• Home
• Updates List

IN THIS ISSUE:

• State schools are under more intense scrutiny in aftermath of Corpus “fight clubs.”
• Welcome Knowbility—DPC’s newest member!
• Texas Foreclosure Prevention Task Force: Help for distressed homeowners
• Groups offer ways to stay connected during the legislative session.

 

State schools are under more intense scrutiny in aftermath of Corpus “fight clubs.”

It’s hard to imagine that conditions in Texas’ state “schools” for people with intellectual disabilities could be worse than documented in two recent reports (Lubbock State School Report and the Statewide Civil Rights of Institutionalized Persons Act (CRIPA) Investigation of the Texas State Schools and Centers) by the U.S. Department of Justice. Based on accounts of unspeakable abuse, neglect and preventable deaths, Governor Rick Perry had already declared the state schools an emergency matter for the 81st Texas Legislature. The declaration allows lawmakers to debate issues related to the institutions much sooner in the session than nonemergency issues.

But on March 10, Dallas News reporter Emily Ramshaw broke a stunning story about conditions in the Corpus Christi State School. Police there discovered cell phone videos of “fight clubs” involving residents with profound disabilities pitted against each other, apparently at the urging of the very staff members charged with their care. The videos dated back to 2007 and continued through February 2009. Police have charged five staff members with injury to a disabled person, a third-degree felony. A sixth staff member is charged with failing to intervene in the fight clubs.

Advocates for community-based services point to the news from Corpus as a tragic reminder of what can happen to people who live behind institutional walls, out of public view. DPC members and others in the community are working closely with legislators to create viable, meaningful community alternatives to the state schools. They are urging lawmakers to institute effective protections for state school residents in the meantime.

At this writing, the story from the Corpus Christi State School is still unfolding. Legislators are likely to come up with new measures to address protections for residents there—and in facilities statewide—in the days and weeks to come. Meanwhile, they are working on a variety of bills filed earlier in the session. We list a few of them below. To keep up with all the state school-related bills filed during the session, search “state schools” on Texas Legislature Online.

Here’s a short list of bills pertaining to state schools that are under consideration in the House and Senate:

SB 1: The Senate Appropriations Bill includes funding for state school reform and reducing the waiting lists for Medicaid waiver-funded community living opportunities.

SB 643: Creates an independent ombudsman’s office for the 13 state institutions for people with mental disabilities. Passed in the Senate March 9; the House will take it up next. (Sponsored by Sen. Nelson.)

HB 1317: Increase the protection and care of people with mental disabilities confined to state schools. The House Human Services Committee held a hearing on this measure on March 12. The discussion included the recent allegations of “fight clubs” staged at the Corpus Christi State School. The committee heard hours of testimony and left the bill pending for now. (Sponsored by Reps. Rose, Phillips, Herrero and Ortiz, Jr.)

HB 1589: Proposes measures to “reform and rebalance” the state’s system of long-term services and supports for people with disabilities, including those eligible for ICF-MR services. The bill would require the Health and Human Services Commission to develop a wide-ranging strategic plan that would, among other things, prescribe methods to consolidate and close state schools and state centers. (Sponsored by Rep. Rose.)

 

 

Welcome Knowbility—DPC’s newest member!

IKnowbility's mission is to support the independence of people with disabilities by promoting use and improving availability of barrier-free information technology. Access to Web-based information and activities has never been more important. Knowbility is working hard every day to improve technology access for all.

Knowbility offers consulting and advisory services, training, educational and community initiatives and awareness programs. Find out more about our newest member on the Internet at www.knowbility.org, or contact Ellen English via e-mail at Knowbility@knowbility.org or phone at 512-305-0310.

 

Texas Foreclosure Prevention Task Force: Help for distressed homeowners

Here’s a great resource for homeowners who are struggling with their mortgage payments. The Texas Foreclosure Prevention Task Force has created an 24/7 hotline to try to help homeowners survive a mortgage crisis. The Homeowner’s HOPE Hotline helps homeowners by:

• Establishing communication their loan servicers.
• Creating budgets and action plans to address financial difficulties.
• Connecting with local services such as foreclosure intervention, counseling and financial education.

In conjunction with NeighborWorks® America, the Texas Foreclosure Prevention Task Force includes representatives from over 50 organizations representing state, local and federal government organizations, the financial industry and nonprofit sector. The groups share a common goal of averting home mortgage foreclosures and their impact on Texas families and communities.

Note: The hotline does not provide callers with grant or rescue funds, specific loan modification products or general information about how or where to qualify for a rate freeze.

For more information, contact JoAnn DePenning. Visit the Texas Foreclosure Help Organization

 

Groups offer ways to stay connected during the legislative session.

Good communication is important anytime—but especially during a busy legislative session when things are happening real fast. Here’s how two groups of advocates are staying in touch this session:

Mental health advocates meeting Fridays at 11:30 a.m.

If you want to catch a mental health advocate on a Friday, you will have to be at the Texas State Capitol cafeteria at 11:30 a.m. Following legislation agreed upon before the session, the group focused on the state budget at the moment.

If you are interested in following mental health issues, please contact Gyl Wadge, public policy director for Mental Health America of Texas at 512-454-3706, ext. 203 (office), 512-903-4186 (cell) or sent e-mail to gyl@mhatexas.org.

Advocates for deaf and hard of hearing connecting online

In the past, the Symposium on Deafness helped identify critical issues affecting D/deaf and hard of hearing Texans which helped determine legislative priorities in the Texas Legislature. This was a great undertaking (both financially and manpower-wise) to have these conferences every few years.

With today’s rapidly changing world, the Internet makes it much easier to communicate electronically. A discussion group hosted by David H. Pierce is keeping track of critical issues during the legislative session. To join, go to http://groups.yahoo.com/group/TexasDeafIssues and follow the directions to Join this Group!

 

Let your friends know about the Texas Action Center:  Tell-a-friend!