For Immediate release
September 12, 2007

For Information contact:
Bruce DarlingB 585-370-6690
Marsha Katz 406-544-9504
Gary Arnold 773-425-2536

http://www.adapt.org

Chicago --- ADAPT convinced Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich to permanently shut down the statebs Lincoln Developmental Center (LDC) institution when 500 activists filled the Thompson Center state office building and shut down the building's elevators, escalators, and public transit entries for six hours. Keeping the historically troubled Lincoln Center closed was one of three victories announced jointly by Rahnee Patrick of ADAPT, Matt Summy, Blagojevich's deputy chief of staffB and Grace Hou, the Assistant Secretary of Programs, Illinois Department of Human Services.

"In addition to the Governorb's commitment not to re-open the Lincoln Developmental Center," said Diane Coleman, Chicago ADAPT Organizer, "he also committed to meet with ADAPT before October 17 to discuss our additional demands, and he promised ADAPT a seat at the table where operational protocols will be developed for the Illinois Money Follows the Person Demonstration Program. There were three TV cameras documenting his commitment, so there will be no mistake about what was promised."

Additional demands that ADAPT will discuss in the meeting with Blagojevich include:

* The Governor keeping his promise to address the institutional bias in the state of Illinois;

* Work with Chicago ADAPT to assure that any person in an institution who wants to move out will have the opportunity to do so, and not face denial of their request to move for any reason;

* Increase funding for community-based long term care by 5%/year for the next five years;

* Amend state budget law to allow funds currently paying for institutional placement to be used for community-based services.

According to 2006 figures compiled by researchers at Thompson Healthcare from data supplied by the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid, Illinois ranks in the bottom four states in funding community services for people with intellectual/developmental disabilities, and in the bottom ten states for providing overall community-based long term care.

"It's imperative that Illinois starts respecting the civil rights of its citizens with disabilities, and starts to do a much better job of funding long term care services and supports in the community," said Rahnee Patrick, Chicago ADAPT Organizer. "We want to live in our own homes like anyone else, and we will continue to fight until we have real homes in the community, not warehousing in nursing homes and other institutions. This is not rocket science! It's common sense!"

ADAPT continues its week of action in Chicago today by approaching another organization that needs to get on board to make home and community-based services for people with disabilities the first and preferred option.

"There's no place like home," reminded Mike Oxford, ADAPT Organizer from Kansas.   # # #
FOR MORE INFORMATION on ADAPT visit our website at http://www.adapt.org/

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