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Aloha, Indeed, there is a tremendous funding gap between those individuals who need services and supports as well as those individuals who continue to reside in state supported living centers. Most states no longer have facilities like ours and have completely institutionalized. That is the ideal!However, it is a very complex issue with several layers of depth that everyone needs to aware of and it is not just a simple matter of redirecting funding to community based services. The thorniest, yet unresolved challenge, is is where will the the individuals residing in facilities go. The current facilities are in not a healthy place. A reading of the Department of Justice monitoring reports is horrifying about the lack of services, training , etc. ( The Department of Justice has been involved for a number of years due to the abuse and neglect

found at the facilities)http://www.dads.state.tx.us/monitors/reports/index.htmlUntil there is a comprehensive plan, that has both political and budgetary support, to depopulate the state facility living centers, the challenge and debate will continue, as it has since the 1970's when I was employee.A good story of both sides of the issue is below. http://www.texastribune.org/texas-health-resources/state-supported-living-centers/institutions-for-disabled-unlikely-to-see-cuts/Everyone that is involved , please insure your representative is aware of your opinion.Mahalo, BeinkeThe SpecialEdMarineTo err on the side of kindness is seldom an error. ~Liz Armbruster