UMDNJ chief to press for change

The Star Ledger ^ | Friday, March 10, 2006 | BY TED SHERMAN AND JOSH MARGOLIN

[Calpernia]

In his first interview since becoming interim president of the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey, Vladeck -- despite a calm, easygoing manner -- made it clear that more change is on the way.

(snip)

"The rules of the game in this place have changed, and they haven't been changed by us," he said. "Even though the state is our lifeblood, we cannot, as a matter now of law, engage in some of the kinds of behaviors that have existed in the past. Some of the kinds of things that have (been) reported -- that may have become standard operating procedure in the past -- we cannot do anymore."

The university is now operating under an unprecedented deferred prosecution agreement that was put in place in December, after the university was criminally charged with Medicaid fraud.

That agreement granted broad powers to a federal monitor, former federal Judge Herbert J. Stern, who now has oversight over the university's $1.6 billion budget and sweeping authority to open the university's books, recommend firing staff and make major reforms.

(snip)

[Calpernia]

http://www.app.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060309/NEWS03/603090389/1007
UMDNJ faces allegations of overbilling Medicaid by $70M

http://www.newsday.com/news/local/wire/newjersey/ny-bc-nj--umdnj0308mar08,0,7402337.story?coll=ny-region-apnewjersey
Troubled medical school facing more scrutiny over bills

The embattled University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey is facing scrutiny over new accusations of Medicaid billing problems, according to published reports.

The state medical school may have overbilled the government by as much as $70 million to $75 million, The Record of Bergen County and The Star-Ledger of Newark _ both citing unnamed sources _ reported in Wednesday's newspapers.

(snip)

Stern's first report is due to the U.S. attorney at the end of March.

http://www.nj.com/news/ledger/index.ssf?/base/news-5/11417984673130.xml&coll=1
Clues point to new fraud at UMDNJ
Executive suspended over alleged $70M in Medicaid double billing

(snip)

While auditors are still trying to determine the extent of the problem, the amount involved far exceeds the $4.9million in fraudulent billing outlined in a separate federal criminal complaint against UMDNJ in December.

The university -- charged with knowingly double-billing Medicaid for the same services as its physicians -- avoided prosecution by placing itself under the oversight of a federal monitor. The state institution remains under an ongoing criminal investigation into political influence peddling, no-bid contracts, and sweetheart deals to insiders.

The new billing problems were uncovered last week, as part of an examination of the annual cost reports submitted to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, according to two officials with direct knowledge of the investigation.

(snip)

[Calpernia]

UMDNJ/Robert Wood Johnson ping

[Calpernia]

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1563271/posts?page=23#23
Healthy People 2010


This initiative was stimulated by President Clinton's commitment to eliminate disparities in health for racial and ethnic minority populations by 2010.


http://www.nidcr.nih.gov/NR/rdonlyres/D2C8F49F-400E-467E-ACF2-6255D6E9FDEA/0/Nadrc0900.pdf
DHHS OFFICE OF HEALTH PROMOTION AND DISEASE PREVENTION
AND THE HEALTHY PEOPLE 2010 INITIATIVE

(major snip)

Dr. Randy Wykoff, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Health for Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, DHHS, presented an overview of Healthy People 2010, including the Leading Health Indicators, and possible ways to maximize this initiative. Healthy People 2010 is coordinated by the DHHS Office for Disease Prevention and Health Promotion.

Dr. Wykoff noted that Healthy People 2010 is a comprehensive set of national 10-year objectives that are developed through a collaborative process involving both the public and private sectors. All the objectives are specific and measurable over time based on data. The document, published and distributed by the Federal Government, also is a statistical description of the health status of Americans, including racial and ethnic disparities; a textbook on current public health priorities; and an important part of the national strategic plan for improving health. Healthy People 2010 is the third iteration of an effort that began in 1979 with publication of the Surgeon General's Report on Health Promotion and Disease Prevention. Ever larger and more complex, this iteration has two overarching goals, 28 focus areas, 467 objectives, and 10 leading health indicators.

(major snip)

Grant Review

The Council considered 327 applications requesting $70,492,343 in total costs. The Council recommended
238 applications for a total cost of $31,211,337 (see Attachment II).

UMDNJ is a publicly interest member of this initiative.

Members:

r. Hillary Brode, University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey (UMDNJ)- New Jersey Dental School, Newark

[SheLion]

http://www.nj.com/news/ledger/index.ssf?/base/news-5/11417984673130.xml&coll=1
Clues point to new fraud at UMDNJ
Executive suspended over alleged $70M in Medicaid double billing

sweet      ~sarcasm!

[OldFriend]

When they start putting people in jail then I'll believe they intend to change.

[Calpernia]

I totally agree OldFriend.

[Calpernia]

Just wanted to give this quote a little more emphasis.

"The rules of the game in this place have changed, and they haven't been changed by us," he said. "Even though the state is our lifeblood, we cannot, as a matter now of law, engage in some of the kinds of behaviors that have existed in the past. Some of the kinds of things that have (been) reported -- that may have become standard operating procedure in the past -- we cannot do anymore."

[OldFriend]

In other words, now that we are being watched we have to stop stealing from the state.

[Calpernia]

now that we are being watched we have to stop stealing from the state [our lifeblood] and they [the rules] haven't been changed by us.


yuppers.

Who do you think that was publicly being addressed to? It is almost like he was telling someone we have a problem here and it isn't our fault.

Obviously if this was a conversation amongst themselves, they wouldn't have had to make a public statement like that.

[OldFriend]

Actually, now that we hve the brilliant Corzine in charge, I'm confident all corruption will come to an end.

Pay to play will be a thing of the past.

And companies like Prudential will not be asked to hire certain people in exchange for state business.

[Mind-numbed Robot]

Why don't we just get rid of legislatures and just have judges, with the Governor/President as Chief Administrative Judge. Far fewer people to payoff that way. :-)

[Calpernia]

Investigations so far:

* No-Bid Contracts, Often Resulting in No Documented Work -

"It is not just that university officials handed out contracts to politically connected people without any competitive bidding. What is more astonishing is how pervasive the practice was, with more than $700 million in no-bid contracts awarded over five years, and that it appears that some of the contractors did no perceptible work in exchange for their payments."

Example, Newark Star-Ledger noted that the school gave a $75,000 no-bid contract to Ronald White, a former top fund-raiser for former NJ Governor James E. McGeevey, but could provide no evidence he did any work for it: also, the school paid over $1 million over ten years to Chip Stapleton, a Republican consultant, to advise the university, but again the university cannot document that he did any work, either.

* Hiring Lobbyists to Influence the State Government, and Making Political Contributions -

"It is not just that the university hired influential lobbyists and consultants, ostensibly to promote its interests in Trenton - itself a rare step for a public university - but that it hired so many of them. The school, which receives more than $300 million a year from the state, went a step further in strengthening its political ties, giving campaign contributions to many elected officials, a nearly unheard-of practice whose legality has been questioned by some legislators."

Example, the Star-Ledger noted that the school gave a $10,000 campaign contribution to a "breast cancer group" linked to Newark Councilwoman Gayle Chaneyfield-Jenkins.

* Allowing Political Bosses to Make Decisions -

"It is not just that university posts were handed to people with powerful political connections and potential conflicts of interest - though the extent of that practice was impressive. University officials and politicians alike say that political bosses actually dictated to the university who received what jobs, and who was shoved aside."

Example, "Stephen N. Adubato Sr., a Newark power broker and president of the North Ward Educational and Cultural Center, has publicly taken credit for the ouster of Harvey Holzberg as university chairman. Stanley S. Bergen Jr., a former president of the university, and several other people tied to the institution and to state government, say that Mr. Adubato engineered the appointment of Mr. Petillo as chairman and then president - something that Mr. Adubato now vigorously denies. Last November, Mr. Petillo awarded a $95,000 no-bid contract to an organization run by Mr. Adubato."

* Health Care Organizations Seem to Operate with Little Oversight or Accountability -

"But lawmakers, watchdog groups and political scientists say the causes boil down to two basic factors: a relative lack of scrutiny at the university, and the unique political structure and culture of New Jersey."

* The Anechoic Effect -

"If people within government are not watching the doings of state agencies closely enough, the same may be true of those outside government." Furthermore, "But the newspapers in New York City and Philadelphia that are read by so many people in New Jersey have focused on the issue only occasionally, and the out-of-state television stations that dominate the state's airwaves have paid even less attention. And there may lie a reason the university long escaped scrutiny for practices that, in some cases, date back at least a decade."

* University under investigation by the US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

Newark Star-Ledger described how a burglar made away with a variety of records, but almost no cash, and little of pecuniary value, from a UNDMJ administration building. This burglary occurred days after a memo from a UMDNJ staff lawyer asking employees to secure all documents and destroy none of them. The initial story said that the records included documents subpoenaed by the FBI, and personnel records probably also related to the investigation, according to an additional report. The President of UMDNJ, John Petillo, even said that to him "it looks like it may very well have been an inside job." After the burglary, the FBI stepped up their investigation, interviewing several UMDNJ employees in pre-dawn visits.

* The Black Bag... -

Confusion about what documents were actually taken from UMDNJ, another Star-Ledger article included a statement by UMDNJ officials that "no documents requested of UMDNJ by any outstanding subpoena are missing due to the break-in." Yet, according to the Star Ledger, "stolen personnel records could factor into the federal probe."

A Star-Ledger editorial noted, "at least two definitions come to mind when considering the term 'black bag.' First, there's a doctor's medical bag. Then there's the slang meaning a secret, illegal break-in, usually by a government agency. Now, thanks to the latest jaw-dropping incident at New Jersey's University of Medicine and Dentistry, there's no need to make the distinction between the two."

[Calpernia]

What a frugal idea!

:)

[Mind-numbed Robot]

Just trying to save the citizens some money. :-)

[Alamo-Girl]

Thanks for the ping!

[floriduh voter]

bump for weekend reading.

[Calpernia]

>>>>"The rules of the game in this place have changed, and they haven't been changed by us," he said. "Even though the state is our lifeblood, we cannot, as a matter now of law, engage in some of the kinds of behaviors that have existed in the past. Some of the kinds of things that have (been) reported -- that may have become standard operating procedure in the past -- we cannot do anymore."<<<

At UMDNJ "The Rules of the Game Have Changed"

As auditors continue to investigate the finances of the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey (UMDNJ), new problems continue to surface.

We have posted extensively at the troubles at UMDNJ, which now is operating under a federal deferred prosecution agreement with the supervision of a federal monitor (most recently here).

The indefatigable reporters at the Newark Star-Ledger have revealed yet another problem, possiblly massive over-billing by UMDNJ of Medicare. " While auditors are still trying to determine the extent of the problem, the amount involved far exceeds the $4.9million in fraudulent billing outlined in a separate federal criminal complaint against UMDNJ in December." " The new billing problems were uncovered last week, as part of an examination of the annual cost reports submitted to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, according to two officials with direct knowledge of the investigation." "At issue were costs associated with the university's mental health division, University Behavioral HealthCare, and whether UMDNJ-University Hospital padded those costs with its own administrative expenses. If the federal cost reports were inflated, the hospital would be reimbursed at a higher rate than it is legally entitled to receive. The sources said the hospital may have submitted reports that funneled an additional $50million to $70million in unwarranted reimbursements."

Meanwhile, the Dean of one of UMDNJ's two medical schools, Dr Harold Paz, has resigned. His new job will be Senior Vice President for Health Affairs, Dean of the Medical School, and CEO of Hershey Medical Center at Pennsylvania State University. Thus both of UMDNJ's medical schools for the moment will be operating with acting deans.

Furthermore, UMDNJ's new interim president, Bruce C. Vladek, has come on board while putting all his constituents on notice that it will no longer be business as usual at UMDNJ:


People are all on notice that there is no tenure in the management structure of this organization. I feel empowered to restructure the administrative staff of this organization, subject to consultation and approval of the board, however I feel is necessary.
The rules of the game in this place have changed, and they haven't been changed by us. Even though the state is our lifeblood, we cannot, as a matter now of law, engage in some of the kinds of behaviors that have existed in the past. Some of the kinds of things that have (been) reported -- that may have become standard operating procedure in the past -- we cannot do anymore.


It sounds like he has the right idea, but will have a lot of work to do.

But he also noted,

As far as I know, the very, very real problems here are largely isolated from the educational, clinical and research activities of the university.


I do beg to differ somewhat with this. I am sure that UMDNJ has many dedicated professionals and faculty who have been working hard to keep the clinical and academic missions on track. Yet I am not sure how "isolated" they have been from the problems. It must have been demoralizing to work under the previous UMDNJ administration, which has now been revealed as scandal-ridden. I can only hope that their morale is improving now. Hopefully, the new leaders of UMDNJ will be worthy of their trust.

The case of UMDNJ should be a wake-up call for those who thought that business as usual was just a fine way to run the health care system. However, although this case, like that of UCI, has gotten plenty of local attention, it seems not to have been noticed outside of its region, nor in medical, health care, and health policy journals. As far as I can tell, the only place to see these cases juxtaposed is here on Health Care Renewal.

http://hcrenewal.blogspot.com/

[Calpernia]

http://www.courierpostonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060425/NEWS01/604250372/1006
Judge's findings hit UMDNJ dean

KEY POINTS

The federal monitor concluded R. Michael Gallagher, outgoing dean of UMDNJ's School of Osteopathic Medicine:

Directed subordinates to "doctor' a clinic's financial records so that he could qualify for $15,000 bonuses.

Submitted bills featuring more than $200,000 worth of questionable expenses, including expensive meals and a $750 stay at a New York hotel.

---

http://www.nj.com/news/ledger/index.ssf?/base/news-6/1145943684186730.xml&coll=1
Layoffs, shifts on horizon for UMDNJ execs

excerpt

The management shake-up comes as UMDNJ is dealing with a new report alleging "unethical and potentially illegal" behavior by a university trustee and a dean. Herbert J. Stern, the federal monitor appointed to oversee UMDNJ, found Newark City Council President Donald Bradley, a university trustee, and R. Michael Gallagher, dean of the School of Osteopathic Medicine in Stratford, both abused their positions.

Neither Bradley nor Gallagher returned phone calls yesterday.

Bradley, one of the top officials in Newark's city government, repeatedly used his position on UMDNJ's board to get friends and family members jobs at the university, according to the report. He also helped get one of his campaign contributors a $1-a-year deal to lease space in a UMDNJ building.

"Based on our interviews and observations, it appears that Bradley used his influence and connections with UMDNJ to further his own political agenda," the report concluded.

---

http://www.nytimes.com/glogin?URI=http://www.nytimes.com/2006/04/25/nyregion/25medical.html&OQ=_rQ3D1&OP=667dfdd6Q2FQ7BocEQ7B2Q5EQ24yQ3CQ5EQ5EQ5B.Q7B.Q27Q27KQ7BQ27Q2FQ7B.5Q7BJQ60Q3CcmqQ5EJQ7B.5Xc2qQ24WRQ26wQ5BXR
Monitor Sees Misconduct by a State School Dean and a Newark Council Leader
By DAVID KOCIENIEWSKI
Published: April 25, 2006

excerpt

Nearly a million dollars was misspent on country club parties, bonuses and no-show jobs for the officials' friends, a report says.

---

http://www.northjersey.com/page.php?qstr=eXJpcnk3ZjczN2Y3dnFlZUVFeXk1JmZnYmVsN2Y3dnFlZUVFeXk2OTI0ODMxJnlyaXJ5N2Y3MTdmN3ZxZWVFRXl5Mg==
Med school dean living large

Tuesday, April 25, 2006

By ELISE YOUNG, JOHN P. McALPIN and BOB GROVES
STAFF WRITERS

Dr. R. Michael Gallagher used a curious phrase -- "I have to get my '15' " -- to remind colleagues around the office at the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey that one of the departments he oversaw needed to do a particularly good job, federal investigators say.

Gallagher, dean of the university's School of Osteopathic Medicine, was referring to a $15,000 bonus he would receive if the UMDNJ Headache Center showed an annual profit, the investigators said in a report released Monday.

In all but one year since 1997, Gallagher authorized transfers of cash from other accounts, even those intended for clinical trials, to make up the difference when it appeared that the Headache Center would fall short, they say. The "profit" consistently was $30,000, the level at which Gallagher was entitled to a bonus.

excerpt

---

http://www.newsday.com/news/local/wire/newjersey/ny-bc-nj--umdnj0424apr24,0,7271265.story?coll=ny-region-apnewjersey
Federal monitor: Thousands grossly misspent at UMDNJ

excerpt

And school Trustee Donald Bradley, also Newark's City Council president, pressed the medical university to enter a deal to let one of his campaign donors sublet an empty building from UMDNJ for a dollar a year, the report states.

(snip)

the second report into UMDNJ's troubled finances by the federal monitor, former federal Judge Herbert J. Stern, also states he is investigating whether former Gov. James E. McGreevey pulled strings so state Sen. Wayne Bryant, the chairman of the Senate Budget Committee, could "obtain positions" at UMDNJ. For three years, Bryant held a program-support coordinator job the school. In his final year, he made $38,220.

A call placed to Bryant's Cherry Hill law office on Monday was not returned.

But the focus of Stern's latest scathing report centers on Gallagher, the dean of UMDNJ's School of Osteopathic Medicine whose forced resignation goes through this week, and Bradley, who is wrapping up his final months on Newark's council.

[Calpernia]

http://hcrenewal.blogspot.com/

More About UMDNJ Leaders Feathering Their Own Nests

Has it really been almost three weeks since we posted about the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey (UMDNJ)? UMDNJ now is operating under a federal deferred prosecution agreement with the supervision of a federal monitor (see most recent posts here and here.) We had previously discussed allegations that UMDNJ had offered no-bid contracts, at times requiring no work, to the politically connected; had paid for lobbyists and made political contributions, even though UMDNJ is a state institution; and seemed to be run by political bosses rather than health care professionals. (See post here, with links to previous posts.)

There are yet more revelations about how UMDNJ leaders feathered their own nests.

Some concern one New Jersey State Senator Wayne R Bryant (Democrat - Camden County). According to the Philadelphia Inquirer, "in 2003, the college's School of Osteopathic Medicine in Stratford created a program-support coordinator job for Bryant. Investigators are looking into allegations that Bryant improperly used his position as Chairman of the Senate's budget committee to direct millions in state funds to the school." Furthermore, "legislative sources say that as the state budget was finalized last June, Bryant steered a last-minute $2.7 million to the Stratford school for debt service. In addition, Bryant also paved the way to increase a state allocation to UMDNJ's Robert Wood Johnson Medical School in Camden, for a total of $7.8 million, as well as a $5 million appropriation for the Newark campus' Neurosciences Institute...."

Others arise out of more findings by the federal monitor who is now overseeing UMDNJ. According to the indefatigable Newark Star-Ledger, the monitor's latest report has more about Dr R Michael Gallagher, the former Dean of the School of Osteopathic Medicine (mentioned above). "Investigators concluded that the osteopathic school near Camden systematically falsified profit and loss statements - at Gallagher's direction - to show the headache center [which Gallagher ran] was making money, thus making Gallagher, whose salary is $381,854, eligible for the annual bonus." Also, the investigators reported that Gallagher "submitted travel expenses to the university for reimbursement that had already been picked up by drug companies." The report also included a variety of lavish expenses for which Gallagher was reimbursed by UMDNJ, such as an expensive leather computer case for his wife, a night at the Waldorf for Gallagher and his wife, and the now familiar meals at exepnsive restaurants and country clubs.

Also according to the Star-Ledger, the monitor alleged UMDNJ Trustee Donald Bradley, who is also Newark City Council President, pushed UMDNJ to "further his political activities." He persuaded UMDNJ to underwrite a gala affair entitled "Keep the Dream Alive." It cost over $22,000, including $2550 for a martini bar and ice sculptures. "The event apparently violated state policy, which prohibits publicly funded institutions from holding receptions honoring any state employee - which would have included the UMDNJ staffers who were celebrated at the event - or expenses for alcoholic beverages...." Bradly also applied pressure to secure jobs for favored people at UMDNJ. "Bradley would often personally accompany people he recommended for jobs on interviews. Among those were his daughter-in-law, who was hired and subsequently fired." Finally, the monitor questioned "whether Bradley forced UMDNJ to sublet medical office space it leases at 194 Clinton Avenue in Newark to Chandrakant Patel, a physician and contributor to Bradley who operated Universal Industrial Clinic until he lost his medical license." "Top [UMDNJ] administrators were told they should provide physicians and medical imaging equipment to enable Patel to establish a federally qualified health clinic at the site. According to the report, the city council president told one that if she assisted in the effort, he could make 'go away' a separate city lawsuit against UMDNJ...." "UMDNJ has never tried to collect $75,000 in real estate taxes Patel was obligated to pay under the token lease...." The University was never even paid its symbolic lease payment. "It is owed $3 by Patel."

UMDNJ has unfortunately become a prime example of how the leadership can bring a once respected health care organization low by putting their own interests ahead of the institution's mission. At least we can hope that the ongoing clean-up will provide a model for how to clean up other errant health care organizations. Once again, my sympathy is with the dedicated UMDNJ staff who have tried to soldier on through all of this, and of course with the patients who still need to go to UMDNJ for their health care.

[Calpernia]

umdnj updated

[Calpernia]

Charles Merrill

Merrill: sources - ABC, The New York Times, The New York Post, and his website.

Merrill was once married to Princess Evangeline Zalstem-Zalessky. Born in 1897 in New Jersey, Evangeline Johnson was the daughter of Robert Wood Johnson, co-founder of the pharmaceutical company Johnson & Johnson. Evangeline was thrice married, first to the conductor Leopold Stokowski, then to a Russian nobleman known as Prince Zalstem-Zalessky and lastly to Merrill.

Zalessky was more than three decades older than Merrill. She died in 1990 at the age of 93.

In the years that followed, Merrill met his partner Kevin Boyle on a beach in California.

“After my wife passed away I went to West Hollywood,” he recalls. “I got a bit part as a pirate in Steven Spielberg’s ‘Hook.’ It was during that trip that I met Kevin. He’s very gentle, artistic and intuitive. Eventually he came back here to live with me on the mountain.”

[Calpernia]

MULTI-millionaire blueblood Charles Merrill has devised a novel way to protest President Bush's proposed constitutional amendment to ban gay marriage: He's stopped paying his taxes. The eccentric Merrill, 71 - whose cousin, Charles Merrill, founded Merrill Lynch, and whose late wife, Evangeline, was the only daughter of Johnson & Johnson founder Robert Wood Johnson - is refusing to file tax returns for 2004 or 2005 and wants other wealthy gays to join him.

"My partner and I believe marriage is when two people love each other regardless of their sexual organs," Merrill tells PAGE SIX from his home in the hills of North Carolina. "We're paying first-class taxes to be treated like second-class citizens and we're sick of it."

[Calpernia]

homosexualagenda

[SheLion]

UMDNJ/Robert Wood Johnson ping

Just seeing that name gives me the shivers!

[Calpernia]

Did you see the posts I've added?

[wagglebee]

In a twisted way, I would like to see him forced into court to get a ruling on this protest. If some pro-homosexual activist judge decides that not paying income tax is a valid form of protest, it could work out really well for the rest of us.

[Calpernia]

http://entertainment.excite.com/celebgossip/pgsix/id/02_18_2006_1.html

Excerpt:

Merrill, whose paternal line stretches back to Nathaniel Merrill, an immigrant to the Massachusetts Bay Colony from England in 1620, says it all comes down to "taxation without representation."

"According to the General Accounting Office, there are over 1,049 protections and incentives extended to straight married couples, none of which we get," he fumes. "I'm just doing the same thing that Mahatma Gandhi did in India and the colonists did during the War for Independence."

In his former life, Merrill was married to Evangeline Johnson (aunt to Jets owner Woody Johnson, and great aunt to demi-socialite Casey) who was 30 years his senior, but shared Charles' affinity for art and existentialism. (Evangeline had previously been married to orchestral conductor Leopold Stokowski, who made "Fantasia" with Walt Disney.)

After her death in 1990, Charles met his longtime lover, Kevin Boyle, who's 20 years younger, although he stills remains close with the Johnson clan - "They're very supportive," he says.

[Calpernia]

Notice though, these names and business connections.

[SheLion]

Did you see the posts I've added?

Yes!  Lots of reading.  It will take me awhile to catch up!!!  Good going!!!  You are really on top of this issue!!!

[Calpernia]

http://www.le-gal.org/site/pasthonorees.html

Past Honorees
The following have been honored at LeGaL's previous annual dinners:

Keynote Speakers

Robert Abrams, New York State Attorney General (1991)
Hon. Karen S. Burstein (1995)
David Dinkins, New York City Mayor (1990)
Mary C. Dunlap, Esq. (1993)
Barney Frank, member of Congress (1987)
Bill Green, member of Congress (1988)
Elizabeth Holzman, Kings County District Attorney (1989)
David Mixner (1994)
Hon. Eve Preminger (1992)
Charles E. Schumer, member of Congress (1996)

Awardees

Ginny Apuzzo (1990)
Hon. Deborah A. Batts (1995)
Carol Buell (1993)
Lawrence Chanen (1999) Charles Ching (1996)
Cleary, Gottleib, Steen & Hamilton (2000)
Herbert Cohen (1991)
Lori Cohen (1991)
Catherine L. Cotter (1988)
Martin B. Duberman (1995)
Hon. Betty Weinberg Ellerin (1994)
Paula L. Ettelbrick (2000)
Hon. Richard C. Faila (1989)
Hon. Fern Fisher-Brandveen (1999)
Alexander Forger (1994)
Matt Forman (1993)
The Gay Women's Focus (1999) - Dr. H. Joan Waitkevicz - Dr. Teresa Cuadra - Dr. Arlene Garcia Steve L. Gittleson (1987)
Hon. Deborah Glick (1997)
Paulette Goodman (1991)
Deb Guston (1993)
Lori Sue Herman (1989)
Dr. Marjorie Hill (1996)
Hon. Samuel Horowitz (1987)
Jim Hough (1997)
Andy Humm (1990)
James R. Hyde (1989)
Paul Jeselsohn (1991)
Ralph Erich Jones (1996)
Stephen C. Joseph, M.D. (1988)
Hon. Marcy L. Kahn (1994)
Mitchell Karp (1994)
Alan M. Koral (1989)
Aubrey Lees (1992)
Arthur S. Leonard (1989)
Jim Levin (1993)
Laurie Linton (1998)
Jay Lipner (1989)
Hon. Joan B. Lobis (1989)
Nancy M. Louden (1997)
Noemi E. Masliah (1996)
Kenneth T. Monteiro (1999)
Tim Nenno (1998)
Morton Newburgh (1991)
Hon. Rosalyn Richter (1990)
Hon. Doug Robinson (1997)
Michael Ryan (1992)
Elizabeth Salen (1989)
Mark Scherzer (1992)
Vivian Shapiro (1992)
Anita Sher (1995)
Peter J.W. Sherwin (2000)
Hon John E.H. Stackhouse(1998)
George Terzian (1988)
Joy Tomchin (1993)
Judith Turkel (1987)
Carmen Vazquez (1998)
Dr. Barbara Warren (2000)
Jim West (1990)
Jim Williams (1998)
Evan Wolfson (1995)
Marc Wolinsky (1993)

Contact

799 Broadway, Suite 340
NY NY 10003
(212) 353-9118
le_gal@earthlink.net

-------------------------------------------------------

LGBT Directory for NYC.gov
http://comptroller.nyc.gov/bureaus/cac/LGBT_guide_04.pdf

Gay and Lesbian Victory Fund
1705 DeSales St. NW, 5th fl.,Washington, DC 20036
202/842-8679
202/289-3863
victory@victoryfund.org
www.victoryfund.org
National donor network supports openly lesbian/gay candidates for public office.

----------------------------------------------------

As per David Mixner, the Victory Fund, which was financial cofounded by David Mixner.

http://www.victoryfund.org/clientuploads/documents/Victory_2003_E-Resolution.pdf

Page 25 specifically says The Gay & Lesbian Fund provides financial support to openly lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender candidates and officials.

And it has lists of members, donors and sponsors.

[Calpernia]

National Association of Lesbian, Gay, & Bisexual Community Centers
Assists in coordinating existing smoke-free initiatives and prepare community centers to carry out tobacco programming such as prevention programs, media campaigns, peer organizing, cessation programs, and developing policies around tobacco industry donations.
x
Features samples of tobacco industry ads and LGBT tobacco prevention and control ads.
www.lgbtcenters.org/tobacco.htm

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The Praxis Project



***The Praxis Project***
National Program Office for the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Policy Advocacy on Tobacco & Health, an initiative that provides grants, technical assistance, and training to support tobacco policy advocacy in diverse communities. Supports local policy changes for health justice.
www.thepraxisproject.org

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Our Member Organizations (as of March-06)

The AIDS Institute www.theaidsinstitute.org
AIDS Project Los Angeles www.apla.org
American Psychological Association www.apa.org
Atlanta Lesbian Cancer Initiative www.thehealth initiative.org
Boston Public Health Commission www.bphc.org
Callen-Lord Community Health Center www.callen-lorde.org
Cambridge Cares about AIDS www.ccaa.org
Chase Brexton Health Services www.chasebrexton.org
Chicago Department of Public Health www.cdph.org
Compass, Inc. www.compassglcc.com
Diverse & Resilient www.diverseandresilient.org
Fenway Community Health Center www.fenwayhealth.org
Gay and Lesbian Medical Association www.glma.org
GLBT Health Access Project, JRI Health www.glbthealth.org
Gay Men's Health Crisis www.gmhc.org
Hartford Gay & Lesbian Health Collective www.hglhc.org
HIV/AIDS Disability Services, Inc.
Human Rights Campaign www.hrc.org
JSI Research and Training Institute www.jsi.com
Legacy Community Health Services www.montroseclinic.org
Lesbian Community Cancer Project www.lccp.org
Liberty Education Forum www.libertyeducationforum.org
Log Cabin Republicans www.lcr.org
L. A. Gay & Lesbian Center www.laglc.org
Long Island Minority AIDS Coalition
Massachusetts Asian AIDS Prevention Project www.altrue.net/site/maapp/
Mazzoni Center www.mazzonicenter.org
The Mautner Project, the National Lesbian Health Organization www.mautnerproject.org
Multnomah County Health Department www.co.multnomah.or.us/health
National Alliance of State and Territorial AIDS Directors www.nastad.org
National Association of Lesbian and Gay Addiction Professionals, Inc. www.nalgap.org
National Association of LGBT Community Centers www.lgbtcenters.org
National Center for Transgender Equality www.nctequality.org
National Gay and Lesbian Task Force www.thetaskforce.org
National Lesbian & Feminist Health Coalition www.mautnerproject.org
National Stonewall Democrats www.stonewalldemocrats.org
National Transgender Advocacy Coalition www.ntac.org
National Youth Advocacy Coalition www.nyacyouth.org
NYC Dept. of Health & Mental Hygiene LGBT Health Office www.nyc.gov/html/doh
New York LGBT Community Center www.gaycenter.org
New York State Department of Health- AIDS Institute www.health.state.ny.us/diseases/aids/about
Openhouse www.openhouse-sf.org
Philadelphia Department of Health, AACO www.phmc.org/hiv-aids/hivaids.html
The Praxis Project www.thepraxisproject.org
Rainbow Access Initiative www.rainbowaccess.org
The SafeGaurds Project www. safeguards.org
San Francisco Department of Public Health www.sfdph.org
St. Cloud State University, GLBT Services www.stcloudstate.edu/glbt
Tapestry Health www.tapestryhealth.org
University of California, San Francisco www.ucsf.edu
University of Michigan Health System Comprehensive Gender Services Program www.med.umich.edu/transgender
Verbena Health www.verbenahealth.org
Whitman-Walker Clinic www.wwc.org
Woodhull Freedom Foundation www.woodhullfoundation.org

[Calpernia]

For search fund, kicks and giggles.

I couldn't figure out the 'direct' gay monies from UMDNJ to the Gay & Lesbian funds.

Looks like Robert Wood Johnson created thepraxisproject.org for that.

And tobacco(?) is the front funder for gay groups?

thepraxisproject.org leads to interesting google pulls.

[Calpernia]

Materials from other LGBT Community Foundations

Building Diverse Community-Based Coalitions

– by the Praxis Project,

www.thepraxisproject.org/tools/Coalition_Building_2pdf.pdf

– offers a 5-page overview with practical suggestions about

some of the steps an organization can take to include a

broad base of communities, and how to identify potential

allies, understand their connection to your community, and

engage their interest in collaboration.

[Gabz]

The "praxis project" are admitted socialists and they fund ILLEGAL ALIENS.............

[Gabz]

The "praxis project" are admitted socialists and they fund ILLEGAL ALIENS.............

SO sorry - I meant to type MARXISTS - not socialists.

[Calpernia]

bump

bump

bump

[Calpernia]

(snip)

National Coordinating Committee for the US Social Forum; social justice leaders from across the US who work on issues including environmental justice, poverty, racial justice, immigration, and workers’ rights.

blah blah blah

The World Social Forum (WSF) model is spreading around the world and a wide range of grassroots organizations and networks have announced the location of the first U.S. Social Forum (USSF)

(snip)

blah, blah.....“For us immigrants, the growth of our new communities here have been met not only with repressive policies, racist backlash, abuse and exploitation in the workplace, and scapegoating for socio-economic problems suffered by working class communities, we now also have to face state policies that ask to further extract from our already burdened communities. For instance, Georgia SB 529 seeks to suck up immigrant’s hard-earned income by taxing our remittance wire transfers to our families back home. We are displaced by US economic policies, harassed and kept in a state of constant fear to ensure a cheap and disposable labor supply for US corporations. Immigrant communities in GA and around the country challenge all these, and we say “No Taxation Without Representation.” -Colin Rajah (National Network for Immigrant and Refugee Rights, Chair Program Working Group)

blah blah...“The political moment in the United States brings four important intersections: the war in Iraq, Indigenous Artic drilling, Katrina survivors and US-Mexico border & immigration issues. In fact, all four issues are under the Department of Defense and Homeland Security.” - Ruben Solis (Southwest Workers Union, Southwest Regional Representative)

Copyright 2000-2005 The Praxis Project. All rights reserved. web credits

Funding Opportunities

 

Local Initiative Funding Partners – Robert Wood Johnson Foundation

 

Funded By: The Foundation Center

Deadline: June 30, 2005

 

Summary: Local Initiative Funding Partners, a partnership program between the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and local grant makers, supports innovative, community-based projects designed to improve the health and healthcare for society's most vulnerable people.
To be eligible for this program, projects must offer collaborative, community-based services that are new and innovative. Significant program expansions — such as a major expansion into new regions or to new populations — may also be considered. LIFP matching grants may not be used for the operation of existing programs.

UMDNJ-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School

[Calpernia]

border/immigration ping

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/1593821/posts?page=37#37

[Calpernia]

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/1593821/posts?page=37#37

RELATED/FUNDED

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/1564593/posts
Advocacy group wants office of immigrant affairs
New Jersey Immigration Policy Network ^ | 01/24/06

Posted on 01/25/2006 9:02:19 AM EST by Calpernia

10-page document issued by New Jersey Immigration Policy Network to the Governor

New Jersey Immigration Policy Network, a coalition of more than 70 civil rights, community and social services organizations, recently presented Corzine with a 10-page issue paper asking him to take action within his first 100 days in office.

(snip)....network executive director Partha Banerjee was optimistic.

"Based on what he has done in the past, I'm very hopeful he'll put words into action," Banerjee said.

The network wants Corzine to appoint an advisory committee to explore establishing a statewide office to coordinate services to New Jersey's immigrant communities. State Sen. Ronald Rice, D-Essex, said Monday his office is drafting a bill to that effect to be introduced in a few weeks.

(snip)

[Coleus]

everyday there is another story, today a dean resigned. I wonder if there will be any prosecutions. UMDNJ is one of many entities in the state that have to be investigated.

[Calpernia]

If there are no prosecutions (with real time, unlike Kushner); than this whole War on Terror is just a horse and pony show.

[Calpernia]

Excerpt:

http://www.courierpostonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060519/NEWS01/605190370/1006
Documents shredded at UMDNJ

A secretary may have shredded documents tied to an ongoing probe at the local campus of the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey, a lawyer involved in the investigation said Thursday.

A tipster alerted authorities that papers were being destroyed Wednesday in the office of Warren Wallace, a school administrator and Gloucester County freeholder, said the lawyer, John Inglesino.

(snip)

Bryant, formerly a program support coordinator at UMDNJ, is under investigation for possibly using his position on the state Budget and Finance Committee to steer funds to the school.

(snip)

---

Excerpt:

http://www.philly.com/mld/inquirer/news/local/14614528.htm
FBI raids UMDNJ at Stratford over shredding
A caller at the osteopathic campus called a hotline. The influence there of State Sen. Wayne Bryant has come under federal scrutiny.

(snip)

Bryant, who chairs the Senate Budget and Appropriations Committee, resigned in January from a part-time university position that had been created for him. He had held the job, which paid him $38,220 a year to maintain government relations for the school, since February 2003.

In last year's state budget, Bryant steered a last-minute $2.7 million grant to the Stratford campus for debt service, according to legislative sources.

Bryant and Wallace, who is a Gloucester County freeholder, are political allies.

(snip)

---

Excerpt:

http://www.nj.com/news/ledger/index.ssf?/base/news-6/114792750899310.xml&coll=1
FBI heads to UMDNJ to prevent shredding
S. Jersey campus records said to involve Sen. Bryant

FBI agents raided a South Jersey campus of the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey yesterday afternoon after they were tipped that documents tied to an ongoing criminal probe of a high-ranking state senator were being systematically shredded.

The agents ordered officials at UMDNJ's School of Osteopathic Medicine in Stratford to turn over those documents by today. They also subpoenaed individual school officials to appear today before a federal grand jury in Newark investigating whether any key documents were destroyed.

The records sought related to the university's dealings with state Sen. Wayne Bryant (D-Camden), according to sources with knowledge of the subpoenas who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to publicly discuss the matter.

(snip)

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[Calpernia]

Here is the 57 page Federal Report to date on the UMDNJ activities that includes money mismanagement to political favors.

http://goexcelglobal.com/NJ_DefenseForce/UMDNJ/umdnjhstern.pdf

[Calpernia]

http://hcrenewal.blogspot.com/

Monday, June 05, 2006
Another UMDNJ Leader Fired

After another brief hiatus, UMDNJ is back in the news again. The university now is operating under a federal deferred prosecution agreement with the supervision of a federal monitor (see most recent posts here, here and here.) We had previously discussed allegations that UMDNJ had offered no-bid contracts, at times requiring no work, to the politically connected; had paid for lobbyists and made political contributions, even though UMDNJ is a state institution; and seemed to be run by political bosses rather than health care professionals. (See post here, with links to previous posts.)

Our most recent post about UMDNJ was about a Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) raid on the university's School of Osteopathic Medicine in Stratford, NJ responding to a tip that papers related to the school's relationship to New Jersey state Senator Wayne Bryant (D-Camden) were being shredded in the office of Bryant's political ally, Warren Wallace, the senior associate dean for academic and student affairs at the osteopathic school.

The redoubtable Newark Star-Ledger reported Friday the firing of Dean Wallace. Today, the paper reported on the federal monitor's findings that lead to the firing. These included:

Wallace, whose responsibilities include admissions, worked behind the scenes to get his daughter into medical school. The report says that in a highly unusual decision, the university granted her an interview even though she had failed to submit test scores and other information critical to admission. According to those who have been briefed on the report, his daughter's application did not include the Medical College Aptitude Test scores every medical student must take, letters of recommendation or her required essays on why she should be accepted. Some members of the admissions committee were upset she was even granted an interview. But two members of the school's admissions committee, who acknowledged being contacted beforehand by Wallace, gave her the highest possible interview score.

Records show Wallace interceded to help a friend and neighbor obtain a no-bid contract to provide exclusive cafeteria and catering services for the campus in Stratford worth more than $300,000 over the past three years. The report says Wallace received free meals from the catering service.

Wallace submitted nearly $3,000 in travel expenses through subordinates, who put in for petty cash reimbursements that then were handed over to Wallace. The scheme allowed him to sign off on his own expenses.

Computer files in his office reveal Wallace -- who is also a Gloucester County freeholder and chairman of the Delaware River and Bay Authority -- conducted extensive amounts of outside business while at UMDNJ.

Wallace now is just the latest in a series of UMDNJ leaders who have been forced out, including the former UMDNJ President, former Chair of the UMDNJ board of trustees, and the Dean of the School of Osteopathy.

[ADDENDUM (June 6, 2006): The report is out, and in it, according to the New York Times, federal monitor Herbert J Stern called Mr Wallace's activities "unethical at a minimum." Furthermore, the new chair of the UMDNJ board, Robert J DelTufo, called his behavior "ethically unsavory." And a UMDNJ spokeswoman said, "Dr Wallace's interference with the admissions process was unethical and unacceptable." The Newark Star-Ledger reported that New Jersey Governor Jon Corzine said, "I think it's time for Mr. Wallace to step aside from public life." And the Gloucester County Times revealed the report "states that before a May 15 admissions committee meeting, staff was directed by Wallace to announce to the committee that his daughter was a candidate and that upon acceptance would be interviewed by a member of the faculty who reports to Wallace." After the report was made publich, she withdrew her medical school application.]

As this scandal lurches from one lurid revelation to another, I wonder how difficult it must be for the many honest and hard-working faculty, students, and staff at the institution who continue to fulfill the university's mission, the same mission that was seemingly abandoned by too many of the university's former top leaders.
Perhaps the hope that the university will learn something collectively from this awful experience, and may emerge from this experience as a strong and honest institution again.

We can only hope that the health care community as a whole might learn something from UMDNJ's nightmare. Of course, the community will not learn a thing if it never hears about the story at all.

Thus, the continued envelopment of the UMDNJ story in the anechoic effect remains distressing. I have just searched using PubMed, Google Scholar, and Google, and found absolutely not a single reference to UMDNJ's recent travails in any medical, health care, or health policy journal. The closest my search came was an article in the Spring issue of the Rhode Island American College of Physicians Governor's Newsletter, an article that I wrote.

[Calpernia]

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/1620384/posts
Report on UMDNJ exposes thousands in misspent funds (med school dean guzzled $50 Glenlivet shot)

[floriduh voter]

The ACLU shows up on a google of Praxis. These are progressives and they want to run the State of Florida. In some areas, they have already infiltrated - heavy infiltration.

[Calpernia]

http://hcrenewal.blogspot.com/2006/07/repositioning-and-rebranding-while.html#links

Monday, July 31, 2006
"Repositioning and Rebranding" While UMDNJ Burns (Money)

The management of the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey (UMDNJ) was back in the harsh media spotlight again. UMDNJ has appeared frequently in posts on this blog. The university now is operating under a federal deferred prosecution agreement with the supervision of a federal monitor (see recent posts here, here, here and here.) We had previously discussed allegations that UMDNJ had offered no-bid contracts, at times requiring no work, to the politically connected; had paid for lobbyists and made political contributions, even though UMDNJ is a state institution; and seemed to be run by political bosses rather than health care professionals. (See post here, with links to previous posts.) Most recently, the costs of all these management shenanigans was estimated to be a whopping $243 million (see post here).

The indefatigable Newark Star-Ledger reported that yet another UMDNJ trustee has resigned. This time the issue was

the federal monitor overseeing the school concluded [trustee] Sterritt had committed ethical and legal violations by pressuring university officials to hire his brother, an admitted alcoholic who lost his license to practice law because of misconduct.

The monitor, former federal Judge Herbert J. Stern, said in the report that staffers within the university's human resources department complained that Sterritt was 'very involved' and 'persistent' in an effort to find his brother a position at UMDNJ -- which they considered unprofessional and unacceptable interference.

The report said UMDNJ staff felt pressure to find employment for Sterritt's brother 'at all costs,' noting he was eventually hired after the job requirements were loosened so he could qualify. However, he was paid at the higher salary of the titled position before it was downgraded, according to the monitor.

The article also cataloged all the other UMDNJ leaders who have left:

In the past eight months, the university has lost its president, who was pressured to leave by Corzine; three other trustees who left after tougher ethics rules were put in place banning even casual business relationships with the school; the dean of the university's School of Osteopathic Medicine and the university's senior vice president for academic affairs, who were both accused of abusing travel and expense accounts; and a senior associate dean, who was fired for abusing his position to help himself, friends and family -- including wielding his influence to get a daughter into medical school.

Meanwhile, the repurcussions of the university's huge financial losses continue. The Star-Ledger also reported that the university will lay off more than 100 staff, raise tuition at the medical and dental schools by four percent, and delay the opening of a new out-patient cancer center at the Newark campus. The interim president warned of "longer waits in the hospital's emergency room for non-critical cases. He predicted patients also will have to wait longer to get appointments at the hospital's clinics, as well as face delays for elective surgery."

But amazingly, despite these cuts, the Star-Ledger further reported that UMDNJ leadership had planned to spend about $2.5 million on a "marketing campaign to spruce up the image of the state's scandal-plagued medical university." This was "the second time the governor's office has killed an image campaign by UMDNJ that it found to be ill-timed or ill-conceived. An earlier media effort was quashed in January under pressure by then-Gov. Richard Codey." (See post here.) " The new plan was to resurrect elements of that plan, in a so-called 'repositioning and rebranding campaign' to highlight UMDNJ's research, aimed at attracting researchers, students and patients to the university's clinical services and its teaching hospital. It included many of the television commercials and print advertisements that had already been produced before the lid had been put on the original marketing effort, officials said." The plan was all set to go forward, but after the Star-Ledger asked the state governor's office to comment on it, "the university was ordered to put the ad campaign on hold indefinitely. That request was made by Stuart Rabner, the governor's chief counsel, who told the university that while image improvement was important for UMDNJ, the $2.5 million expenditure would seem inappropriate at a time when the university was cutting jobs and programs to help address a $25.5 million budget deficit at UMDNJ's University Hospital. "

Ok, UMDNJ is operating under a deferred prosecution agreement, has lost $243 million to mismanagement and other administrative misadventures, has seen the departure of many of its top leaders, is running a deficit and forced to make severe cutbacks. So how do the current leaders respond? - by trying to run a marketing campaign of "repositioning and rebranding?" Is there no problem that can't be papered over by a little repositioning and rebranding?

One correspondent responded to the problems at one of the large pharmaceutical companies by wondering if that company had become "a marketing company that happens to make drugs." Has UMDNJ become "a marketing company that happens to be a health care university?"

Once again, the problem appears to be corporate culture. Health care organizations have attracted leaders who are more interested in marketing than in their fundamental missions. UMDNJ needs leaders who put mission before marketing. Leaders' papering over problems is what lead the university to its current sorry state.

[Calpernia]

>>>Once again, the problem appears to be corporate culture. Health care organizations have attracted leaders who are more interested in marketing than in their fundamental missions. UMDNJ needs leaders who put mission before marketing. Leaders' papering over problems is what lead the university to its current sorry state.

This is very well said and bumping for emphasis.

[Liz]

All boils down to a bunch of evil, greedy monsters in places of power. So many fraudsters in one place also means collusion, aiding and abetting each other's frauds.

[Calpernia]

It got so quiet after the initial FBI report release that I was nervous about the investigation being shut down. I'm thrilled it is still ongoing.