The Indy Star has an editorial entitled: Memo to FSSA: Let them speak The editorial board is critical, and rightly so, of the Family and Social Services Administration rule prohibiting employees from speaking with state lawmakers, their staffs, lobbyists and the media before checking with supervisors. According to the FSSA, “The purpose of this rule is simply to ensure that FSSA speaks with a consistent voice on legislative and policy matters.”
Frankly, if my experience as a staff member of the Legislative Services Agency assisting a legislative Autism study committee was any indication, getting information out of FSSA before this kind of rule was already hard enough. Because of that experience, I was very disappointed with Joe Kernan’s choice of Kathy Davis as a Lt. Gov. candidate. Anyway, back in the day, the Autism Committee asked me to get Davis who was director of the FSSA to testify. No contact with Davis directly, no return telephone calls, no response to my letters. Nothing. Now, if I can’t get a response from FSSA while dropping words like attorney, LSA, Legislature, Senator, Study Committee, testify, etc. what chance does someone have who actually needs FSSA’s services and is likely poor, powerless, and uneducated?
So, if the FSSA culture hasn’t changed in the last 6 years, then this new policy adds insult to injury. One of my hopes is that the new Daniels administration can make positive changes to FSSA. This memo indicates changes, but in the wrong direction.
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