Fw: Arc and Legislators Question State Institutions

[Guest guest]

Arc and Legislators Question State InstitutionsTwo of our north shore freshman

legislators, Biss and Robyn Gabel have had regular meetings with

disability advocates. It is a good idea to suggest something similar to

legislators in your districts, if they have not done so.

Ellen

Ellen Garber Bronfeld

egskb@...

Arc and Legislators Question State Institutions

The Arc of Illinois issues of the day from the desk of Tony

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The Arc of Illinois

The Arc of Illinois is a state chapter of The Arc

of the United States. The Arc of Illinois is committed to empowering persons

with disabilities to achieve full participation in community life through

informed choices.

Leaders in The Arc:

Last week I met with Reps Nybo, Bellock and Pihos

about legislative initiatives with Rep Nybo’s Advisory Council. Here is a

Daily Herald story about that meeting.

An excellent vehicle for you to propose to your

Senator or State Rep is forming a disability advisory committee made up of

families, self-advocates and local service providers. They only need to meet a

couple times a year but become a resource for your legislator on important

disability issues. Think about it! I would be more than happy to help you put

one together.

Tony auski

The Arc of Illinois

815-464-1832

http://www.dailyherald.com/article/20110714/news/707149959/

Legislators question state-run institutional

housing

By Marie

Three state representatives Wednesday night

assured advocates for people with disabilities their voices will be heard if

they speak in unison about the need to close more of the state’s eight

institutional housing facilities for people with disabilities.

And advocates say they’re ready to band together

and contact legislators about the benefits they say the state could realize if

more institutions are closed.

Large state-run institutions are more costly than

smaller group homes that can provide adequate care, even for people with the

most profound developmental and intellectual disabilities, said Tony auski,

executive director of The Arc of Illinois, a public policy advocacy group.

“Some of the more quiet legislators are starting

to realize we’re wasting money on state institutions,†auski said. “We

don’t believe that anyone, regardless of the severity of their disability,

cannot be supported in their community close to family and friends.â€

A plan for deinstitutionalization was supported by

a past general assembly’s resolution, said state Rep. Bellock, a

Westmont Republican.

The problems arise in implementation of the 2008

blueprint for closing the facilities and providing more funding for smaller

group homes, said state Rep. Pihos, a Glen Ellyn Republican,

Bellock and Pihos spoke at a meeting including

several members of Elmhurst Republican state Rep. Nybo’s legislative

advisory council, which gathered to discuss closing the institutions.

“I think we agree there’s a problem,†Nybo

said.

Finding solutions is the next step, and Nybo said

he will continue working with his citizen committee to decide on actions he can

take.

Bellock told advocates, including parents of

children with developmental disabilities, to coordinate efforts and trust that

if they call, email and snail mail their lawmakers, their concerns will be heard

and action could be taken.

Legislators may need to be educated about why

moving people out of state-run institutions could be beneficial, Bellock said,

and she encouraged staff of organizations such as Easter Seals of DuPage and the

Ray Graham Association, a DuPage County organization that works to empower

people with disabilities, to provide those lessons.

Pihos said she recognizes advocates are trying to

allow people with developmental disabilities “to live their lives to their

full potential, and that’s what we want for all of them.â€

The challenge lies in deciding how to provide and

fund that care and if state-run institutions still fit in, lawmakers said.

“Institutional days have come and gone,â€

auski said. “It’s a model that’s beyond its time and needs to

adjust.â€

Copyright © \2011\ Paddock Publications, Inc. All

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