The Coalition for Quality and Choice represents a
broad-based effort by families, advocates, human service
agencies, religious and interested community organizations
committed to supporting one another and people with
mental retardation.
People with mental
retardation have endured a history of fiscal neglect
and only new appropriations of historic proportions
will right these wrongs.
Kentucky is 48th
in per capita spending for children and adults with
mental retardation. Until we as advocates, families,
and community members understand the implication of
that startling fact, we will continue to read about
the closing of facilities, cutbacks in services, and
the outrage and fear of affected families and individuals.
We have been
forced to fight over a pittance -- we fight one another
over a piece of the pie that continues to shrink as
needs continue to grow. The "Divide and Conquer"
strategy and "robbing Peter to pay Paul" will
no longer be tolerated.