Institutions: Close Them!

Roberta 4 months ago

At the Capitol City Self-Advocacy Group meeting
on Wednesday, March 10, 2010, some of us self-
advocates told Gordon DuBois and Bil Robers that
they should send WMUR-TV ABC 9, the television
station in Manchester, a copy of the Lost in Laconia
film Bil Rogers has completed its final stages and that
the radio stations and newspapers throughout New
Hampshire to educate society better. Gordon DuBois
stated that we need to talk about this at the next
People First of New Hampshire board and general
membership meeting seeking the board members'
permission first. Gordon and Bil said that was a great
idea.

Patricia 5 months ago

Here in Arizona, We have 1 state run institution. We have some non-profit instituitions that are never counted as institutions in our number. Our state run one is called the "Arizona Training Program at Coolidge. I know of at least 1 other facility that they refer to as an ICFMR (Intermediate Care Facility for the Mentally Retarded). That one is called Hacenda, I think their might be more that I don't know about. We have got a lot of people with developmental disabilities in group homes however, that are also not counted in the amount of people in instittions. All of the group home companies are non-profit agencies who contract through the state division of developmental disabilities. There are many of these group home companies, but the biggest, and most powerful group home company in the state is called the Tempe Centers for Habilitation (or TCH). TCH is run by a guy named Dave Cutty, and his foundation, the Dave Cutty Foundation. Also, the new executive director of our DD council is a former nursing home administrator. Oh, and by the way, the Dave Cutty that I speak of that runs TCH is on the new DD council in our state. They are also cutting even title 19 elegible attendant care services in our state, not just state only. God help us all!

5 months ago

my name is Jean & i lived in an instituation for 10 years since i was 12 years old and got out when i was 21 years old. i got pregent and gave my child up because i wanted my child to have a better life than i did and now i am a whole different person with people in my life and people who loves me for me and not because of my disability but for who i am. more people need to know my story.

Tom 6 months ago

THIS CAMPAIGN SHOULD COVER THE WORLD OV ER NOT JUST THE US

6 months ago

Human Service Research Institute, Portland Oregon

Les 7 months ago

The link below has a series of stories that I have written together with my son Adam on the ABC website. The easy way out if we had listened to the 'experts' was to have put Adam into an institution when he was young. He attended a 'centre' until the age of 13 years old. We wers successful in him being accepted into his local schoool with his sisters. These stories tell his tale, struggle and success and are constantly being added to and updated.
http://makingaustralia.abc.net.au/ser...

Noreene 8 months ago

Years ago, we followed all the specialist's advice and placed our 4 year old son in one of the big Ontario institutions that closed last March 31. On our first visit to him, we took him home , against the wishes of the social worker and doctor there. We were told that they hoped we understood that we would not get help any longer. It has been a struggle, but he now has his own home, has loads of friends, works at 2 jobs of his choosing, and hires and fires his staff, with some support of course to do all of these things. However, what I want peopel to understand, is that I did not realize the effect of him being admitted to an institution had on us , because I tired to ' forget it', and never talked about it to anyone, and really could not, that is until this past year, when I knew with certainty, that the institution was closed for good. What a relief!! This is why I work so hard for this cause. We need to close all institutions, not just those for people with intellectual disabilities, but also nursing homes. And when I tell people this, even people who are strongly in favour of closing institutions, I get really strange looks and comments about how we need nursuing homes. I am sure these commennts are the same as those made when we first talked about closing institutions. I know that if health dollars were better distributed, seniors could stay in their own homes and hte help be provided to them there. Nursing homes do not really provide much 'nursing care' , they provide custodial care in the main, some good, a lot of it not so good. We need to continue to change attitudes and mindsets.

Janet 8 months ago

http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/In...

Roy 10 months ago

Here's good news - Class-Action Institutionalization Lawsuit Filed in Pennsylvania Disability Rights Network of Pennsylvania filed a federal lawsuit June 22 on behalf of approximately 1,250 individuals with developmental disabilities residing at five state-operated institutions. The lawsuit, Benjamin v. Dep’t of Public Welfare, alleges that DPW violates the integration mandates of the Americans with Disabilities Act and Rehabilitation Act by failing to provide community supports and services to those class members who are appropriate for such services. The lawsuit also alleges that the department violates those statutes by using discriminatory methods of administration to keep class members unnecessarily institutionalized, including: failing to effectively assess
class members to determine what community supports and services they need; failing to place class members on the emergency waiting list; failing to assure that class members have access to effective supports coordination services; and failing to develop and implement a viable integration plan with concrete benchmarks and timelines within which community alternatives will be offered. Disability Rights Network is seeking declaratory and injunctive relief on behalf of the class members.
The Benjamin suit seeks to assure that the residents of Pennsylvania’s state-operated institutions for individuals with developmental disabilities also receive the rights granted by the Supreme Court’s Olmstead decision a decade ago that said states cannot unnecessarily segregate individuals with disabilities in institutions if they can receive services in more integrated community settings. For more information and to read a copy of the complaint in Benjamin v. Dep’t of Public Welfare, visit
www.drnpa.org/page/drn-cases.

Ed 10 months ago

It's Mount Pleasant in Michigan Hooray..

Ed 10 months ago

My friend Kri tells me a facility closed this weelk In Michigan..

Irma 11 months ago

To Vicki,

Such an achievement with the update of Howe Developmental Ctr. closure.
Congratulations to the advocates who accomplished this mission. Thanks on the update.

Keenan 11 months ago

That's awesome Vicki! Is there any media coverage of this?

Vicki 11 months ago

Great News! Howe Developmental Center in Tinley Park, IL was officially announced as closed today. The 251 residents will be moved out by April 2010. Kudos to the army of advocates who worked so hard to make this happen!

Keenan 11 months ago

Alyson, you hit the nail right on the head, institutional thinking exists even after we close down the big buildings that we call "institutions" there is a long way to go as far as changing hearts and minds. It takes a lot of courage to face up to all the crap!

Keenan 11 months ago

There is nothing like the pure joy of someone moving to a home of their own to remind us all what de-institutionalization is all about:

http://www.facebook.com/video/video.p...