I work in an industry that is in serious trouble.
With budget cuts actively occurring, I've recently learned that my state is toying with the idea of closing one of the two mental hospitals in order to fulfill mandatory 'cuts'.
After working with the developmentally disabled off and on for years now, I find this recent development disturbing at the least. The people that currently receive services in those hospitals need the services that can be provided there.
I currently work in a place that offers day services and residential services for adults with severe developmental disabilities. We have limited resources and in fact, have no vacancies for the services that we can offer to those that need them.
I am a little more than concerned with what will happen to the people that receive services if one of these hospitals close. There are other agencies here in my state that offer similar services... but are they equipped to provide the services these people need?? The majority of them are not.
So what's to happen with these people!? A lot of them have NO family... nobody that cares.
It's fairly obvious to me that no one at the federal or state level really has a grasp on the needs of the developmentally disabled - otherwise, they wouldn't be considering this.
How about cutting from the TOP instead of the very bottom??
I suppose if they had a loved one that needed the kinds of services we offer, they would rethink their hasty decision to do this.
So much for our representatives representing the people.
With budget cuts actively occurring, I've recently learned that my state is toying with the idea of closing one of the two mental hospitals in order to fulfill mandatory 'cuts'.
After working with the developmentally disabled off and on for years now, I find this recent development disturbing at the least. The people that currently receive services in those hospitals need the services that can be provided there.
I currently work in a place that offers day services and residential services for adults with severe developmental disabilities. We have limited resources and in fact, have no vacancies for the services that we can offer to those that need them.
I am a little more than concerned with what will happen to the people that receive services if one of these hospitals close. There are other agencies here in my state that offer similar services... but are they equipped to provide the services these people need?? The majority of them are not.
So what's to happen with these people!? A lot of them have NO family... nobody that cares.
It's fairly obvious to me that no one at the federal or state level really has a grasp on the needs of the developmentally disabled - otherwise, they wouldn't be considering this.
How about cutting from the TOP instead of the very bottom??
I suppose if they had a loved one that needed the kinds of services we offer, they would rethink their hasty decision to do this.
So much for our representatives representing the people.