This could be a “big and beautiful” victory for Americans with disabilities

Medicaid repairs for the great and beautiful action project will not affect community programs for persons with disabilities; Instead, they treat unqualified beneficiaries, administrative fraud and adults who have the body who are able to choose not to work.

But more effort must be made to enhance incentives for people with disabilities to move to, stay in their societies, and prosperity within their societies.

As a defender of services for the liberation of persons with disabilities from institutional warehouses for nearly half a century, I can, without developing, should be less effective and more effective collective care than any living arrangement at home or society. Funding can be allocated in a more humane and utilitarian way when it comes to community programs.

When President Ronald Reagan signed the reconciliation law in the 1981 Umbus budget, the federal government recognized home and community care as an alternative to expensive institutions. Although the idea was to save money, the draft law led to the unexpected benefit of motivating countries with an innovative leadership to shift towards service management rather than just paying claims.

This changing this sea such as New Jersey and New York to close institutions and transfer people to their societies. In addition, these reforms have caused many lawsuits against institutional abuse, which enabled a faster shift to the situation of society and allowed the disabled to prosper in small homes.

She worked in New Jersey when she had more institutions than she was now. In 1981, there were approximately 9,000 people living in institutions. Today, there are still approximately 3,000 people living in the remaining five institutions and nursing houses at a cost of approximately $ 450,000 per person per year in the state.

During the past few years, the state -run institutions have visited Corpus Christi, Al Baso and Dallas, which includes thousands of people with disabilities who can work and live in their societies. Most financing is used in Texas to house people in institutions, which may cost nearly half a million dollars per person each year. By comparison, the person who receives community services, such as homes, costs medicaid only about $ 54,000 per year. The removal of institutions in Texas slows down, and in recent years, the number of people who have moved from institutions to society has decreased significantly.

Unfortunately, without incentives to close institutions, local lawmakers intend to keep them open to protect what is the largest employer in their areas. It is a difficult decision, but it requires political will to do the right thing. Stop maintaining the most vulnerable to us in institutions, and allowing them to live in their own societies and life is better.

Community programs that support parents in providing an invaluable opportunities at home provide people with disabilities to stay in contact with the places they call home.

We now need the federal government to work with states and service providers and ensure that high quality care is given to the most vulnerable. We have taken steps in this direction, but President Trump has a unique opportunity to lead the charge in ensuring that our family, friends and neighbors are not closed in institutions, but rather they are allowed to receive the care they need and the opportunity to live in the societies in which they live.

We encourage Trump and Congress to organize this legislation, and I hope to help them while repairing the careful care methods of people with disabilities.

Robert Stack is the founder, president and executive director of the company Community Options, Inc. It is a non -profit national organization that develops housing and employment for 6000 people with disabilities in 12 states. Stack was a national pioneer in the constant struggle to improve the lives of people with mental and developmental disabilities.