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Highlands Today

Arc Clients Speak Out On State Cutbacks

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The Tampa Tribune

Published: October 19, 2008

Dear Editor:

In 2007, the Florida Legislature amended section 393.0661, Florida Statues, to implement a four-tiered waiver system to serve clients with developmental disabilities in the DD and Family and Supported Living Waivers.

Here are some letters written by, or written for, individuals who will soon lose some of the services they currently receive from Ridge Area Arc and other providers. The individuals tell in their own words how this will impact them.

This is a flawed system. Our hope is that once the legislators hear from individuals and/or their family members of the impact of the tiers that they will help fix this system. Ridge Area Arc wants to work together with the legislators to come up with other solutions. We would also like for legislators to consider funneling gambling revenues to services for persons with developmental disabilities.

Sincerely,

Rhonda Beckman

Ridge Area Arc executive director

Editor's note: Due to the large number of letters, we are printing as many as possible as space allows.

Dear Editor:

I am a 24 year old female. I am very unhappy with what is being done with the cutbacks for the disabled (specially challenged). I don't enjoy sitting around doing nothing. That is one of the reasons I enjoy being able to go to Ridge Area Arc during the week. I have many friends and have learned many skills including different job skills that will help me in a job. I would greatly miss the socialization and friendships that I have. Also, I love being able to make a little money. If cuts are made, there goes my check. I feel like I am being put aside because of my "special needs."

Stephanie Lynn Travi

Dear Editor:

I work at Arc. I wash vans, do tubing and also janitorial to make money for myself. This is how I make my living. This upsets me. I am mad. I want to work five days a week like everybody else. Help me to work full time, please.

Andre Rushing

Dear Editor:

I am a 38 year old male and I feel very angry with the cuts being made. I feel it is messing with our independence as well as stripping our rights away. It is our right to have jobs for our income. The money from our checks we use for things we need and for "fun" money. For those of us who are working at Ridge Area Arc in our area, we barely have money now on our paychecks with working five days. Some of us work four days.

Even though we may be different physically, mentally, or both, we should not be punished for our disability. We are also equal even though we are specially challenged as anyone else. We should be able to work and learn the job skills to get the job and to further our learning if wanted.

Herb Adkins

Dear Editor:

I work on the lawn crew, horticulture and tubing that's how I make my money. I might lose my transportation and some days at work program at Arc. It will make me feel sad. I'm going to lose my employment. Can't the legislators help me keep my job?

Patrick Patterson

Dear Editor:

We are a 61-year-old female and a 71-year-old female. We feel with cutbacks being made we are being taken advantage of in learning further job skills and socialization skills. It is our goal to obtain a job with Michaels in the near future. We continue learning daily and it is through Ridge Area Arc and their staff we have these skills. To cut funding and take certain things away from us is not right. It is strongly against our rights. We know "our" rights.

Janet May

Lorraine Steeves

Dear Editor:

My name is Leon. I attend Ridge Area Arc in Avon Park. I work on the workfloor assembling sprinkler parts. I also am on the janitorial crew. Because of the funding cuts, I'm going to lose my transportation funding. I won't be able to go to Arc five days a week. I'll only be able to go maybe three to four days. This will make my paycheck very small. I like making money for myself. I feel "mad." I'm going to miss all my friends at work. If I stay home, I'll just sit and watch TV. That's no fun.

Leon Gordon

Dear Editor:

I got to Arc every day. I go to classes like cooking and Adult Basic Eduction. If I can't afford to come to Arc, I'll just sit at home in my room and watch TV. I'll be upset if I can't see my friends and staff that I've known for years. Please help us get more funding.

Lynda Sue Talios

Dear Editor:

I'm losing supported living coach and companion and also transportation funding. I am sad that I won't be able to attend the day program at Arc. I wont' be able to see my friends on Mondays any more.

Ilana Levey

Dear Editor:

I am writing to tell you just how very bad I feel about what the legislators have done to me too. My heart hurts deep down on this earth by taking away all of my life plan. I don't like when they'll just come up doing this before asking me so I can know them doing this. Because I have a life too, I live just like you do. I care about my life too and just like you I need my life. So you were very wrong to take all of my services away because getting sick is very bad. I don't like to be sick so you cannot cause me to be that way. I don't like what you have done to me. Think about what you have done to me. It is wrong and I don't like that. I don't like for people to judge me by my own life. They don't know nothing about me on this earth. I am sick and have to be out of my house getting some fresh air every day of the week. I can't let you ruin my life by taking my legal rights. I have had that done too much of my life.

Robert Collier

Dear Editor:

I attend a day program at Arc. I am on a janitorial crew and do sprinkler parts to make money. I don't like the funding cuts. If they cut my transportation, and companion funding, I won't be able to get to the work program. My mom and dad are not in good health. This funding cut makes me sad. I'll miss going to the day program.

David Harrell

Dear Editor:

I work at Arc doing tubing. I get a paycheck every two weeks. I use my paycheck to buy food and at Christmas I use it for presents. If they cut my funding, I might lose my transportation funding. I wont' be able to come to work and make money for myself. This don't make me feel good. It makes me feel miserable. I want to keep my job for as long as I can.

Terry Richardson

Dear Editor:

I work at Arc doing janitorial. I make good money for myself. I don't think it's right for the state to take away my money. I work real hard for my money. Let me keep my money.

Raymond Jackson

Dear Editor:

I make money at Arc. I do tubing for sprinklers and do janitorial work. I wash vans and do lawn crew sometimes. If they cut my funding, I can't pay bills. I won't be able to go to the day program and make money. This makes me feel bad. I want to see my friends at Arc every day. My friends make me happy. Don't cut my money. I need my money to live.

Greg Robinson

Dear Editor:

I work at Arc doing janitorial clean up. I mop and clean. I make a paycheck for janitorial and tubing. It's a small check but it helps with my bills. If the fund cuts continue, I won't be able to work as much. This makes me feel "angry" and sad that I won't be able to see my friends too much.

James Smith

Dear Editor:

I want the legislators to stop cutting my money. The cut is hurting me and making me mad.

Charles Scott

Dear Editor:

My name is Christine. I enjoy going to the day program at Arc. I'm going to lose some funding, transportation especially. This means I won't be able to afford to go to the day program every day. I feel angry at this. I want to see my friends and keep on learning new things.

Christine Frank

Dear Editor:

Why can't I have more money coming in? I want to have more. I want to be here at the workshop.

Emily Harrison

Dear Editor:

Every day I go to Arc. I enjoy doing act5ivities all day long. I've learned to cook, do arts and crafts, recreation, Special STARS and other fun activities. I also do janitorial jobs at Arc. If I can't afford to go there, I won't make money doing janitorial. I'm going to be sad if I can't come here because of no funding.

Bobby Byrd

Dear Editor:

My name is Angie. I work at Arc. I work in screenprinting and also do tubing and janitorial. I make a paycheck doing all these jobs. I am saving for summer camp. If I lose funding, I'll lose some of my paycheck and I won't be able to go to camp. I won't have any money. I will miss my friends at Arc. I want to come five days a week. I am sad, mad and angry.

Angie Luft

Dear Editor:

I'm writing this with help. I work at Ridge Area Arc. I do tubing. I make money doing tubing. If I can only afford to go to Arc two to three days a week, that makes my paycheck smaller. I won't be able to afford transportation to and from work. I don't want to stay home and not work. This makes me feel upset. My friends won't see me any more. I want to cry. I'm upset that I wont' see my friends. Can you help us?

Maricel Mareno

Dear Editor:

It will mess up my paycheck if I can't work. It will make me mad and it will hurt too. I got feelings too. I got bills to pay. I will lose my friends. That hurts. I hope you can get it together so I can continue to work.

Sandra Harper

Dear Editor:

My name is Mary Ann. I work at Arc doing tubing. I make money. I'm going to lose money. I feel bad about it. I will miss everybody here. I'll be stuck at home all day. It makes me feel bad.

Mary Ann Hart

Dear Editor:

I work at Arc doing tubing and janitorial crew. I make money. If I can't afford transportation, I won't be able to work and make money. I feel sad.

Carlita Hawkins

Dear Editor:

I am a specially challenged female who is 47 years old. I have fought for what I have and I feel that the cuts being made are a violation of my rights. I feel I am being robbed of my independence because of my disability. I have gained this independence and skills through working with Ridge Area Arc in Highlands County. I feel this program is why I am the person I am and have the skills I have. I have a lot of socialization with my peers through this as well.

I work five days a week and what little paycheck I make pays for extra activity. If I am put down to three days rather than five that leaves me no money. I feel that with them doing this to us, I am regressing than progressing.

Amelia Titus

Dear Editor:

I am a 37-year-old female. I believe I am being forced against my will to do something that I feel will not be right for me. Cutting me back to three days a week will not be what I want. I work like any o6ther person to have the money to enjoy extra activities. Without the funds, we will not be able to enjoy such things as Special STARS, which I truly enjoy. I enjoy the socialization that I get from my friends and the staff at Ridge Area Arc. They are all my family. Why punish us by taking the extras away. They want us to be independent and I don't feel like that is happening in this matter. To me my rights are being violated.

Helena Spies

Dear Editor:

I am a 23-year-old female. The cutting back to three days a week for us is so unfair. It makes me very angry. I don't think if we were normal and didn't have disabilities we wouldn't be asked to do this. I feel like we are being targeted because of my disability. I also have a 23-year-old brother who attends Ridge Area Arc. We enjoy the working environment, the supervisors, and the many friends I have. By taking days away from us I feel we are being held back from learning more.

Lisa Crews

Dear Editor:

I am writing in regards to the cutbacks for special needs individuals. I work at the Ridge Area Arc ADT program and I also have a 10-year-old daughter with Downs syndrome. She also has other medical issues. These individuals need these programs to remain in tact. They depend on them. Their families depend on them.

Some come from single parent homes. Without the programs, parents wouldn't be able to work. They can't afford to hire someone to come in their homes to provide to their special needs. These programs teach cooking, computers and job training programs. A lot of them are working and paying taxes like you and me. A lot of them are registered voters. With these cutbacks a lot of these agencies will not be able to stay open. Some of the group homes may have to shut down. What will these individuals do? Some have no other place to live. The staff there are their families, their eyes, ears and mouths. Are they going to be put into state institutions? We will only be going back into time. This is 2008, we need to go forward. We need to find other ways to cutback, without doing away with their funding. Why can't a state lotto be put in place? We have one that supports the school system. I'm sure there are lots of ways we can save without taking away form these individuals. When they heard about the cutbacks at the day program, they were very upset, some frustrated, some crying. It is very heartbreaking. I hope the legislators will take the time to try to come up with an alternative. These individuals deserve respect and need to keep their dignity. Thank you for your time.

Betty Rowland

Ridge Area Arc ADT staff

Dear Editor:

I don't want to lose my job. I like my job. I do lawn crew, mowing lawns and assemble sprinkler parts. If I lose my job, I won't get paid. I won't have money to come to work. Only money for my house. I'm going to miss my friends. I'll be bored staying home not working and making no money. I'm mad.

Rick Vasquez

Dear Editor:

I feel terrible because I want to come five days a week to Arc. If I can come to Arc five days a week I feel happy.

Frances Goff

Dear Editor:

I'm happy at Arc. I'm going to be sad if I can't afford to go to Arc.

Patricia Butterfield

Dear Editor:

Hello, my name is Tammy Furman. I want to come to Arc every day - Monday to Friday - because I like Susie's computer class. I am happy when I come to the program at Arc but when I stay in home I am unhappy and sad too. I like the staff.

Tammy Furman

Dear Editor:

I feel sad that I can't come every day to the Arc program because I don't want to stay in home every day. I don't want to lose going every day to the program. I don't want to sloe my friends. I don't want to lose any fun day in the Arc program. The legislators make me mad and upset.

Sarah Moore

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