Ricci
Class Members in the Community Have a Voice
The Arc of
Massachusetts was a plaintiff in the original lawsuits in the 1970s about the
conditions in the state’s large facilities. Today, The Arc of Massachusetts
continues as a party to the consent decree that concluded the lawsuits. As a
party, we have represented the interests of community living for the 3,000
class members who have moved from facilities to the community. Membership in
the class is life-long, but one’s interests over time often change with
circumstances, including living arrangements, recreation, work and other daily
activities.
Many class members
are now outspoken that community living is a vast improvement for them over
prior residence in a large facility. The Arc of Massachusetts wants to give
voice to those opinions, without compromising the confidentiality that is part
of class membership. We can accomplish this goal by using service providers as
intermediaries. As part of each person’s service plan, they know class clients
as individuals in the community.
As a Ricci class
member, or the family member, guardian, or service provider to a class member, please read on to learn how you can support community living.
Ricci Class Members: You Can Support Community Living
A small minority of advocates is pushing to keep Fernald and other large facilities open. If they are successful, large facilities will remain open indefinitely, capital and operating dollars will be diverted from community supports, and the people living in facilities will continue to be isolated from the community.
The Arc of Massachusetts is asking Ricci class members now living in the community (or their family members or guardians) to show their support for community living. By showing support, you do two things: You say that community living is a better choice for the way that you live your life, and you also say that you want Fernald and the other large facilities to close.
You can show support by reading the statement below. If you agree, please tell your service provider. They will prepare a list of people who do agree. The list will only include your first name (no last names), your city or town where you now live, and a number from 1 to 31, which is the day of the month that you were born (9 for July 9; 22 for February 22 and so on). The service provider will NOT include your last name or other identifying information, as we want to protect your confidentiality.
The Arc of Massachusetts will collect the names from all the service providers. We will then publicize only the total number (with no names) of Ricci class members who support community living, and want the facilities closed. Our plan is to show that community living is the much-preferred choice of Ricci class members.
You can help The Arc of Massachusetts spread the word to other Ricci class members. Please tell your friends or others who are class members. Ask them to contact their service provider to show their support. If the service provider does not know how to show support, ask them to visit this web page. If more information is needed, please email Don Stewart at stdon@comcast.net
We have one other request. The Arc of Massachusetts will tell newspaper and TV reporters about the number of Ricci class community supporters in a press release. The reporters may ask, “How do I know if the people are class members, and if they support community living?” The only answer a reporter will accept is to talk confidentially to a few class members to verify that they belong to the class, and that they support community living. Therefore, in just a few cases, a reporter might contact you through your service provider, but only to verify your membership and your support of community living. If a reporter calls, please tell them that you are a class member and that you support community living.
Except for the few class members that a reporter might randomly select, no one outside your service provider will know your identity.
Thanks for supporting community living!
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STATEMENT BY RICCI CLASS MEMBERS
I am a Ricci Class member. I (or my family/guardian) agree with The Arc of Massachusetts that the closure of Fernald, as proposed by Governor Romney, is the right thing to do. Individuals with disabilities should be supported in homes and communities. The residents of Fernald should have a choice of where to live in the community. Segregated, large institutions are a service model of the past, and we should not reinvest in them, but help individuals transition to community alternatives.
The community is where I have chosen to live. Homes should be integrated into the community, offer more living choices (independent living, home supports, shared living and staffed apartments, as well as group homes), and be less bureaucracy-driven.