The move to close Rainier School in Buckley and four other centers like it is part of a political agenda to wipe out residential habilitation centers—a ruse that will actually drive up the deficit and kill some of this state’s most vulnerable citizens.
That’s the consensus from legislators, parents and Federation members at a standing-room only town hall meeting to save Rainier School Oct. 22.
More than 80 Local 491 members, parents, local elected officials, firefighters and community supporters joined with two key legislators the town hall meeting in the Buckley City Council chambers.
The Save Rainier School town hall meeting followed by three days the all-day picketing of the governor’s Spokane regional office by more than 100 Lakeland Village Local 573 members.
It’s all part of a pro-residential habilitation center (RHC) alliance to fight the recent consultant’s report recommendation to close Rainier School and Frances Haddon Morgan Center and decimate by 90 percent Lakeland Village, Fircrest School and Yakima Valley School.
Rep. Christopher Hurst, D-31st Dist., who organized the Rainier School town hall meeting, made it clear the fight is not just a local fight, but also a statewide mobilization.
“All the RHCs are targeted for termination,” Hurst told the standing-room only crowd in the Buckley City Council chambers.
Hurst’s seatmate, Rep. Dan Roach, R-31st Dist., warned of a “domino effect” that “if one (RHC) goes, they’ll all go.”
They handed out a call to action to generate letters to the governor, the state budget director and the top leaders in the state House and Senate (see below).
The legislators and others in the audience were disturbed by an Oct. 19 news report in which the governor, commenting on the adverse reaction to the consultant’s report, appeared to suggest one institution should be played off against another.
“The message to us to not cut anything really is not helpful,” The Olympian quoted Gov. Chris Gregoire. “We need to be working together and figuring out how to get from where we are to the end….”
The governor continued: “Rather than tell me it’s not a good study … tell me what a good study would show. What should we close? The days of saying, ‘this is bad,’ ‘shouldn’t do that,’ ‘don’t cut this,’ and so on are gone. … This is a day of, you know: ‘This is not the right thing to cut; you should cut over here.’ ‘This is not the right thing to close; you should close over here.’ That’s the dialogue we have to engage in right now.”
Meanwhile, at the Rainier School town hall meeting, Hurst and Roach made up a high-powered bi-partisan team that is crying foul on the consultant’s report and the real motives behind the push to close Rainier and the other RHCs.
The 31st District representatives said the forces that hate RHCs have seized on the economic downturn to wage a political fight to close the facilities under the guise of fiscal restraint.
“This is not about people and finances…,” Hurst said. “They (the anti-RHC forces) believe they should not exist.”
When California drastically downsized and forced the severally developmentally disabled residents into the community, the mortality rate shot up 66 percent, Roach said.
“That is something they (the anti-RHC forces) can’t ignore,” Roach said.
Closure won’t save any money, but will actually cost at least $1.6 million a year in transition costs, they said.
“There is no monetary gain on the state level, it costs more money and it will cost lives,” Roach said.
Local 491 President Joy Cage said the argument that RHC residents need to be in the “community” is misleading.
“Rainier School is not an institution, it’s a community,” Cage said.
Rainier School residents and those at all RHCs are valued and accepted in their community, she said.
“They got dignity and they got respect in the community of Rainier School,” Cage said.
The consultant’s report advocates moving most residents into a community network that right now doesn’t exist. “We’re concerned about people’s health and safety,” Cage said.
“It’s not about money, it’s about what’s going to happen to our people in the community,” Cage added.
Parent Bob Gee said his daughter Angela has lived at Rainier School for 30 of her 46 years.
“I want my daughter to have consistent care,” he said.
He scoffed at the anti-RHC forces that distort the Americans with Disabilities Act to imply that those like Angela face discrimination because they choose to live at Rainier School.
“I would dare you to ask Angela if she feels discriminated against,” Gee said.
He said Rainier School and the other RHCs have underutilized capacity to provide respite care for home-cared disabled clients so parents and family caregivers can get a breather.
CALL TO ACTION FROM REPS. HURST AND ROACH
Here is the call to action issued by Rep. Hurst and Rep. Roach at the Oct. 22 Save Rainier School Town Hall meeting. We’ve modified it to apply to all RHCs because of the town hall meeting’s consensus that if one RHC goes, they all go in a domino effect.
Get the word out!
It’s important that we get the word out about protecting Rainier School, Frances Haddon Morgan Center, Lakeland Village, Fircrest School and Yakima Valley School. Everyone needs to contact these four people and let them know, in your own words, what these RHCs mean to you, and how the closure would affect you, those you love, and your community.
A personal letter goes a long way, and is by far the most impactful way to get your message through. Although even an e-mail can make an impact if it is written with a strong, heart-felt message, a personal letter is always the best. Try to encourage your friends and family members to send individual letters as well.
Victor Moore, Director
Washington State Office of Financial Management
P.O. Box 43113
Olympia, WA 98504-3113
Governor Christine Gregoire
P.O. Box 40002
Olympia, WA 98504-0002
House Speaker Frank Chopp
P.O. Box 40600
Olympia, WA 98504-0600
Senate Majority Leader Lisa Brown
P.O. Box 40403
Olympia, WA 98504-0403
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