This story was reported and written by Radio IQ.
Over a decade ago Virginia closed most of its state-run training centers used to house the intellectually and developmentally disabled. The institutionalized treatment provided in them led to a Department of Justice monitoring program that ended this week.
“It’s important to integrate every member of our society, and we will continue, and we need to do more, but we’ve made significant progress,” Senator Barbara Favola told Radio IQ, reacting to the announcement that Virginia had completed its 12-year-long monitoring program with the Department of Justice.
Aimed at creating better conditions for the Commonwealth's most needy, and after spending hundreds of millions of dollars, a federal Judge in Richmond issued a permanent injunction Wednesday. The move reduces federal supervision but requires new reimbursement rates and quality of care and housing option benchmarks.
“It is exciting, but it's also nerve wracking,” Tonya Milling with The Arc of Virginia said after the injunction was issued.
Milling has watched Virginia’s intellectual disability community move out of the shadows of the state’s "training centers" and into community-based group homes and hopefully more individualized living quarters that meet standards set out by the Americans with Disabilities Act.
“We want to make sure all the work that has been done keeps going and we think this was a solution for it to be that,” Milling said.
House Speaker Don Scott was in the courtroom for Wednesday’s announcement. Joined by Senate President Louise Lucas, he said he was proud of the progress, but more work is needed.
“We needed to let the court know how important this issue was for the legislature and the leadership that we get this done," Scott told Radio IQ. "And we’re committed to continuing to make these investments as long as it takes to take care of these families.”
Tonya Milling said there will still be an independent monitor overlooking the state’s progress for the next seven years. She hopes that will lead to better funding and housing options for those with intellectual disabilities.
This report, provided by Virginia Public Radio, was made possible with support from the Virginia Education Association.
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