Governor Corbett Visit Individuals with Intellectual Disabilities and Their Families

Nov. 19, 2012 - PRLog -- People from across the state will be attending the hour-long event and will have an opportunity to speak to the Governor and Secretary Gary Alexander.

In the 2012/13 budget, Governor Corbett approved funding in the Fiscal Year 2012-2013 Budge for 1,100 individuals with intellectual disabilities waiting to receive community based services. Over 15,000 people are listed on the Pennsylvania Waiting List, and advocates are excited about the over 1000 people who now will receive the support they so desperately needed.

This is the first time Governor Corbett has paid a visit to Vision for Equality, which represents 350,000 people statewide with intellectual disabilities and Autism and their families. The event at Vision for Equality is an opportunity for the families who received services due to the initiative to personally thank the Governor and to share their life-changing events with him. This meeting will also allow individuals with intellectual disabilities and their families to have an open dialogue with Governor Corbett and Secretary Gary Alexander.

“We are very excited to host Governor Corbett and DPW Secretary Gary Alexander at Vision for Equality and for them to meet the people and families we represent.  We believe this will be an eye-opening experience for the Governor, and hopefully he will be able to see how crucial these services are to people with intellectual disabilities and their families,” said Maureen Devaney, Co-Executive Director of Vision for Equality.

In addition to hearing how the funding has affected families, the Governor will have the opportunity to directly interact with the people in attendance and get a glimpse of what life is like for individuals with disabilities and their families. Families from across the state will be attending this event and several families will be available for interviews. For an opportunity to speak with one of these families please contact Karin Annerhed-Harris, Communications Manager, at kannerhed-harris@visionforequality.org or by phone at (215) 806-6450.