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From: Floria.Antin@f304.n109.z1.fidonet.org (Floria Antin)
Newsgroups: misc.handicap
Subject: Re:despair, Part 3
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Date: 1 Jun 90 17:48:02 GMT
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> to come across it when I was volunteering my time.  I always thought
> (ignorant that I was before I had a disabled child and starting to
> join all these committees to get things done) anyway as I was saying,
> I always thought that volunteers would get things done faster, because
> people appreciate them, since they donate their time.  I mean in your
Hang in there the process may be slow but it pays off in the long run. 
If parents and others had not hung in there in earlier times the 
services available today would be much less. I athe parent of an adult 
with mental retardation. I recall a time when an educstion was *not a 
right* when many were excluided from public schools, and you had to find 
a program for your child (and sat home fesrful of aphone call telling 
you they could no longer accomodate your child). Very often you also had 
to pay for the program. it was a long frustrating struggle but we hung 
in and today at least all hildren are entitled to schooling at 
government expense. Now we have our sights set on services for those who 
need it after they are 21 (somewhat older in some states) we have been 
battling waiting lists for adults for servic.  We have seen some small 
progress. More of the adults with mental retardation are living in the 
community, rather than being warehoused in institutions. Unfortunatley 
we can not rest on our laurels but must continue to fight and hope and 
pray that you younger parents will keep up the fight, for both your kids 
and ours. So hang in there, with all the frustration and slowness 
progress does come about and our kids benefit.

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