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Advocates for independent living for people with disabilities
protest state's application to reopen Lincoln Estates
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[July 24, 2007]
FOREST PARK -- Advocates from
the disability community will protest an effort by the state to
reopen Lincoln Developmental Center, now renamed Lincoln Estates.
The Illinois Department of Human Services is asking the Health
Facilities Planning Board to renew the agency's application to
reopen the facility as a smaller set of four 10-bed group homes.
Advocates said they would attend the board's meeting Tuesday to
protest the state's action.
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 "Illinois already has plenty of opportunities for people with
disabilities to live in institutional settings," said George
Brimmage, a former nursing home resident and board member of
Stepping Stones, a support group for people with disabilities
working to create more community-based choices. "Instead of
allocating money for more institutional placements, Illinois needs
to develop more options for community care."In 2003, Lincoln
Developmental Center was closed in the midst of allegations of abuse
and neglect of its residents.
Those supporting more independent living options viewed the move
positively. They say the Illinois system is antiquated.
When Rod Blagojevich was elected governor in 2004, he agreed to
investigate reopening the institution.
"It's appalling that the state is compromising the rights of
people with disabilities," says Larry Biondi, advocacy coordinator
at Progress Center for Independent Living, a service and advocacy
organization based in Forest Park and serving people with
disabilities. "Illinois is ranked 48th in the nation as far as
providing home and community-based services versus institutional
care. The current system in Illinois is not equal."
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 For many advocates, the move to reopen Lincoln is seen as flying
in the face of nationwide trends toward more home and
community-based services. "We're going backward, not forward," says
Biondi.
Editor's note: Earlier state reports indicated that that if
these new homes would be opened, former residents would be given
first choice to return. The homes would be populated by resident or
caretaker choice.
[Text from news release from
Progress Center for
Independent Living; LDN]
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