Letters Needed ASAP! Fight to Close the Illinois Murray Developmental Center!

as shared from our colleagues at Access Living...

Dear Access Living friends and allies,   The fight to close the Murray Developmental Center took another step last week with a hearing in Centralia held by the Illinois State Health Facilities and Services Review Board. The purpose of the hearing was to consider whether Murray should close. Access Living, along with numerous disability rights groups such as Equip for Equality and the Arc of Illinois, supports its closure.   While the hearing was attended by about 100 members of the public, only one actual Board member showed up. On November 5, the full board will convene in Bolingbrook to consider the matter. You can help us fight to close Murray!   Written statements on the closure of Murray will be accepted by a representative of the board until 5 pm this coming Wednesday, October 16. Access Living would like to ask that you submit a statement so that we can show how important the closure of state institutions is to disability rights. It is very important to send in as many letters as possible to support closure.   Below my signature is the contact information for submitting your letter, and a template. Please take action TODAY!   Amber Smock Director of Advocacy, Access Living   Mail your letter to:   Mike Constantino Supervisor, Project Review Section Illinois Health Facilities and Services Review Board 525 West Jefferson Street (2nd Floor) Springfield, Illinois 62761   TEMPLATE LETTER (You can edit this to reflect your personal views)       Dear Mr. Constantino,   I am writing in support of closure of the Murray Developmental Center in Centralia, Illinois.  The closure is important not just for the residents of the Murray Developmental Center, but for people with developmental disabilities around Illinois.  The closure will support Illinois’ commitment to expand home and community based services for people with developmental disabilities, and will help ensure that Medicaid long term care services are provided in the most integrated setting possible in the community.   I understand that many people now call the Murray Developmental Center their home.  For those residents, for their family members, and for their guardians, the institution closure would understandably be a difficult process.   Yet, it is a process that will strengthen Illinois and the entire disability community in the long term.  Fourteen states have already closed all of their state run institutions for people with disabilities.  By doing so, the states were able to provide more community based, integrated living opportunities for people with disabilities.  When states integrate their communities, people with and without disabilities benefit.   This includes people with severe disabilities.  All services that are provided in an institution can also be provided in the community.  Murray residents, no matter the type or severity of disability, should have the opportunity to live in integrated community-based settings.   Now is the time to close the Murray Developmental Center.   I urge the Illinois Health Facilities Review Board to support closure.  Closure will benefit current residents and will enable Illinois to better fund services for the 30,000 people with developmental disabilities who are on the waiting list for support services.  I urge you to vote in support of closure.   Sincerely, YOUR NAME