Dear King County Parent Coalition Members,

Please read the attached letter and respond.  I have some questions regarding what you are advocating for regarding the closure of Rainier School.

November 28 letter to KC Parent Coalition

I would like to point out that this is not about RHC versus not RHC – it’s about people with DD.  When advocates are going to talk about closing a facility and state there are savings (which there are not) and also say these supposed savings will help with other DD programs, we end up with more of a the same crisis that we are currently in – where the folks who are out in the community lose their services.

The Arc (and others – including the DDC and some DDD administrators)  needs to come to grips with the fact that closing and/or consolidation of the RHCs (whether or not they agree with them or support them ideologically) is NOT a cost-savings measure.  To use this as an argument to encourage others to agree with in hopes of preserving services is a great disservice to ALL people.

So, whether one might ever use the RHC services or not, the RHC issue affects all of us.  This is a critical issue that is falsely represented in order to push an ideology that can not be sustained safely or financially.

Thank you,

Cheryl Felak