I know I'm probably going to get flamed but...   This letter seems to
make a lot of sense.  We are struggling with this very issue in the
agency/district that I work in.  The truth is that a lot of jails are
being used to house people who need treatment.  Are there distinctions
made between physical disabilities and mental illness?  I've copied a lot
of this thread and filed it, but these things have never been addressed.
I for one do not want to repeat the "mistakes of the 70's"  as they cost
me dearly.             Joan M. Wallyn

On Fri, 16 Apr 1999 02:30:17 -0400 "I. STEPHEN MARGOLIS"
<[log in to unmask]> writes:
>-----Original Message-----
>From: Majordomo List Server [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On
>Behalf
>Of Stephanie Thomas
>Sent: Thursday, April 15, 1999 4:32 PM
>To: micasa-list
>Subject: FW: Roland Letter
>
>
>
>-----Original Message-----
>From: Mark Johnson <[log in to unmask]>
>Date: Tuesday, April 13, 1999 6:46 PM
>Subject: Olmstead
>
>
>>THIS LETTER WAS RECENTLY SENT TO THE REMAINING STATES (NOW, 8).  HOW
>DO YOU
>>LIKE THE FIRST SENTENCE OF THE 4TH PARAGRAPH?  GOVERNOR ROY BARNES,
>GA, CAN
>>STILL PULL THE PLUG ON THE APPEAL.  LET TOMMY OLMSTEAD AND CARL
>"EDDIE"
>>ROLAND ( DHR, MH/MR/SA, Two Peachtree Street, NW, Suite 22-224,
>Atlanta,
>>GA, 3030-3142) AND GOVERNOR  BARNES (240 State Capitol, GA, 30334,
>>404-656-1776 or e-mail him, go to his comment page at:
>>http://ganet.org/governor/contact.html, remember no www.) KNOW  WHAT
>YOU
>>THINK IS "IN THE BEST INTEREST OF PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES."
>>
>>Thanks,
>>
>>Mark
>>
>>Last fall, your state supported Georgia's successful petition to the
>U.S.
>>Supreme Court to review lower court decisions in favor of the
>plaintiff in
>>L.C. v. Olmstead.   As you know, the lawsuit was brought on behalf of
>two
>>state hospital patients claiming that Georgia officials violated
>their
>>rights under the Americans with Disabilities Act by continuing to
>serve
>>them in the hospital when they could have been served in a more
>integrated
>>community setting.
>>
>>No doubt, you and your public officials are being pressured to
>withdraw
>>your state's support.  I am writing to urge you to stay with us and
>to
>>clarify why we took this case to the Supreme Court.  I hope this
>>information will help you answer opponents, who mistakenly believe
>that
>>Georgia is trying to hold people in institutions, that we are
>violating
>>their civil rights by not moving them to the community, and that we
>are
>>willing to undermine the ADA to support our position.
>>
>>We fully understand and appreciate the importance of the ADA to
>people with
>>disabilities.  However, we content that the "integration regulation"
>of the
>>ADA does not address the issue of moving people from institutions to
>>community services, and a finding in favor of Olmstead does not
>weaken the
>>law.
>>
>>Moreover, we strongly believe that the lower court rulings are not in
>the
>>best interest of people with disabilites.  As it stands, the decision
>sets
>>a precedent for further law suits, including class action law suits,
>that
>>could require states to move everyone to the community whose clinical
>>evaluation shows them capable of living in the community, without
>regard
>>for consumer or family choice.  Unless we are willing to repeat the
>>mistakes of deinstitutionalization in the 1970's, funding will have
>to be
>>available to support the services people need to leave the
>institution and
>>live successfully in the community.  And, unless public officials are
>>willing to find new revenue, the funding will have to come from the
>state
>>hospitals or from other existing resources (that may also support
>needy
>>programs).  Moving money from state hospitals must be done in a
>carefully
>>planned way to avoid undermining services for those who remain.
>Court
>>orders can make that planning difficult.
>>
>>In short, Georgia is not opposed to deinstitutionalizatio, and we are
>not
>>taking a stand against civil rights.  In fact, the state has made
>dramatic
>>progress in expanding community services, and without a court order.
>Since
>>1996, we have closed three hospitals, and since 1995, we have moved a
>total
>>of $83 million from hospitals to new community services.  However, we
>are
>>opposed to moving people to community services if we do not have the
>>resources to provide the supports they need.  We do not want to
>contribute
>>to people with mental disabilities ending up in jails on on the
>street.
>>
>>The outcome of L.C. v. Olmstead has far reaching implications for all
>>states and their services to people with disabilities.  We hope you
>will
>>stand with us.
>>
>>If you need additional information, please do not hesitate to call me
>at
>>404-657-2260.  Thank you for your support.
>>
>>Sincerely
>>
>>Carl E. Roland,Jr.
>>Director
>
>
>
>
>NATIONAL ADAPT MAILING LIST - Adapt MiCASA List of Adapt Organizers.
>

___________________________________________________________________
You don't need to buy Internet access to use free Internet e-mail.
Get completely free e-mail from Juno at http://www.juno.com/getjuno.html
or call Juno at (800) 654-JUNO [654-5866]