The Injustice of BSDC

From the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services the Vision of the Beatrice State Developmental Center is:

BSDC Vision. Each person served by the Beatrice State Developmental Center is challenged to achieve independence, realize personal goals, develop meaningful relationships, and is safe, healthy, happy, and respected.

Now you tell me what kind of independence do the consumers at BSDC really achieve? What goals have they accomplished? Are they really happy and respected? The answer is first that they are not independent. In many cases they have been more like prisoners than persons of dignity. They are far from safe and they are not happy. When there have been three deaths in three weeks on the same floor of BSDC, how safe are the residents?

A U.S. Justice Department investigation reported about 200 cases of alleged neglect and abuse there since late 2006. It concluded that the center had a “cultural undercurrent that betrays human decency at the most fundamental levels.” Folks in less than 36 months there have been some 200 cases of "alleged" neglect and abuse? Do you realize that amounts to over 5 per month? That is beyond belief in the state we have called "The Good Life." BSDC is far from "The Good Life" for those who are residents there. Some 40 of the most vulnerable are being "shipped off" to other locations. That does not solve the problem, it just hides it. I agree that we have to do everything in our power to assure the safety of BSDC's residents. But that is not accomplished by sending them off to hospitals and nursing facilities. The problem is that BSDC is broken and it needs fixing.

If the state does not win it's fight with the Feds, there is a strong possibility that the center could be closed. Then what? What do we do with the consumers of BSDC? I remember doing a lot of work with the homeless of Kansas City, Missouri. The city did a great job of hiding them by continually moving them around. They would clean up a park or neighborhood and displace the homeless. Then they would do it again in another area and on and on. Visitors to the city seldom saw those living under the bridges or huddled by a dumpster. Let's not do the same with those who depend upon the BSDC for their care. Nothing worth while is accomplished by trying to hide these folks. There is a cancer growing at the Beatrice State Developmental Center and, like any cancer, it won't go away by ignoring it. We need some radical treatment.

First, those who are found to have been part of the abuse and neglect must be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. Those who are victims of rape at the center need advocates. And those who have shamelessly committed such atrocities must be punished. Why is it that there seems to be a double standard here? What is being done to hold the leadership of BSDC accountable for their center's employees? Are they blind? Surely they can see that something is wrong, or are they wearing blinders?

This is a social justice issue and there needs to be such a public outcry that necessary actions are taken immediately. How many more will be allow to be abused, neglected, raped, to die before we stop talking and do something? We have some very fine people in the Department of Health and Human Services. We need to empower them to do what needs to be done. We have some extraordinary state Senators and other elected officials. Call them today and show them your support of BSDC. Encourage them to cure this cancer that is afflicting these persons with developmental disabilties. The answer is not to close the center because we will still have these individuals to care for. The answer is not to ship them off to hospitals and nursing facilities. The answer is to do what Nebraskan's do best: FACE THE PROBLEM AND FIX IT!!

God Bless You and God Bless America!