Some Texas parents will fight closings, cutbacks at state schools for devlopmentally disabled people

From the Lufkin Daily News in Texas:

Parents and local state senators will fight a bill filed Monday that would drastically reduce the number of residents in state schools.

State Representative Jim McReynolds, D-Lufkin and State Senator Robert Nichols, D-Jacksonville, have both pledged to do all they can to keep this bill from passing.

"I think it would be a travesty if this bill passed," Nichols said. "To go in and make half of the residents leave that school and go to a community care center I just feel uncomfortable because of some of the severe mental and physical conditions."

Nichols and McReynolds toured the Lufkin State School after reports of abuse and neglect in state schools caused many to question the good in the facilities. Nichols said Lufkin's state school had already begun taking steps to correct any possible problems. He said he was impressed with the level of care given to residents, some in severe states of mental or physical handicap.

"It takes a lot of care," Nichols said. "I do not think they could get that in a community care situation. People are worried about abuse and mistreatment but a state school is much better monitored than hundreds of community care centers."

Nichols said the parents he spoke with all showed strong support of the school. Gregg Kendrick, father to a 13 year resident at the Lufkin State School and President of the Parents Association of the Lufkin State School, said he doesn?t believe any place other than the state facility could handle the needs of his daughter.

"In our frequent visits to the Lufkin State School, my wife and I are drawn to one area of residence in particular," he wrote in a letter to the Lufkin Daily News. "When we walk in for our weekly visits, we are generally greeted by sounds of happiness, songs and laughter. We are inclined to recognize the singing and laughter of one resident in particular, though, and it is music to our ears. That beautiful sound that we love to hear is from our daughter, our little girl."

He said at the Lufkin State School his daughter has daily therapy, round the clock care and the staff to patient ratio makes him feel she is always safe and secure there.

"To our daughter, evidenced by the way her face lights up when they speak her name, they are not just staff members," Kendrick wrote. "They are like family."

The Lufkin State School opened in 1962. It has over 400 residents and more than 900 employees and serves 28 counties in the state. There are currently numerous senate and house bills concerning the fate of state schools.

"It upsets you as parents," Kendrick said. "It wears on you after a while. Some of us are up in age and thought their loved one would be taken care of when they were gone."

More than one bill has gone to the house concerning state schools. One proposed closure or consolidation of state schools. Others propose changes that could help to improve conditions.

McReynolds, a long time voice for the mentally disabled, said he can see both sides. He said many families who have mildly disabled loved ones favor group homes while families with severe mentally disabled loved ones favor the state schools. He said he sees a need for both of these and wants to do all he can to make sure they both continue to get better and correct problems.

He said he is against any bill that proposes to get rid of either state schools or group homes.

"It takes choice away from people who have loved ones who are intellectually challenged," McReynolds said. "It will spell the demise of state schools and our goal is to kill this bill. I want you to have a choice of where you might put your loved one."

He said a shortage of nurses and employees at state schools paid just above minimum wage needs to change. He wants to put money into both state schools and group homes equally.

"If the Texas population is growing why are we even talking about closing or consolidating these?" McReynolds asked. "There's some people who don't vote. Some people are maybe blind, maybe with an IQ of 20 who are depending on me to look out for their best interests. I will be a champion of these people."

Both McReynolds and Nichols are working on passing bills that would change and correct issues at the state schools instead of closing them. McReynolds said he wants to give more responsibility and authority to executive directors at the state schools as well as giving more money to both.

Nichols will hear a bill by Senator Jane Nelson, R-Lewisville, in committee Tuesday on her bill to reform state schools. He said he hopes to focus on this bill instead.

The bill includes requiring reporting to the Health and Human Services Commission Office all allegations of abuse or neglect, background checks on staff at state schools, set a separate state center for care of alleged offender residents, conduct random drug testing of employees, install video surveillance equipment and not allowing residents to get be admitted unless they have severe mental retardation or milder retardation with other qualifying criteria.