Small homes best
Small homes best
March 19 2009 Corpus Christi Caller Times
The Associated Press reported on March 10 that seven employees at the Corpus Christi State School had been reported for “running their own fight club using clients.” I have been working in the worst state, Texas (50th regarding number of persons in developmental centers), to place persons with developmental disabilities into small homes.
History has dictated that living in large, congregate facilities is not germane to development, nor is it meaningful regarding living in general. Institutions were the answer during the end of the 19th Century and over the last 20 years the number of people residing in these large facilities has dropped from more than 100,000 to about half.
The funny thing is that it is less expensive and better to live in the community. It is less costly to the taxpayer and better for the families. The question is, what will it take to get the government to reduce the number of persons in institutions? Hopefully not something as catastrophic as the alleged “fight club” of Texas
ROBERT STACK
(President and CEO, Community Options, Inc.)
(Princeton, N.J.)