Private Care for the Retarded

On behalf of the parents and other members of the Association for Retarded Citizens-California, I wish to thank The Times for publishing the series on living conditions in community care facilities for persons with mental retardation (Part I, Jan. 8-10).

We are outraged by the numerous cases of abuse, neglect and deaths of vulnerable and dependent individuals your reporter, John Hurst, uncovered. We are shocked by the accounts of various agencies failing to intercede to protect dependent persons. These tax-supported agencies allow innocent, dependent persons to be subjected to subsistance food, neglect, sexual and/or physical abuse and financial exploitation. What a terrifying message your series sends to parents or families whose family member is in the community.

Your editorial “Plight of the Retarded” (Jan. 16) notes that many parents find state developmental center care better and safer than community care. Institutionalization is no alternative to community living, but should be reserved for those persons too handicapped to participate in the mainstream of the community.

Over these past years, we and many other advocates and organizations have been working to change the laws to require residential community care programs to meet quality care standards and to be paid rates sufficient to meet those standards. Last year, the Legislature passed and the governor signed SB 1513, authored by Sen. William Craven (R-Oceanside) and Assemblyman Richard Katz (D-Sylmar). It increased rates of payment and established quality assurance standards. Obviously, something has gone wrong in implementation.

Your editorial also questions the existing system of paying regional centers to place and monitor the care provided persons in community care and whether that system has facilitated buck-passing. It further suggests the state finance some small pilot projects with state staff placing persons and managing the care. We say don’t let the existing agencies off the hook! There is simply no excuse for the abuse, neglect and mistreatment your series documented.

SAMUEL WAGSTAFF

President, ARC

Sacramento