Mayacmas Mountains

DDS Announces Public Hearing on SDC Closure, July 18 in Sonoma

/ Sonoma Land Trust / 3 Comments

July 7, 2015:

The Department of Developmental Services has published the following public notice for A Public Hearing on the Transformation of Sonoma Developmental Center.

To access a copy of the letter about the hearing noticed by DDS and sent by Sonoma Developmental Center to conservators click here.

TO INTERESTED PARTIES
A Public Hearing on the Transformation of
Sonoma Developmental Center

Senate Bill 82, signed by the governor June 24, 2015, requires the Department of Developmental Services (DDS) to submit a plan or plans to the Legislature by October 1, 2015, to close one or more of the state’s three remaining developmental centers. Efforts are underway to submit a plan to close Sonoma Developmental center (SDC) in Eldridge, CA by the end of 2018. As a required part of the development of a closure plan specific to SDC, DDS is seeking public comment from interested persons and organizations. These comments will be summarized in the closure plan to be submitted by October 1, 2015, for Legislative approval.

DDS will hold this public hearing on Saturday, July 18, 2015, from 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. at Sonoma Valley High School Pavilion, 20000 Broadway, Sonoma, CA.

Agenda:
Introduction — 10-10:15 a.m.
Public Testimony — 10:15 a.m. – 5 p.m.

To assure each person who wants to speak has the opportunity, individuals providing testimony are asked to keep their comments to approximately five minutes. Written comments may be submitted in person at the hearing, to DDS online at http://www.dds.ca.gov/SonomaNews/, by mail to DDS, Developmental Centers Division, Attn: Cindy Coppage, 1600 9th Street, MS 3-17, Sacramento, CA 95814, or via e-mail to Sonoma.closure@dds.ca.gov by 5 p.m. on September 1, 2015.

Sonoma Valley High School Pavilion is physically accessible to persons with disabilities. Printed materials in alternate formats and requests for sign language interpreters, or other disability-related accommodations, should be made to DDS @ (916) 654-1706 or email: Sonoma.closure@dds.ca.gov by 5 p.m. on July 14, 2015.

To view the original public notice received by PHA, please click here, and a later copy of the agenda here.

Provided courtesy of the Department of Developmental Services and the Parent Hospital Association websites.

Transform SDC Community Workshop #1 Synthesis Report

/ Sonoma Land Trust / 2 Comments

July 2, 2015:

Transform SDC
Dream, Create, Transform.

Introduction
A diverse partnership comprised of the County of Sonoma, the Parent Hospital Association, the Sonoma Land Trust, the Sonoma Ecology Center and other local groups have come together to create a comprehensive and inclusive 18-month planning process to explore options for the future of the Sonoma Developmental Center (SDC) that preserve the unique human health, community and natural resources provided by SDC. On Saturday, May 2nd, more than 200 people participated in the first community workshop to kick-off the Transform SDC planning process. The theme of the workshop focused on empowering the community to begin to establish a vision to Dream, Create, Transform the site. This document synthesizes the community’s input which defined initial elements of a community vision for the future of SDC, explored possible re-use options, and identified areas for further inquiry and investigation.

Please click on the synthesis report provided below to explore the results from the first community workshop.

Transform SDC Community Workshop #1 Synthesis Report

As well, a more extensive list of re-use ideas is provided below for those who would like to see the full range of viewpoints that came out of the workshop.

Transform SDC Community Workshop #1 Re-use Ideas

Enjoy!

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

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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.

One of SDC’s Crafts

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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.

Sonoma Developmental Center, Sonoma Land Trust Update

/ Sonoma Land Trust / 2 Comments

June 5, 2015:

Following on the heels of our Transform SDC public workshop, we learned that the Governor’s budget calls for an expedited closure plan of the Sonoma Development Center.

Ultimately, the plan for Sonoma Development Center needs to represent a public-private partnership which creates durable solutions that are derived from the ideas and interests of the community.

Please take a couple of minutes to read the SDC update provided in the link below.

Sonoma Developmental Center, Sonoma Land Trust Update

DDS Announces Closure and Stakeholder Outreach Plan for SDC

/ Sonoma Land Trust / 2 Comments

June 5, 2015:

On behalf of the Department of Developmental Services Director Santi Rogers, the following letter, addressed to residents, family members, employees, regional centers, and other interested parties explains the efforts being put forth and the plan moving forward for the Sonoma Developmental Center since the announcement of SDC’s proposed closure by 2018.

“The state is attempting to negotiate a settlement with the federal government to continue….”

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

DDS Announces Closure and Stakeholder Outreach Plan for SDC

SDC Fact Sheet For Our Legislative Effort

/ Sonoma Land Trust / 2 Comments

June 1, 2015:

Sonoma County, Parent Hospital Association, Sonoma Ecology Center and the Sonoma Land Trust have produced a two page “fact sheet” for use in our legislative effort to ensure that the closure process for SDC includes meaningful and significant public participation, and that the residents, employees and resources of SDC are honored and protected during this process.  The fact sheet is in direct response to many of the concerns and criticisms that we heard in the Legislature this past year about the quality of care at SDC, and a general lack of knowledge about its many benefits and resources.

Please take a look at the fact sheet provided in the link below.

SDC Fact Sheet

Continuing Talks About SDC Closure

/ Sonoma Land Trust / 4 Comments

June 1, 2015:

The desire to close the Sonoma Developmental Center in three years, as previously stated is too soon. But with this timeline in place, the coalition has been working extra hard to find a way to extend it and create a plan based off the feedback received at the first workshop to delay these closure plans imposed by Governor Brown’s office.

For the latest article on SDC, please click on the link below.

Governor wants to close SDC in three years

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

A Historical Perspective of the Sonoma Developmental Center

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May 28, 2015:

Beginning in 1891, SDC has contained a rich history as a ‘community within a community.’ With the State’s desire to close the Sonoma Developmental Center by 2018, this all may change. The following article provides a brief personal historical perspective of Eldridge and how SDC has shaped the community into what it is today.

Click on the link below to read this insightful article.

Musings of a Sonoma son: When Eldridge was a real community

Provided courtesy of the Sonoma Index-Tribune website.

Questioning the Value of Small Group Homes For All

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May 27, 2015:

The following article offers evidence that for some developmentally disabled people, large campuses and farmsteads are better than small group homes.

Click on the link below to read about these insightful findings, where new state laws could infringe on big facilities ability to survive.

Who Decides Where Autistic Adults Live?

Provided courtesy of The Atlantic website, by Amy S.F. Lutz.