Public Policy Position on The Developmentally Disabled
Background
The developmentally disabled include the mentally retarded, as well as persons with cerebral palsy, epilepsy, autism and other neurological dysfunctions. Developmental disability is not an illness but a condition resulting from severe mental or physical impairment manifested early in life and likely to continue indefinitely, and resulting in substantial limitation in living activity and a long-term need for special care. An estimated 10,000 to 15,000 citizens of New Mexico are developmentally disabled. Most live in their own communities at home or in group homes. Close to 600—including the most profoundly retarded—are in state institutions. Nearly all the developmentally disabled need special services, such as, special education in the public schools, community day programs, sheltered workshops, work activity programs, and community residential settings. Such services will be needed throughout their lives. The developmentally disabled will always need someone to look after them.
Current Pressing Needs
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Higher salary levels for personnel in community day and residential programs serving the developmentally disabled. Such salaries, funded primarily by state support, are too low resulting in high turnover, use of untrained workers, and general deterioration of programs.
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Expansion of day programs for the developmentally disabled, including work activities, sheltered workshops, job placement and training. This is needed for the rising number of public school graduates and residents of newly established group homes across the state.
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Expansion of group homes for the developmentally disabled, including Intermediate Care Facilities/Mentally Retarded (ICF/MR) for the severely handicapped needing nursing care, and semi-independent living group homes and supervised apartments for the more advanced clients. A state law may be needed, requiring that developmentally disabled group homes be considered as single-family residences under local zoning ordinances, so that group homes can be located in residential areas where land prices are less costly.
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Inauguration of special care programs in courts and prisons for offenders who are mentally retarded.
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Establishment of residential and day programs to serve the "dual-diagnosis" handicapped - i.e., persons who are both developmentally disabled and mentally ill.
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Implementation of legislation passed in the 1984 legislature, aimed at providing special in-home and community services for profoundly handicapped, "medically fragile" children and their families.
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Expansion of respite care services for families with handicapped members to provide "time off" for personal, business and emergency obligations.
Policy Position
The New Mexico Conference of Churches affirms that our state bears a major responsibility in upholding the well-being of its developmentally disabled citizens, and should carry on a major effort to provide the services these citizens will need throughout their lives. We believe that such services should be made available to the disabled in their own communities - in day programs and in residential settings - rather than in big institutions.
We will support cost effective programs designed to meet the pressing needs outlined in the section of this statement headed "Current Pressing Needs."
