Write a letter to your legislators this week!

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Write a letter to your legislators this week!

ACTION

Write TWO letters this week. Send one to your State Senator and the

other

to you State Representative.

In your letter, be sure to make the following points:

1. I/My family support(s) the Comptroller's recommendation to close 2

state

schools.

2. I/My family support(s) the use of the resulting savings, in its

entirety,

as well as any proceeds resulting from the sale of state school

property for

the development of additional community based services and supports

for

Texans with mental retardation.

3. Tell the legislator why additional mental retardation community

based

services are important to you/your family.

BACKGROUND

Texas Comptroller Carole Keeton Strayhorn released a report titled " E-

Texas

Special Report to the Legislature: HHS 16 Increase Community Options

for

Persons with Mental Retardation, April 2003. "

In this report, the Comptroller recommends the closure of TWO state

schools

and further recommends that a portion of the resulting savings are

used to

create additional mental retardation community based services and

supports.

Among the facts cited in the Comptroller's report are:

1. The demand for state-operated schools for persons with mental

retardation

has fallen dramatically;

2. Texas' 11 remaining state schools have nearly 700 empty beds; and,

3. The demand for mental retardation community based services and

supports

continues to rise.

The Arc of Texas fully supports the Comptroller's recommendation to

close

two state schools. Furthermore, we support the use of the resulting

savings, in its entirety, as well as any proceeds resulting from the

sale of

state school property for the development of additional community

based

services and supports for Texans with mental retardation.

FIND YOUR LEGISLATORS

To find a listing of you federal and state legislators, go to

www.capitol.state.tx.us, then click on Find Your Incumbent, then type

in the

requested information (your address, zip code...).

READ THE COMPTROLLER'S REPORT

To read the Comptroller's report, go to

http://www.window.state.tx.us/, then

click on E-Texas Special Report to the Legislature Additional e-Texas

Recommendations April 2003, then scroll down the page to HHS-16

Increase

Community Options for Persons with Mental Retardation.

SAMPLE LETTER

April 15, 2003

Dear Representative Bright,

Thank you for your ongoing work on behalf of Texans with mental

retardation

and other developmental disabilities this legislative session.

I am writing to tell you that I am in full support of the

Comptroller's

recommendation to close 2 state schools. I also support the use of

the

resulting savings (in its entirety) as well as any proceeds resulting

from

the sale of state school property for the development of additional

community based services and supports for Texans with mental

retardation.

The truth is that Texas has too many state schools. They are too

expensive

and they are not in demand.

My child has been on the Home and Community Based Waiver (HCS)

waiting list

since 1995. We've been waiting to receive community based services

and

supports for over 8 years. MY FAMILY DOES NOT WANT STATE SCHOOL

SERVICES.

Help Texas use its scarce resources more efficiently. If state

dollars are

used more efficiently and if state schools are closed, then the money

that

is saved and generated can be used to provide services to families

like my

own.

I ask that you use the Comptroller's recommendations to guide you as

you

continue to make important decisions in the coming weeks.

Thank you for your time. I appreciate everything you do for our

community.

Sincerely,

Mother Waiting

111 Legislator Dr.

Austin, TX 11111