Link: http://tinyurl.com/lprpwj

"The State is looking at a number of cuts and eliminations to services for children that, in isolation, are troubling, but when taken together, could prove disastrous to our state's children with disabilities."

As significant budget cuts are being considered by the N.C. General Assembly, the Board of Directors of Disability Rights North Carolina have approved transfer of all available resources in order to legally challenge specific cuts being proposed to services for people with disability. Closing of NC's school for the blind is certainly a violation of many children's rights to a free and appropriate public education as outlined by IDEA.

Follow up:

DRNC will focus its resources on several areas including protecting the rights of people with disabilities who are successfully living in community based settings and are now at risk of being moved to a more restrictive environment, addressing situations where people have experienced extended ER stays of 5 days or more, ensure that children with disabilities residing in residential placements receive appropriate discharge planning and placement if their residential facility is eliminated and ensure that that service needs of people with disabilities who are in the criminal justice system are correctly identified and receive appropriate treatment and services.

Many home educators depend on state based services for non-educationally related care. Budget cuts that affect disability services will most certainly negatively impact us all.