As a person with a disability and was once employed Moms in Motion, a waiver facilitator that assist many
Virginians with disabilities live in their community, I'm confused and angry over the the expense and the intent the City has shown for Vanguard Landing.
While I realize people deserve home care options, I believe seclusion and segregation is never the answer. Those two factors are dangerous. If you were to look at the history of people with disabilities, you will find, again and again, a pattern of segregation and abuse. I'm not only referring to physical abuse but corruption of the internal care system that will surely happen in the future.
Why are we continuing to make the same
mistakes of the past? Why do the founders of Vanguard Landing think this is best option, when the US Department of Justice came into Virginia and said the (secluded) Training Centers had to be closed immediately? Isn't that a heads up that these type of places are dangerous?
The answer to caring for people with
disabilities can be found by studying Disability History.
I invite everybody listening right now
to my Disability History presentation on October 21st at 6:30 in
Norfolk at Hope House hosted by The Arc of South Hampton Roads. If you study Disability History you will see segregation leads to abuse. Stop profiteering from caring of people with disabilities. There are current practices being used now to care for people with disabilities in their homes. It cost less to serve an individual in their home. Viruses such as COVID-19 kills at an increased rate in segregated settings such as Vanguard Landing.
I believe in small group homes
sprinkled throughout our community.
I believe in strengthening home care
support so anybody with a disability can live at home.
I believe everybody should live in
their community, near or with their loved ones.
Segregation is not the answer. It never
was and never will be.
Segregation is not the answer. It never was and never will be. Do not fund Vanguard Landing.
Please look at the Facebook page that I and another advocate made:
https://www.facebook.com/advocatesagainstvanguard
A conversation on my Facebook
Please look at the Facebook page that I and another advocate made:
https://www.facebook.com/advocatesagainstvanguard
A conversation on my Facebook
__________________________
Released March 9, 2014
New York Times Documentary: The Men of Atalissa
Produced by Kassie Bracken, John Woo and Dan Barry, "The Men of Atalissa" is the evocative, haunting story of a few dozen men with intellectual disability who lived in an old schoolhouse on top of a hill. For more than three decades, they were an integral part of an Iowa farming community, worshipping at the local churches, dancing at the local bars, working at a nearby turkey-processing plant; they were affectionately known as "the boys." But none of their neighbors knew of the day-to-day abuse the men endured in that schoolhouse on the hill.
The Iowa community had no idea of the abuse going on inside the bunkhouse.
“I’ve been in the building back when it was nice.”
“Never heard them complain.”
Video | Article | A conversation on my Facebook
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awesome. Ivy!
ReplyDeleteI will definitelyt share this!
So glad you had the chance to speak with them!
I appreciate your perspective, Ivy! I'm not familiar with Vanguard Landing, but I am familiar with a host of programs in the Baltimore/Washington area. Organizations buy homes in communities (usually upscale), and provide 24/7 assistance for people who are not candidates for living at home. In-home support is also a strong component. So, I'm glad to see these ideas alive and well in Virginia. Thanks for your blog. I look forward to more.
ReplyDeleteI am a client of Moms in Motion. you of all people are exposed to the large scale that encompasses people with disabilities. what works for you doesn't work for everyone. we should all be open to helping each other and not judge. I support Vanguard Landing. fighting people who are helping the disabled seems a waste of time. if you want to fight someone, go at the people who don't care about the disable. that seems a better use of your time. with respect, mary ann
ReplyDeleteI believe in options too. But not the same pattern of segregation and seclusion that has been practiced for so long. It’s dangerous and wrong. Learn about how people with disabilities can be supported in their community. Place Matters is a short documentary about individuals with disabilities moving out of Virginia's training centers into the community. http://youtu.be/W8HiFarXlX8
ReplyDeleteIvy your blob concerning Vanguard landing was perfectly said. It would put people with disabilities at a disadvantage by housing them in an environment where they will become venerable to become mistreated. People have a hard time understanding this. The community offers protection .A scenario I use often goes like this: If a mother abused her child and she didn't want others to know she would keep the abused child away from anyone who might say something about the child's bruises ect.Thus the child would be secluded . No one would have a clue.
ReplyDeleteI have worked in situations where I have been aware of agencies protecting themselves and feel that the community offers the best protection to the safety to people who fall into the hands of others who were thought to be there to protect them. I will continue my fight and hope to speak to others in advocating for people with disabilities.
I believe that your decision will be the best, you will not regret it.
ReplyDeleteI just want to know when this thing will be built. They keep asking for money but there hasn't even been a ground breaking since I've heard about this for the past three years. Is it a scam?
ReplyDeleteIf it’s never built, legally do they have to give back the fundraising money?
DeleteI don’t think it’s a scam, they just hit the wall on many things, in my opinion.
Thank you anonymous. Sorry for the delay. I have been following Vanguard Landing since 2010. I too believe
Deleteit's a scam. Look at the financials of the company. I once raised $60,000.00 in 3 days. I'm pretty sure I could
raise 6 million in 9 YEARS.