From the Boston Herald:

The Westwood Respite Center, which provides support to 68 families of adults with disabilities in eastern Massachusetts, is expected to close its doors next weekend. The reason: massive cuts in the budget of the Massachusetts Department of Developmental Services. The center offers a place for adults to develop independent-living skills and socialize with peers.

People like Ellen Burns, who has been visiting for the past 15 years, are devastated. “I need a life,” she says. “I get lonesome.”

Her mother is outraged.“The zoo has gotten funding back. People with disabilites are not on the same level?” said Peggy Burns. “Where are their priorities?”

See also:

A wild idea: Help needy — by Peter Gelzinis in the Boston Herald

An excerpt:

“Look, I was happy when the governor came out and said that no animals were going to die,” Cheryl said. “I happen to be an animal lover, too. But I just think it would be nice if people, who find themselves in the same situation as my daughter, could get a little of the same attention.

“But then, I suppose that only happens in a perfect world, doesn’t it?”

– Quote from Cheryl Perry, whose daughter Ava was shut out of a Massachusetts adult services program because of budget cuts. Ava is blind and has Down syndrome.

(Photo of Cheryl and Ava Perry from the Boston Herald)

This entry was posted on Monday, July 20th, 2009 at 9:15 am and is filed under adult living, budget, independent living, 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.