612)
Make a Donation at www.dedefeldman.com
Put up a Yard Sign if you live in Senate District 13  (www.dedefeldman.com has a map of the district)

Governor Still Wants Special Session on Health Care

Frustrated that Senators in a small working group appointed by President Pro Tempore Tim Jennings have not made much progress toward universal health care, Governor Richardson is upping the ante, threatening to call the session before June at the height of the Primary campaign season.  Senate leaders have cautioned delay  (of course) until after June revenue projections are out.  The figures are bound to be bleak, giving opponents of reform another reason to do nothing. But it's not all a matter of money.  There are plenty of insurance reforms we could be looking at, as well as efforts to address chronic diseases and find ways to save money through bulk purchasing of pharmaceuticals or better utilization of the programs we have in place. We'll be looking at some of those issues during interim hearings of the Health and Human Services Committee, which I chair, starting in July.  Stay tuned. I'm still hoping we can break the coverage impasse-probably sometime this summer.

Good News: You Can Now Dispose of Electronic Waste Easily

Got an old computer, or cell phone cluttering your garage?  The City now has instituted daily disposal of electronic waste (except TVs).  Just bring your stuff to the Eagle Rock Transfer Station near Alameda and I- 25 Monday -Friday.  It costs $3.50, but you don't have to wait for the semi annual events like the one held recently at the Baloon Fiesta Park, or earlier at Cottonwood Mall.   Call 311 for more information.

Yes, It’s True, I have an Opponent in the June Democratic Primary

            March 18 was candidate filing day for all members of the legislature and other offices up for election this year.  Much to my surprise, I have an opponent in the June Primary and… the race has now begun!

            Ever since I came to the legislature 12 years ago, I have been fighting for quality, affordable health care, campaign finance reform, consumer and environmental protection, and more recently, clean alternative energy.  And with your help, I will continue.

 

            The theme of my campaign this year is “A Leader who Listens, “ something I’ve been trying to do, with annual constituent surveys, year-round involvement in neighborhood affairs, and the open hearings that I hold as Chair of the Health and Human Services—and Senate Public Affairs Committees. 

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            If you’d like to see me continue to push though legislation like the Graduated Drivers License program, the Do Not Call List, the Nurse Advice Line, Solar and Green Building Tax Credits, the Senior Prescription Drug Program, and the Credit Freeze Bill… please join my campaign.  Together, we can do so much more.

A Leader Who Listens

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Here’s How to Help: 

            Please go to www.dedefeldman.com and make a contribution through pay pal.  I am going to run a grassroots campaign, walking the district and listening to voters, but,it takes money to print signs and brochures and do mailings.  If you’d like to contribute in other ways—please call me at 242-1997 or e-mail me at dedefeld@comcast.net.  Volunteers are always welcome.

            Here’s the news release I sent when I announced my candidacy:             

For Immediate Release:                                                         Contact: Dede Feldman

Thursday, March 13, 2008                                                     242-1997 or 220-5958

                        

           Senator Dede Feldman to Seek Re-Election in District 13

            State Senator Dede Feldman, an Albuquerque Democrat, announced today that she is running for re-election in Senate District 13, which includes parts of the North Valley, mid-Heights and West Side.  Feldman currently serves as Chairman of the Senate Public Affairs Committee and the legislature’s interim Health and Human Services Committee. 

            Feldman is the sponsor of two of the only health care reforms to pass the session this year-- to prevent insurance companies from turning down people with pre-existing conditions and to attack chronic diseases such as diabetes and obesity. For the past several years she has spearheaded the effort to promote alternative energy, successfully sponsoring both the solar and the green building tax credits.  A steadfast supporter of ethics and campaign finance reform, she has pushed for public financing of elections, campaign contribution limits, and open legislative committee meetings.  In 2003 she was the successful sponsor of a requirement that candidates file reports electronically so that they can be posted on the Internet to allow public scrutiny.

            Feldman polls her active constituency every year before the session to ask their opinion of the difficult health and education issues facing the state.  “I try to listen and educate the folks back home on what is happening in Santa Fe,” she says.

            Feldman often works with the Attorney General’s office on consumer protection issues, and she has passed bills allowing consumers to freeze their credit reports and restrict unwanted telephone solicitations.  She is also the architect of the state’s graduated drivers’ license program, and off-highway vehicle restrictions.

            “I’m trying to save lives,” Feldman says of her interest in public health.  “You can do that in many ways-- by training kids to be operate vehicles safely, by extending health insurance coverage, or providing access to care through a nurse hotline, or even peer counseling programs to prevent suicide.”

Feldman’s legislative work has been recognized nationally by the Women Legislators Lobby, the National Recycling Coalition which named her “Best Elected Recycling Official,” and by her fellow legislators who awarded her the Milago Award in 2007.

            A former high school and university teacher, Feldman is the owner of a small marketing and communications company.  She is a former journalist.  A resident of the North Valley for 32 years, she is married to Mark M. Feldman, a custom homebuilder.  They have been married for 39 years and have a 25-year old daughter.

                                                            

A Leader Who Listens

Some Health Reform Beats No Health Reform…

Some Health Reform Beats No Health Reform… 

So read the Albuquerque Journal editorial on March 10^th.  The endorsement was a great birthday present for me (I’m a Pisces, can you tell?) that described the signing of a few of the only health care reform bills to emerge from the session--- SB 226 and SB 129.   The bills, which I sponsored, were signed after a lot of you phoned, wrote and faxed the governor. As you may remember, one (SB 226) was an insurance reform bill that makes it harder for insurance companies to turn down people with preconditions on technicalities, and harder to refuse to pay when their expenses go over a certain limit.   The other (SB 129), which the Governor was initially was going to veto, sets in motion a process to come up with a strategic, statewide plan to confront the major cost drivers in the health care system—chronic diseases like diabetes and obesity. Thank you; thank you again for all your help.  It’s affirmation that your voice does count. 

Now What?

With the failure of the administration’s Health Solutions bill to pass the legislature, the Governor has said that he will call a special session to deal with health care reform sometime during the summer.  That’s to give the administration and the Senate (where most of the opposition was located) a chance to work things out in advance.  To do so, the Senate President Pro Tem, Sen. Tim Jennings, has appointed a working group composed of the leadership and “a few executive members” to meet with the Governor’s representatives.  This is a great idea to focus on areas of possible agreement and construct a roadmap to a compromise.  At this point, there are no House members involved, although that may change if the working group morphs into a full-fledged health committee that will delve into the matter in more detail and hold meetings in public.  Whether the more extended deliberations will simply retrace the old territory covered by three or four task forces over the years, delay a decision, or bear fruit by the summer is anybody’s guess. Compromise has certainly been made more difficult by the Governor decision to veto only Senate bills, and specifically the bills of many of the leaders on the working group (Jennings, Rawson, Ingle, Lopez, Smith) who have opposed health care reform.   Stay tuned.

Spring is in the Air…Getting Ready to Plant? Come to the Seed Exchange

If you’re a home gardener or just want to celebrate the spring cycle, here’s a great event that’s happening in Senate District 13 on Sunday March 30 from 1-3 p.m.  It’s a seed exchange and party for local growers—and eaters.  It’s sponsored by the Rio Grande Community Farm, the non-profit that demonstrates sustainable, local agriculture on the open space at Montano and Rio Grande that many of us in the old Anderson Field Alliance fought to preserve back in 1996.  Some of you may know it as the home of the Corn Maze, which delights children and the young at heart every autumn; others may walk the ditches that criss-cross the fields, which are also visited by hundreds of sand hill cranes. Still others may be involved in the community garden they run every year.

     The free Seed Exchange will start at 1:00 p.m. Sunday March 30 with community booths, master gardeners, and arts and crafts.  The event may be accessed by going west on Montano Rd. toward the river and turning right at the sign on the field, right before the Presbyterian Church.  It will be followed by a fundraising reception ($25 suggested contribution) at the barn.  For more information or to sign up for a free booth… contact Abby at 999-1258.

Education, Healthcare Took Back Seat in Budget

            
                   Senator Dede Feldman and Legislative intern, Mercy Berman

           Voters hear a lot about the importance of education and health care during every election season, but the true test of our elected officials priorities can be found in the state’s recently approved budget.

            Ordinary citizens have been making extraordinary efforts to improve New Mexico this year by participating in town halls, task forces and the like.  Yet, in spite of the Herculean efforts of hundreds of citizens who have come together to grapple with tough issues such as the state school funding formula, the inability of small employers to afford health coverage for their employees, and the growing number of uninsured people here, this year’s budget stops short of making the investments we need to assure a healthy, well-educated New Mexico, now and into the next decade.

            As Chairs of the Senate Education and Public Affairs Committees, which deal with schools and health care, two areas that are often played off against one another, we are very disappointed.

            In this year’s session of Health Care Reform, so dominated by proposals for universal health care and coverage, we under-funded Medicaid, the state-federal insurance program that now covers almost 190,000 low-income children, by $11 million.  That’s the amount the administration told legislative budget makers was needed to keep the program whole.  It did not include the additional $9 million to enroll 9,000 more low-income children, the first logical step towards broader coverage for all.

            That’s distressing since there is a fairly broad consensus that, with three federal dollars for every state dollar devoted to the program, Medicaid is a great financial investment.  Also, an ounce of prevention for babies—in terms of immunization, treatment for developmental delays and regular checkups—is worth a pound of cure, especially when those cures—in the form of special education or juvenile incarceration—are expensive ones.

            Healthier children are also better learners who can take advantage of some of the opportunities we are beginning to create for them in pre-kindergarten and early childhood education, two other areas where there is overwhelming evidence that the investment pays off handsomely.

            But it was in the field of education that the recent session was perhaps the most disappointing for child advocates.

            During the last two years, policy makers and citizens have been examining the public school funding formula at a cost of $1 million for a task force and other research.  An independent, out-of-state consultant has told us that we are under-funding our K-12 schools by $350 million, and a lawsuit looms if we do not remedy the situation.

            But what happened in the recent legislative session?  The Senate Finance Committee did not even schedule hearings on the issue, and in spite of all the work and the warnings, the issue died without a plan to go forward.

            Perhaps it’s not so unusual for existing programs and new initiatives to go unfunded in tough budget years. But, if we can find funds for a myriad of programs, not to mention tax breaks for a vast array of industries, surely we can find the money to enable sick kids to go to the doctor and support our schools, which are still the best avenues to opportunity and success.

            For us, it’s a matter of priorities—and values.

            Senator Cynthia Nava( D- Dona Ana) is the Chairman of the Senate Education Committee.  Senator Dede Feldman (D- Bernalillo) is Chairman of the Senate Public Affairs Committee.