By JAKE LINGER, Staff Writer

01/29/09

 
The facts are clear: The state is in an unprecedented budget crisis and, as a result, many vital programs are going to suffer by way of budget cuts.  Not as clear is the who, why, when or how the budget cuts will be decided and carried out, but one group is not waiting around to find out.  The Arc of Prince George's County, which serves more than 100 Bowie families that have at least one family member living with a developmental disability, is forging ahead with a campaign to make lawmakers and the public aware of the repercussions of massive cuts to The Arc's budget. 

 

As of July 1, 2008, more than 18,000 Marylanders were waiting for assistance from the Developmental Disability Administration. The number of families in Prince George's County awaiting assistance is 2,843 - the most in any county in the state. The nearly 3,000 county residents in need of assistance is a 125 percent jump from 2004 to '08.

 

According to the End the Wait Now campaign, Gov. Martin O'Malley's help is needed to begin a five-year initiative in his FY2010 fiscal budget to end the wait for DDA supports and services in addition to adequately funding DDA community services.

 

With 22,000 people receiving supports from DDA and another 18,000 hoping for some sort of relief, the outlook seems bleak for groups like The Arc as the state will likely cut millions of dollars from across-the-board budgets. For information regarding the waiting list, visit www.endthewaitnow.com.

 

Mary Funk, deputy executive director of The Arc of Prince George's County, said that advocates of those with developmental disabilities are looking at ways for the state to raise dollars and are passing those ideas along to the governor and his staff. "The state receives a federal match on some of the services provided to individuals," said Funk, "(but) agencies like The Arc are continually seeking grants to supplement our work."

 

The financial burdens that families with developmental disabilities face can be insurmountable. Robert and JoAnn Mosley of Bowie have a 7-year-old son who was diagnosed with nonverbal autism at age 3. Since then, the family has paid approximately $80,000 in out-of-pocket expenses for medical care for their son, but, according to Robert, the family "could no longer afford it and we had to face reality."

Funk agreed that situations like that of the Mosleys are starting to become not uncommon. "Many insurance companies do not cover - or cap amounts - for (the costs) of specialized equipment, or for physical, occupational and speech therapies." For the Mosleys, The Arc provides their family with some funding, but it is the support, education, resources and training that Robert said benefits the family most.

 

The benefits of The Arc programs have a wide range. Bill Ohge has been a member of The Arc since childhood. As a mentally challenged individual, Ohge has utilized services of the organization to become an independent living adult. In fact, Ohge has spent the past 31 years working at the U.S. Census Bureau.  Ohge credited The Arc services for helping him become a full-functioning adult. "(The Arc has helped me) learn to be more in charge of myself," said Ohge, who was given The Arc Award for Excellence as an Outstanding Citizen in October. "And also to understand other people better and respect them as they are."

 

While the funding situation for organizations like The Arc seems bleak, such is not so for the actual families who live day to day with developmental disabilities. While maintaining any semblance of a normal lifestyle can be hard and relationships within and outside the family can be strained - divorce rates among parents of children with disabilities are typically quoted as high as 80 percent - it is necessary to make every attempt to maintain normal lives.

 

Norma and Manny Rodriguez live in Bowie with their children Christina Perez, a college student, and Gabriela Rodriguez, who suffers from nonverbal autism. While "The Arc has given us financial support as well as information and guidance (in addition to The Arc) being a part of the family," according to Manny, the family is not receiving all the help it needs to pay for Gabriela's medicines and programs.

"We are desperately waiting for help," said Norma, who was retired for 10 years before having to re-enter the workforce to help pay for 8-year-old Gabriela's co-pays and additional services.

 

"There are so many families like us desperate for help. The situation for our family has worsened and hope has faded as we continue to wait. Whenever we think we are getting closer (to financial aid) we seem to get further away."  Stress is high and it affects a family in unimaginable ways, but having a child with a developmental disability can be rewarding. Those who are unfamiliar with such familial situations would have trouble seeing the silver lining to the situation, but not Manny.

 

"The joy of having a child with a disability is, (it's) like a race trying to beat the odds," said Manny, "Watching the compliments unfold before you, all the love and nourishment just blossoms." Manny said that without The Arc his family would not be together as a cohesive unit. "The Arc has kept my family together," he said.

 

The Arc needs financial assistance, both from the state and private donors. In order to continue providing vital assistance to families and individuals like Ohge, more money is needed.

 

Developmental Disabilities Day at the state legislature will take place Feb. 25, but those wishing to attend should register by Feb. 11 at www.thearcmd.org. The day will include a legislative reception and briefing followed by a constituents meeting with lawmakers.

 

To become a member of The Arc, one need not be familiar at all with developmental disabilities. Help is needed in fund-raising efforts, volunteer work and numerous other activities, such as with the annual Bowling Bash, which is a major fund-raising event for The Arc of Prince George's County.

 

Helping families living with someone who suffers from a disability can range from monetary support to emotional support, all of which are welcome. Like Funk said, "I am not sure any of us can truly comprehend what families go through raising a child with a developmental disability. It is a 24-hour, seven-days-a-week responsibility which does not go away when a child turns 18."