Governor's Proposed Budget
* Agnews Developmental Center Closure Plan Meeting 1/7 in Sacramento
* Dept of Developmental Services Will Present Overview of Plan
* Interested Persons & Organizations Invited to Attend

SACRAMENTO  -  The Schwarzenegger Administration will present the major components of the proposed plan for the closure of Agnews Developmental Center, in a briefing open to interested persons and organizations on January 7, Friday afternoon 1:30 to 2:30 PM at the California Secretary of State Office Building auditorium in Sacramento.

The Department of Developmental Services, which operates the state-owned facility for persons with developmental disabilities in addition to four other remaining Developmental Centers and two other smaller facilities, is organizing the briefing in advance of the official release of the proposed budget for 2005-2006 by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger on January 10 (Monday).  Cliff Allenby, director of the Department of Developmental Services, expects that the proposed closure plan will be included as part of the proposed budget proposal, which requires 2/3rds approval from both houses of the State Legislature.  The developmental centers and the two smaller facilities are funded with matching federal Medicaid dollars.

While specifics and details will not be available at the January 7 briefing, Allenby, in a letter to interested persons (stakeholders) said that fact sheets will be distributed that highlight the major components of the plan to transition the remaining people with developmental disabilities from the facility to either community-based services or to another existing developmental center or other facility.  The Department of Developmental Services indicated that additional meetings and presentations will be held over the course of the implementation of the plan, at both the statewide level, and the local level in the Santa Clara county area, where Agnews is located.  In addition, the actual closure plan and other details will be posted on the Department's website at www.dds.ca.gov when it is released (it will also be posted on the CDCAN website at www.cdcan.us)

For more information about this briefing, please contact Carol Risley, Chief of the Department of Developmental Services' Office of Human Rights and Advocacy Services at 916/654-1888.

Agnews Families Push Community-Based Alternative
Families of those persons - most who are adults with developmental disabilities at Agnews, have been pushing for a community-based plan that calls for using the existing state property and converting it to community-based services, supports and homes. The families are represented by a ad hoc group they formed called "Keep Our Families Together" (KOFT).
Other advocates argue against using any part of the existing property or buildings of Agnews Developmental Center - citing the past history of unnecessary institutionalization and the need for the State to fully commit to community-based alternatives.  The families represented by KOFT claim that their plan is a community-based option but some other advocates fear that existing property and facilities will simply be used to continue a smaller version of a state institution.  Families represented by KOFT have pleaded with  their local state legislators and other policy makers that their plan ensures health and safety of their loved ones - and a commitment that fully complies with the 1999 US Supreme Court Olmstead Decision - and contention that some advocates dispute.
A statewide group representing the families of the other Developmental Centers and two smaller facilities, and some of the unions representing some of the state employees at Agnews and the other facilities, remain strongly opposed to any closure, citing the need of health, safety and stability of services that they say cannot be offered currently in community-based programs now.

Gov. Davis Originally Put Forward Closure Plan
The proposed closure was originally put forward by former Gov. Gray Davis as part of his 2003-2004 State Budget in January 2003. The State Legislature, while not yet giving final approval of an actual closure plan, as required by state law, has given approval in concept by okaying funding for the development of a closure plan, that includes transition issues for people who reside there, and also for the state employees who work there.
State law requires that the Governor submit a closure plan to the Legislature by April 1 in the budget year before closure moves forward.  The Schwarzenegger Administration, last May, announced it was moving the closure date from July 1, 2005 to July 1, 2006.

Under 3,500 persons with developmental disabilities reside in the five Developmental Centers, fomerly called 'state hospitals' and two other smaller facilities.  Approximately 400 persons with developmental disabilities currently reside at Agnews, which was orginally constructed in the late 1880's.  The other developmental centers are located in Costa Mesa (Fairview Developmental Center with about 700 persons), Pomona (Lanterman Developmental Center, with just around 600 persons), Porterville (Porterville Developmental Center with just around 800 total),  Sonoma (Sonoma Developmental Center, with about 800). The two smaller facilities are in Cathedral City (Canyon Springs with about 50 persons) and Yuba City (Sierra Vista with about 50 people).  The last closure of a developmental center occurred over 10 years ago.

NEXT STEPS
* The briefing for "stakeholders" is scheduled for January 7 - though the Department of Developmental Services said that more meetings and presentations will be held over the course of the plan's implementation in the coming year.
* The Governor will submit his proposed budget to the State Legislature on January 10th (as required by the State Constitution), that should include details on the closure plan.
* Both the Senate and Assembly Budget Subcommittees are likely to hold hearings specifically on the proposed Agnews closure plan sometime during the budget process, possibly in March or April.
* Any closure plan - including other budget proposals in the Governor's proposed budget, will require approval of both houses of the Legislature, as part of the budget package, will require 2/3rds vote of both houses (27 in the Senate, and 56 votes in the Assembly).
 

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* Who Is CDCAN?
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