Sunday, January 17, 2010

ARC executive in New Jersey says disabled people need housing

From The Press of Atlantic City:


Between 4,000 and 5,000 developmentally disabled people in New Jersey are on waiting lists to get into noninstitutional housing units, but there is not enough space to meet the demand, according to the state Department of Human Services and the chief executive officer of The Arc of Atlantic County.

Arc CEO Deborah Davies said about half of those people have been identified as "ready to go" to either a group home or individual residence, but there are too few available housing units and too little funding for the program.

Davies said New Jersey provides more institutional housing for the disabled than many other states, but that the state has not shifted as many resources to getting people out of institutions and functioning in the community compared with other states.

The Arc is pushing to get more clients into the mainstream community. Davies said that benefits the organization's clients but also helps the general population better understand - and help - the developmentally disabled.

"Say hello," Davies said. "Be willing to be open to understanding people."

Officials with the state Department of Human Services said there is a priority waiting list totaling almost 5,000 people. The priority list includes parents who take care of their developmentally disabled children and who are at least 55 years old, and the developmentally disabled in critical need of services because of some special circumstance, they said.

They also said the department is increasingly moving to place the developmentally disabled in group homes, apartments and condominiums.

Department spokeswoman Pam Ronan said state developmental centers hold about 2,700 people. The number of developmentally disabled people living in community housing exceeds 7,700, she said.

She admitted the process seems slow but said the state must proceed with caution in many cases.

"You don't just want to move someone who may have very complicated medical or physical needs from a development center and move them into a community," Ronan said. "It takes a lot of support around the person, in addition to the home."

Ronan also said about 80 percent of the families who are notified that community housing is available opt instead for an in-home support service.

Department statistics also show that, at least from 2005 to 2008, the state has spent an increasing amount of money on community residential services. The figure increased from $458 million in 2005 to $574 million in 2008.

Meanwhile, funds spent on developmental center residential services decreased from $419 million in 2005 to $371 million in 2008, statistics show.

Davies shared her concerns with the editorial board of The Press of Atlantic City on Wednesday as part of a new Press initiative to have community, business and political leaders talk with the newspaper about their work and their plans.

The Arc, which will celebrate its 50th anniversary next year, has between 200 and 250 employees, most of whom are full time. The agency gets 90 percent of its funding from the state and serves about 700 individuals and families each year.

The organization provides its clients with employment services, recreational and arts programs and family support. It also runs a thrift shop at 6409 Ventnor Ave. in Ventnor, and operates nine group homes and 26 condominiums and apartments for about 140 developmentally disabled people.

When asked what the agency would do if its approximately $9 million annual budget were doubled, Davies was quick to say The Arc would invest in more housing.

"People who live in our residential services tend to live in them most of their lives," Davies said. "We see them grow up. We see them age."

Davies said The Arc is planning two supervised group homes in Galloway Township, financed by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, or HUD. Each home will have four, one-bedroom apartments and a common area, she said.

Davies said this is the first time her association will try this kind of setup. The goal is for each home to be flexible enough to provide for a wide range of client needs, she said.

"There's a big need for privacy," she said, and at the same time, "There's a big need not to be lonely."

Since the demand for space in group homes far exceeds the supply, the group hardest hit is parents who have cared for their disabled children at home, Davies said. The state has to comply with legal requirements to transfer people who do not need to be institutionalized into the homes first.

"Parents who have taken care of their children all along do not have the necessary support system," she said.

The Arc provides some help so those parents can take a break from the rigors of raising developmentally disabled children, she said.

Davies said she also believes in creating "social capital," getting clients and staff involved in the community.

"Having people be part of the community is essential," Davies said.

For instance, Davies said about 15 of The Arc's clients belong to their local Kiwanis club. The members work with other Kiwanis organizations on a variety of programs, she said.

The Arc also partners with organizations such as Margate's Jewish Community Center - which includes some of the agency's clients in a summer camp - and the Ocean City Fine Arts League, she said.

Arc staff become involved in community events to further build that social capital, she said. Staff members participate in activities such as preparing meals for the elderly, she said.

The local chapter changed its name several times as it evolved from the Association for Retarded Children to the Association for Retarded Citizens to The Arc.

She said its clients pushed for that last name change about 15 years ago, as they found the word "retarded" a hurtful label.