Ella T. Grasso Regional Center in Stratford to Close

In an effort to expand services to a larger number of residents, the Department of Developmental Services (DDS) announced Thursday that it plans to close two state regional centers – Ella T. Grasso Regional Center in Stratford and Meriden Regional Center in Meriden, state officials announced in a statement.

The closure is solely designed to re-appropriate funds in order to serve a larger number of constituents, officials exaplained as a reason for the closings.

With state-operated centers often costing more than independent providers, the plan aims to right-size the amount of services provided directly by DDS and instead expand services to a wider number of people who may not currently have access to them.

Currently, the agency spends over $1 billion to support approximately 16,000 individuals with intellectual disability. This plan, as part of a broader change in strategic direction for the agency, will allow state dollars to go further by serving more people, officials said in the statement.

The two centers will close effective June 30, 2016 and residents of the facilities will have the choice of relocating to one of the three other DDS regional centers – in Norwalk, Newington and Torrington – or to move into public or private community-based settings.

The move impacts 30 people in Stratford and 10 in Meriden, the Connecticut Post reports.

This will be the first closure of a regional center since 1996 when the state closed the Seaside Regional Center in Waterford.

“I am deeply committed to providing quality services to the highest number of people possible with the best possible outcomes,” said Governor Dannel P. Malloy in a prepared statement. “Even though we’re in a new economic reality, we are doing the best we can to preserve funding for community residential services next year and find efficiencies where we can among existing services. We must rebalance our priorities to ensure that we can serve more families in need of services within our budget realities. I am certain DDS will handle these transitions in a thoughtful and sensitive manner.”

“Our goal is always to provide services and supports that are person-centered,” said Morna Murray, Commissioner of DDS in a statement. “In order to maintain and eventually even increase services, reducing some of our high-cost, lesser used public residential facilities and moving these services to the private sector is essential. We are also working to identify ways to utilize some closure savings in the community.”

DDS currently operates five (5) regional centers, public residential facilities that offer 24/7 services and supports to a total of 175 individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). Currently, 40 individuals reside at the two regional centers and an additional 171 staff provide services and supports. DDS will work with individuals, families, and staff to implement careful and effective transitions.