Acting Commissioner Jordan A. Scheff was named Friday by Gov. Dannel P. Malloy to lead a state Department of Developmental Services undergoing change as it looks to privatize group homes and continues to downsize the Southbury Training School.
Southbury Training School
Posted inHealth, Money
Advocates say social service, mental health cuts will hurt
Gov. Dannel P. Malloy’s proposed budget calls for cutting funding for mental health and substance abuse treatment, hospitals, community health centers, school-based health clinics, asthma treatment, respite programs for those who care for people with dementia – and more.
Posted inCT Viewpoints
Governor, close Southbury, other similar state-run institutions
Connecticut likes to think of itself as a progressive state. Yet when it comes to the civil rights of those with intellectual disabilities, we are not. As Connecticut clings to a discredited institutional approach, many states — including Oklahoma and Tennessee — will observe the 25th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) with none of their citizens isolated in segregated institutions. Sadly, “progressive” Connecticut will not be able to do the same. I call on the governor to close the state’s five such institutions by the year 2020.
Posted inCT Viewpoints
Connecticut government’s ‘take it or leave it’ approach to providers
Everyone is familiar with the definition of a monopoly. But who has heard of a monopsony? A monopsony is where there is a single purchaser of a service from a pool of many sellers. The State of Connecticut’s purchase of service contracting system, particularly its purchase of human service related programs, is a monopsony. It means the state (the sole purchaser) can set limits on how much it will pay nonprofits (the sellers) for a service. In a monopsony environment, the state basically runs a “take it or leave it” business model. It matters little to the state how much providing that service actually costs.
Posted inCT Viewpoints
Southbury overtime indefensible, and product of state mismanagement
The overtime created by not filling positions at the Southbury Training School is both disgraceful and not fair to the many families waiting for services. I am angry and disappointed that the state has not been responsible in providing the care for our most needy and vulnerable residents and it has wasted millions of dollars that could have been used to address the waiting list.
Posted inHealth, Money
As developmentally disabled face cuts, Southbury Training School under renewed scrutiny
Legislators are eyeing overtime costs at Southbury Training School as a way to save money in the tight budget for serving people with intellectual or developmental disabilities, but officials at the agency that runs the institution say those savings are unlikely to be achieved.
Posted inHealth, Money
Tug-of-war over limited state funds for CT’s developmentally disabled
Armed with a court expert’s new recommendation to close Southbury Training School, several advocacy groups argued Connecticut unfairly spends too much of its limited resources on a small class of institutionalized disabled while ignoring thousands awaiting community-based care.
Posted inEducation, Politics
CT minority caucus chairman urges Malloy to reconsider housing migrant children
The chairman of the Connecticut legislature’s Black and Puerto Rican Caucus on Thursday urged Gov. Dannel P. Malloy to reconsider a decision not to allow undocumented migrant children from Central America to be housed at Southbury Training School.
Posted inEducation, Politics
Latino advocates knock Malloy on Central American immigrant children decision
WASHINGTON – Latino advocates are reacting with disappointment, dismay and anger over the Malloy administration’s decision to reject a federal request to house up to 2,000 immigrant children from Central America at the Southbury Training School.
Posted inEducation, Money
CT declines to house migrant children at Southbury
Gov. Dannel P. Malloy’s administration denied a request this week from federal authorities to house temporarily up to 2,000 migrant children from Central America at the Southbury Training School.
Posted inHealth, Money
For CT adults with developmental disabilities, housing help unlikely until parents die
Scott Langner, who has developmental disabilities, autism and a seizure disorder, had looked forward to living in an apartment with friends. Now he’s wary of it because, as a result of state budget cuts, he’s unlikely to get assistance with housing until his parents die.