I am the parent of a 40-year-old man who has autism and intellectual
disabilities.

I know from my advocacy work with state and national organizations that all
parents and families are fearful that the quality of care that their sons
and daughters receive will not be adequate. Our greatest fear is what will
happen to our loved ones when we die.

But there is no magic in walls. The care and support our loved ones receive
in such institutions is contingent on the commitment and dedication of their
staff and management.

And any of the services mentioned by the letter writers who defend the
Rosewood Center can easily be provided in the community.

As a matter of fact, this happens every day. The residents at Rosewood have
disabilities similar to those many people now served in the community face.

And my experience has convinced me that a person with a disability, whether
severe or moderate, is better protected from abuse and neglect by being part
of their communities.

Nosy, concerned neighbors, friends and families in the community can be an
asset.

The truth is that institutional care is an outdated service model.

Research demonstrates that moving people from institutions to the community
has been extremely successful and that outcomes for people who are treated
in the community are better than for individuals segregated in institutions.

Recent research has also found this to be true for people who face very
serious challenges.

No one is suggesting that the Rosewood Center be closed tomorrow, but rather
that the state find a way to offer the most supportive and cost-effective
services possible to each individual in the community.

Lorraine Sheehan
Baltimore


The writer is public policy director for the Maryland Disability Law Center.