Inclusion Daily Express -- Washington Reopened Doors Of State Institution To Young People

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Washington Reopened Doors Of State Institution To Young People
By Dave Reynolds, Inclusion Daily Express
April 23, 2007

SHORELINE, WASHINGTON--When Washington's Division of Developmental Disabilities closed Interlake School at Medical Lake in 1994, advocates for community living hoped that the state would soon close all of its remaining institutions.

Since then, the number of people housed in the five remaining residential habilitation centers, or RHCs, has slowly dwindled as some people have moved into the community and others have died. Hope has remained for community advocates, however, in part because the state had taken the position of avoiding moving people back into institutions.

But, it turns out, the state has been quietly moving people into Fircrest School -- 18 of them just within the last year.

What is most disturbing for community advocates is the fact that nearly all of those being moved into the institution are young people -- mostly children.

"It's a huge step backwards for our state," Sue Elliott, executive director of The Arc of Washington State, told the Seattle Times.

Elliott was the director of the Division of Developmental Disabilities in the early 1990s while Interlake was being closed.

Saturday's Times reported that the Office of Civil Rights is investigating a complaint from The Arc over claims that the youths have not been receiving a free and appropriate education as required by the federal Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, because Fircrest and the local school district have not been meeting their educational needs.

Officials with the Shoreline School District say they cannot handle the large number of students with developmental disabilities, which educators thought would be there on a temporary basis only.

At the same time, the head of Fircrest School says the RHC is not suited for children.

Earlier this month, the state decided to create classroom space at Fircrest for the students.

Related:
"Disabled youths again being sent to institution" (Seattle Times)
http://www.inclusiondaily.com/news/07/red/0423c.htm
"Washington State's Institutions: Fircrest School" (Inclusion Daily Express Archives)
http://www.inclusiondaily.com/news/institutions/wa/fircrest.htm

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