Commentary: Obama backed off on community-based supports
July 31st, 2009Writing in ProPublica.com, Jennifer LaFleur says President Obama endorsed the wording in the UN disability treaty guaranteeing equal access to community life, but has backed off his earlier promises to mandate such access in the United States.
Obama co-sponsored the Community Choice Act while a member of the Senate.
But since he has been in the White House, Obama has not said he will support moves to make community services mandatory.
… A White House spokesman told ProPublica “the President believes that investing in health and long-term services for people with disabilities is an important national priority,” but would not say whether the President will support legislation to make community services mandatory.
“Ultimately this becomes a bureaucratic conversation about spending health care dollars,” said Bruce Darling, a disability activist with ADAPT. “And we completely lose the concept that this is a civil rights issue for Americans. No other group gets locked up like this. No one would stand for it.”
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July 31st, 2009 at 11:34 am
Making the availability of community services a mandatory OPTION is one thing. Mandating that all individuals leave highly specialized facilities, ICFs/MR, would then violate my son’s civil rights to receive services in the most integrated, least restrictive environment to meet his complex needs.