Response to Alert from ADAPT of Florida

[Guest guest]

To Whom It May Concern:

This bill does not create institutions. It allows for planned residential communities for persons with disabilities to be allowed to live like many "normal" people live. Please do not mislead people with the unrealistic fear that this bill supports institutions. Have you read the bill?

The bill does not take away money from anyone. If a person served by the med waiver chooses to live in a planned community, they can do so. The money follows the person, not the facility. The bill does not change the siting requirements for regular group homes that are outside of a planned community. Those requirements would be exactly as they are now.

I am also unclear about your comment about pity. What does pity have to do with where you live? A planned residential community can provide real supports and the idea is to provide options like group homes, foster homes, supported living apartments, townhouses, condos. Families could live in the community near their loved ones that have a disability. Have you ever seen communities like Camphill or Lambs Farm? If you had, then you would understand the thinking behind this bill.

Why is it okay to have planned communities for 55+ residents, but it is illegal to have one for people with disabilities? There is no limitation or requirement that all people living in the community have disabilities. Anyone who would want to move into one of these communities could do so, but let's be realistic. If you are not a family member of someone who has a disability or a person with the disability, what reason would you want to move in? That would be like having a 55+ community and expect a family in their 30's with children moving in. Not very logical.

The amendment you speak of does limit the placement of such a community and I agree that requiring it to be 10 or more acres limits where you can place them. I don't agree with limiting where you place these types of communities. But, I don't agree with your comment about institutions in regard to this amendment.

If you are going to send alerts out to people, please be more accurate in your information.

Regards,

Ven Sequenzia

President

Autism Society of America

State of Florida Chapter

Alert from ADAPT of Florida

My friends in the disability rights movement.

Action Alert 1 – SB 1166

By ADAPT of Florida

SB 1166 is scheduled to be heard in the Senate Children, Families and Elders Affairs Committee tomorrow morning, Friday March 25. As currently worded, the bill (and its companion HB 645) opens the door to private state funded institutions under the name of “Choice†by changing the siting requirements for group homes. HB 645 was heard this morning and passed its first committee of reference.

Background:

· The bill authorizes facilities, called planned residential communities, which have virtually no constraints placed on them in terms of what services they will provide onsite or how many people will live or be served there. This effectively allows them to become institutions regardless of what they are called.

· The bill can take community service dollars away from people served in a traditional group and foster homes because supporters want to get operating funds from the same budget item.

· An amendment supported by cities is being offered by the sponsor that would set a NIMBY (not in my back yard) precedent by not allowing these facilities in any area of less than 10 acres. This essentially bans these “communities†from urban areas. In effect, the amendment “red lines†these “communities into more rural areas of Florida and underscores the danger inherent in creating institutions.

· Individuals with disabilities must be able to have real supports. They do not need pity. They need real supports in a non segregated community.

Action Needed:

Please call or email members of the Senate Children, Families and Elders Affairs Committee. Ask them to vote against SB 1166 because it promotes the development of institutions and discriminates against people with developmental disabilities. It is extremely important that the legislature hear that not all advocates approve of this bill.

Senators – Children, Families and Elder Affairs Committee

First Name

Last Name

District City

District Phone

Tallahassee Phone

Email Address

Detert

Venice

detert.nancy.web@...

de la Portilla

Miami

portilla.alex.web@...

Rudy

Hialeah

garcia.rudy.web@...

C. 'Tony'

Hill

ville

hill.tony.web@...

Charlie

Justice

St. sburg

justice.charlie.web@...

Nan

Rich

Sunrise

rich.nan.web@...

Ronda

Storms*

storms.ronda.web@...

R.

Wise

ville

wise.stephen.web@...

* Chairperson

[Guest guest]

well stated.

To: adaptflorida@...Sent: Thu, March 25, 2010 2:33:21 PMSubject: Response to Alert from ADAPT of Florida

To Whom It May Concern:

This bill does not create institutions. It allows for planned residential communities for persons with disabilities to be allowed to live like many "normal" people live. Please do not mislead people with the unrealistic fear that this bill supports institutions. Have you read the bill?

The bill does not take away money from anyone. If a person served by the med waiver chooses to live in a planned community, they can do so. The money follows the person, not the facility. The bill does not change the siting requirements for regular group homes that are outside of a planned community. Those requirements would be exactly as they are now.

I am also unclear about your comment about pity. What does pity have to do with where you live? A planned residential community can provide real supports and the idea is to provide options like group homes, foster homes, supported living apartments, townhouses, condos. Families could live in the community near their loved ones that have a disability. Have you ever seen communities like Camphill or Lambs Farm? If you had, then you would understand the thinking behind this bill.

Why is it okay to have planned communities for 55+ residents, but it is illegal to have one for people with disabilities? There is no limitation or requirement that all people living in the community have disabilities. Anyone who would want to move into one of these communities could do so, but let's be realistic. If you are not a family member of someone who has a disability or a person with the disability, what reason would you want to move in? That would be like having a 55+ community and expect a family in their 30's with children moving in. Not very logical.

The amendment you speak of does limit the placement of such a community and I agree that requiring it to be 10 or more acres limits where you can place them. I don't agree with limiting where you place these types of communities. But, I don't agree with your comment about institutions in regard to this amendment.

If you are going to send alerts out to people, please be more accurate in your information.

Regards, Ven Sequenzia President Autism Society of America State of Florida Chapter

Alert from ADAPT of Florida

My friends in the disability rights movement.

Action Alert 1 – SB 1166

By ADAPT of Florida

SB 1166 is scheduled to be heard in the Senate Children, Families and Elders Affairs Committee tomorrow morning, Friday March 25. As currently worded, the bill (and its companion HB 645) opens the door to private state funded institutions under the name of “Choice†by changing the siting requirements for group homes. HB 645 was heard this morning and passed its first committee of reference.

Background:

· The bill authorizes facilities, called planned residential communities, which have virtually no constraints placed on them in terms of what services they will provide onsite or how many people will live or be served there. This effectively allows them to become institutions regardless of what they are called.

· The bill can take community service dollars away from people served in a traditional group and foster homes because supporters want to get operating funds from the same budget item.

· An amendment supported by cities is being offered by the sponsor that would set a NIMBY (not in my back yard) precedent by not allowing these facilities in any area of less than 10 acres. This essentially bans these “communities†from urban areas. In effect, the amendment “red lines†these “communities into more rural areas of Florida and underscores the danger inherent in creating institutions.

· Individuals with disabilities must be able to have real supports. They do not need pity. They need real supports in a non segregated community.

Action Needed:

Please call or email members of the Senate Children, Families and Elders Affairs Committee. Ask them to vote against SB 1166 because it promotes the development of institutions and discriminates against people with developmental disabilities. It is extremely important that the legislature hear that not all advocates approve of this bill.

Senators – Children, Families and Elder Affairs Committee

First Name

Last Name

District City

District Phone

Tallahassee Phone

Email Address

Detert

Venice

detert.nancy. webflsenate (DOT) gov

de la Portilla

Miami

portilla.alex. webflsenate (DOT) gov

Rudy

Hialeah

garcia.rudy. webflsenate (DOT) gov

C. 'Tony'

Hill

ville

hill.tony.web@ flsenate. gov

Charlie

Justice

St. sburg

justice.charlie. webflsenate (DOT) gov

Nan

Rich

Sunrise

rich.nan.web@ flsenate. gov

Ronda

Storms*

storms.ronda. webflsenate (DOT) gov

R.

Wise

ville

wise.stephen. webflsenate (DOT) gov

* Chairperson

[Guest guest]

well stated.

To: adaptflorida@...Sent: Thu, March 25, 2010 2:33:21 PMSubject: Response to Alert from ADAPT of Florida

To Whom It May Concern:

This bill does not create institutions. It allows for planned residential communities for persons with disabilities to be allowed to live like many "normal" people live. Please do not mislead people with the unrealistic fear that this bill supports institutions. Have you read the bill?

The bill does not take away money from anyone. If a person served by the med waiver chooses to live in a planned community, they can do so. The money follows the person, not the facility. The bill does not change the siting requirements for regular group homes that are outside of a planned community. Those requirements would be exactly as they are now.

I am also unclear about your comment about pity. What does pity have to do with where you live? A planned residential community can provide real supports and the idea is to provide options like group homes, foster homes, supported living apartments, townhouses, condos. Families could live in the community near their loved ones that have a disability. Have you ever seen communities like Camphill or Lambs Farm? If you had, then you would understand the thinking behind this bill.

Why is it okay to have planned communities for 55+ residents, but it is illegal to have one for people with disabilities? There is no limitation or requirement that all people living in the community have disabilities. Anyone who would want to move into one of these communities could do so, but let's be realistic. If you are not a family member of someone who has a disability or a person with the disability, what reason would you want to move in? That would be like having a 55+ community and expect a family in their 30's with children moving in. Not very logical.

The amendment you speak of does limit the placement of such a community and I agree that requiring it to be 10 or more acres limits where you can place them. I don't agree with limiting where you place these types of communities. But, I don't agree with your comment about institutions in regard to this amendment.

If you are going to send alerts out to people, please be more accurate in your information.

Regards, Ven Sequenzia President Autism Society of America State of Florida Chapter

Alert from ADAPT of Florida

My friends in the disability rights movement.

Action Alert 1 – SB 1166

By ADAPT of Florida

SB 1166 is scheduled to be heard in the Senate Children, Families and Elders Affairs Committee tomorrow morning, Friday March 25. As currently worded, the bill (and its companion HB 645) opens the door to private state funded institutions under the name of “Choice†by changing the siting requirements for group homes. HB 645 was heard this morning and passed its first committee of reference.

Background:

· The bill authorizes facilities, called planned residential communities, which have virtually no constraints placed on them in terms of what services they will provide onsite or how many people will live or be served there. This effectively allows them to become institutions regardless of what they are called.

· The bill can take community service dollars away from people served in a traditional group and foster homes because supporters want to get operating funds from the same budget item.

· An amendment supported by cities is being offered by the sponsor that would set a NIMBY (not in my back yard) precedent by not allowing these facilities in any area of less than 10 acres. This essentially bans these “communities†from urban areas. In effect, the amendment “red lines†these “communities into more rural areas of Florida and underscores the danger inherent in creating institutions.

· Individuals with disabilities must be able to have real supports. They do not need pity. They need real supports in a non segregated community.

Action Needed:

Please call or email members of the Senate Children, Families and Elders Affairs Committee. Ask them to vote against SB 1166 because it promotes the development of institutions and discriminates against people with developmental disabilities. It is extremely important that the legislature hear that not all advocates approve of this bill.

Senators – Children, Families and Elder Affairs Committee

First Name

Last Name

District City

District Phone

Tallahassee Phone

Email Address

Detert

Venice

detert.nancy. webflsenate (DOT) gov

de la Portilla

Miami

portilla.alex. webflsenate (DOT) gov

Rudy

Hialeah

garcia.rudy. webflsenate (DOT) gov

C. 'Tony'

Hill

ville

hill.tony.web@ flsenate. gov

Charlie

Justice

St. sburg

justice.charlie. webflsenate (DOT) gov

Nan

Rich

Sunrise

rich.nan.web@ flsenate. gov

Ronda

Storms*

storms.ronda. webflsenate (DOT) gov

R.

Wise

ville

wise.stephen. webflsenate (DOT) gov

* Chairperson