Milford Lawmakers Join Intellectual Disability/Developmental Disability Caucus

State Reps. Pam Staneski (Milford and Orange) & Charles Ferraro (West Haven, Milford and Orange) along with other legislators and members of the Intellectual Disability/Developmental Disability caucus participated in ‘Family Hearing Day’ which was held to hear the experiences, concerns and comments from state residents concerned about the long-term care of their adult developmentally disabled children, according to a press release from State House Republicans.

Here is the rest of the press release:

As new legislators, Staneski and Ferraro joined the Intellectual Disability/Developmental Disability caucus which is the first state one of its kind in the nation.

‘Family Hearing Day’ was created specifically for legislators to listen to parents concerns about their children’s’ future living needs, enlighten them on the critical lack of funding for support services, the seemingly endless wait lists for care and a myriad of other issues families face when accessing DDS supports and services. Legislators are working to secure a pool of funding for those on the DDS residential waiting list.

“Caregivers not only have the challenges of devoting their lives to providing the best possible quality of life to their child into adulthood but, they face the fear and uncertainty of not knowing what will happen to their child – and their quality of life – after they are gone. Families need the state Department of Developmental Disability (DDS) to be flexible and permit for the greater availability of choice in services. The ideal way to accomplish this flexibility is for DDS to get out of the service delivery business and do real oversight of the private sector non-profit organizations. We need to remember that the DDS it one-size-fits-all system does not fit all terms of support,” said Rep. Staneski, a long-time advocate for private residential care.

One of the main issues discussed was housing. The state’s Department of Development Services’ funding cuts pose a threat to what many consider indispensable support services in group homes, day programs, employment services and subsidized developmentally-disabled housing options. Hundreds of individuals on waiting lists for housing are now being told that housing will no longer be made available. Families are bracing for the changes that will come once money and programs are no longer funded.

“It’s safe to say that these programs require a new look and perhaps some new thinking. The need is not decreasing, nor will it go away so it is time to stop hiding our heads in the sand and face the issues head on,” said Rep. Ferraro.