HISCOCK IS RUDE AND OUT OF TOUCH

December 8 was the first Board meeting for the three newly elected
members of the five-member Fallbrook Healthcare District Board. The
meeting was well attended primarily due to the rumors circulating
around that this new group of board members intended to stop funding
healthcare programs in the Fallbrook, Bonsall, DeLuz and Rainbow
communities. Several agencies that have received grants from the
Fallbrook Healthcare District in the past were on hand to speak during
the public comment portion of the agenda to explain their services and
the benefits these services have upon our communities. Much of their
work is aided from grants made by the District. Among the
organizations present were the Boys and Girls Club, REINS, Fallbrook
Community Project, TIP, Fallbrook Smiles Project, Fallbrook Diabetes
Project, the Fallbrook HealthCare Foundation and Fallbrook Family
Health Center.

The audience was disappointed when the board voted to postpone action
on grants that have been submitted but understood the new members need
to review and familiarize themselves with the petitioning
organizations.

What the crowd was not prepared for were the remarks made by new board
member Dr. Roy Hiscock, an 84-year old retired doctor. He began by
saying that the semi-annual Collaborative Breakfast the past board
held for nonprofits to network and problem-solve was a "dud and a
waste of time." It is curious that Dr. Hiscock found this activity a
waste of time since the successful Fallbrook Diabetes Project model
program grew from one of these Collaborative Breakfasts.

He also doubted the value of the District's annual Health Fair. Dr.
Hiscock questioned one nonprofit spokesperson in the audience about
their testing methods and declared, "No one should be doing testing
unless they are doctors." This was a direct affront to the many
qualified and trained people who donate their time to the Fair and are
ably qualified to administer the type of tests in question.

But the final insult of the evening came when Sandee Richardson,
director of the Fallbrook Recovery and Education Center, a program of
Fallbrook HealthCare Foundation, got up to give her report to the
Board. This report is requested of all grant recipients and was an
agenda item. As she was explaining her program and thanking the Board
for their support, Dr. Hiscock interrupted her to inquire whether or
not their program administered methodone. Sandee explained that they
did not administer any medication and while they had clients who were
still on methodone their program focused on getting them
substance-free. Dr. Hiscock then remarked that "he hated druggies and
drunks" and that "...they should all be shot." The audience gasped.
Board member Dan Goldberg quickly apologized for the Board and
strongly stated that Sandee's program is valuable to the citizens of
the community and serves a very definite need.

As president of the Board of Directors for the Fallbrook HealthCare
Foundation, I am expressing my outrage at the rude and abusive public
treatment experienced by one of our program directors from Dr.
Hiscock. No one, staff, employee or member of the public, should have
to endure the lack of civility that Dr. Hiscock displayed at Wednesday
night's meeting.

Further, I'd like to remind Dr. Hiscock that the President of the
United States has successfully gone through drug and alcohol rehab.
George W. Bush is a shining example of how one recovers from substance
abuse and goes on to live a highly productive life.

Dr. Hiscock has chillingly demonstrated how ignorant, short-sighted,
out of touch and lacking in compassion he is. It's a worry that this
man has been elected to this five-member board that stewards tax money
received by the District for the express purpose of addressing
healthcare needs in our communities. From now on, Dr. Hiscock can
expect watchful eyes on him, his comments and his actions.

Carol Kratochvil, President

Fallbrook HealthCare Foundation