Jim Murphy

On Tuesday we learned that Jim Murphy of our New York City Chapter passed away.  Our heartfelt condolences go out to his family, his wife Marge, and the City Chapter.  Jim was always there when NYSARC or the City Chapter needed him.  With numerous connections in high places, he made invaluable contributions to our legislative initiatives.  And with his great intelligence and wisdom he guided us through some of our thorniest organizational issues.

Jim was one of a kind.  In the most trying circumstances over the most sensitive matters he would turn to his legendary ability to tell stories.  Inevitably those stories, told with dazzling charm, featured characters from many faiths and backgrounds working together.   More than anyone else, Jim reminded us all that we are an organization from diverse backgrounds dedicated to a common purpose.   Jim was also a parent.  That spoke for itself.

Bill Albertin

We also learned of the passing of Bill Albertin.  Bill was a founder of our Montgomery Chapter.  Like Jim, Bill was also a parent.  He too was deeply involved in his Chapter and, as a Board of Governor member, deeply involved with NYSARC.  His very personal and vigorous support will forever be appreciated by anyone – like me – who was its beneficiary.

As that generation passes on during this difficult period in our history, we know that we must not lose touch – especially now – with our parent and family roots.  It’s what brought us so far over the last half century.  It’s what we must continue to rely on to travel the difficult road ahead.

It may sound like a cliché, but we must make certain that the torch is passed from that greatest generation to the next generation.  Just as the one generation rose to the challenge of institutional scandals, so must this generation rise to a different, though equally daunting, challenge.  Willowbrook and Medicaid Managed Care are very different but they both demand the kind of intelligence, wisdom, and dedication that Jim and Bill personified for all of us.

We will miss them but, inspired by them, we will carry on.

Marc N. Brandt
Executive Director, NYSARC, Inc.

Dr. Allen Crocker

On October 24, Dr. Allen Crocker, a dear friend of the NYSARC family, passed away at the age of 85. Dr. Crocker began his clinical training in pediatrics at the Children’s Hospital in Boston in 1948 and continued in his medical practice at the hospital until his retirement in June 2009. For NYSARC, Crocker will forever be remembered as a pioneer in the field of developmental pediatrics, having presented several times at our Annual Convention. He authored many articles and books on the topic, including Developmental Behavioral Pediatrics (now in its 4th Edition) and Medical Care for Children & Adults with Developmental Disabilities. Crocker was a lover of art, music, literature, and, of particular note, poetry. He lived his life by the Eagle Scout motto, “Leave the campsite better than you found it.”

To honor his lifetime of contributions to making the world better than he found it, I’d like to share with you a poem that Dr. Crocker wrote on the topic of prevention:

A Prevention Poem

Prevention is caring about human outcomes,
it is pre-term babies supported
viruses foiled
alcohol avoided
thyroid replaced
phenyalanine suppressed
lead eliminated
vitamins embraced
enzymes measured
genes coded
but especially it is food and
transportation and housing and
respite and clean environments,
little children guided and stimulated,
mothers who are challenged, getting help,
babies born who are wanted, expected, and valued
wrestling with inequities and striving for justice

Remember that the big numbers in prevention will be in socially-designed programs.

When the final analysis is made, prevention is the ultimate EQUAL OPPORTUNITY enterprise.

-Marc Brandt
Executive Director, NYSARC, Inc.