Community Services for Persons with Developmental Disabilities
Summary
Many adults with developmental disabilities are awaiting out-of-home placement. The need for community placement for persons with developmental disabilities continues to increase markedly as families are unable to sustain their children at home.
Conference Position
The Catholic Conference supports efforts to secure a substantial increase in funding for community development (e.g., community residences and independent residential apartments) specifically targeted to serve individuals currently living at home who are on waiting lists throughout the state.
Rationale
The number of residential opportunities available in New York State remained static for many years. Aging parents, with grown children at home, are waiting for placement as well as support services to help sustain their adult child in their home until placement is possible. Often an emergency, such as the sudden death of a parent, was the only way that a community person can secure placement. NYS-CARES provided the capital needed to develop residential placements and funds to purchase services, but there continues to be a need for sufficient funding to enable the recruitment and retention of a qualified work force delivering community-based services. Absent a continuing commitment to workforce issues, the promise of community placement and supports for adults with developmental disabilities will not be fulfilled.
Early in the movement from institutions to community placement, the ideal house was a large ranch with two consumers in a room. Today, many of these homes are not appropriate. Smaller and more individualized and accessible settings are needed and desired by parents and consumers. New York State has worked with private, not-for-profit service providers to facilitate the conversion, renovation or replacement of older community residences into smaller, more home-like settings. The State must fund existing and proposed programs that can develop new community-based beds, as well as supportive services to facilitate successful transition into community living, and supported employment programs to assist individuals with disabilities to secure and maintain jobs.
In November of 2000, the Bishops of New York State issued a Jubilee Statement on Persons with Disabilities, reinforcing and updating commitments made in the 1968 Pastoral Statement of the United States Catholic Bishops on People with Disabilities. Concern for better services to vulnerable persons and their families is a consistent theme of the statement. Community integration for persons with disabilities is not only necessary, but morally correct. In order to ensure community integration, the Conference opposes any attempts to circumvent the laws, which have prevented “Not in my backyard” (NIMBY) opposition to community services.
You can download this document, Community Services for Persons with Developmental Disabilities, in PDF form.
