1.  BUDGET: The  care and protection of people with intellectual and

developmental disabilities is a core responsibility of government.

2.  REFORM SPECIAL EDUCATION FUNDING: One of every seven   students is educated under special education rules, and $1 billion in state funds is spent annually on special education.

3.  STATE INSTITUTIONS: The General Assembly embraced the shift from state institutions to community-based services when it passed the MH/MR act of 1966.

4.  MARRIAGE LICENSE: PA Domestic Relations Code (23Pa.C.S. 1302[b]) establishes requirements for the issuance of marriage licenses. Current law gives local county official discretion to deny marriage     licenses to people they believe to be “incompetent.”

5.  PLACE “BURDEN OF PROOF” ONTO SCHOOL DISTRICTS, NOT PARENTS: The US Supreme Court decision in Schaffer vs. Weast  determined that, unless state rules indicate otherwise, the party “seeking relief” has the burden of proof in IDEA due process              proceedings.

6.  IMPROVE SCHOOL CLIMATE FOR STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES: For many students with disabilities across PA, the school day is filled with challenges above and beyond those of their disability.

7.  EMPLOYMENT: People with disabilities have historically had difficulty getting and maintaining jobs in the community. As a result, they tend to live below the poverty level and be dependent on government programs to survive.

8.  ODP COMMUNITY SYSTEM MANAGEMENT: Significant changes in the way the community system assesses individuals’ need, authorizes services, and pays community service providers has created significant angst and concern among individuals who rely pm  community services, their families and advocates, and those who provide the services.

Master of Ceremonies – Michael Pupio, Esq.

Feature Speakers included:
Welcome – Robert Prince, President
Patrick Meehan – US Congressman
David White – Delaware County Councilman
Maureen Cronin – Executive Director, The Arc of PA
Marlene Harper – Parent Story

About 120 people total attended the event. This included elected officials and Arc of Delaware County members.

It was held Friday, October 19, 2012 from 8:00 AM- 10:30 AM

Radnor Valley Country Club
555 Sproul Road
Villanova, PA 19085

Below are links to articles related to the lawsuit filed again Governor Corbett over proposed budget cuts:

http://www.philly.com/philly/news/20120315_Disabilities_advocates_file_lawsuit.html

Here is the link to the petition and press release on DRN’s website. http://www.drnpa.org/

Group Sues Governor Over Proposed Budget Cuts
Disability Rights Network Takes On Corbett

WGAL-TV – News at Noon
03/14/2012

Watch Segment:
http://www.wgal.com/video/30676835/detail.html

Susan Shapiro, anchor: A lawsuit is being filed against Governor Tom Corbett over proposed budget cuts. The services for Pennsylvania residents with disabilities. News 8’s Matt Barcaro is live in Harrisburg with more on the lawsuit.

Matt Barcaro, reporting:: Here it is, this was just filed today by mental health groups and different constituents in Pennsylvania. They say they’ve never actually filed a suit against the governor before for proposing cuts like this in the Department of Public Welfare budget but they fear they have to or thousands of Pennsylvanians who rely on those services will suffer. The mental health groups allege the Governor’s proposed 20 percent cut to the Department’s budget is way too deep and it violates the state’s requirement to adequately fund those services. They believe that this will hurt people with mental and behavioral disabilities the most and it will take away their safety net. The Governor has said time and time again that this has been a tough budget year and there must be cuts made but the state’s Disability Rights Network thinks it will actually end up costing taxpayers more.

Mark Murphy, Disability Rights Network: You cut community-based services for people with intellectual disabilities and mental illness – you don’t save money. What you do is you force them into higher cost services. People’s needs don’t change.

Matt Barcaro: You might be wondering why this is happening now, after all, the budget is still a proposal – nothing’s been passed yet – but the mental health groups think that even the Governor’s proposal of these cuts violates the law and they want to make sure that the cuts don’t become law.

Eastern Delaware County Consortium on Inclusive Recreation

The Arc of Delaware County has recently joined the new Eastern Delaware County Consortium on Inclusive Recreation as the ‘lead agency’ for the Collaborative Consortium. The Consortium is made up of organizations and individuals who promote the concept of inclusive recreation in Eastern Delaware County in a manner that will increase inclusive opportunities in schools and communities for people with disabilities.

Kelly Connell has been hired as the new special education advocate at the nonprofit The Arc of Delaware County, which advocates for those with developmental disabilities and their families.  Connell had been self-employed as a special-education teacher/educational consultant and as a vice principal at Chalutzim Academy

“By alerting local police about a person’s unique needs, the police and emergency responders will be better able to address an emergency where the resident might have a medical condition or a physical or mental limitation that would require special attention,” said council Chairman Jack Whelan.

News release

For more information, call 610-284-2205 or visit www.papremisealert.com.