Fw: Arc Letter to Legislative Commission on Closures

[Guest guest]

Arc Letter to Legislative Commission on ClosuresFYI...

The reason I am sending all the information on this is because IPADDU is all

about community inclusion AND, for those of you who are not getting the

community supports and services that are needed for your loved one, I would

suggest that we need to work to rebalance the system...While we need to

understand that there is no guarantee that if institutions close there will be

more resources for everyone, but I can pretty much guarantee that until

institutions close, there will be an inordinate amount of DHS/DDD dollars spent

on a small number of individuals for institutional care and many of your loved

ones will not get what they need.

Ellen

Ellen Garber Bronfeld

egskb@...

Arc Letter to Legislative Commission on Closures

Advocates gather in Dixon for the hearing on closing Mabley.

Is this email not displaying correctly?

View it in your browser.

Dear Ellen,

The following letter was sent this morning to all of the

members of the Commission on Government Forecasting & Accountability or COGFA.

Tonight advocates will gather in Dixon to testify about

closing Mabley Developmental Center.

Tony

Dear

The Arc of Illinois represents infants, children and

adults with intellectual and other developmental disabilities.

The Arc supports the closures of Mabley and ville

Developmental Centers as long as the people living there have a safe and smooth

transition to community services. We need to make sure that the necessary

resources are available to community providers to insure that transition.

We also wanted to remind you of the editorial support

around the state supporting the closing of state institutions and rebalancing

toward community living.

The Tribunes’ Sept. 30, 2011 editorial, “Moving to

Community Care†says it best by stating, “Let’s make a swift, smooth

transition that provides residents with new homes that offer superior living

arrangements and opportunities for personal growth. It’s time.â€

I have copied this editorial and the statements from

other editorial boards including:

1.. Chicago Tribune

2.. State Journal-Register

3.. Pantagraph

4.. Rockford Register Star

5.. Chicago Sun-Times

It is time to rebalance the Illinois Disability System.

The Arc urges you to support a safe and smooth

transition to the community for the individuals at Mabley and ville.

Sincerely,

Tony auski

Editorials

Moving to community care

State-run centers for developmentally disabled finally

on the way out

September 30, 2011We suspect Gov. Pat Quinn isn't

entirely serious about his threat to shut down seven state facilities and lay

off 1,900 workers to close what he says is a $313 million budget gap. The

governor may be trying to goad lawmakers into borrowing more money to stave off

these cuts.

But if he follows through on at least some of these

moves, he will make genuine, humane progress on behalf of some vulnerable

citizens.

The governor's plans would launch an overdue revamp of

the state program serving the developmentally disabled — people with Down

syndrome, cerebral palsy, autism and other challenges.

Illinois' treatment of the developmentally disabled lags

way behind the times. Other states have proved convincingly that in most cases,

institutionalizing people in big government-run facilities hurts everyone

concerned and wastes money. Community-based organizations offer small

neighborhood group homes and other varied options for care and generally provide

better results at a much lower cost.

Up to now, vested interests in state government have

thwarted progress toward community care, despite a history of problems with the

state institutions. A scandal that brought to light abusive treatment and padded

staffing costs at the Howe Developmental Center in southwest suburban Tinley

Park eventually led to that facility closing last year. Yet the other eight

centers operated by the state have shown remarkable staying power, at an annual

cost of roughly $300 million.

Quinn has called for shutting down two of the eight

centers. That's a good beginning point, especially since it coincides with a

plan to reduce the population at the remaining centers.

The governor has started to lay the groundwork for a

responsible transition that takes into account the needs of families, guardians

and residents, while phasing out an obsolete system.

One milestone: Quinn recently settled the last of three

long-standing lawsuits aimed at forcing state-funded providers to offer

less-restrictive options for care. The governor also has sought input from

advocates for the disabled about how to manage the state and federal money

available for a transition, establish a reasonable timetable and arrange for

follow-up monitoring.

Shutting down these centers is no simple matter. It

requires extensive documentation, public hearings and negotiations with union

workers who have angrily denounced the governor's plan. No one would be

surprised if AFSCME were to seek arbitration or file suit in an effort to

preserve the status quo and the entrenched union jobs that go with it.

Remember, during his election campaign last year, Quinn

made a promise to AFSCME that the state wouldn't close any institutions or lay

off workers through June 2012. The governor says he doesn't have to abide by

that deal because the legislature didn't give him enough money to pay for the

institutions and the jobs through June.

Some of these institutions need to close, and as quickly

as it is safe to do so. The paramount consideration should be the welfare of the

residents now in state care. They're a fragile group, and those with challenging

behaviors and intensive medical needs should be treated with caution and

sensitivity. We believe the community system has the wherewithal not only to

serve those now housed in state institutions, but to serve them better. Still,

it's critically important to ensure that every placement is appropriate, and not

force any that aren't.

State employees of the centers could make the process

easier. Staff could support the idea of moving, help match residents with the

best possible community placement options and work diligently to assist in the

transition.

We hope that happens. If not, this change will be more

painful and disruptive than it needs to be. Let's make a swift, smooth

transition that provides residents with new homes that offer superior living

arrangements and opportunities for personal growth. It's time.

Copyright © 2011, Chicago Tribune

Editorial Support for Community Services

The time to reform and rebalance the Developmental

Disability System in Illinois is NOW. These editorial boards get it!

Chicago Tribune, May 23, 2011

“Disability advocates say the state could save roughly

$170 million by closing four of its eight institutions. This needs to happen in

a way that’s least disruptive for the people at these institutions. But it

needs to happen.â€

State Journal-Register, May 22, 2011:

“For years, advocates for the developmentally disabled

have tried, with very limited success, to persuade the state to move away from

reliance on institutions and toward greater use of residential group homes and

community programs for those with developmental disabilities.â€

“Illinois must move out of the dark ages in treating

its most vulnerable citizens.â€

Pantagraph.com, May 22, 2011

“… the trend in recent years has been moving toward

community-based settings – and Illinois lags far behind other states that have

scaled back or eliminated state-run institutions for those with developmental

disabilities.â€

“It is a matter worthy of consideration – for

financial as well as humanitarian reasons.â€

Rockford Register Star, April 27, 2011

“Illinois has its priorities exactly backward.â€

“Is it any wonder why Illinois is ranked 51st in the

nation for supporting citizens in their communities?

Chicago Sun-Times, June 15, 2011

“For a state looking to cuts costs wherever it can,

moving away from expensive institutional care is imperative.â€

“States that have seen the light have moved away from

warehousing people with disabilities in large, residential facilities in favor

of placing them in smaller, community-based settings.â€

.

Tony auski

Executive

The Arc of Illinois

20901 S. LaGrange Rd. Suite 209

fort, IL 60423

815-464-1832 (OFFICE)

708-828-0188 (CELL)

Tony@...

follow on Twitter | friend on Facebook | forward to a

friend

Copyright © 2011 The Arc of Illinois, All rights

reserved.

You are receiving this email because you are a member of

The Arc of Illinois.

Our mailing address is:

The Arc of Illinois

20901 S.LaGrange Rd.

Suite 209

fort, IL 60423

Add us to your address book

unsubscribe from this list | update subscription

preferences | view email in browser