From the Houston Chronicle:

Advocates for people with intellectual disabilities urged Texas to reduce its massive waiting lists for community living services. About 82,000 people with intellectual and physical disabilities are marooned on the lists, waiting for support to live in family homes, small group homes or their own homes.

At a public hearing on Wednesday, the state also heard from family members who wanted the state to continue focusing its financial resources on state-run institutions, known as state schools. Texas Health and Human Services officials said the waiting lists are expected to stay the same through 2011.

Melissa Olive said she would like to move her 29-year-old brother out of the Austin State School into a home-based setting, but he has been on a waiting list since the two moved to Texas in November 2000.

“How on earth can you continue (current levels) when you know you have these waiting lists?” Olive asked.

Close to 4,600 Texans live in state institutions and 6,000 live in similar private facilities.

A state audit indicated that the daily cost of serving a client in a state institution is $335, compared with a cost of $165 per day for a community facility.

This entry was posted on Thursday, August 21st, 2008 at 11:01 am and is filed under advocacy, housing, intellectual/developmental disabilities. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.  Email This Post