May 19, 2015:
Seen at the Sebastiani Movie Theater in Sonoma, this nicely done video from Impact100 Sonoma describes the importance of this project as well as the efforts being put forth in aiding to keep SDC open and protect the surrounding land. Thanks to Impact100 Sonoma and many other generous donors. They have made it possible for the ‘Transform SDC’ Project to move forward.
Thank you!
Provided courtesy of YouTube, by Impact100 Sonoma.
May 19, 2015:
Before the first workshop on May 2nd at Vintage House, there was a flurry of press coverage through different media formats that went out to let community members know the workshops main goals, as well as the goals of the entire project moving forward. Here are a few radio snippets in the link below for your enjoyment.
Our goals still remain.
Envisioning a Future for Sonoma’s Developmental Center
Provided courtesy of KRCB website, by Bruce Robinson.
May 19, 2015:
As stated in last weeks article post, Governor Brown has revealed a plan to close the facility by 2018. SDC, and all of the remaining DC facilities in California, are home to the most fragile populations within our state health care system. The Governor’s budget has proposed that the Department of Developmental Services submit the closure plan for the Sonoma Developmental Center to the Legislature by October 1, 2015. Members of the SDC Coalition and our local legislators are pushing back to extend the timeline for this report, and require a more collaborative and open dialogue with our local elected officials and community groups before submittal of a closure plan. Stay tuned!
Please check out the following articles below for all of the details.
New Budget calls for closing Sonoma Developmental Center by 2018
PD Editorial: A hasty bid to shut down Sonoma center
Provided courtesy of the Press Democrat website, by Derek Moore.
May 14, 2015:
The following information is provided via CDCAN (CA Disability-Senior Community Action Network):
BREAKING NEWS:
GOVERNOR PROPOSES MULTI-YEAR GOAL FOR CLOSURE OF ALL THREE DEVELOPMENTAL CENTERS
Target Date for Sonoma Developmental Center Closure 2018 With Closure of Fairview and Porterville Approximately 2021 – Closure Plan And Transition Will Be Based On Recommendations and Work of Developmental Centers Task Force; Includes Recognition of Need of Some Type of State Operated Facility or Crisis Center – Negotiations With Federal Government on Compliance Issues in Sonoma and Other DCs Will Continue Toward A Settlement
SACRAMENTO, CA [CDCAN LAST UPDATED 05/14/2015 – 10:10 AM] – In a stunning move, Governor Brown, in his budget revisions released this morning, includes a major proposal for a plan to close all three of the remaining state owned and operated developmental centers where currently 1,108 adults with developmental disabilities reside, based on the transition and process as recommended by the Developmental Centers Task Force last year. The closure process would cover several years, with the focus first on Sonoma.
Under the Governor’s proposal, Sonoma Developmental Center in Eldridge, where 408 persons with developmental disabilities reside, would be targeted for closure by 2018, with the other two centers – Fairview Developmental Center in Pomona and Porterville Developmental Center near Bakersfield, slated for closure around 2021.
The Brown Administration made it clear that the closure process and transition would be different from the previous closures of developmental centers, including most recently the closures of Lanterman Developmental Center and Agnews Developmental Center, and be based on the new transition ideas as developed over a two year process by stakeholders who made up the Developmental Centers Task Force last year headed by California Health and Human Services Agency Secretary Diana Dooley.
Those recommendations included looking at different ways the land, once closure of the facilities are completed, can be used and developed possibly for other uses by the Department of Developmental Services. The task force recommendations also recognize the need of some type of state operated facility or crisis center, which would be developed as part of the larger transition of closure of the developmental centers.
The Brown Administration said that negotiations with the federal government will continue on the compliance issues related to Sonoma Developmental Center and the other facilities with the goal of reaching an agreement, and continued support through the closure process.
While the Legislature will likely make adjustments and additions to the Governor’s closure plan, it appears all but certain both houses will approve it.
CDCAN will release a report later today with more details about this proposal and other proposals in the Governor’s budget revisions.
Provided courtesy of CDCAN website, by Marty Omoto.
May 12, 2015:
Looking over the wildlife corridor, the tops of buildings at the Sonoma Developmental Center can be seen.
Photo courtesy of Scott Hess Photography.
May 11, 2015:
In case you were unable to attend the first workshop on May 2nd, but would like to browse or even have the material we gave out to participants, you can easily access them in the link below. You could also email Samantha at samantha@sonomalandtrust.org to either pick up a folder here at Sonoma Land Trust’s office or have one mailed directly to you.
Enjoy!
May 7, 2015:
For those who attended the workshop, it was clearly seen through out the day how successful the event was. A few hundred people attended, prepared to share their comments, ideas, and concerns for the future of the Sonoma Developmental Center. Already in the beginning stages of organizing all the questions, comments, and ideas by going through the multiple post-it notes placed on the numerous idea boards throughout Vintage House, as well as flipping through the many comment cards, it can be seen that a large majority of those who attended provided depth to their thoughts about the possible future of SDC.
If you were not able to attend the first workshop, please take a look at the article below for a great summary of the event. We hope to see you at our next workshop!
Ideas, passions raised at ‘Transform SDC’ workshop
Provided courtesy of the Sonoma Index-Tribune website, by Christian Kallen.
May 4, 2015:
The SDC Draft Resource Assessment is here, providing a great compilation of a lot of data about the existing conditions on the SDC property!
The Resource Assessment was prepared based on a review of previous studies completed on the property, local and regional reports and monitoring efforts, GIS mapping and analysis, outreach and interviews with individuals familiar with SDC and its regional significance, and assessments of cultural resources, wildlife permeability, and habitat connectivity completed for SLT. It summarizes the following:
You can also view the Resource Assessment on the Sonoma County Agricultural Preservation and Open Space District’s website here.
April 29, 2015:
If you pay close attention to the Press Democrat, you’ve probably noticed the multiple articles about the Sonoma Developmental Center this week alone. If not, take a look for yourself and check them out in the links below.
Breathing room for Sonoma Developmental Center advocates
Charting path for developmental center’s site
The Transform SDC Workshop is this Saturday, May 2nd from 9-1, so don’t forget to RSVP by clicking here to register if you haven’t already done so.
Provided courtesy of the Press Democrat website, by Derek Moore.
April 17, 2015:
As space is limited at Vintage House, we highly encourage interested individuals to RSVP for the Transform SDC Workshop.
You can RSVP by clicking here to register. We look forward to seeing you at the event and hearing your thoughts about this unique community resource to help us chart a course away from closure and towards a transformed and revitalized Center.
Transform SDC 