Join Us! VOR will host its Annual Meeting and Washington Initiative beginning
June 13, 2008 in Washington, D.C. Visit
http://vor.net/2008AnnualMeetingandInitiative.htm for more information on
the Annual Meeting and Initiative, and
http://vor.net/2008Sponsorship.htm for sponsorship opportunities. Any
questions: contact Tamie at Tamie327@hotmail.com or 605-399-1624.
=====
Have you contacted your U.S. Representative and asked him/her to cosponsor H.R.
3995? If yes, have you followed-up? Contact Tamie with any questions and to
receive H.R. 3995 advocacy materials (605-399-1624; tamie327@hotmail.com)
=====
FOCUS OF THIS UPDATE: COMMUNITY RESOURCE CENTERS (CRC) - STATE LEGISLATION
AND EXAMPLES. For additional CRC resources, visit
VOR's Activities and Resources page, and scroll down to the Community
Resource Center section.
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VOR Weekly E-Mail Update
February 15, 2008
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
Community Resource Center Initiatives - Progress!
1. California State Senator Patricia Wiggins introduced state Senate Bill
1183, to establish a Community Resource Center at Sonoma Developmental Center
2. Illinois lawmakers introduce bills in state House and Senate to
establish Community Resource Centers for People with Developmental Disabilities
3. Maryland business leaders call on the state’s Secretary of the
Department of Health and Mental Hygiene to create a Community Resource Center at
Holly Center
4. Northern Virginia Training Center’s Center of Excellence and
Regional Community Support Clinic
5. Massachusetts: Regional Evaluation and Assessment for Community
Habilitation (REACH) Clinic, Hogan Regional Center, Hathorne, MA
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1. California State Senator Patricia Wiggins introduced state Senate Bill 1183,
to establish a Community Resource Center at Sonoma Developmental Center
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This week, California State Senator Patricia Wiggins recently introduced SB
1183, a bill to establish a “Center of Excellence Outpatient Clinic” at Sonoma
Developmental Center, a state operated facility.
“As we face the dual challenges of addressing the health care needs of all
Californians, while finding solutions to our budget problems, we should look for
ways to make our existing health care resources and strained budget dollars work
more efficiently,” wrote Senator Wiggins in a letter about the bill.
Noting that one area needing focus is the provision of medical, dental, and
ancillary care to people with developmental disabilities living in the
communities, she noted that, “we under-utilize state Developmental Centers’
specialized medical and dental resources.” SB 1183, if passed, will make these
resources available to a wider population of disabled Californians who choose to
live in other communities.
“My bill will allow disabled people to have these needs met by experienced
professionals who specialize in this treatment area currently practicing at
Sonoma Developmental Center,” Senator Wiggins wrote.
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2. Illinois lawmakers introduce bills in state House and Senate to establish
Community Resource Centers for People with Developmental Disabilities
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In Illinois, state Senator Maggie Crotty (SB 1897) and state Representative Al
Riley (HB 4334) have introduced Community Resource Center legislation. SB 1897
and HB 4334, if passed, will require that Illinois’ Department of Human Services
operate Community Resource Centers at each of its 9 State-operated developmental
centers. The purpose is “to improve services delivered in the community by
providing the services of the skilled State workforce to individuals residing in
community settings when individuals need those services.”
The following is an overview Fact Sheet, prepared by AFSCME:
SB 1897/HB 4334 –
Community Resource Centers for Individuals with Developmental Disabilities
Summary: Establishes Community Resource Centers at state operated
developmental centers to provide more services to individuals residing in
community group homes or with their families.
Background: Our state’s system of services for persons with developmental
disabilities is undergoing a significant transition. The Illinois Department of
Human Services (DHS) is pressing to move more individuals residing in state
developmental centers into the community and it is more difficult than ever to
gain admission to a state center when an individual is in crisis and needs a
higher level of care. At the same time, many community-based agencies find it
difficult to appropriately meet the needs of the most severely challenged
individuals.
Because Illinois strives to place individuals in the least restrictive setting,
the remaining residents of state developmental centers are either medically
fragile or have significant behavioral involvement. These needs require state
centers to maintain highly trained direct care staff and professionals such as
nurses and doctors on site. State centers are thus uniquely positioned to assist
the most involved individuals.
Community Resource Centers at state centers will harness the accumulated
knowledge of their experienced and professional staff to offer services on an
outpatient basis when requested to provide support to an individual in a
community setting or family home. Support services include medical, behavioral,
psychiatric, communication and adaptive equipment, geriatric, podiatric and
dental services. The Community Resource Centers will also offer – when needed
and requested – in-patient respite care, post-operative convalescent care, and
crisis medical and behavioral care. The CRCs will also be available upon request
to advise community-based providers regarding medications and behavioral plans.
Finally, CRCs will provide specialized training to health practitioners and
students in the unique needs of individuals with developmental disabilities.
Other states have implemented the CRC model. In Massachusetts, the Hogan
Regional Center offers a team of clinicians serving individuals in the community
as well as an in-patient crisis program. The Northern Virginia Training Center
offers specialized medical, behavioral, dental and respite services for
individuals in community-based settings and trains community residential and
vocational staff. It also provides for training to university students in health
and other professions. The Fircrest Center in Washington provides medical care;
nursing; dental care; psychology; physical, occupational, speech and behavior
therapies; adaptive technologies; and recreational activities to individuals in
the community.
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3. Maryland business leaders call on the state’s Secretary of the Department of
Health and Mental Hygiene to create a Community Resource Center at Holly Center
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From: Greater Salisbury Committee, Inc.
Andrew W. Booth – Chairman, Holly Center Task Force
Kathleen McLain - Chairman, Greater Salisbury Committee
To: Secretary John M. Colmers, Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene
Date: November 19, 2007
Re: Holly Center’s Future; Salisbury, MD
Dear Secretary Colmers:
The Greater Salisbury Committee is a group of business and professional leaders
whose purposes are to help identify the problems of the community, to help find
broad and sound solutions for such problems, and to assist in the resolution of
these problems to the end that the community is a vital and progressive center
that will provide the best possible quality of life for its citizens. To these
ends, the committee seeks to cooperate with and assist government authorities
and other private organizations.
The Great Salisbury Committee was instrumental in the establishment of Holly
Center over 30 years ago and remains committed to its mission today. Our members
have been very concerned about the clandestine way that Holly Center and other
State Residential Centers (SRC) have been restricted by state administrators
from providing the very much needed services to our most fragile population
despite a DDA waiting list of over 16,000 clients. Selective interpretations of
the Olmstead Decision and the very intense lobbing of those whom would benefit
monetarily the most from the closure of the State Residential Centers have
virtually eliminated admissions to Holly Center since 1996, despite the requests
of parents and guardians to the contrary. A few admissions have occurred only
after intense lobbying pressure from our elected officials, parents and treating
professionals.
The apparent collusion between DDA and the Community service providers
undermines the viability of the SRCs and the ability to provide the full
continuum of care that our citizens with developmental disabilities deserve.
Despite of our current budget crisis and incredible DDA waiting list, the
Eastern Regional DDA will not utilize Holly Center. They will however
appropriate thousands of dollars to prevent an admission or to move residents
from their SRC home. It is obvious that DDA supports closure as evidenced by
improper changes in the “Written Plan of Habitation” without vetting and
improper adoption of rules and regulations. Numerous legal opinions have shared
that Olmstead “did not dictate the closing of institutions” and for a few, “may
be the appropriate place and least restrictive setting.”
The recent court decision involving Virginia Massa upholds the rights of those
seeking placement in a state facility and is welcome news to the families of the
many on the waiting lists.
Secretary Colmers, we need your help. We urge you to support the Citizens
Advisory Board’s recommendation to implement a Community Resource Center pilot
program at Holly Center.
The Community Resource Center (CRC) model utilizes the existing SRC
infrastructure and nonresidential professional services by making them available
to nonresidents who reside in the surrounding communities. With access to
adequate health care, therapies, recreational opportunities (e.g., pools and
gyms), assessments and evaluations and more, individuals who might have
otherwise suffered in community settings can thrive. Furthermore, some CRCs
around the country have also established internships at SRCs for medical, dental
and nursing students, which better prepare future health care professionals to
treat MR/DD patients in community-based health care clinics.
Our neighboring state of Virginia is expanding statewide its cost-effective CRC
program and several other states around the country have implemented CRC
programs at their SRCs. As recommended by the Citizens Advisory Board, Maryland
citizens with mental retardation and developmental disabilities, who are now
residing in community settings, should also have the opportunity to access
desperately needed health care and other services now available at SRCs.
Thank you very much for your attention to this matter and we look forward to
your helpful response.
Sincerely,
/S/ Andrew W. Booth, Chairman, Holly Center Task Force
/S/ Kathleen McLain, Chairman, Greater Salisbury Committee
cc: Eastern Shore Delegates and the Holly Center Citizen’s Advisory Board
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4. Northern Virginia Training Center’s Center of Excellence and Regional
Community Support Clinic
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Submitted by Mark Diorio, Director, Northern Virginia Training Center
NVTC is part of the service delivery continuum for persons with mental
retardation who reside in the Northern Virginia area. As a “Center of
Excellence,” NVTC provides inpatient care, outpatient treatment, community staff
training, and specialized educational opportunities for students in cooperation
with area universities. For individuals who live in the community, medical,
dental, and behavioral health services offered through community options often
do not adequately serve the needs of persons with severe and profound mental
retardation or persons who have complex medical and behavioral needs. NVTC’s
outpatient program, called the Regional Community Support Clinic (RCSC),
provides specialized medical, behavioral, dental, and respite services to
individuals living in the community who have complex medical and behavioral
needs. NVTC employs professionals specifically trained in the sub-specialties
necessary to serve this population and is uniquely qualified to be a resource to
the community regardless of a consumer’s residential status. The services
provided by NVTC to consumers of the five (5) Northern Virginia Community
Service Boards (CSBs) are services that either can not be readily accessed in
the community that require professionals with specialized training and
education, or can be provided at less cost by the training center. NVTC staff
also share expertise in new service approaches with community professionals and
provide training to staff from community residential and vocational providers.
In addition, NVTC has contractual relationships with 29 regional
universities/colleges to provide student internships, practicum and specialized
educational experiences in the treatment of individuals with mental retardation
and developmental disabilities.
The Comprehensive State Plan for 2000-2006 recommends continuation of the NVTC’s
“ Center of Excellence” and the Regional Community Support Center project. The
State Plan also notes the need to expand the “Center of Excellence” concept to
other communities in the State.
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5. Massachusetts: Regional Evaluation and Assessment for Community Habilitation
(REACH) Clinic, Hogan Regional Center, Hathorne, MA
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Source: VOR, http://vor.net/CRC%20examples.htm
Over a decade ago, the Regional Evaluation and Assessment for Community
Habilitation (REACH) Clinic was established at Hogan Developmental Center as an
initiative to develop a model of service delivery that integrated facility
clinical resources into the community system.
The REACH Clinic is a resource within the Department of Mental
Retardation/Northeast Region and includes a team of clinical and medical
professionals providing comprehensive evaluations and follow-up recommendations
for individuals with MR/DD. Services include assistive technology, audiology,
medical consultation, nursing, nutrition consultation, neuropsychiatric clinic,
occupational therapy, pharmacological consultation, psychology, physical
therapy, social services, speech and language therapy and therapeutic
recreation. Recommendations are made to better support the person in her/his
home and work environments. Suggestions may also be made for additional
referrals, specific training, follow-up, and identification of available
resources.
The REACH Team is comprised of clinical professionals, including a Nurse
Practitioner, Social Worker, two R.N.’s, and a Psychology clinician, who bring
to the evaluation process many years of expertise in the field of developmental
disabilities. In addition, for many years, REACH Clinic staff have provided
clinical training to OT and PT interns from Boston College, Syracuse University,
Louisiana State University, Quinsigamond College, Tufts University, University
of New Hampshire Worcester State College and all Massachusetts Community
Colleges.
----------------------------------------------------------
Tamie Hopp
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