By Lori EhdeIn the Twin Cities, vulnerable adults have plenty of options for employment and independent living, particularly if they can afford expensive private programs.In rural parts of the state, adults with disabilities turn to programs like the Rock County Developmental Achievement Center. There, they find not only employment, but the subsequent self-esteem and independence that comes with a paycheck.As with many human services programs, the DAC may likely find itself stripped of essential funding or cut altogether. For more than 30 people who have employment through DAC, cutting the program may well mean they’d be sent home to watch TV.According to DAC Director Dorothy Cronin, there are literally no other options, whether their families can afford it or not."It’s not like in the Twin Cities where they have other broad-based employment options," Cronin said. "Down here, in rural Minnesota, we’re basically one DAC per county."What has health and human services providers worried is a proposed one-word change in the statute for "Continuing Care for Persons With Disabilities." The law currently states that "…each consumer requiring a 24-hour plan of care must leave the residence to participate in a regular education, employment or community activities."The proposal under consideration would change the word "must" to "may," making programs like the DAC optional. For most providers already operating on tight budgets, "optional" programs are the first to be cut.Cronin added that many busy legislators, faced with more than 600 pages in the Human Services Bill, often aren’t aware of the ramifications of a single piece of legislation."They think if they provide funding for board and care, that’s enough. They forget we have people semi-independent and/or who are living with family members and are currently contributing to society. The next step for many of these people is the nursing home," Cronin said."These are people who want to work and have a normal life, and we’re basically disenfranchising them. We’re saying their work isn’t important."If the proposal is approved as worded, the disabled adults in the DAC won’t be the only ones affected.Cronin and her 17 employees could also lose their jobs.She said the most troubling thing about the Republican-pushed proposal is that it would affect people who can’t speak for themselves."Current legislation has basically targeted the non-voting, vulnerable, poor population," she said. "I’m a Republican and I voted for these people. It makes me sick how conservative they’ve been in this budget process. It’s really contemptible. It makes me ashamed of my own party."Adults in the DAC work on manufacturing-type jobs such as assembly work, and they also participate in community-based employment, such as cleaning, bed-making, working at Gold’n Plump and sorting recyclables at Ketterling Services.These contracts and relationships have taken years to establish, and Cronin said it’d be a shame to ruin them now."You’re destroying a system of services hoping in the long-term to rebuild those services when the economy is better," she said.Two years ago, the DAC made $300,000 in improvements to its building just off West Main Street. Cronin said the DAC is well-situated to cover those expenses as promised, regardless of the legislative outcome.Cronin serves on the Health and Human Services legislative committee, but she said anyone who cares should get involved.She encourages the general public to write letters to Sen. Jim Vickerman and Rep. Doug Magnus."The only thing they’re responding to is voters. They’re counting those letters," she said.E-mail tends to get overloaded, so regular U.S. mail is the best way to reach legislators."It really is a process of education. I think a lot of these people just vote, but they don’t realize throughout this legislation there are bombs, and they’re targeted at vulnerable adults."Rock County’s legislators in St. Paul are:Sen. Jim Vickerman226 State Capitol75 Constitution AveSt. Paul, MN 55155-1606Rep. Doug Magnus515 State Office Building100 Constitution Ave.St. Paul, MN 55155
