Protecting the people

SDC Fact Sheet For Our Legislative Effort

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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.

SDC Closure Letter From Assemblymember Marc Levine

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May 21, 2015:

The following is an additional letter that has been submitted to the Senate and Assembly Budget Committees from Assemblymember Marc Levine regarding the Governor’s recent budget proposal to close SDC by 2018 along with the trailer bill language requiring that the Department of Developmental Services provide a closure plan to the Legislature by October 1st of this year.

“Therefore, I respectfully request that if closure of SDC remains in the budget, that the appropriate Senate and Assembly Budget Subcommittees consider the following changes in adopting budget language relative to closure of SDC…”

Click on the link below to read the entirety of the letter.

SDC Closure Letter From Assemblymember Marc Levine

Local Writer on Preserving Sonoma Developmental Center

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May 21, 2015:

Lost in the flurry of articles, local writer Will Shonbrun wrote a well written editorial over a month ago that still holds true to the SDC Coalition’s goals despite recent news of the state’s plan to close the Sonoma Developmental Center by 2018.

Please take a look at the article below, describing possible and more desirable plans for the future of SDC than closure.

Preserving Sonoma Developmental Center

Provided courtesy of The Kenwood Press website, by Will Shonbrun.

Articles Continue to Increase Concerning the State’s Plan to Close SDC

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May 20, 2015:

Below, you’ll find the two latest articles on the recent news of the state’s plan to close the Sonoma Developmental Center by 2018. With such a short timeline, news has spread quickly, where members of the SDC Coalition and our local legislators are pushing back to extend such a timeline.

Click on the links provided to read more.

Editorial: Closing SDC will be no easy move for residents

State Closing Last Three Developmental Centers Community; ‘Blindsided’ by Plan

Provided courtesy of the Sonoma Index-Tribune website, by Jason Walsh and the California Healthline website, by David Gorn, respectively.

SDC Budget Letter Regarding Proposed Closure of Sonoma Developmental Center in State Budget

/ Sonoma Land Trust / 2 Comments

May 20, 2015:

The following is the letter state legislators representing Sonoma County and the Sonoma Developmental Center have submitted to the Senate and Assembly Budget Committees regarding the recent budget proposal.

“We ask that the Senate and Assembly Budget Committees consider a more reasonable timeline to allow better planning to ensure patient health and safety, community preparedness, and….”

Click on the link below to read the entirety of the letter.

SDC Budget Letter from Dodd, McGuire, Wolk, and Wood

Thank you Impact100 Sonoma, ‘Transform SDC’ Project Supporter

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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.

KRCB: Envisioning the Future of SDC

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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.