Pigs is pigs

No one should be shocked or dismayed that the ARC has finally revealed itself to be the vendor that it is.  The ARC has long disguised itself as a family advocacy group without acknowledging that it is also a multimillion dollar service provider for the state.  They’ve been able to hold sway up at the state house with their paid hired guns because so many legislators merely think of them as family advocates for people with developmental disabilities.  And now out from the shadows pops out the ARC with its hand out, looking for Fernald’s land.  

http://www.dailynewstribune.co…

 The ARC, which had been one of the original plaintiffs in the Ricci case (federal case with consent decree outcome mandating level of care for the residents of the facilities) has often denounced the facilities as being “isolating” and “warehouses.”   The “let my people go” premise popped up right about the time the ARC got into the business of selling services.  It pitted family against family; pro-centralized services at a facility against services in the community.    

The ARC has been among the loudest voices looking to close Fernald, with the cash register firmly in its sights.  And why should they have been allowed at the table, when they have an inherent conflict of interest?   There are no altruistic motives here….only financial ones.  

Pigs is pigs.  

So why would a guy like Governor Patrick, who is purported to be so clever, fall for the ARC’s game?   Over the last few years, the Fernald families have asked for a real cost analysis to be undertaken by the state, but to no avail.  It would prefer to rely on a facility budget inflated by regional and community costs, including payroll.   The Governor is gutting the Disabled Persons Protection Commission at a time when he is also evicting very fragile, nonverbal and non-ambulatory people into the community system, where there is little oversight.  Additionally, the state’s RFP to non-profit developers to build group homes and lease them back to the state for millions was featured in a press release by COFAR late last year.   Amber Paw, in her very succinct and cogent post, highlighted the new “cost neutral” reality associated with closing Fernald, and the promises made and broken to Fernald families for state-operated homes at Glavin.  

http://bluemassgroup.com/d…

• No cost analysis to justify decisions

• No real savings

• Cutting funds for oversight

• Special “arrangements” for developers

• Promises to families broken.  

For this, the state is evicting 300 medically fragile people with profound developmental disabilities?  Is this the “change” we were promised?

Grassroots governing, like grassroots campaigning, is about listening to people – going to where they are in their lives and workplaces.  Not just the folks in the high-rise offices, but the folks who clean the offices, and all the strivers in between.  It’s about asking all people to help me as governor help you as citizens help yourselves.  No gimmicks, no sound-bites, no slogans.  But lasting and meaningful change.   October 2007, Candidate Deval Patrick

Funny…I assumed that this quote from the governor during his campaign included people with profound disabilities and their families.  

I will never forget what my grandmother said about pigs, because it applies to politicians too.  Change? Please don’t insult my intelligence.