Public’s turn to weigh in on SDC

Parents, residents, staff to have their say about closing of ?Developmental Center|

The next stage in the accelerated four-month drive to compile a closure plan for the Sonoma Developmental Center takes place Saturday, July 18, at Sonoma Valley High School. The day-long “testimony,” scheduled from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., will provide anyone who wishes to speak to the topic a platform to make their feelings and experience part of the public record.

Though members of the state’s Department of Developmental Services will be on hand to hear the testimony, including DDS Director Santi Rogers, they are not obligated to respond.

The meeting, “A Public Hearing on the Transformation of?Sonoma Developmental Center,” will be held at the high school’s Pavilion, a facility used for indoor sporting events and assemblies. Anyone who wishes to offer testimony may do so, though each speaker is requested to limit his or her comments to a maximum of five minutes.

“As a required part of the development of a closure plan specific to SDC,” reads the department’s announcement, “DDS is seeking public comment from interested persons and organizations. These comments will be summarized in the closure plan to be submitted by Oct. 1, 2015, for Legislative approval.”

Nancy Lungren, assistant communications director for the DDS, said the testimony will be summarized in the closure plan to the Legislature, due Oct. 1, and delivered with the report as a bound appendix as well.

Among the stakeholders whose comments are solicited are parents, relatives, conservators or guardians of a person who lives at SDC, or that person him or herself; SDC employees; community service providers; a “consumer” who does not live at SDC; and any one else who chooses to comment.

“It is absolutely critical that families, friends, and supporters of Sonoma Developmental Center residents speak out at the July 18th public hearing,” Kathleen Miller, the president of the Parent Hospital Association (PHA), told the Index-Tribune. “This is the meeting where your input really counts.”

A June 27 meeting of stakeholders at SDC was well-attended and wide-ranging, and the coming event is also expected to draw a large crowd. PHA has offered to supply refreshments for the day-long listening session.

The Pavilion is ADA-compliant, accessible to persons with disabilities. Printed materials in alternate formats and requests for sign language interpreters, or other disability-related accommodations, should be made to DDS at 916-654-1706 or email: Sonoma.closure@dds.ca.gov by 5 p.m. on July 14.

A call-in line is also being provided to accommodate individuals who cannot attend the hearing in person. That conference line number is 800-230-1059. Callers are requested to dial in several minutes in advance of when you’d like to join the call, in order to have time to talk with the operator and be connected to the hearing.

Written comments will also be accepted for the closure plan, with a deadline of Sept. 1. A box will be available at the July 18 meeting for written comments to be submitted; they may also be submitted online at the DDS website dds.ca.gov/SonomaNews; and they may be submitted by email to Sonoma.closure@dds.ca.gov, or mailed to Department of Developmental Services, Developmental Centers Division - Attention: Cindy Coppage, 1600 9th Street, Room 340, MS 3-17, Sacramento, CA  95814.

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