Guest guest Posted April 6, 2005 Report Share Posted April 6, 2005 Make calls against CSHB 315 (Rep. Olivo) today! CSHB 315 (Rep. Olivo) - Unintended Consequences for People with Mental Retardation Please call members of the House Human Services committee (list below) and tell them you are against this bill: PROPOSED LEGISLATION The proposed Committee Substitute to House Bill 315 does away with the very protections that have been put in place to ensure that persons with mental retardation and related conditions are not institutionalized simply because they have a disability. As proposed, CSHB 315 will change current state school admissions criteria so that individuals who have mental retardation and require supervision and/or attendant supports are automatically eligible for state school admission. CURRENT STATUTE The current criteria for voluntary admissions to state schools, as found in statute, is objective and in the best interest of persons with mental retardation. Current statute was put in place to ensure that only individuals with profound mental retardation and/or severe behavioral needs are admitted to state schools. Current statute states: “A person shall not be admitted to a residential care facility unless an interdisciplinary team recommends that placement.” PROPOSED LEGISLATION & COSTS CSHB 315 expands eligibility for state school admissions in a time of fiscal crisis is not a responsible use of limited human services resources. CSHB 315 opens access to the most expensive form of care for persons with mental retardation who do not need the level of care or service package provided by state schools, thus costing the state significant additional resources. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION Expanding access to state schools while drastically limiting access to community services makes no sense when over 26,000 Texans with mental retardation are on the waiting list for community based services and less than 20 individuals are on the waiting list for state school services. For More Information: Colleen Horton Amy Mizcles Murphree Public Policy Director Director of Governmental Affairs Policy Specialist Texas Center for Disability Studies The Arc of Texas Advocacy, Inc. 512/232-0754 512/454-6694 512/454-4816 HOUSE HUMAN SERVICES COMMITTEE (79th Legislature) COMMITTEE OFFICE: EXT E2.152 COMMITTEE PHONE: Position Legislator Phone Number Fax Number Chair Suzanna Gratia-Hupp 463-0684 482-8284 Vice Chair Rob Eissler 463-0797 463-0898 Member 463-0734 479-6955 Member Alma 463-0744 463-5896 Member Toureilles 463-0645 463-5896 Member Toby Goodman 463-0562 475-1178 Member Elliott Naishtat 463-0668 463-8022 Member Ken Paxton 463-0356 463-0701 Member Elvira Reyna 463-0464 463-1492 M. Guppy www.TexasAutismAdvocacy.org Regional Coordinator for the TEAM Project: www.PartnersTX.org Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You are posting as a guest. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.