HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0067.048 2006-2008
Murashige, Laura
From: Melissa Fleming [mfleming@co.hawaii.hi.us] [-i:_ _
Sent: Tuesday, February 06, 2007 9:38 AM
To: counciltestimony@co.hawaii.hi.us ~ ~ nn
Subject: FW: Bi11345 2~U1 FE8 6 Af'i 1...
Attachments: Bill_345.pdf
~Gi~~i:ii ~ + , `:-I
Bill_345.pdf (42 KB]
-----Original Message-----
From: Ron Amundson [mailto:ronald@hawaii.edu]
Sent: Tuesday, February 06, 2007 9:10 AM
To: Pilago, K. Angel; Jacobson, Bob; Ford, Brenda; Yagong, Dominic; Ikeda, Donald; Naeole,
Emily; Yoshimoto, J; Hoffmann, Pete; Higa, Stacy
Subject: Bill 345
Dear Councilmembers,
Attached is testimony of Disability Rights Hawaii regarding Bill 345. Thank you for your
consideration.
Sincerely,
Ron Amundson
Secretary, Disability Rights Hawaii
Comm. No. ~ ~ o
Ref- To: Pruso~r_
~±~_J..._,
Ref. 1~gfie ~~g l1 7 9(1(17 _
>
Disability
v Rights
Hawaii P.O. Box 5575, Hilo, HI 96720 (808) 961-3862
w~odong together far access
2/5/2007
Hawaii County Council
Dear Councilmembers,
I am writing as Secretary of Disability Rights Hawaii, anon-profit grassroots disability
rights advocacy organization based in Hilo since 1992. We have a membership of approximately
100 and a Board of Directors of 7. This letter is on behalf of the Board of Directors, written in
response to a discussion of 15 members of DRH and 5 visitors who attended our January 23rd
meeting.
We write in support of Bill 345. This bill will increase the number of available locations
for community care in Hawaii County for people with disabilities. We understand that there is a
significant demand for additional community care beds for members of our community, and this
bill will increase the number.
The Supreme Court Oldstead Decision is the most important decision for people with
disabilities since the 1990 passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act. Olmstead guaranteed
that people with disabilites cannot be forced, by governmental agencies, to live in institutions as
a condition of obtaining the support they need to live. They must be allowed to live in the
community if their conditions make it possible for them to do so.
But if there are not enough beds in the community to support the number of people who
need them, then our brothers and sisters will be forced into institutions, or else forced to live on
other islands than their Hawaii Island home. Olmstead is meaningless if we don't have enough
beds to care for our citizens. The present rules regarding what counts as "a family" are the cause
of this restriction.
We recognize that one group homes has been singled out as having become a nuisance in
its neighborhood. We certainly do not condone such group homes. But nuisances are far in the
minority, and there are other ways of dealing with neighborhood nuisances than forcing the
individuals who live there into institutions. Police assistance and Department of Health oversight
can relieve these problems without the extreme step of forcing individuals into institutions.
We are talking about our ohana here. People with disabilities belong in their
communities. Please pass Bill 345.
On behalf of the Board of Directors,
~
Ron Amundson
Secretary, Disability Rights Hawaii.
Disability Rights Hawati is atax-exempt nonprofrt corporation