Fw: Arc and Mabley Center Story

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Arc and Mabley Center StoryFYI

Ellen

Ellen Garber Bronfeld

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Arc and Mabley Center Story

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Dear Ellen,

The hearing to close state institutions are scheduled

to take place soon. The hearing for the closing of Mabley in Dixon is set for

Monday and the hearing for ville is the Monday after that. As you might

expect there is much opposition to closing these two state institutions.

We need to generate letters to the editor supporting

closing on Mabley and ville.

Here is a letter to the editor from Bill Gorman in the

Daily Herald!

Tony

State should reduce institutional living

a..

Gov. Pat Quinn has proposed the closure of Mabley and

ville Developmental Centers based on fiscal reasons. There are times when

a fiscal crisis can provide an opportunity to do the right thing and also save

money. This is one of them. The Statewide Independent Living Council of Illinois

supports the closure of Mabley and ville Developmental Centers.

Illinois institutionalizes more people with intellectual

and other developmental disabilities than 48 other states with our eight state

developmental centers.

Numerous national studies indicate that the vast

majority of parents feel their loved ones are safer, healthier and have a higher

quality of life in the community rather than in an institution. We understand

the fears of parents who have a loved one residing at Mabley (in Dixon) and

ville; however, with adequate transition funding, services can be

provided in the community to meet their needs. There is a reason that 14 states

have closed all of their state institutions and this is not based on

programmatic or quality of life considerations alone. It also happens to be true

that community services, in general, are also more cost effective than

institutional services.

The average cost of an Illinois state institution is

$181,700 per person per year while the average Community Integrated Living

Arrangement (CILA) cost is $52,454. We can no longer justify, fiscally or

programmatically, the continued operations of Mabley and ville.

L. Gorman

Executive director

Statewide Independent Living Council of Illinois

Springfield

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Read more:

http://www.dailyherald.com/article/20111010/discuss/710109959/#ixzz1aQ30tN48

Tony auski

Executive Director

The Arc of Illinois

20901 S. LaGrange Rd. Suite 209

fort, IL 60423

815-464-1832 (OFFICE)

708-828-0188 (CELL)

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[Guest guest]

Thanks Ellen,

This is very timely. As I am speaking to friends and neighbors about our project

to create community based services for our adult kids, its always received with

enthusiasm but comments like " it probably costs more " . I knew this wasn't true

but didn't have the figures at my fingertips - now I do.

It was also good to have the other side story because I think the transition

will be a long process. We also need to respect and understand everyone's

needs(which are as different as our children) and wishes. It seems to me that

successful community based living takes alot of family ( or caretaker )

involvement. Not every parent has the time, energy or resources to do that.

Hopefully, those of us that do will pave the way (people like you and Laurie and

many others already have.) And then there is the ever hovering question of how

do we sustain the quality of life for our children we work so hard to create

when we are no longer here.

Thais