Jun 18, 2008 5:59 pm US/Eastern
Few Have Moved Out Of Rosewood
OWINGS MILLS, Md. (WJZ) ―
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It's been six months since Governor Martin O'Malley ordered the Rosewood Center closed, but only a few developmentally disabled people living there have moved out.
It's been six months since Governor Martin O'Malley ordered the Rosewood Center closed, but only a few developmentally disabled people living there have moved out.
Some relatives tell
Suzanne Collins finding places in the community for the severely disabled isn't easy.
Joan Druso says her severely disabled brother has the mind of a three-year-old and many physical problems. For years he's lived at Rosewood, which is closing. The state gave Joan three places in the community to check out where her brother might move. The first wasn't wheelchair accessible.
"It was an apartment on a lower level, which required stairs. There was no elevator or anything and when he showed us inside, you couldn't get a wheelchair through the doorway it was so small," said Druso.
The other two options had no vacancies.
Ralph Slesinski and a second family seeking placement were taken to see what he says were two terribly dilapidated vacant homes.
"They were wrecks basically. They needed rehabbing from roof to basement," Slesinski said.
According to the director at Rosewood, that visit was not authorized and conducted by an employee entirely on his own. That employee has been punished.
In six months, only 14 disabled people have been placed. Fifteen more move in June, but 140 are still at Rosewood. The director met Wednesday with community providers who may have homes to offer.
A number of family members say they love Rosewood, and the group homes don't meet their relative's needs.
"I think we're going to meet and exceed their expectations. Some believe that, some do not," said Dr. Robert Day, Rosewood director.
Families fighting closure now have a web site: saverosewood.com. They say as guardians, they may refuse to sign papers giving permission for loved ones placement.
On the other side, advocates for the disabled say Rosewood isn't safe or humane. A non-profit has been contracted to help families find placements.
"These service coordinators know the community, they know the options, they know how to work with families, so we're hoping that will definitely speed things up," said Cristine Marchane with the Arc of Maryland.
The governor has ordered that Rosewood close by June 2009.
(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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