FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Edison McDonald, Executive Director, The Arc of Nebraska, 402-475-4407 or edison@arc-nebraska.org

Disability Advocates Kick Off Grassroots Campaign to Ensure Access to Vital Services

Lincoln, Nebraska, July 2, 2019 – “Nebraska is at a crossroads with its obligation to Nebraska citizens with developmental disabilities. Several Nebraska Senators have recognized the urgent need to develop a strategic plan to address the current and future needs of citizens with DD and their families.” This is what the 2008 LR 156 report said over a decade ago.  Yet we have instead allowed this waiting list to grow and vulnerable Nebraskans to go without vital services.

In reaction to this disability advocates are taking up a new grassroots drive to end the Developmental Disability Waiting List.  “It is absolutely unacceptable that we have over 2,332 Nebraskans with disabilities who are not receiving these vital supports.” Said Edison McDonald Executive Director for The Arc of Nebraska.  They have been forced onto a waiting list that could require them to wait for years to access vital services.  This waiting list forces them to consider more expensive and segregated settings.  This average cost per Nebraskan with a disability could be hundreds of thousands of dollars per citizen with disability.  We must do better.

Launching off a petition drive, community conversations, and careful research of the issue advocates are ready to take on this significant issue for Nebraskans with Disabilities.  The first community conversation will happen at the annual Disability Pride Event at The Nebraska State Capitol on July 12^th at 1pm.  For more information please refer to https://www.arc-nebraska.org/end_the_waiting_list

About The Arc of Nebraska

For over 60 years, The Arc of Nebraska has provided advocacy to people with intellectual and developmental disabilities and their families. A nonprofit organization governed by a Board of Directors, The Arc has more than 1,500 members across the state.

The Arc of Nebraska has been working for over 60 years to ensure that people with developmental and intellectual disabilities can live in the community. Previously, the status quo was that people were forcefully segregated into isolation in institutions. Now 2,332 people qualify for services under the developmental disabilities services waiver but are not receiving funding. They instead have been relegated to a waiting list that could be years away.

We want to gather first-hand data, stories, and develop a coalition to take on the waiting list.  Together we can ensure that people with disabilities are appropriately supported.

Waiting lists are not unique to Nebraska.  This significant issue has inspired a great amount of research, conversations, legislation, and tools working to address it.  Here are some resources that can help to inform you further about the detrimental effects on waiting lists.  But more importantly our hope is that these resources help to inform people about ways in which we can ensure more people have access to needed services.

Arc Blog About The Waiting List

Case for Inclusion Comparative State by State Data

Disability Scoop Update on Waiting Lists

DHHS Developmental Disability Division

Nebraska Legislature Resolution 156 Report (2008 the last significant study in Nebraska)

Kaiser Family Foundation State by State Data

The Arc of Nebraska has been working for over 60 years to ensure that people with developmental and intellectual disabilities can live in the community.  Previously, the status quo was that people were forcefully segregated into isolation in institutions.  Now 2,332 people qualify for services under the developmental disabilities services waiver but are not receiving funding.  They instead have been forced onto a waiting list that could require them to wait for years to access vital services.

Over a decade ago the LR 156 report said, “Nebraska is at a crossroads with its obligation to Nebraska citizens with developmental disabilities. Several Nebraska Senators have recognized the urgent need to develop a strategic plan to address the current and future needs of citizens with DD and their families.” It seems that we have still failed to take the sort of serious action needed to help people with disabilities.  It’s time to ensure that we fully fund the waiting list.

(Sign Petition Below)

Help us to get the word out about #EndtheList  We need your voice to help spread how important it is to ensure everyone has access to vital services that they need.

The Waiting List is not just a recent problem.  We began this debate nearly 60 years ago as we worked to move people into community settings.  However, despite significant strides, we have left many Nebraskans without access to the vital care that they need.  Here are some of the many steps that have occurred in that time period.

• 1850 – 1950
  • Institutional care began in Beatrice
    • Nebraska Institution for Feeble-Minded Youth, Beatrice State Home
  • Forced sterilization: no consent required
• 1950 – 1960
  • Greater Omaha Association for Retarded Children (GOARC) founded
  • Nebraska Association for Retarded Children (NebARC) founded
• 1960 – 1970
  • Governor Morrison created Interagency Committee on Mental Retardation (same happening at the national level)
  • Legislature established the Office of Mental Retardation within Department of Health
  • Lee Terry of KETV Channel 7 Documentary series on Beatrice State Home (Out of the Darkness)
  • Legislature passed 14 laws to provide for creation, funding & coordination of community-based programs throughout the state
• 1970 – 1980
  • Eastern Nebraska Community Office of Retardation (ENCOR), first regional community services agency, formed by four county governments
  • Pilot Parents Program in Omaha by GOARC
  • Horacek v. Exon lawsuit
  • People First movement began
  • Individual Program Plan (IPP) process began
  • PL 94-142—Education for All Handicapped Children Act (later became IDEA)
• 1980 – 1990
  • Home & community-based waiver services for children with mental retardation & their families approved for Nebraska
• 1990 – 2000
  • ARC began quality review teams
  • Governor Nelson’s Blueprint for Action addressed the waiting list
• 2000 – 2010
  • Waiting list grows
  • Conditions at Beatrice State Developmental Center are brought to light
  • Changes to services delivery
• 2010 – present
  • Introduction of Managed Care
  • Establishment of Enable Savings Accounts
  • Historic Budget Cuts, Cuts to Transition Services, and various cuts to Medicaid lead to new struggles that have forced many to reconsider institutions
• 2020
  • End the Waiting List

The Arc of Nebraska has been working for over 60 years to ensure that people with developmental and intellectual disabilities can live in the community.  Previously, the status quo was that people were forcefully segregated into isolation in institutions.  Now 2,332 people qualify for services under the developmental disabilities services waiver but are not receiving funding.  They instead have been forced onto a waiting list that could require them to wait for years to access vital services.

Over a decade ago the LR 156 report said, “Nebraska is at a crossroads with its obligation to Nebraska citizens with developmental disabilities. Several Nebraska Senators have recognized the urgent need to develop a strategic plan to address the current and future needs of citizens with DD and their families.” It seems that we have still failed to take the sort of serious action needed to help people with disabilities.  It’s time to ensure that we fully fund the waiting list.

Click Here to Sign the Petition