Rockland County's History of Our Intellectually Disabled

Letchworth Village was built in 1911 with the best intentions. It was built beautifully on 2,362 acres in North Rockland. It was envisioned as a safe home for very young children to the elderly who were intellectually disabled. I think it housed as many as 5,000 residents. It was one of the State's and Country's largest facilities for this purpose.

By 1972 it was more than a disappointment and a national scandal until it was closed in 1996 for many many reasons, many too sad to imagine.

This led to a new strategy/philosophy/policy by the Government. It was called "Deinstitutionalism" - care away from large institutions to small family sized homes with a traditional family culture.

Rockland County, for the major population, opened their arms. Not everyone and many more to be slow to accept these homes next to theirs. But that's ancient history.

I was blessed to be invited to help facilitate the transition along with many inspiring pioneers who created a new world for the present and future of victims of intellectually disabilities. Most created not-for profit organizations to build and operate the homes and it worked beautifully successful.

Then, now, a financial crisis arose.

In the words who know best, The staffing crisis is now of epidemic proportion, with no end in sight and no “real plan” on how to reverse the trend. The voluntaries/not-for-profit service providers are challenged by critical levels of staffing and how far can they go to recruit when there is no pay parody between OPWDD State workers and our not-for-profit service providers. The difference between the not-for-profits is staggering—anywhere between $8-$12 an hour. Their starting is salary is $15.00 and the not-for-profits is upwards of $23-$27. I got his from a ARCNY web site..

I believe the state employees deserve every penny and would like those who work in not-for-profit care givers to having a living wage also. It's a matter of justice.

I am talking about the most important folks in these homes .They are the virtual parent care givers from bathing a person, dressing them, feeding them, etc. Their hands are the hands that touch the resident, guide them, protect them...... and they get paid less than you can imagine everywhere. I suspect that there are no State employees paid so little.

So I decided to ask you - I don't care what your politics are - I care about your humanity and compassion. Please reach out to our elected representatives in Albany and ask the State Government to please give this matter the needed attention now.

Yes the elected officials live in a tornado of requests for money that never stops and most of the requests are worthy. However, we should have a value system for who who care for our helpless.

Senator weber@nysenate.gov

Zebrowski@nyassembly.gov

McGowanJ@nyassembly.gov