Demand Letter Issued to Governor Perry by Community Now!

 March 18, 2009 

 

The Honorable Rick Perry   

Governor’s Office

P.O. Box 12428

Austin, Texas  78711

 

Dear Governor Perry, 

 

On behalf of Community Now! please accept this letter and formal requests for your immediate action.  Community Now! is a statewide non-profit organization with a mission to ensure all people with disabilities are included in their communities.  The requests for immediate action by your office include the following: 

 

1. Immediately terminate the Commissioner of the Department of Aging and Disability Services (DADS) along with other leadership at DADS.
2. Appoint a Conservator with authority to do what is necessary to ensure the safety and civil rights of Texans in state operated institutions for people with intellectual disabilities.  With the recent reports of the horrific atrocities at Corpus Christi State Institution and the recent Department of Justice Report outlining numerous civil rights violations, it is clear the current leadership at DADS is incompetent 
3. Immediately halt admissions to all state operated institutions and direct the Conservator to shut down Corpus Christi State Institution and transfer residents to a setting of their choosing.
4. Immediately ensure that the state institution employees who perpetrated these crimes against individuals at Corpus Christi State Institution be charged with Hate Crimes.
5. Immediately begin a search for new leadership at DADS from another state with proven abilities in reforming long term services and supports for people with disabilities.
6. Schedule a meeting with the leadership of Community Now! to discuss how you will facilitate and implement the above mentioned requests within 45 days of the date of this letter.

 

      Thank you for your time and consideration regarding these requests. 

 

      Sincerely, 

 

      Jeff Garrison-Tate, Senior Legislative Director