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The Arc of Texas - Response to the Department of Justice Findings relating to our State Schools.
As you know, the Department of Justice (DOJ) recently released a scathing report on the 13 Texas State Schools and State Centers. This follows a DOJ report a couple of years ago about the Lubbock state school. Both reports emphasized basically the same deficiencies.
We hand delivered a letter to Governor Rick Perry on December 9, 2008 and requested a meeting with the Governor to discuss these issues. In addition we are also working with other advocacy organizations to personally deliver a message of outrage to key state leaders.Further, we have been working for the last 18 months behind the scenes with legislators and key staff to address the issue.
Within the same week that the DOJ published their report, the Legislative Budget Board (LBB) staff also published a report on our Texas institutions. The LBB report called for:
--A long term plan to downsize institutions and move residents to community placements
--A plan to move savings from downsizing to support community services expansion
--Limit admissions to institutions
--Eliminate residential units with high maintenance costs
--Develop enhanced community services and a safety net for children and people with behavioral issues to deter admissions.
In addition, The Arc of Texas will provide comments to the DADS council during their meeting on December 10, 2008 expressing our concerns. Please know that this is a very important issue to The Arc of Texas and we will continue to effectively advocate to improve services for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
Below you will find the LBB report, DOJ report, and our letter to the Governor. A link for an op-ed relating to this issue written by Senator Rodney Ellis and Represenative Patrick Rose is also available for your reivew. Should you have any questions please do not hesitate to contact Dawn Choate, Governmental Affairs Specialist at dchoate@thearcoftexas.org.
The ARC Letter To The Governor
Dept. Of Justice Report
Legislative Budget Board Report
http://www.statesman.com/opinion/content/editorial/stories/12/09/1209ellis_edit.html
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