Families make tearful plea in support of area Hab Center

Tuesday, April 13, 2010

Family members and guardians of residents of the Nevada Hab Center gathered in the Center's Vernon Hall Gymnasium on Friday, April 9, to voice their concerns about the proposed closing of the facility. The emotionally charged atmosphere forced many to tears as they posed questions and sought explanations from representatives off the Missouri Department of Mental Health.

The meeting drew several dozen parents, guardians, local officials, legislators and representatives of the Missouri Department of Health to discuss how closing the facility in order to save the state $7.6 million will affect the people living in the center and their family members.

The center currently houses 95 people with a wide range of developmental disabilities. The planned closing would force most of the residents into Individual Supported Living Arrangements or ISLs; others may be moved to habilitation centers in different parts of the state. Also, 55 jobs would be eliminated, but the majority of the center's 300 or so employees would be transferred to work in ISLs.

Several issues kept rising to the top of the discussion. One of them was the fact that opponents of the closing had not been shown a thorough cost analysis of closing the center. Quality of care was also a topic. The residents of the Hab Center receive many in-house services now that many believe they would not have easy access to if living in an ISL.

And then there is the human aspect of the issue. State Representative Barney Fisher, R-District 125, has characterized the residents of the hab center as the "most fragile in the state." Kathy Baker, of Nevada, was in tears as she said, "I'm just a mom, these are people, these are our families."

Fisher and Senator David Pearce, who could not attend but was present through a video link, both agreed the fight was not over. "It's not too late; people need to get active," Pearce said. Let other members of the house and Senate know how important this issue is," he said.

Fisher urged those present to contact "every state representative, come up in person, make appointments and send e-mails. "He said make phone calls, "send letters, but make them hard hitting." He cautioned against sending form letters. "Make it come from your heart and your mind, be specific, 'oppose this bill,'" he said.

Keith Schafer, the director of the Missouri Department of Mental Health had nothing good to say and he made that no secret. "This is about trying to make the least bad of tremendously bad choices," he said. He, too, urged all those present to make all the contacts they could in an effort to stave off the seemingly unavoidable closure. Schafer suggested contacting the Missouri Mental Health Commission.

And the fight to save the Nevada Habilitation Center continued into the first of the week for the members of the parents and guardian support group. Kristal Lindstrom spent the weekend working on the cause. Her group has marshaled the support of similar groups across the state. "We're focusing on the house [of representatives] this week. The sooner we can stop this the better off we'll be," she said.

Lindstrom was pleased with the turnout on Friday, but knows that she and her group and others like them across the state can't rest on their laurels. They have to continue to keep the issue alive. "Lets pray that all these making these decisions are considering all the options," she said, and she knows the fight is only beginning.

For Lindstrom, whose brother lives in the Hab Center, it's about more than the money. "It is what it is and we're in a budget crisis; that's not acceptable," Lindstrom said.


Want to help?

Those interested in voicing their concerns on this issue may contact any or all of the following elected officials or government offices.

Office of Governor Jay Nixon

P.O. Box 720,

Jefferson City, MO 65102

(573) 751-3222

U.S. Senator Kit Bond Office of Constituent Services

308 East High

Suite #202

Jefferson City, MO

65101

(573) 634-2488

(202) 224-5721

U.S. Senator Claire McCaskill Springfield, Missouri Office

324 Park Central West, Ste. 101

Springfield, MO

65806

Phone (417) 868-8745

(202) 224-6154

Fax (417) 831-1349

U.S. Representative Ike Skelton, Jefferson City

1401 Southwest Blvd,

Suite 101

Jefferson City, MO

65109-2429

(573) 635-349

(202) 225-2876

State Senator David Pearce

201 W Capitol Ave.

Room 419

Jefferson City, MO

65101

(573) 751-2272

(866) 277-0882

FAX: (573) 526-7381

E-mail: david.pearce

@senate.mo.gov

State Representative Barney Fisher

Missouri House of Representatives

201 West Capitol Avenue

Room 401A

Jefferson City, MO

65101

(573) 751-5388 or

(800) 382-4123

E-mail: Barney.Fisher

@house.mo.gov

Missouri Department of Mental Health

1706 E. Elm St.

P.O. Box 687

Jefferson City, MO

65102

Local: (573) 751-4122 or (800) 364-9687

TT Phone: (573) 526-1201

Fax: (573) 751-8224

E-mail:: dmhmail@dmh.

mo.gov

To e-mail the Missouri Department of Mental Health Director Keith Schafer: Directormail

@dmh.mo.gov. and to e-mail the Missouri Mental Health Commission: MHCommission@dmh.

mo.gov.


Copyright 2010 Nevada Daily Mail/Herald-Tribune. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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