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FDDC Fears More Abuse When Service Cuts Take Effect
May 5, 2008
Media Contact:
Rose Coster
(850) 488-4180
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. -- The Florida Developmental Disabilities Council, Inc. (FDDC) is concerned that further cuts in services to persons with developmental disabilities could result in more incidents like the arrest on April 30, of a Fort Walton Beach man who allegedly abused a person with a disability under his care.
Carl Maycock, a former caregiver at the Fort Walton Beach Developmental Center, was charged with one third-degree felony count of abusing a disabled person, according to reports. In an affidavit, multiple witnesses say he stripped the victim of his clothing, then pulled him from his wheelchair and sprayed him down with a hose for 15 to 20 minutes in an effort to bathe him. The victim in this incident has cerebral palsy and mental retardation and is unable to speak. This incident, which allegedly occurred in September 2007, and the abusive treatment of Brian D. Sterner by a Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office deputy in February 2008, both draw attention to alarmingly poor treatment of Florida’s most vulnerable citizens.
“During the 2008 legislative session, the Council continued to push to preserve services for individuals with developmental disabilities,” said Debra Dowds, Executive Director of the FDDC.
Dowds explained that during the 2007 legislative session, lawmakers approved major service reductions, elimination of some services, and caps on the amount of services the state will now provide to persons with developmental disabilities. During the 2008 session, lawmakers cut provider rates by 5.5 percent. Dowds added that huge cuts in provider care funding will have a devastating impact.
The FDDC, which advocates respect and inclusion for people with disabilities, worries that impending cuts in services and provider rates could further cripple an already troubled system.
“We believe these changes will negatively impact the lives of individuals with disabilities who live in this state and could result in further incidents such as those that occurred in Hillsborough County and Fort Walton Beach,” said Enrique Escallon, Council Chairperson. “This is a violation of a person’s human rights, and we believe there is a potential for further violations.”
About Florida Developmental Disabilities Council, Inc.
The Florida Developmental Disabilities Council, Inc. (FDDC) serves to improve the quality of life for people with disabilities. The FDDC works to enable individuals with developmental disabilities to be independent and productive members of society while integrated and included in all facets of community life. Headquartered in Tallahassee, Fla., the FDDC supports initiatives that demonstrate new approaches to advance these goals. Learn more at FDDC.org.