What happens tomorrow... The DOJ's settlement

Tomorrow the Senate and House Committees on Human Services will meet jointly at 8:00am in Room E!.030.  The settlement between Texas and the Dept. of Justice will be presented to the Joint Committee and the public.  We know that the DOJ sited many violations regarding the conditions in state institutions.  I am sure that the settlement will have to address these condition issues.  Although Community Now! has held that people need to be safe wherever they live, we also know that history tells us that congregate care facilities breed violence.  Throwing more money at these problems is not the answer.  Our legislators have a short memory.  Last Legislative Session, 120 million of state and fed money was allocated on top of the huge amount state institutions already received to improve conditions. Look at what we bought:  Fight Clubs, Suicides, Massive Physical Abuse, Deaths that could have been avoided...on and on.  We will need to continue to remind our legislators of how they decided to spend our money when the session rolls around again.  History is doomed to repeat itself.  I hope and pray that the violence ends.  I fear it will not.

Those families on the other side of this issue have done a good job of presenting these institutions as beautiful communities that are safe and wonderful places to live to legislators.  Many poorly educated legislators have bought into this along with the highly educated legislators who use these families as a smoke screen to keep their institution kingdoms fat and sassy with tons of money and huge state employee voting blocks. Sadly, those inside get left behind again.  Sadly these families hang onto a belief that these places are just fine for their loved ones.  But I wonder in the deep dark, in the middle of the night after they have been by for their bi-monthly visit with their state institution family member...do they shutter at what might have happened to their loved one?  Do they wonder what happens in the dark night to their loved one?  Do they really believe their loved one is safe and cozy in bed?  Do they go to the vortex and darkness of wondering if they did the right thing.  No. Too dark and scary.  They had to do the right thing and by God, they will hold onto that belief until they die.  But the darkness and wonder must be deeply buried somewhere.  To go there is not acceptable.  It is better to hold onto the Disneyland they believe their loved one lives in.  And Federal law ensures their right to. So, out of respect for the law...these folks should have their happy, happy institutionalize communities. ..but not at the expense of the innocents who beg for freedom.

I will be on the edge of my seat to hear what the DOJ will do to respond to the violation of federal law as it pertains to most integrated setting.  I sincerely hope that the DOJ pounds this issue with the same fervor as they do to improve conditions.  

Choose Freedom,

Jeff