Family members of residents of the state's six centers for the developmentally disabled rallied at the State House yesterday to oppose the governor's proposal to close four facilities and transfer the residents to community-based treatment.
"The people in these homes are the most vulnerable and medically fragile," said David Hart, president of Coalition of Families for the Retarded, a statewide group that brought in more than 100 people for the demonstration.
"It will put an incredibly vulnerable population out into the community where they won't be able to protect themselves."
The Department of Developmental Services, formerly the Department of Mental Retardation, has seen a significant share of proposed budget cuts for fiscal 2010, to the tune of $78 million, or 6.5 percent, of disability services for its 33,000 clients.
Gov. Deval Patrick says closing the four facilities over the next four years will save the state $80 million. One facility will remain open as an option for mentally disabled residents with severe medical needs.
The facilities up for closure are the Walter E. Fernald Developmental Center in Waltham, the Glavin Regional Center in Shrewsbury, the Monson Developmental Center in Palmer and the Templeton Developmental Center in Baldwinville.
The family coalition is asking that the language of the budget be re-written to prevent the closures until Developmental Services conducts a study showing the costs and benefits of closing the facilities.
"There's a misconception about these facilities," said Marilyn Meagher of the Fernald League, a group of guardians of residents of the Waltham center. "People still think of them as the dungeons of 50 years ago."
State Rep. Karyn Polito, R-Shrewsbury, said Patricks's plan would reduce choices for families.
"This will displace very vulnerable citizens, often with multiple diagnoses, that either have lived in the community and failed, or will fail if moved into the community," said Polito, a member of the Joint Committee on Mental Health and Substance Abuse.
One parent who spoke at yesterday's rally was skeptical of the governor's plan for her son, who lives at the Templeton facility.
"If I thought for one minute Tony will be offered 'equal or better care,' I would not be here today," said Bonnie Valade. "The on-site clinical care is his life support."
Hart said the state will be paying more in the long run, placing thousands of residents into a community that lacks the proper facilities.
"The community, as it's constituted right now, cannot provide better service," said Hart.
Hart said the state's alternative to the current facilities, which are state-operated group homes, is insufficient.
"The homes to house these people have not been built yet," he said. "Right now, they will not receive the same quality care."
Families who support the coalition say that the facilities give a level of security to residents and families alike.
But some mental health advocates support the governor's plan.
Leo Sarkissian, executive director for Arc of Massachusetts, which supports community-based treatment over state facilities, said the real issue wasn't the money the state would save.
"I don't think the governor is doing this as a cost-saving measure," said Sarkissian, who was not at the rally. "I think he's doing it mostly to reform long-term supports for people with disabilities."
Sarkissian said that while families might fear the change, community-based living has better outcomes for the mentally disabled.
"I understand that it can come to feel like a community, and I understand the fears of these families," said Sarkissian. "But these facilities are isolating people from each other, and that's a mistake."
