Save Our State Supported Living Centers (SSLCs) for the Mentally Disabled in Texas!!! KEEP THEM OPEN
- by: Friends, Families, Guardians and Allies of Texas SSLCs
- recipient: Governor Greg Abbott, Lt Gov Dan Patrick, TX Senate, TX House of Reps:
Friends, we need your help IMMEDIATELY. Sign and share this petition with everyone you know to KEEP our state's specialized living centers for the mentally disabled OPEN.
Following the national trend of privatizing mental healthcare and leaving our most vulnerable citizens homeless or worse, Texas State Supported Living Centers are now on the Texas Legislature's chopping block to be CLOSED, without comparable provisions for displaced residents and their families. Many have already been evicted and displaced.
We think Texas can do better than this.
SEVERAL BILLS ARE TARGETING THE HIGHEST PROPERTY-VALUE AUSTIN SSLC FOR IMMEDIATE CLOSURE; the rest of the State's SSLCs will follow in its path, if the legislature approves a so-called "State Supported Living Center Realignment Commission." We oppose this.
Proponents of closure talk of "deinstitutionalizing" and moving our severely disabled into "the community," which means moving them into group homes where there is no real oversight, no recourse for abuse and neglect, and above all NO COMPARISON to the 24/7 medical care provided by our SSLCs. Many of our SSLC residents have highly complex needs, with behavioral issues and multiple disabilities, including dementia as they age, and have already been kicked out of group homes because their care was too complicated. There is NOWHERE ELSE for them to go. We are concerned.
Proponents talk of saving money for the State, “rightsizing,” and “downsizing.” YET WE CANNOT AFFORD TO ABANDON OUR MOST PROFOUNDLY DISABLED LOVED ONES NOW, OR EVER. We must stop these bills from being written into law.
The State Supported Living Centers are the ONLY publicly-funded, 24/7 comprehensive, medical and psychological care facilities for our most vulnerable Texans. They have served our loved ones well for decades. “Community living,” aka PRIVATIZATION of care for this profoundly disabled population, is inadequate and unsafe. Our SSLCs must remain open to continue providing highly specialized care for current residents and for future generations of Texans with intensive special needs and their families.
Let your legislators know you OPPOSE closure of the State Supported Living Centers.
We, the undersigned, hereby ask that you, as our elected representatives, take a stand against Senate Bills 1068 and 204 (section 555.203) and House Bills 2699, 607, and 2951 and refuse to allow the closures of our Texas State Supported Living Centers for the mentally and physically disabled.
Following the disgraceful national trend of privatizing mental healthcare and leaving our most vulnerable citizens homeless or worse, Texas State Supported Living Centers are now on our Legislature's chopping block to be closed, without comparable provisions for displaced residents and their families. Many have already been evicted and displaced.
We think Texas can do better than this.
Several bills are targeting the highest property-value Austin SSLC for immediate closure; the rest of the State's SSLCs will follow in its path, if the so-called "State Supported Living Center Realignment Commission” is approved. We oppose this.
Proponents of closure talk of "deinstitutionalizing" and moving our severely disabled into "the community," which means moving them into group homes where there is no real oversight, no recourse for abuse and neglect, and above all NO COMPARISON to the 24/7 medical care provided by our SSLCs. Many of our SSLC residents have highly complex needs, with behavioral issues and multiple disabilities, including dementia as they age, and have already been kicked out of group homes because their care was too complicated. There is NOWHERE ELSE for them to go. We are concerned.
Proponents talk of saving money for the State, “rightsizing,” and “downsizing.” YET WE CANNOT AFFORD TO ABANDON OUR MOST PROFOUNDLY DISABLED LOVED ONES NOW, OR EVER. We must stop these bills from being written into law.
The State Supported Living Centers are the only publicly-funded, 24/7 comprehensive, medical and psychological care facilities for our most vulnerable Texans. They have served our loved ones well for decades. “Community living” is inadequate and unsafe. Our SSLCs must remain open to continue providing highly specialized care for current residents and for future generations of Texans with intensive special needs and their families.
We fervently hope that you will believe, as we do, that it is our moral obligation as a state to keep the living centers open and accessible for those who need the care that only they can provide.
Sincerely,
http://www.senate.state.tx.us/75r/Senate/senmem.htm
Thanks for standing up for those who cannot stand for themselves.
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