FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Mitch Leff, (404) 861-4769, mitch@leffassociates.com

 

Lilburn Resident Urges Increased Funding for Disability Services
In Testimony to Georgia House Appropriations Subcommittee on Human Resources

 

LILBURN, GA, Feb. 14, 2008 – Lilburn resident Nancy Vara today testified before the Georgia House Appropriations Subcommittee on Human Resources, urging the House to increase funding for services for people with developmental disabilities.

Vara is a Lilburn business owner and the proud parent of Carmine, her 24-year-old son who has cerebral palsy and developmental disabilities. Carmine drives a motorized wheelchair and needs total assistance with all of his personal care needs.

Vara specifically asked for:

• Funding for 2,500 new Mental Retardation Waiver Program (MRWP) services for a total of $21.9M in state funds in the Department of Human Resources 2009 budget
• An increase the rates paid to disability providers by seven percent with $2M in state funds
• A full examination of the $27M transfer out of adult developmental disability community services until the House was completely satisfied with the full accounting of those dollars

Nancy Vara’s Story

“Last year at this time, my family was not in a good place. Carmine had been out of school for a year and half. We thought we were prepared, but had never expected the amount of energy, money, and emotion it took to take care of him 24 hours a day. We were being drained physically, emotionally, and financially. While in school, Carmine had been an active member of the community. He had a part time job, attended church, school plays, and social outings.”

“We could manage all of this while Carmine was in school, but once he graduated, everything changed. The young man who enriched our lives had suddenly become a tremendous burden. My doctor informed me that lifting Carmine, my 120 pound son, three or four times a day, was physically taking a toll on me.”

“In the past, our family has helped raised money for many in need, and now we were the ones in need. We were asking for funding that would help provide personal supports in order for Carmine to be part of the community and be treated with dignity and respect.“

“With the support of the Governor and the legislature, in May of last year Carmine received a MRWP waiver. Since then, he has received a promotion at his job and a raise. He has transportation and personal support for work and home, is able to go to the movies with friends and is rehearsing for a church play.”

About the Atlanta Alliance on Developmental Disabilities

Founded in 1956, AADD (www.aadd.org) has grown from a local, grass-roots not-for-profit organization founded by a group of concerned parents to become Georgia’s premiere provider of family support, advocacy, and education for children, adults, and families living with developmental disabilities.

In its 51-year history, AADD has been at the forefront of building strong collaborative partnerships. The result of these partnerships is increased public awareness of the benefits to our culture when we are inclusive of persons with developmental disabilities, and the promotion of needed policy change to ensure that people living with developmental disabilities are heard and respected at every level of society.

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