I need you to act on this as soon as possible. You can do this online!
Tony
SEND YOUR COMMENTS SUPPORTING THE CLOSURE OF MABLEY & JACKSONVILLE DEVELOPMENTAL CENTERS
Public comment is easy to do but only being taken until October 23, 2011.
Please share with other advocates!
You do not have to provide formal testimony. All you have to do is state your opinion on your support to rebalance the disability system and move to community living for everyone.
At the end of this message, is a sample of comments you may want to submit.
Here is a sample statement for your use. Do a separate but identical comment for each facility.
As an (insert your role: advocate, parent, etc.) I support the closure of the Mabley Developmental Center. It is time to re-balance the disability system in Illinois.
(Insert your personal story, one paragraph.)
The time to close state institutions is now. There are now fourteen states without state institutions.
With 2,027 individuals in institutions, Illinois now institutionalizes more people with intellectual and other developmental disabilities than 48 other states.
Illinois ranks 50th in small community settings.
Illinois ranks 47th in community spending.
For the above reasons and more, I fully support your decision to close the Mabley Developmental Center.
The money saved by closing state institutions needs to be reinvested in the community to support the 21,000 children and adults on the waiting list.
In addition, the transition needs to be safe, smooth and based upon the individual needs of the people leaving Mabley and Jacksonville.
We are in a time of scarce resources, so we must invest our state resources in community settings where people grow and prosper. It is the right thing to do!
Be sure to sign your letter!
Here is where the link will take you:
To submit public comments or to register to be put on the agenda to give oral testimony, please contact: Mail:
Commission on Government Forecasting and Accountability
ATTN: Facility Closure
703 Stratton Building
Springfield, IL 62706
Please include:
Name:
Title:
Organization:
Facility Being Closed:
Please indicate your relationship to the Facility: (Employee, Client, Family of Client, Concerned Citizen, etc.)
Address:
Email:
Your Position: (Proponent, Opponent, or No position)
The type of Testimony you would like to give: (Oral Testimony at the hearing, Written Statement Filed, or Record of Appearance Only)
If submitting written testimony or comments via email, please send the written material in the body of the email or as a word document or a .pdf file.
To better ensure your name being on the agenda, please remit your request to give oral testimony 48 hours prior to the public hearing. Oral testimony can still be given if your name is not on the agenda. Please limit testimony to 2-3 minutes.
Tony Paulauski Executive Director
The Arc of Illinois
20901 S. LaGrange Rd. Suite 209
Frankfort, IL 60423
815-464-1832 (OFFICE)
815-464-1832 (CELL) Tony@www.thearcofil.org
