Hearing on the closure of Howe

[Guest guest]

Hi all:

I will be attending the Hearing. I know this is quite a distance but

it is critically important. If any of you can possibly manage to get

there, PLEASE do so. In lieu of attendance please consider writing a

testimony that you would then send to every one of the legislators

listed.

Thank you.

Ellen

The Arc of Illinois

December 8, 2008

Leaders in The Arc:

Here is Rep Ryg's letter supporting the closing of Howe and investing

in the developmental disability system. Rep Ryg is the current

Chairperson of the House Disability Services Committee. Please share

this email with others.

ACTION: On Thursday, Dec. 11th, 4:00 p.m., at the Tinley Park

Convention Center, 18300 & Harlem, Tinley Park, the Commission on

Government Forecasting & Accountability will hold a hearing on the

closing of Howe.

People with disabilities have died at Howe because of medical

neglect. The federal government has withdrawn its funding of Howe

because health and safety standards could not be met at Howe. Howe

needs to be closed!

Advocates should attend this meeting and support efforts to close

Howe.

Tony auski

The Arc of Illinois

815-464-1832

December 5, 2008

Members of Commission on Government Forecasting and

Accountability

Chairman Senator Schoenberg Chairman

Myers

Senator Bill Brady

Representative Bellock

Senator Don Harmon

Representative Mautino

Senator Radogno

Representative Molaro

Senator Dave Syverson

Representative Elaine Nekritz

Senator Donne Trotter

Representative Poe

Dan Long, Executive Director

From: Representative Kathy Ryg, Chair of House Disabilities

Services Committee

RE: HOWE DEVELOPMENTAL CENTER & TINLEY PARK MENTAL HEALTH CENTER

As Chair of the House Disabilities Services Committee and a member of

the Fee for Service Committee, I have been actively engaged in

discussions regarding the delivery of services to persons with

developmental disabilities and mental illness. As members of the

General Assembly we are familiar with the advocates' message that

Illinois ranks " 51st and Failing " in funding services for the

developmentally disabled and mentally ill citizens of our state.

In numerous hearings on the fee for service initiative and the need

to rebalance the investment of state dollars from institutional care

to community based programs and services, the consumers and their

families have testified that they are told they should consider

moving out of state if you want quality services for your family

member. Advocacy groups have successfully sued the state for failure

to comply with the Olmstead decision that gives a consumer the choice

to receive long-term care services in integrated community settings.

These messages have been repeated for years and have been compounded

by concerns that due to a lack of resources, quality of care for

residents in our state operated centers is inadequate. Staffs are

overburdened and facilities are in disrepair. Federal matching

dollars have been denied.

Our statewide system of care for the developmentally disabled and

mentally ill can no longer be sustained as is. More importantly, we

recognize that a system that ranks 51st and receives a failing grade

must not be maintained.

The proposed closure of Howe Developmental Center and the

restructuring of the Tinley Park Mental Health Center are the first

steps to rebalancing a broken system. This rebalancing effort is

directed by evidence based, expert reports: The Blueprint for System

Redesign in Illinois, The Metro South Mental Health Planning Task

Force, and the Money Follows the Person initiative. These reports

recommend that some of the dollars spent on institutional care must

be reinvested in community based care and the development of state

operated, state of the art, centers of excellence.

In public hearings held over my six year career in the General

Assembly, we have been informed by these reports but more

importantly, we have listened to the testimony of the consumers of

services and their family members. While there is some disagreement

about technical definitions, there is no disagreement about two

things:

1. Our highest priority must be for the health, safety, and

welfare of each person served with our focus on continual skill

development and recovery.

2. We must provide for a continuum of care that meets an

individual's needs and allows true choice. Choice means being able

to decide for one's self or one's loved one, which programs offer the

best service in the least restrictive environment. Our system must

provide for quality care in the most appropriate setting based on

person and family directed needs and goals.

The proposed facility closure signals a significant and promising

step towards our mutual goals of quality care and choice. I can

testify that this decision was clearly a result of exhaustive efforts

to determine how to best allocate scarce resources to insure quality

of care in state operated centers and increase capacity for community

based services.

That being said, we must insure that the reinvestment of dollars will

be dedicated to improving existing services at the other state

operated centers and expanding capacity in the community. We must

insure that families and employees will be fully involved in

transition planning. I believe the proposed closure plan provides

that additional resources will be provided to insure each resident

and consumer in state operated centers gets the quality of care they

are entitled to and deserve.

Additional resources will build a stronger system of community based

programs and services providing increased access and more choice.

Additional resources will mean more jobs for the direct service

professionals and we will continue to fight for increased wages for

the valuable work they do.

Additional resources will mean Illinois can maximize federal dollars

to match state dollars.

Please join me in supporting the closure of the Howe Developmental

Center and the restructuring of the Tinley Park Mental Health Center.

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