LYNCHBURG, Va. -- The state's final public hearing on institutions for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities this week brought out impassioned parents, relatives and advocates on both sides of a complex issue.
Some see large institutions, such as Lynchburg's Central Virginia Training Center, the largest and oldest, as needlessly segregating Virginians with disabilities from the rest of society.
They also say institutions' costly care — estimated at several thousand more than equivalent services in the community — are a drain on funding that could be used to move those training center residents into any number of community settings.
And it could help pay for thousands on waiting lists to receive services in their communities.
Showing posts with label opinion. Show all posts
Showing posts with label opinion. Show all posts
Friday, August 5, 2011
Thursday, June 30, 2011
A Mother's Message
An interesting blog post from the Huffington Post--a mother's message to the President about the rise in autism.
Dear Mr. President:
I received a form letter from Vice President Joe Biden recently -- one of those mass emails one gets but rarely reads. I read that if I were to make a donation of $5, my name will be thrown into a hat for a chance to have dinner with you. Alone.
I imagined what I would say to you, Mr. President, if I had the opportunity to have dinner with you. And of course I knew what the answer was without hesitation. I would speak with you about the rising number of children diagnosed with autism. In 20years there has been a 600-percent increase in diagnosed cases of autism. I would direct you to the countless news stories regarding the rampant abuse of those same children and adults living in group homes and institutions. I would ask you to help set up communities where individuals with autism were treated with respect and would have more control over how they lived, allowing them to pursue their interests and encouraging them to follow their dreams.
Mr. President, I would tell you about our trips to Central America with our daughter Emma for stem cell treatments. I would encourage you to put more funding into stem cell research, umbilical cord stem cells, using the patient's own stem cells and any other form of stem cells that might prove viable in restoring the lives of hundreds of thousands, even millions.
Dear Mr. President:
I received a form letter from Vice President Joe Biden recently -- one of those mass emails one gets but rarely reads. I read that if I were to make a donation of $5, my name will be thrown into a hat for a chance to have dinner with you. Alone.
I imagined what I would say to you, Mr. President, if I had the opportunity to have dinner with you. And of course I knew what the answer was without hesitation. I would speak with you about the rising number of children diagnosed with autism. In 20years there has been a 600-percent increase in diagnosed cases of autism. I would direct you to the countless news stories regarding the rampant abuse of those same children and adults living in group homes and institutions. I would ask you to help set up communities where individuals with autism were treated with respect and would have more control over how they lived, allowing them to pursue their interests and encouraging them to follow their dreams.
Mr. President, I would tell you about our trips to Central America with our daughter Emma for stem cell treatments. I would encourage you to put more funding into stem cell research, umbilical cord stem cells, using the patient's own stem cells and any other form of stem cells that might prove viable in restoring the lives of hundreds of thousands, even millions.
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