Federal Funding Deal Reached for Sonoma Developmental Center

July 2, 2015July 6, 2015 / Sonoma Land Trust / 3 Comments

July 2, 2015:

An agreement has been reached that secures continued federal Medicaid funding for the Eldridge facility, as previously stated here.

“Rogers (Director of the state Department of Developmental Services) said the federal funding will help the department transform the Sonoma Facility as described in a plan produced by a special task force that INVESTIGATED the future of the state’s developmental centers.”

Please read the rest of the article by clicking on the link below.

Deal reached to preserve Sonoma Developmental Center’s federal funding

Provided courtesy of the Press Democrat website, by Martin Espinoza.

Response, Rush to Close SDC

July 2, 2015July 2, 2015 / Sonoma Land Trust / Leave a comment

July 2, 2015:

With almost 400 residents at the Sonoma Developmental Center, the rush to provide a closure plan by October 1 has parents and guardians searching for some sense of assurance that their loved ones will be cared for.

Please click on the link provided below to read this insightful article.

Parents, guardians not happy with rush to close SDC

Provided courtesy of the Kenwood Press website, by Jay Gamel.

Breaking News: Agreement with Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services for Continued Federal Funding for Sonoma Developmental Center

July 1, 2015July 2, 2015 / Sonoma Land Trust / Leave a comment

July 1, 2015:

BREAKING NEWS:

California has announced its agreement with the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to continue federal financial participation for Sonoma Developmental Center (SDC) for up to two years.

As said by Diana S. Dooley, Secretary of the Health and Human Services Agency,

“We are working in collaboration with our federal partners to ensure quality care and service continue at Sonoma while…”

Please click on the link provided below to view California’s Department of Developmental Services News Release, and don’t forget to click on the links within the News Release for additional information on their plan moving forward as well as the Sonoma Settlement Agreement.

California Announces Agreement with the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services for Continued Federal Funding for Sonoma Developmental Center

These documents are also provided via the DDS’s website provided below.

Thank you!

Provided courtesy of the California Department of Developmental Services website, (at www.dds.ca.gov), under Highlights.

California Senators to Discuss Funding

June 29, 2015June 29, 2015 / Sonoma Land Trust / 1 Comment

June 29, 2015:

Because California’s new budget did not include extra funds for programs geared towards those with developmental disabilities, Governor Brown has called for a special session in order to discuss how the state could raise the money.

“State senators who will serve on a special session to discuss additional funding for services for those with developmental disabilities have been chosen, but it’s uncertain when the committee will convene.”

Please click on the link below to read more on this update.

California senators chosen to discuss funding for developmentally disabled

Provided courtesy of the Los Angeles Daily News, by Susan Abram.

SB 82, DDS Trailer Bill

June 26, 2015June 26, 2015 / Sonoma Land Trust / Leave a comment

June 26, 2015:

With the approval of the state’s new budget for FY 2015-2016, the Legislature also passed a “budget trailer bill” that details the process and requirements for the preparation of a closure plan by October 1, 2015. Language in italics are new requirements for the closure plan process, and existing law is in regular font.

Please let us know if you have any questions or feedback.

Thank you!

SB 82, DDS Trailer Bill

Change, SDC’s Future

June 25, 2015 / Sonoma Land Trust / 2 Comments

June 25, 2015:

Revised to include the “Outside SDC” section of the article.

A great article from the Valley of the Moon Magazine describes the Sonoma Developmental Center by capturing the struggles the Center continues to face and the obvious fact that change will happen in the near future.

Because of the wealth of diverse habitats, maybe change to the build area at SDC should have a different footprint in order to protect the wildlife corridor and groundwater recharge as described within the “Outside SDC” section of the article on page 3.

“400 SEVERELY DISABLED HUMAN BEINGS,
1,300 JOBS, 945 ACRES OF PRICELESS OPEN SPACE.
WHAT WILL THE FUTURE HOLD?”

Please take a few minutes to read this insightful article below.

Inside Outside SDC

Provided courtesy of the Valley of the Moon Magazine, with stories and photos by David Bolling and Caitlin Cornwall.

McGuire’s Letter

June 16, 2015July 28, 2015 / Sonoma Land Trust / Leave a comment

June 16, 2015:

With news of Governor Brown’s plan to close SDC by 2018, the Sonoma legislative delegation has been urging the Governor to include critical protections for SDC residents, staff and the property’s natural resources in the final version of the FY 2015-2016 state budget which directs DDS to submit a closure plan to the Legislature for review.

“Ensuring that appropriate and individualized community services are in place before residents are moved from the SDC to community placements. Ensuring that critical services…”

Please click on the link provided below to read the rest of this letter.

McGuire’s Letter

Thank you!

Change, SDC’s Future

June 15, 2015June 25, 2015 / Sonoma Land Trust / 5 Comments

June 15, 2015:

A great article from the Valley of the Moon Magazine describes the Sonoma Developmental Center, capturing the struggles the Center continues to face and the obvious fact that change will happen in the near future.

“400 severely disabled human beings,
1,300 jobs, 945 acres of priceless open space.
What will the future hold?”

Please take a few minutes to read this insightful article below.

Inside Outside SDC

Provided courtesy of the Valley of the Moon Magazine, with stories and photos by David Bolling.

Programs For Developmentally Disabled Could Be Cut

June 10, 2015June 25, 2015 / Sonoma Land Trust / 2 Comments

June 10, 2015:

Workshops such as the one described in the article below allow individuals with developmental disabilities to feel a sense of independence that they can’t find just anywhere. Although California has the largest amount of developmentally disabled individuals, we spend the least, and with program closures, beds and work options for this fragile population have been lost.

Please click on the link below to read the rest of this article.

Developmentally disabled to lose programs if California budget remains stagnant

Provided courtesy of the Los Angeles Daily News website, by Susan Abram.

One of SDC’s Crafts

June 8, 2015June 25, 2015 / Sonoma Land Trust / Leave a comment

June 8, 2015:

Working as a cobbler for the Sonoma Developmental Center, Lisa Glover has crafted shoes to fit those whose feet are contorted. She enables the residents to move around pain-free because of these shoes; propelling themselves in their wheelchairs, and protected their feet from bruises.

Please click on the link provided below to read more of this article or visit the website here to view the article at its source.

An anachronism, a cobbler and Alice

Provided courtesy of The Sacramento Bee website, by Dan Morain.

Transform SDC

A resource provided by the Sonoma Land Trust

Lanterman Developmental Disabilities Services Act

Federal Funding Deal Reached for Sonoma Developmental Center

“Rogers (Director of the state Department of Developmental Services) said the federal funding will help the department transform the Sonoma Facility as described in a plan produced by a special task force that INVESTIGATED the future of the state’s developmental centers.”

Response, Rush to Close SDC

Breaking News: Agreement with Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services for Continued Federal Funding for Sonoma Developmental Center

“We are working in collaboration with our federal partners to ensure quality care and service continue at Sonoma while…”

California Senators to Discuss Funding

“State senators who will serve on a special session to discuss additional funding for services for those with developmental disabilities have been chosen, but it’s uncertain when the committee will convene.”

SB 82, DDS Trailer Bill

Change, SDC’s Future

“400 SEVERELY DISABLED HUMAN BEINGS,
1,300 JOBS, 945 ACRES OF PRICELESS OPEN SPACE.
WHAT WILL THE FUTURE HOLD?”

McGuire’s Letter

Change, SDC’s Future

“400 severely disabled human beings,
1,300 jobs, 945 acres of priceless open space.
What will the future hold?”

Programs For Developmentally Disabled Could Be Cut

One of SDC’s Crafts

“Rogers (Director of the state Department of Developmental Services) said the federal funding will help the department transform the Sonoma Facility as described in a plan produced by a special task force that INVESTIGATED the future of the state’s developmental centers.”

“We are working in collaboration with our federal partners to ensure quality care and service continue at Sonoma while…”

“State senators who will serve on a special session to discuss additional funding for services for those with developmental disabilities have been chosen, but it’s uncertain when the committee will convene.”

“400 SEVERELY DISABLED HUMAN BEINGS, 1,300 JOBS, 945 ACRES OF PRICELESS OPEN SPACE. WHAT WILL THE FUTURE HOLD?”

“400 severely disabled human beings, 1,300 jobs, 945 acres of priceless open space. What will the future hold?”

“400 SEVERELY DISABLED HUMAN BEINGS,
1,300 JOBS, 945 ACRES OF PRICELESS OPEN SPACE.
WHAT WILL THE FUTURE HOLD?”

“400 severely disabled human beings,
1,300 jobs, 945 acres of priceless open space.
What will the future hold?”