ANNAPOLIS, MD (February 26, 2008) – Governor O’Malley today attended the Developmental Disabilities Day at the Legislature, an annual event that brings together individuals with developmental disabilities, their families, service providers and advocates in an effort to educate and inform members of the General Assembly about the issues facing the developmental disabilities community. During the event, Governor O’Malley was greeted with a receiving line of former Rosewood residents who each presented him with a yellow rose, a symbol of freedom, in recognition of his decision in January to close the Rosewood Center facility in Owings Mills.
“Each and every person in our State has the opportunity to be an integral and productive part of our communities,” said Governor O’Malley. “Working together we can make that possible, enabling every citizen to work and achieve at their greatest potential, giving people the freedom, training and support needed to pursue their goals of employment and independent living.”
Sponsored by the Arc of Maryland, the Maryland Association of Community Services, the Maryland Developmental Disabilities Council, the Maryland Disability Law Center and People on the Go of Maryland, Developmental Disabilities Day included briefings on the Transitioning Youth program, the waiting list for community services and cost of living adjustments for service providers – issues currently under consideration by the General Assembly.
As a part of a “Celebration of New Lives in the Community,” Governor O’Malley, DHMH Secretary John Colmers and MDOD Secretary Catherine Raggio were recognized for their efforts on behalf of the residents of Rosewood Center. “We’re seeing remarkable accomplishments by people with developmental disabilities in Maryland,” said Secretary Raggio during the program. “Some people have good jobs, some have become home owners and some, with support, are running their own businesses. We want to be sure many more people can take advantage of opportunities like these.”
On January 15, 2008, Governor O’Malley signed an Executive Order to close Rosewood Center, a state-run facility that has served individuals with developmental disabilities in Maryland for more than 100 years. Most of the 156 residents of the facility that is operated by the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DHMH) will be offered placements in community settings. The process to relocate residents is expected to take 18 months.
In recent years, Rosewood has been plagued by a number of problems that have affected the safety and well-being of its residents. The state’s Office of Health Care Quality (OHCQ), in its recent annual audits of the center, revealed many disturbing findings. In September 2006, OHCQ issued an ‘immediate jeopardy’ letter to the facility that outlined a number of critical problems that required immediate attention. In January of 2007, admissions to Rosewood were halted after another immediate jeopardy. In August of 2007, the facility was found to be non-compliant in seven of eight conditions of licensure participation and was issued another immediate jeopardy letter. Although many of these problems have been corrected, the combination of an out-dated facility with a mix of court-committed and civilly-placed residents led to the decision to close the center. Department of Mental Helath and Hygiene issued a report, Rosewood Center - Plan for Services to Residents, a document called for by the Maryland General Assembly’s passage of HB 970 in 2007, which assesses each resident at Rosewood, identifies his or her needs, and determines the appropriateness of community placement. Findings show the overwhelming majority of the residents can live in community settings.
February 26, 2008 |
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