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The East Central Georgia Family Council, representing residents of the "Gracewood" ICF/MR, have issued a Resolution in opposition to the Settlement Agreement between the Governor of Georgia and the United States Department of Justice, which if implemented will displace more than 10,000 people with mental illness and mental retardation from licensed psychiatric and ICFs/MR settings in Georgia.
"The United States Department of Justice has undermined the U.S. Supreme Court’s Olmstead decision by being forceful and aggressive with regard to community transitions and thereby omitting the element of resident choice, whether that be a community or ICF/MR setting," states the Resolution. "[I]f everyone is forced to accept community living, then no one has choice."
The East Central Georgia Family Council, in furtherance of the Resolution, vows to "step up to the plate, rise to the occasion, remain advocates, and reckon with the Governor, and the U.S. Department of Justice, with passion, zeal, zest and steadfastness on behalf of Georgia’s most frail population with mental retardation and developmental disabilities."
Click here to read the full Resolution. |
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For Immediate Release
October 25, 2012
VOR
The newly-hired Director of the Oklahoma Department of Human Services, Ed Lake, has said he wants to “hit the ground running” when he takes office on November 1.
One national organization is hoping he will trade his running shoes for walking shoes, at least to decisions pertaining to the futures of Southern Oklahoma Resource Center (SORC) in Pauls Valley, and the Northern Oklahoma Resource Center (NORCE) in Enid, which now serve 126 and 115 residents, respectively, with severe intellectual disabilities.
VOR, a national organization advocating for high quality care and human rights for all people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, has raised questions about the ability of the new Director and the Oklahoma Commission for Human Services to make an informed decision when it meets on November 1.
“November 1 marks the first day of Director Lake’s new job and only the second or third meeting for the four newly appointed Commissioners. Even the five veteran Commissioners have spent the vast majority of its time on the Children’s Rights lawsuit,” said Tamie Hopp, VOR’s Director of Government Relations & Advocacy. “For the past 11 months, the SORC family association has been allowed less than 30 minutes in public sessions of the Commission’s meetings to discuss its concerns. 10 of these minutes were only offered after a vote was tabled due to alleged Open Meetings Act violations.”
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Read More (Word)
Read SORC/Parent Guardian Association Press Release |
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Commentary (Excerpts)
by Ethan B. Ellis, President, Next Step
August 26, 2009
Congressman Frank Pallone, unruffled and cool, managed to turn the provocative questions and comments [at a recent “Town Hall” meeting] into opportunities to provide real, substantive information about the bill he supports and the legislative alternatives being considered in the Senate. Despite the din, I learned more in an hour than I had in months of sorting through news and opinion on TV and online. I even got in a question that filled in some of the blanks. Here’s how H.R. 3200 will affect people with disabilities:
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VOR’s Annual Conference included a State Report Forum. Reports from 15 states were received. Where available, a more detailed report is also linked.
ARKANSAS
By Alan Fortney, State Coordinator
DOJ filed a lawsuit against the Conway Development Center in Jan. 2009 after 6 years of investigation/negotiations. Arkansas is represented by attorney Tom York, and Robin Sims is an expert witness for the state. In May 2010, DOJ filed a separate lawsuit against all 6 development centers in Arkansas claiming the state is out of compliance with the ADA. The Arkansas P&A, like other states, have used our case as a “rallying cry.” On May 18, 2010, Gov. Mike Beebe announced his intention to close the Alexander HDC due to losing Medicaid funding for being out of compliance with CMS, but has vowed to support the other five centers.
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For Immediate Release
July 12, 2012
For More Information
Julie Huso, Executive Director
605-370-4652 direct;
This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
It’s hard for average families to fathom what would drive a mother to abandon her disabled daughter, as reported by the Daily Herald, a Suburban Chicago newspaper (“Algonquin mom: Leaving disabled woman in Tennessee was best,” July 7). Yet, this story is repeated across the country, often with “murder-suicide” being the escape for those involved.
Advocacy and politics have reduced and, in some areas, eliminated specialized care options for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (ID/DD), resulting predictable tragedies.
Elderly parents are forced to care for middle-aged disabled children long beyond humane standards. In other situations, individuals with profound ID/DD with complex, 24/7 needs are cared for by underpaid, untrained staff. Tragedies are predictable.
“I feel for the mom in Illinois who left her disabled daughter in Tennessee for better care and for the families in California, Connecticut and elsewhere who felt their only escape was death,” remarked Sybil Finken, VOR’s immediate past president. “Imagine the desperation they must have felt.”
Read complete release |
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When it comes to their top legislative priority, disability activists fear later will mean never.
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