Gov. Bob McDonnell lobbied Virginia lawmakers on Monday to support bills to help address Virginia’s depleted system for dealing with people with intellectual disabilities.
In a letter, he urges members of the General Assembly to back legislation to create a trust fund that would help transition intellectually disabled residents out of state institutions and into community-based care.
The Department of Justice recently issued a scathing critique of the state’s services for the disabled, saying the state spends far much more money proportionally on institutional rather than community-based care, which is preferred. Virginia could face a federal lawsuit if it doesn’t show signs of reform.
“This legislation will facilitate efforts to improve Virginia’s training centers,” McDonnell wrote. “It will assist in our discussions with the DOJ to resolve the current situation and, most importantly, it demonstrates the Commonwealth’s long standing commitment to provide care for our most vulnerable citizens in the most appropriate setting.”
A House of Delegates budget proposal would provide about $30 million to add waiver slots for community-based care.
