Projo 7 to 7 News Blog

By Karen Lee Ziner
Journal Staff Writer

PROVIDENCE, R.I. -- An estimated 2,000 people rallied outside the State House Tuesday afternoon to ask legislators to preserve programs and services for the developmentally disabled.

The protesters -- wearing orange T-shirts that say "Keep the Promise" and "No More Cuts" -- said they began a grass-roots effort after Rep. Steven M. Costantino, the House Finance Committee chairman, said he would not rule out sweeping cuts to human-service programs for the elderly and disabled as the legislators address the state's budget deficit.

Rally organizers said they ran out of T-shirts after handing out 2,000 of them. Demonstrators -- including dozens of people in wheelchairs -- filled the stone plaza in front of the State House.

The rally was preceded by a 72-hour vigil that began Sunday on the grounds of the former Ladd Center, the original "Rhode Island School for the Feeble-Minded," which federal authorities closed 15 years ago after an investigation revealed deplorable conditions.

Tom Kane, president of the Community Provider Network of Rhode Island, said that while no one foresees a return to such institutionalization, "if there are cuts, people will be segregated in their homes."

Kane, who is also president/CEO of CranstonArc, said, "All Rhode Islanders deserve to live with dignity and to be cared for by family and trained professionals. These funding cuts to services will cause irreparable damage to the individuals the developmental disabilities' system is designed to protect -- the most vulnerable of Rhode Islanders."

This story was originally posted at 3:10 p.m.

 Tags  Ladd Center Providence RI

Leave a comment

Please be civil. Vicious comments, personal attacks and profanity won't be published. Name and email are required; email address will not publish.

Name:

Email:

URL:  

Remember personal info?

Captcha:

Type the characters you see in the picture above.