David Axelrod's Letter to NY Times, July 4, 2021
On July 4, 2021, David Axelrod wrote guest essay to the NY Times entitled "When It Comes To People Like My Daughter, One Size Does Not Fit All".
The link to Mr. Axelrod's letter may be found here.
VOR - MFP Letters to the Senate Finance Committee
In March, 2020 VOR's Legislative Committee sent a letter to the Senate Finance Committee, asking for an opportunity to provide testimony from families whose loved ones’ interests, health and welfare are directly impacted by the Money Follows the Person Rebalancing Program.
VOR continues to speak out about the shortcomings of MFP, and the manner in which it has been used to undermine Intermediate Care Facilities and to deny individuals and families their right to choose ICF care.
VOR Response to ACLU/SEIU Call for Cuts to Congregate Care
In a petition dated June 23, 2020 filed with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), the ACLU, SEIU, and several partner groups outlined concerns with the federal response to the novel coronavirus epidemic and used these concerns to call for a 50 percent reduction in congregate care nationwide. The petitioners defined congregate care to include nursing homes, intermediate care facilities for individuals with intellectual disabilities (ICFs/IID), psychiatric facilities, and home and community-based services (HCBS) group homes.
On July 1st, VOR issued a firm response in opposition to ACLU and SEUI’s irresponsible and unreasonable demand which would remove all forms of long-term care for the elderly and persons with mental disabilities, except for the family home or private residence.
VOR Response to National Council on Disability's Position on Guardianship and Supported Decision Making
In March of 2018, the National Council on Disability issued a position paper, "Beyond Guardianship, Toward Alternatives That Promote Greater Self-Determination". In September, VOR's Issues Oversight Committee submitted a report on our position and findings regarding that report.
People as Pendulums: Deinstitutionalization and People with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities
By Tamie Hopp, VOR Director of Government Relations & Advocacy in Nonprofit Quarterly, July 16, 2014 (and reprinted in the Summer 2014 Nonprofit Quarterly Print edition)
Early reforms were quite properly motivated by the need for a system of care and supports that responded to the very individualized and diverse needs of the entire population of people with I/DD. These reforms, however, also set the stage for decades of ongoing deinstitutionalization, resulting in the elimination of specialized housing, employment and education options for people with I/DD, leaving some to question the price of “progress.”
VOR Statement to Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services regarding Public Charge Ground of Inadmissibility
VOR has submitted a statement to the Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services regarding proposals to change the "Public Charge Ground of Inadmissibility", also known as the Public Charge Rule.
