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Feb 21, 2007 4:07 pm US/Eastern
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Hospital For Severely Disabled May Be Closing
by Suzanne Collins
(WJZ)
Family members of mentally disabled people living at the Rosewood Hospital Center are fighting to keep that institution operating.
WJZ's Suzanne Collins reports, they were in Annapolis Wednesday to speak out against a bill that would move their relatives into community based care.
For decades, Rosewood has housed people with the most severe mental disabilities. But now, there is another attempt in Annapolis to shut down the state facility and move the people living there to a community setting.
Many family members showed up Wednesday to rally against the proposal. "It's a matter of life and death, that's the way I feel," said Thelma Blumberg whose child resides at Rosewood.
Another parent, Tink Yost, believes the move would be traumatizing for her 44-year-old son. "That is his home, has been for 44 years and he's very happy, we're very happy, I think that's what's important."
Yost said, without the ability to see, hear or talk, her son must "feel" his world.
Many families said their loved ones are too disabled to make it in a community setting.
Some influential groups, including the the Association for Retarded Citizens (ARC) and the Disability Law Center, have said Rosewood should be closed.
State Delegate James Hubbard is heading the Public Health Subcommittee and supports a bill to close the facility.
"I think the problem is fear on the families' part, that they've had their loved ones in an institution setting so long and they don't think they can make transition to community placement," said Hubbard.
Even delegates opposed to closing Rosewood admit the place has problems.
Rosewood has been cited for deficiencies lately by state health inspectors. The reports say those conditions put residents' safety and health in immediate jeopardy.
But, family members have said their relatives are more traumatized by change and problems can be fixed.
"It's very upsetting for them, they act out their behavior, some times [it's] self-injurious," said Liz Hess whose niece is in Rosewood.
The families of these severely disabled people have said many of the problems and neighborhood complaints are due to a new group of people being sent to Rosewood for mental evaluations after being arrested for crimes.
An upcoming hearing will soon be scheduled in Annapolis and lawmakers will decide on whether or not Rosewood will close.
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