What are we losing when Fernald (and the other facilties close)?
An HMO for people with developmental disabilities. Fernald’s centralized service delivery provided services to both the residents and community living peers. The professionals in the field working at Fernald- doctors, nurses, physical therapy, respiratory therapy, psych, occupational therapy will be laid off or forced to travel significant distances. These people have decades of experience with this population, which will be lost as the state continues its march towards complete privitization. (Ka-ching for the Arcs and other vendors, who welcome deprofessionalization.)
Tufts Dental – which provided highly specialized dental care for people with developmental disabilities. Remember, these folks just can’t show up at your local dentist…most of them wouldn’t know where to start caring for people with intellectual disabilities and/or facial deformities. Yea, uah – I know, it’s received a year long reprieve…on paper. In practice, it’s not looking that way.
Greene Blg. Pool – yet another resource for both residents and their community living peers. Try taking a multiply-handicapped, dual diagnosed individual to your standard public pool…and see what happens. The pool provided much needed recreation, support and socialization in a safe environment…and no over-crowded public pool can replace it.
ADAPT – Another community and resident resource’ the adaptive technologies department provided highly specialized adaptive equipment (computers, communication boards, etc) to help physically handicapped people negotiate their environment.
Chapel – Mass is served at Fernald every Sunday by a priest and lay people who are completely comfortable with the random and often loud vocalizations of its parishioners. And you should hear the singing…you can’t deny that “make a joyful noise unto the Lord” is not just a bible reading…it’s lived to its fullest. You can’t miss the love and respect that this beautiful little chapel gives to all who cross its threshhold.
Fernald is far more than the sum of its parts. It’s a family that is being torn asunder by a vendor advocate department head, whose mission is to close all of these facilities. Our policies should not be dictated by vendors – policy should be driven by care and compassion for people with developmental disabilities.
If I could, I would like to add just a few more to the list.
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p>The workshops and day programs on the grounds will be lost.
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p>The various recreational activities that take place at Fernald will be lost.
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p>Fernald is much more than the sum of its parts. It truly is a family, a community within a community. My family member has a LIFE–NOT JUST AN EXISTENCE–at Fernald.
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p>The Governor and his “hired gun” commissioner are truly devoid of any human compassion and have demonstrated that there is no limit to how low they will go to shut the place down. I don’t think I’m allowed to use the kind of words to describe them on BMG.