From the Wichita Eagle:

Several hundred Kansans with developmental disabilities and their supporters rallied in Topeka this week, calling on the state to reduce a waiting list for services that stretches to almost 4,000 names. They say the services are needed to help people with disabilities stay out of institutions and lead more productive lives.

Advocates visited legislators,  brought telephone directory-sized books with synopses of the individuals on the waiting list for services, and drew footprints on butcher paper in a symbolic protest representing each person on the waiting list.

Service providers say it takes about three to four years for a person to make it off the waiting list and into a program. That’s too long, said Robyn Herzog, a developmentally disabled woman from Lawrence who addressed the rally.

“Most people do not even like to wait in line at the movies,” she said. “This is life we’re talking about!”

See also:

Op-ed: Kansas not meeting needs of the disabled - Wichita Eagle

State’s budget slashes $4 million for worker program - [NJ] Courier-Post

Appeals court rules state can trim funding for disabled - Capitol Media Services/Arizona Daily Star

This entry was posted on Saturday, May 2nd, 2009 at 3:25 pm and is filed under budget, community services, institutionalization, waiting list/waivers. 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.