Transitioning People with Disabilities from Crowded, Congregate Facilities to Protect Them from COVID-19
Currently hundreds of thousands of people with disabilities continue to be housed in state-run or state-contracted institutions, or nursing homes, making them very vulnerable to the ravages of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Centers Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) recently issued a 66-page toolkit to encourage and help states rebalance long-term care offerings for people with disabilities to favor home and community-based services over large institutions. We need federal and state authorities to act quickly on these guidelines to protect countless lives of people with disabilities
Community Options CEO Robert Stack sent a to letter calling on further action from CMS
He also sent a letter to states with the worst problems of warehousing people with disabilities in institutions or nursing homes, urging them to take action to quickly transition their residents out of these facilities. The letters went to NJ, NY, PA, SC, NC, TX and IL.
View more articles about how Community Options has supported deinstitutionalization here.
Murphy administration needs to stop warehousing people with disabilities
January 04, 2021 | nj.com The Murphy administration needs to act now to protect the lives of thousands of New Jerseyans largely forgotten during the pandemic. More than 9,000 state residents with intellectual and developmental disabilities are living in crowded, congregate settings that put them in grave danger from COVID-19 as infections soar to new…
Read MoreNon-profit urges state to pull residents who are disabled out of long-term care centers
December 16 2020 | newjerseyglobe.com A Princeton-based non-profit urged Human Services Commissioner Carole Johnson to pull more than 9,000 state residents with disabilities out of New Jersey’s long-term care centers. “We urge the state of New Jersey to take immediate action on these guidelines,” Community Options CEO Robert Stack said in a letter to Johnson.…
Read MoreLetter urging transitioning people with disabilities during COVID in TX
Robert Stack letter to TX.pdf December 14, 2020 Honorable Cecile Erwin YoungExecutive CommissionerTexas Health and Human ServicesBrown-Heatly Building4900 Lamar BoulevardP.O. Box 13427Austin, TX 78751-2316 Dear Commissioner Young, Thank you for your leadership during these difficult times as Texas and America work to defeat the current pandemic. Community Options, Inc. is a non-profit providing individuals with…
Read MoreLetter urging transitioning people with disabilities during COVID in SC
Robert Stack letter to SC.pdf December 14, 2020 Mary PooleState DirectorDepartment of Disabilities and Special NeedsS.C. Department of Disabilities and Special Needs3440 Harden Street ExtensionColumbia, SC 29203 Dear Director Poole, As you are aware, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) issued a 66-page toolkit to encourage and help states rebalance long-term care offerings…
Read MoreLetter urging transitioning people with disabilities during COVID in PA
Robert Stack letter to PA.pdf December 14, 2020 Honorable Teresa MillerSecretaryPennsylvania Department of Human Services625 Forster StHarrisburg, PA 17120 Dear Secretary Miller, As you are aware, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) issued a 66-page toolkit to encourage and help states rebalance long-term care offerings for people with disabilities to favor home and…
Read MoreLetter urging transitioning people with disabilities during COVID in NY
Robert Stack letter to NY.pdf December 14, 2020 Honorable Dr. Theodore KastnerCommissionerOffice of People with Developmental Disabilities44 Holland Ave.Albany, NY 12229 Dear Commissioner Kastner, As you are aware, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) issued a 66-page toolkit to encourage and help states rebalance long-term care offerings for people with disabilities to favor…
Read MoreLetter urging transitioning people with disabilities during COVID in NJ
Robert Stack letter to NJ.pdf December 14, 2020 Honorable Carole JohnsonCommissionerNew Jersey Department of Human Services222 South Warren Street Trenton, NJ 08625 Dear Commissioner Johnson, As you are aware, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) issued a 66-page toolkit to encourage and help states rebalance long-term care offerings for people with disabilities to…
Read MoreLetter urging transitioning people with disabilities during COVID in NC
Robert Stack letter to NC.pdf December 14, 2020 Honorable Dr. Mandy CohenSecretaryNC Department of Health and Human Services2001 Mail Service CenterRaleigh, NC 27699-2000 Dear Secretary Cohen, As you are aware, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) issued a 66-page toolkit to encourage and help states rebalance long-term care offerings for people with disabilities…
Read MoreLetter urging transitioning people with disabilities during COVID in IL
Robert Stack letter to IL.pdf December 14, 2020 Honorable Grace B. HouSecretaryIllinois Department of Human Services100 South Grand Ave EastSpringfield, Illinois 62762 Dear Secretary Hou, As you are aware, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) issued a 66-page toolkit to encourage and help states rebalance long-term care offerings for people with disabilities to…
Read More