topic Re: That Must Be Some Sliding Scale in Community Chat

That Must Be Some Sliding Scale

Marp2 — Sat, 12 Apr 2014 14:29:52 GMT

Excerpts from article:

FORT WORTH, Texas (AP) — The family of a Texas teenager sentenced to probation after killing four people in a drunken-driving wreck will pay for just a fraction of his court-ordered treatment, a court official testified Friday.

Ethan Couch's parents will be charged $1,170 a month for his treatment at the North Texas State Hospital in rural Vernon. That amount would cover less than two days of treatment, which costs $715 a day, the Fort Worth Star-Telegram reported (http://bit.ly/1qoRLts ).

Debbie Spoonts, placement supervisor for Tarrant County Juvenile Services, said the facility decided what Fred and Tonya Couch would pay based on a sliding scale.

A message from The Associated Press seeking comment from Spoonts on the facility's payment policy was not immediately returned Friday.

The teen's family previously had offered to pay for Couch to go to a $450,000-a-year rehabilitation center near Newport Beach, Calif. Boyd rejected that request.

http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2014/04/12/affluenza-teen-texas-couch/7633643/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+usatoday-NewsTopStories+%28USATODAY+-+News+Top+Stories%29

Re: That Must Be Some Sliding Scale

Preds — Sat, 12 Apr 2014 14:32:57 GMT

Wow! So the state pays.

Re: That Must Be Some Sliding Scale

lovescats — Sat, 12 Apr 2014 14:57:46 GMT

I really can't see the state taking the offer for him to go to a rehab center in CA even if the parents were going to pay 450,000 a year for it. He must have had a real good lawyer. I bet the sliding scale stopped at a level a lot lower than the parents income.

from the article

Couch's case drew national attention due in large part to his defense's argument that his wealthy parents had coddled him into a sense of irresponsibility — a condition that a defense expert called "affluenza."

Couch, 17, killed four people last year when his vehicle rammed into a crowd of people trying to help the driver of a disabled vehicle south of Fort Worth. Investigators said he was driving his family company's pickup truck while drunk and with traces of Valium in his system.

Couch admitted to causing the wreck and received 10 years' probation from State District Judge Jean Boyd rather than prison time, as prosecutors and Couch's victims wanted. Several of his victims have since sued the Couch family, with most of them reaching confidential settlements.

Re: That Must Be Some Sliding Scale

croemer — Sat, 12 Apr 2014 15:05:08 GMT

Why are these people being coddled? It has to be more then money...they must have connections?

Re: That Must Be Some Sliding Scale

Free2be — Sat, 12 Apr 2014 16:57:01 GMT

I'm guessing here but it is possible that because the program the parents were willing to pay an arm and a leg for was so very cushy and indulgent that public outrage caused the change for a state program where coddling is far less likely to occur.

The parents who can afford to pay full fee were given a reduced fee as an offer to save the family from further public outrage -- in other words, coddle the parents' checkbook as a means to not have their son placed where he would be coddled -- a means to save this kid from his parents money.

? Like I said, it's just a guess.

Re: That Must Be Some Sliding Scale

croemer — Sat, 12 Apr 2014 17:05:38 GMT

On 4/12/2014 Free2be said:
I'm guessing here but it is possible that because the program the parents were willing to pay an arm and a leg for was so very cushy and indulgent that public outrage caused the change for a state program where coddling is far less likely to occur.

The parents who can afford to pay full fee were given a reduced fee as an offer to save the family from further public outrage -- in other words, coddle the parents' checkbook as a means to not have their son placed where he would be coddled -- a means to save this kid from his parents money.

? Like I said, it's just a guess.

Makes perfect sense Free.

Re: That Must Be Some Sliding Scale

Buck-i-Nana — Sat, 12 Apr 2014 17:10:02 GMT

On 4/12/2014 Free2be said:
I'm guessing here but it is possible that because the program the parents were willing to pay an arm and a leg for was so very cushy and indulgent that public outrage caused the change for a state program where coddling is far less likely to occur.

The parents who can afford to pay full fee were given a reduced fee as an offer to save the family from further public outrage -- in other words, coddle the parents' checkbook as a means to not have their son placed where he would be coddled -- a means to save this kid from his parents money.

? Like I said, it's just a guess.

It's a possibility I suppose, but if that's the case then that's just more "BOO" on Texas. The justice system sets the punishment, period. Appeasing parents, especially wealthy parents, is not required and if it is done, it's just further evidence how much power money has.

Re: That Must Be Some Sliding Scale

lovescats — Sat, 12 Apr 2014 17:59:27 GMT

Editorial: In tale of two teens, we’ll go with Lucas McConnell over Ethan Couch

Lucas McConnell, 13, speaks during a news conference with his attorney Todd Clement (left) and his father Kevin McConnell. The McConnells declined a legal settlement from the family of Ethan Couch in hopes of getting him and his parents to testify.

Re: That Must Be Some Sliding Scale

RainCityGirl — Sat, 12 Apr 2014 18:02:54 GMT

There's a rehab for the coined psychobabble condition ""affluenza?""

Re: That Must Be Some Sliding Scale

hckynut — Sat, 12 Apr 2014 19:42:41 GMT

If this is the 16 year old who's attorney came up with a new non-medical term called "affluenza"? This kid should be in a prison cell somewhere and for a whole lot of years. Could I say more? Yep, but it would get deleted.

Re: That Must Be Some Sliding Scale

mgm2 — Sat, 12 Apr 2014 21:35:30 GMT

On 4/12/2014 Marp2 said:
Excerpts from article:

FORT WORTH, Texas (AP) — The family of a Texas teenager sentenced to probation after killing four people in a drunken-driving wreck will pay for just a fraction of his court-ordered treatment, a court official testified Friday.

Ethan Couch's parents will be charged $1,170 a month for his treatment at the North Texas State Hospital in rural Vernon. That amount would cover less than two days of treatment, which costs $715 a day, the Fort Worth Star-Telegram reported (http://bit.ly/1qoRLts ).

Debbie Spoonts, placement supervisor for Tarrant County Juvenile Services, said the facility decided what Fred and Tonya Couch would pay based on a sliding scale.

A message from The Associated Press seeking comment from Spoonts on the facility's payment policy was not immediately returned Friday.

The teen's family previously had offered to pay for Couch to go to a $450,000-a-year rehabilitation center near Newport Beach, Calif. Boyd rejected that request.

http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2014/04/12/affluenza-teen-texas-couch/7633643/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+usatoday-NewsTopStories+%28USATODAY+-+News+Top+Stories%29

UNBELIEVABLE!

Re: That Must Be Some Sliding Scale

esmerelda — Sat, 12 Apr 2014 22:17:54 GMT

unless you have computed subsidies based on a sliding scale, you don't know how the amount decided is arrived at.

Re: That Must Be Some Sliding Scale

esmerelda — Sat, 12 Apr 2014 22:21:20 GMT

On 4/12/2014 Marp2 said:
Excerpts from article:

FORT WORTH, Texas (AP) — The family of a Texas teenager sentenced to probation after killing four people in a drunken-driving wreck will pay for just a fraction of his court-ordered treatment, a court official testified Friday.

Ethan Couch's parents will be charged $1,170 a month for his treatment at the North Texas State Hospital in rural Vernon. That amount would cover less than two days of treatment, which costs $715 a day, the Fort Worth Star-Telegram reported (http://bit.ly/1qoRLts ).

Debbie Spoonts, placement supervisor for Tarrant County Juvenile Services, said the facility decided what Fred and Tonya Couch would pay based on a sliding scale.

A message from The Associated Press seeking comment from Spoonts on the facility's payment policy was not immediately returned Friday.

The teen's family previously had offered to pay for Couch to go to a $450,000-a-year rehabilitation center near Newport Beach, Calif. Boyd rejected that request.

http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2014/04/12/affluenza-teen-texas-couch/7633643/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+usatoday-NewsTopStories+%28USATODAY+-+News+Top+Stories%29

That reminds me of how taxes are collected. Some pay more to make up for those who don't pay their share.

Does anyone really think it takes $715/day to provide services at the facility?