Letter: Support my brother for family court judge
Steven Buschman is a lifetime resident of Cayuga County. He has many positive character traits I can bear witness to including: justice, honesty, persistence, fairness wisdom, courage, temperance and kindness.
I had a 25-year career as a therapist, licensed clinical social worker in an Office of Mental Health Residential Treatment Facility. As a lawyer, Steven represented an 18-year-old female client who was aging out of the OMH RTF program. She was assessed by the clinical treatment team including a psychiatrist, a clinical psychologist, a school psychologist and a primary therapist, with the support of administration as needing Office of People with Developmental Disabilities services. These two programs were from two different funding streams, therefore it was not as a transfer from one to another. An application needed to be made to OPPD on the client's behalf that included all clinical reports.
The first court case resulted in a denial of state OPDD. Steven appealed this case and won this on behalf of the client in appeals court. Thankfully, the female client was then entitled to lifetime services, including group home living, workshop employment, mental health counseling, recreation, life skills and social skills training. She needed all of these services.
Just when the client's future looked bleakest, Steven's win in appeals court case resulted in providing the client an opportunity for a quality of life that would be provided throughout her lifetime! This is just one example of his kindness, persistence and sense of justice that made a significant difference.
Thank you Steven for your 26 years of service in Cayuga County Family Court. You will make a spectacular family court judge.
Kathleen Buschman lives in Auburn.
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