(Cross-posted from The COFAR Blog) Governor Patrick and the state House of Representatives have specified funding for the Department of Developmental Services budget for the coming fiscal year that is way out of balance. Budget … [Read more...]
The governor’s FY ’15 budget for DDS is out of balance
(Cross-posted from The COFAR Blog) Governor Deval Patrick has proposed a whopping $162 million increase in funding for residential care provided by corporate providers to the Department of Developmental Services in the coming fiscal … [Read more...]
Guardian and Special Master point to each other regarding the release of Sara Duzan’s clinical records
(Cross-posted from The COFAR Blog) A court-appointed guardian for Sara Duzan and a psychologist appointed to oversee the guardianship have both declined to release clinical records about Sara's care to her family, with each saying it is … [Read more...]
State-funded provider execs paid more than $80m a year
(Cross-posted from The COFAR Blog) More than 550 executives working for some 250 state-funded corporate providers of services to people with developmental disabilities in Massachusetts received a total of $80.5 million in annual … [Read more...]
Sara Duzan’s guardian was formerly against the use of restraints on her
(Cross-posted from The COFAR Blog) The court-appointed guardian for Sara Duzan, who is now supportive of her care in a group home where Sara has been subjected to restraints and seclusion, strongly opposed the use of those methods for … [Read more...]
Father frustrated for years in gaining guardianship of his intellectually disabled son
(Cross-posted from The COFAR Blog) Stan McDonald readily acknowledges that his mildly intellectually disabled son, Andy, was dangerously out of control one evening nearly 25 years ago when, living with his father and stepmother, he made … [Read more...]
The politically incorrect idea of bringing congregate and community care together
(Cross-posted from The COFAR Blog) Two initiatives in two separate states call for something that would seem to make perfect sense -- expand the missions of congregate care facilities for the developmentally disabled, and merge them with … [Read more...]
Questions surround care of Sara Duzan in group home
(Cross-posted from The COFAR Blog) Sara Duzan has been placed in physical restraints in a group home 37 times since she was moved there on July 24, and the restraints continued through the month of November, according to staff records … [Read more...]
Duzan family forced to pay in case that led to cutoff in contact with daughter
(Cross-posted from The COFAR Blog) The Duzan family has found their four-year battle to regain custody of their intellectually disabled daughter, Sara, and bring her back home, to be extremely expensive. In arrangements that raise … [Read more...]
Family is shut out of contact with special needs daughter
(Cross-posted from The COFAR Blog) Maryann Duzan and other members of her family lost their guardianship of Maryann's intellectually disabled daughter, Sara, in 2009, based on an admission by Maryann that she once slapped her daughter on … [Read more...]