Virginia Alliance for Community Support for Alliance Proposal Grows
December 16, 2008 Page 1 of 3
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Jamie Trosclair (804) 649-8481, ext. 101 jtrosclair@arcofva.org
December 16, 2008
Support for Reform Grows at Exponential Rate:
Over 75 Organizations Endorse Virginia Alliance for Community’s Proposal to Reform Central Virginia Training Center Support for serious reform of Virginia’s services for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities continues to grow at an exponential rate. Since the release of the “Call for Reform” by the Virginia Alliance for Community, dozens of local, statewide, and national organizations have signaled their support for reform. Last Friday, the list of supporting organizations stood at 45. Now, more than 75 organizations have joined in the call. “Being in an institution is being isolated. That is one of the worst feelings a human being can experience. A real home in the community -- just being someone's "neighbor" - is a hope that I share for my daughter and her friends,” said Donna Goldbranson, Executive Director of SPARC and supporter of the Alliance initiative. “It is time for Virginia to heed the call by people with developmental disabilities to be able to live in the community,” said Heidi Lawyer, Executive Director of the Virginia Board and a founding member of the Virginia Alliance for Community. The Alliance is a group of dozens of advocacy organizations who are asking the Governor and the General Assembly to reconsider the state’s historic investment in institutions for people with disabilities. The Call for Reform asks the state to begin its reform efforts with money allocated to Central Virginia Training Center in Lynchburg. The Alliance asks the state to use those capital dollars, instead, to create community-based state-operated services in the Lynchburg area, under the administration of the Training Center. Organizations supporting the Call for Reform include: • APSE-The Network on Employment • Association of University Centers on Disabilities • ArtStream • Autism Society of America-Central Virginia Chapter
Virginia Alliance for Community Support for Alliance Proposal Grows
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December 16, 2008 Page 2 of 3
Autism Society of America-Northern Virginia Chapter Autism Society of America-Tidewater Chapter Autistic Self-Advocacy Network Blue Ridge Residential Services Commonwealth Autism Service Crossroads Community Services Board Community Concepts, Inc. Community Opportunities, Inc. Danville Arc disAbility Resource Center Down Syndrome Association of Greater Richmond Down Syndrome Association of Hampton Roads Down Syndrome Association of Northern Virginia Easter Seals Virginia Eastern Shore Center for Independent Living, Inc. Eggleston Services Family First of Virginia Beach, Inc. Grafton, Inc. Goochland Powhatan Community Services Hanover Arc Heritage House of Virginia Hope House Foundation L’Arche of Greater Washington D.C. Legal Aid Justice Center Lynchburg Area Center for Independent Living Mary’s Family MVLE, Inc. National Association of Councils on Developmental Disabilities Niche Housing National Disability Rights Network Parents and Advocates for Special Housing Needs (PASHN, Inc.) Parent to Parent of Virginia Peninsula Autism Society Preemies Today People First of Chesterfield People First of Northern Virginia Post Educational Services Richmond Arc Richmond Residential Services Shenandoah Valley Autism Partnership Social Action Linking Together (SALT) SPARC Special Olympics Virginia Substance Abuse Addiction Recovery Alliance (SARAA) Supported Employment of Virginia (SEV) TASH International
Virginia Alliance for Community Support for Alliance Proposal Grows
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December 16, 2008 Page 3 of 3
The Arc of Augusta The Arc of Eastern Shore The Arc of Greater Prince William The Arc of Greater Roanoke Valley The Arc of Greater Williamsburg The Arc of Halifax The Arc of Harrisonburg and Rockingham The Arc of Lenowisco The Arc of Loudoun The Arc of Northern Shenandoah Valley The Arc of Northern Virginia The Arc of the Piedmont The Arc of Rappahannock The Arc of Rockbridge The Arc of Virginia Peninsula, The Arc of Warren County The Arc of the United States The Lamano Agency The Post Institue and Assoc. LLC Wall Residences Worksource Enterprises VA-TASH Virginia Association of Centers for Independent Living (VACIL) Virginia Association of Personal Care Assistants (VAPCA) Virginia Federation of Families Virginia Smiles Virginia Statewide Independent Living Council (SILC)
Other organizations who support a vision for Virginia that seeks the full inclusion of people with disabilities and are interested in endorsing the Call for Reform as issued by the Alliance for Community are encouraged to contact Jamie Trosclair at 804-649-8481, ext. 101 or jtrosclair@arcofva.org ###