Maryland disability advocates fight against service cuts

From the Frederick News-Post:

"People are angry," Brunswick resident Linda Valentine said. "What happens in a society where they take away from people who have nothing else?"

She did not expect an answer for that rhetorical question as she sat waiting Nov. 4 for a town hall meeting to protest state budget cuts to begin.

She's angry and frustrated about the state of services for the developmentally disabled residents of Frederick County and beyond. She was joined by more than 300 like-minded people out in force to send Annapolis the message that Maryland's most vulnerable residents can't keep taking more than their share of budget cuts.

Cuts to the Developmental Disabilities Administration in July and August totaled more than $30 million.

"Because community service providers have been underfunded for years, these cuts are particularly painful," said Laura Howell, executive director of the Maryland Association of Community Services, before the meeting. "Funding has not kept pace with inflation, so these cuts have a devastating effect on many people."

Services providers who work one-on-one with disabled people do "incredibly hard, incredibly important" work, but make an average of $10 an hour, Howell said. The state reimburses only $9 an hour to agencies, which puts them further in the hole.

Frederick 's town hall meeting was the fourth in Maryland to play to a packed house, which Howell said sends a message to legislators that future cuts are not acceptable.

Underfunding the administration sends the message that Maryland's disabled population is not a political priority, Howell said. That population and its many advocates are standing up to say that needs to change.

Margie Allen, president of The Arc of Frederick County and mother of a developmentally disabled daughter, told the standing-room-only crowd she's lost hope and faith in the system she said is broken.

"To my way of thinking, DDA is failing -- miserably," she said.

She spoke of her daughter, Colleen, now 27, who has been on the administration's waiting list for services for 13 years. Allen has given up hope her daughter will receive the help she needs to have any hope of living independently.

Michelle Brewster talked of her daughter Carson's needs and how they affect the rest of her family. She cried as she said her other children can't have friends over to the house because Carson's immune system is so weak.

Brewster resigned from her job to see Carson gets the care she needs. The family struggles to live on one salary. Out-of-pocket medical expenses last year exceeded $13,000.

"The governor needs to spend some time with us to see what we go through every day," she said. "I urge everyone in this room to contact the governor and tell him 'no more cuts.'"

Ruby Darr talked of she and her husband becoming -- while in their 60s -- the caregiver for their 9-year-old grandson who has muscular dystrophy. The 150-pound boy is in a wheelchair and can use only his arms.

While she never expected to be caring for her grandson, she said she wouldn't trade her responsibilities for the world.

One family member after another told stories about struggling to provide minimal services for their loved ones with disabilities. They spoke of the sacrifices endured by other family members so limited resources could be dedicated to those with special needs. They spoke of waiting lists, taking second mortgages to pay for services, and a society that doesn't fully embrace its most vulnerable members.

One father talked of his two children with different struggles. His older son has Down syndrome, and the younger one has muscular dystrophy.

Addressing the few elected leaders in the crowd, he said service providers helped his oldest son procure a job at a grocery store, "where he earns an income and pays state income taxes."

He challenged the leaders to take this cause and champion it -- to make the needs of the disabled a priority in the coming legislative session.

"If you do that, you will have a very dedicated group of people behind you forever," he said.