To: Laurie Kelley, Commisioner, OPWDD, Debbie Preston, Broome County Executive, The New York State House, The New York State Senate, and Governor Andrew Cuomo
Ensure That Broome Developmental Center (BDC) Closes as Scheduled
Southern Tier Independence Center (STIC) urges you to join us to ensure that BDC closes by March 31, 2016, as scheduled. BDC is a large institution that segregates people with developmental disabilities, restricting their choices, their lifestyles and their civil rights.
Why is this important?
Why should BDC close?
The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) forbids state governments to discriminate on the basis of disability in delivering programs and services. The 1999 US Supreme Court decision in Olmstead v L.C. defines unnecessary segregation as illegal discrimination under the ADA and requires states to serve people with disabilities in the most integrated settings appropriate to their needs. The Olmstead decision and federal regulations also require that evaluations to determine what is “appropriate” must be professional, objective, and impartial.
BDC is also extremely expensive to maintain ($450,000 per person per year). People can receive integrated community-based services for a third of that cost or less, while experiencing a much improved quality of life that supports their dreams and goals.
What about all the job loss?
NY’s Office of People with Developmental Disabilities (OPWDD) has stated that it does not plan to lay anyone off as a result of closing BDC. They say equivalent jobs will be available in community service programs. Nearly all of the residents leaving BDC will move to more integrated settings in Broome and surrounding counties. New programs will be created, and others will be expanded, to serve them. Almost all of the current BDC staff will find jobs in those programs.
What should happen to the people who live in BDC?
OPWDD has already closed several similar institutions, moving people into other more integrated settings. Services already exist to support people in the community.
We call upon NY OPWDD and public officials to close BDC as scheduled, and ensure that those transitioning into the community have adequate supports to assist them with housing, employment, recreation/socialization and behavioral issues.
Please sign this petition and send it to your friends, so that people with disabilities can be freed from segregation and enjoy the rights and independence to which they are entitled.