Canada

[Guest guest]

For our Canada friends this came from the ARC of IL Director. Louise

Leaders in The Arc:

Court ruling allows community living options and the closing of all

institutions by 2009! Maybe we should all move to Canada!

Tony auski

The Arc of Illinois

Community Living Ontario welcomes ruling affirming closure of

institutions

TORONTO, Jan. 26 /CNW/ - Community Living Ontario welcomes the

courtdecision issued today (Tues. Jan. 26) that allows the Ministry of

Community and Social Services to proceed with closing institutions by

2009 as planned.

" We're pleased that the decision to close these institutions has

been upheld. Our society is moving on from segregated care to a model of

natural, inclusive supports that considers and respects the individual

as a citizen of the community, " said , executive director of

Community Living Ontario.

" We shouldn't lose sight of the fact that this move is not a sudden

decision - it's the culmination of houghtful, considered, planned and

phased-in process begun well over a quarter-century ago. " said Mr.

.

In his Ontario Divisional Court ruling, Mr. Justice Hackland

cited the 1971 Williston report which even back then took the position

that institutions should be replaced by community-based support, noting

that " a century of failure and inhumanity in the large multi-purpose

residential hospitals ... should in itself be enough to warn of the

inherent weakness in the system and inspire us to look for some better

solution. "

Justice Hackland wrote that " the option of continuing to reside

there in the long-term will not be open to the remaining residents. "

Research and experience have shown that community living provides a

better quality of life for individuals " Such institutions simply are not

needed in today's society, " said Mr. .

Justice Hackland's decision also reinforces Community Living

Ontario's position, as an intervenor in the case, that decision-making

must be conducted " in good faith " and with the best interests of the

individual at heart.

" We are very heartened by the Court's endorsement of the principle

that the important decision about where a person is going to live after

they leave the facility requires informed consent on their part or on

their behalf, in a process that does not strip them of their 'autonomy

and dignity', " said Bach, Community Living Ontario's witness at

the judicial review and vice-president of the Canadian Association for

Community Living.

Community Living Ontario hopes that families, community-based

support organizations and the government can come together in good faith

to develop the best plans for each individual as they move from

institutions into community living options.

" The real issue underlying this court case is not the authority of

the Ministry to close institutions, nor some families' heart-felt

resistance to closure, " said Mr. . " In reality, the fear for

families is the absence of a competent, informed supported

decision-making process that fully respects the rights and best

interests of the individuals themselves. "

" As a parent-founded and family-based association, Community Living

absolutely trusts and encourages families, when they have the

information that is available to them regarding community living

options, to be central in the planning for their family members. We are

committed to making sure that families have every opportunity to explore

these options in detail to assist in the decision-making process. "

Community Living has a long and successful history of support for

people who have an intellectual disability and their families. " And we

know how parents feel when there is an absence of support - our job is

to be there for them, to support families as they plan and develop the

best options for their family members, " said Mr. .

" This isn't about us as an organization of support and service

providers, " said Mr. . " It is entirely about the people who were

placed in institutions years ago when there were no other options, but

who in this day and age can and should be living in the community along

with everyone else who has the right to be here. "

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