Give Local Planning for the Future of SDC a Chance

March 23, 2015June 25, 2015 / Sonoma Land Trust / Leave a comment

March 23, 2015:

The future of the Sonoma Developmental Center is being considered by state officials and legislator, where some seem to have made up their minds already. Through the LAO report, posted earlier here on the blog, as well as the introduction of a bill, SB 639, both are calling for the closure of the Sonoma Center as well as a similar facility in Costa Mesa with the reasoning in both cases being money.

The SDC Coalition is hoping to find a more sensible outcome, one that could promise cost savings for the state and preserve an important community service and critical corridor for wildlife. The coalition is inviting the community to participate in a planning workshop at the Vintage House in Sonoma on May 2nd.

Click on the link below to connect to this great editorial highlighting the efforts being made to preserve the Sonoma Developmental Center.

PD Editorial: Give local plan for Sonoma Developmental Center a chance

Provided courtesy of the Press Democrat website, PD Editorial.

SDC Legislative Meeting: Pleas to Save the Center

March 16, 2015June 25, 2015 / Sonoma Land Trust / Leave a comment

March 16, 2015:

As the Parent Hospital Association (PHA’s) annual legislative meeting convened last Saturday, the overwhelming message to save the Sonoma Developmental Center (SDC) from closure was heard from a patient crowd lined up all the way out the back door of Wagner Hall on the SDC Campus. Some speakers have loved ones who are clients at SDC, some spent their career caring for the developmentally disabled at the site, and some were just concerned citizens. With an audience of more than 200 people, as well as elected officials and representatives from Sonoma County and state, the support for saving the Sonoma Developmental Center was heard loud and clear. State Senator Mike McGuire, Assemblyman Bill Dodd, Supervisor Susan Gorin and representatives from Congressman Thompson, State Senator Lois Wolk and Assemblyman Mark Levine all expressed their support for creating working partnerships for a successful outcome, as well a unified message that the focus should be on those who still call SDC their home.

As many expressed, one of numerous concerns was that SDC could be the last resort for the type of care needed for those with severe physical or mental health challenges. Therefore, the importance that SDC remain open is critical, although many know that “change is on its way.”

It was also announced that the first ‘Transform SDC’ Project workshop is now set for May 2nd at the Vintage House in Sonoma from 9am to 12pm. Additional information will be provided in the following weeks to come.

For further information on how the SDC Legislative Meeting progressed please follow the link below.

Passionate Pleas to Save Sonoma Developmental Center

Provided courtesy of the Press Democrat website, by Robert Digitale.

Governor Proposes Continued Funding for SDC in 2015-2016 State Budget

January 13, 2015June 25, 2015 / Sonoma Land Trust / Leave a comment

January 13, 2015:

Governor Proposes Continued Funding for SDC in 2015-2016 State Budget to Cover Program Improvements

On January 9^th, Governor Brown released his Draft 2015-2016 State Budget. In a published Budget Summary, the following information is provided about what we can expect for funding allocations for developmental centers in general, and for SDC in particular:

Department of Developmental Services

The Department of Developmental Services (DDS) provides consumers with developmental disabilities a variety of services and supports that allow them to live and work independently or in supported environments. California is the only state providing developmental services as an individual entitlement. DDS serves approximately 288,000 individuals with developmental disabilities in the community and 1,100 individuals in state‑operated developmental centers (DCs). For 2015‑16, the Budget includes $5.7 billion ($3.3 billion General Fund) for support of the Department.

Certification Issues

The Budget includes $21.4 million ($11.6 million General Fund) and 179.5 positions for costs related to the ongoing implementation of Program Improvement Plans at the Sonoma, Fairview, and Porterville Developmental Centers.
The federal government, through the state Department of Public Health, has determined that certain units at the Sonoma Developmental Center are non-compliant with federal licensing and certification requirements and should be decertified, thereby becoming ineligible for federal funding. This ruling is being appealed, but if the appeal is not successful the state will have to back-fill approximately $33 million in lost federal funds in 2014‑15, growing to $43 million in 2015‑16. In addition, the Porterville and Fairview Developmental Centers are implementing federally required Program Improvement Plans to maintain annual eligibility for approximately $50 million in federal funds.

For more detailed information, see the January 2015 Department of Developmental Services Governor’s Budget Highlights.