Mom one step closer to proposing change to President-elect Obama

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Aurora, CO -
Renee Beauregard, mother of an adult child with special needs, is one step closer to proposing change to President-elect Obama. Through www.change.org she has asked that his administration prioritize fully funding Home and Community Based Services (HCBS) supporting children and adults with developmental disabilities.

From November 24 through December 31, 2008, Change.org accepted more than 7,783 submissions for ideas and more than 288,694 votes from people across America. Beauregard's idea was one of the three most popular health ideas presented, and thus, qualified for the second and final round of voting which runs from January 5 through closing at 5:00 PM EST on January 15.

"Fully funding HCBS programs," Beauregard says, "would not only end decades-long waiting lists for people with developmental disabilities, but it would also stimulate the economy by creating small businesses and jobs because more service providers would be needed." Further, Beauregard proposes HCBS programs be available at the time of need, be portable across and within states, and promote self-determination for individuals with disabilities, their families, and/or legal guardians.

"HCBS programs help children and adults with developmental disabilities live with their family and/or in their community as opposed to being institutionalized," says Darla Stuart, Executive Director of The Arc of Aurora. "In Colorado there are now more than 13,000 children and adults waiting.  Nationally it is estimated that more than 300,000 wait. Institutional care costs range from $88,000 to $225,000 annually per person as opposed to HCBS which costs range from $20,000 to $75,000. Rates for programs vary by state and are dependant upon the level of care."

"We are currently number 20 out of the final 90 ideas. Some of the other ideas have many more votes than ours," says Beauregard, "so every person and every organization in America that is interested in ending waiting lists and creating portability of HCBS for children and adults with developmental disabilities needs to vote by going to http://www.change.org/ideas/view/fully_fund_medicaid_waivers_for_the_developmentally_disabled!" Beauregard is already joined by national organizations like National Organization to End the Waiting List (NOEWAIT.net) and The Arc in promoting this idea.
 
If selected as one the final ten ideas prioritized on January 15, Change.org will launch a national campaign behind Beauregard's idea to mobilize the collective energy of the millions of members of Change.org, MySpace, and partner organizations to ensure that it gets the full consideration of the Obama Administration and Members of Congress.

"There are more than 400 comments from around the country in regard to my idea," adds Beauregard."Some of those comments represent fear, frustration and anger in respect to the long term care crisis. However, hope is the prevalent theme that outshines everything ... hope that our children will have a future where they live in their community with the appropriate and necessary supports to be successful and happy."

Background Information:

Ideas for Change in America is a project of Change.org, an online community and media network for social issues, in partnership with more than three dozen leading organizations, including MySpace, techPresident, the Sunlight Foundation, Netroots Nation, Declare Yourself, Student PIRGs, Voto Latino, HeadCount, and Change Congress.

"Developmental disability" means a disability that is manifested before the person reaches twenty-two years of age, which constitutes a substantial disability to the affected individual, and is attributable to mental retardation or related conditions which include cerebral palsy, epilepsy, autism, or other neurological conditions when such conditions result in impairment of general intellectual functioning or adaptive behavior similar to that of a person with mental retardation.