Guest guest Posted January 7, 2008 Report Share Posted January 7, 2008 WONDERFUL! Jan **************Start the year off right. Easy ways to stay in shape. http://body.aol.com/fitness/winter-exercise?NCID=aolcmp00300000002489 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted January 7, 2008 Report Share Posted January 7, 2008 Thanks for posting this, Tara. You beat me to it! It is an outstanding article! Ellen Ellen Garber Bronfeld egskb@... Siblings in the news Leaders in The Arc: Over the holidays there was a disconcerting perspective in the Chicago Tribune touting the need for institutional services. The author also defended the indefensible situation at the state institution Howe where eleven people have died. The situation at Howe is so egregious that the federal government has decertified Howe because of health and safety issues. I was also one of the " advocates " disparaged in that story. Max Lapertosa does a fine job of expressing the concerns of proud advocates here in Illinois in this Voice Of The People from the Chicago Tribune. Nice job Max! Tony auski The Arc of Illinois 708-206-19*30 VOICE OF THE PEOPLE Support for disabled loved ones Max Lapertosa January 7, 2008 Chicago - I am one of the " advocates " disparaged in " In caring for disabled, families know best " (Perspective, Dec. 23), by Choslovsky, a Chicago lawyer who represents Misercordia. As a lawyer for Access Living, I represent, in a class-action lawsuit, seven families whose adult children with developmental disabilities were denied community services. Contrary to Choslovsky's allegations, we do not seek to deny anyone the ability to choose institutional services. We only seek to expand community services. Two court decisions have found that that is exactly what we seek. Across the nation, individuals with developmental disabilities, their families and professionals have recognized the benefits of community services. To give just two examples, Indiana and Michigan have largely phased out institutions. Yet Illinois' rate of institutionalization remains among the nation's highest. As an advocate, how can I understand the experiences of families who have children or siblings with disabilities? Well, at age 20, my parents died, leaving me as guardian and caregiver of my older brother, who has severe autism. He is largely nonverbal, needs constant oversight, has behavioral outbursts and can be self-abusive, characteristics commonly used to justify institutionalization. Nevertheless, he lives successfully, and safely, in a community home, and worked for the Glenview Park District for a decade. Any support or service he needs is available in his home or the community. As for Howe Developmental Center, which has come under investigation for abuse and neglect of its residents, it wasn't fined, as Choslovsky said. It was decertified, meaning the federal government removed all its Medicaid funding. This is a seldom-invoked remedy that underscores the gravity of harm faced by Howe's residents. Choslovsky and I have one thing in common: Our disabled siblings have what they want and need. I am representing families who do not have what they need, and I'm honored to be their advocate. , Chicago Tribune Tara Kosieniak www.sibsnetwork.org Sibling resources: AdultSibsNet/ http://sibleadership.blogspot.com/ www.siblingsupport.org --------------------------------- Never miss a thing. Make your homepage. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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