Connecticut and National Advocacy

FORConn board members currently serve on numerous boards, committees and organizations that work towards improving the quality of life for the mentally retarded in Connecticut. In Connecticut, board member affiliations include the Council on Mental Retardation, DMR Advisory Panel for the Division of Investigations, DMR Waiting List Focus Team, DMR Task Force that developed the Registry of Abuse and Neglect and the Advisory Board of Protection & Advocacy for People with Disabilities.

At the national level, FORConn is the Connecticut State Coordinator & Organizational Member Affiliate for the national non-profit organization Voice of the Retarded (VOR) . Bob Wood, FORConn president, represents FORConn and VOR at national meetings and lobbying efforts each Spring in Washington DC.   Bob Wood is also a  member of the national President's Council on Mental Retardation, CT Team.

Connecticut Legislation and Law

FORConn members have always worked actively at the state level to secure laws to protect our Connecticut citizens who have mental retardation.

Recent acts and laws that FORConn members actively worked for include:

• 2005-  Public Act # 05-72  AAC  The penalty for cruelty to persons. This law states that anyone who intentionally tortures, torments or cruelly or unlawfully punishes another person or intentionally deprives another person of food, clothing,  shelter or proper physical care shall be fined not more than five thousand or inprisoned not more than five years or both.

• 2005-  Public Act # 05-150  AAC  Medication Administration in Department of Mental Retardation Residential Facilities and Programs. This law expands the DMR staff training program for medication administration to include staff providing individual and family support services funded by the DMR.

• 2005- Public Act # 1093  AAC Revisions to the DMR Statutes.  This law extends benefits to DMR self-advocates, update the birth-to-three local interagency coordinating council statue and make technical changes to the DMR ombudsman and the State of CT.-Unified School District #3 statutes.

• 2005-  Public Act # 05-70  AAC The Sale. Lease or Transfer of State Property Used for Residential Purposes by Person with Mental Retardation.  This law states that no state-owned real property that is being used for residential purposes by persons with mental retardation may be sold. leased or transferred by or on behalf of the state.

• 2005- Public Act #  05-243  AAC An Increase to the Unearned Income Disregard for State Supplement Recipients.   This law will allow recipients of the state supplement to the federal Supplement Security Income Program to receive federal cost-of-living increases without incurring a corresponding decrease in the state supplement benefits.

• 2005- Public AAC # 05-32  AC Increasing the Minimum Wage.  This law will raise the minimum wage to $7.40 per hour effective Jan.1, 2006 and to $7.65 effective Jan.1, 2007.

• 2005- Public ACT # 05-213  AAC Concerning Access to Oral Health Care.  This law will make it easier for people with disabilities to receive the oral health care they need.
      

• 2003- Public Act No. 03-51 An Act Concerning Changes to the Statutes Regarding Persons With Mental Retardation.  This law makes only technical changes to the guardianship statutes for persons with mental retardation and will result in no changes of the rights of guardians.    

•  2003 - Robert Wood, FORConn President, testified supporting  Bill No. 946 that would require the Commissioner of Mental Retardation to require each applicant for employment in a Department of Mental Retardation program that provides direct services to persons with mental retardation to submit to a check of such applicant's state criminal background. This bill has now been passed by both houses and went to the Governor who signed it in to law. Public Act # 03-203 (Bill #946) states that the Commissioner of Mental Retardation shall require each applicant for employment in a Department of Mental Retardation program that provides direct services to persons with mental retardation to submit to a check of such applicant's state criminal background.  

• The commissioner of Mental Retardation shall also prepare a report outlining the legislative, fiscal and logistical issues regarding a proposal to require each applicant for employment (1) in a Department of Mental Retardation program that provides direct services to persons with mental retardation, or (2) by a private sector service provider under contract with or licensed by the department to provide residential, day or support services to persons with mental retardation, to submit to a national criminal history records check.  Such report shall describe the type of check to be done, the estimated cost of conducing such check, the legislative authority necessary for conducing such check, and any additional legislative, fiscal or logistical issues associated with conducing national criminal history records checks.  Not later than January 1, 2004, the commissioner shall submit such report, in accordance with section 11-4a of the general statutes, to the joint standing committee of the General Assembly.  This report was submitted  but nothing came of it. This issue of national criminal history records check is still one of  FORConn's priorities and we will continue to push for legislation to address this issue.

• 2002 - Robert Wood, FORConn President, testified to expand the language of Public Act 132 (An Act Requiring Criminal Background Checks on Caregivers To The Elderly) to also include background checks on caregivers to the mentally retarded

• 2002 - Dr. Phil Bondy, a volunteer member of FORConn's parent advocacy network, testified for Public Act 5686 - An Act Requiring The Screening of Newborns For Metabolic Diseases. "Philip K. Bondy, physician member of the Council on Mental Retardation, says that every state in New England requires this test except Connecticut. Each baby who is protected from developing severe mental retardation saves the state as much as $100,000 per year in the cost of providing required supports. Of course, the value to the child and the family of avoiding developmental deficiency is beyond price! "

• 2001 - CT Public Act. No. 01-140, Section 3(i) (passed July 2001) - the Rights of Persons under Supervision of the Commissioner of Mental Retardation and Guardianship of Persons with Mental Retardation.
  
                                                                                    
• 2000 - The Registry of Abuse and Neglect - The first of its kind in the nation.

Since 1984....

Since 1984, FORConn has reviewed and issued statements about the following:

• An increased number of placements for mentally retarded adults living at home with their elderly parents, leading to shorter waiting lists for placements of this type.
• More support services for families, especially those with special needs, such as young parents with mentally retarded children.
• More out of home respite for families who are still caring for their mentally retarded adult children at home.
• A full range of vocational opportunities for persons with mental retardation, including transitional programs for young adults graduating from high school.
• Equalization of the pay disparity between persons who work in state facilities and those who work in private agencies.
• Improved quality assurance by the DMR.
• Improved support services for mentally retarded persons living in the community, especially medical services.
• A better quality of life for those who live in our congregate facilities.
• Better staffing for our dually diagnosed when they move to group homes.
• The long range plans of the DMR.
• Annual DMR budgets.
• Proposed federal and state legislation relating to persons with mental retardation.
• Guardianship rights.
• Changes in human services departments under plans to reorganize state government (the DMR name change)