View Terri's photos of Therapy Garden dedication here

Who we are:

Friends of Fircrest is an all-volunteer, non-profit organization advocating for the rights to quality living choices for all people with developmental disabilities. Friends of Fircrest provides support to residents of Fircrest School.

Current Interest:

Your Assessment Primer

The Legislature has directed (with a few changes by the Governor) that all RHC residents be assessed using the same assessment tool as community clients. Here are copies of the questions and the ratings key for the Assessment (411 kB pdf.) This will give you an idea of what will be asked during the assessment.

Results of Special Session of Washington State Legislature

Prepared by Action DD. Here's the report (54kB pdf)

Ari Ne'eman nominated for a position on National Council on Disability (NCD)

Ari Ne'eman is an Obama administration nominee to serve on the NCD, subject to Senate confirmation. He has a mild form of Asperger's syndrome (autism.) Mr Ne'eman is 22, is a college student planning on attending graduate school, and has applied for a Rhodes Scholarship. His non-traditional views on autism are summarized in a recent New York Times article (March 27, 2010.) Many people who disagree with his views are contacting their Senators to urge that his nomination be rejected.

Justice Department's civil rights chief says fewer people with mental disabilities should be "warehoused" by state

Thomas Perez , U.S. Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights, recently offered this opinion. See The Statesman (Austin, TX,) March 27, 2010. His views, particularly his characterization of state residential facilities as "warehousing," are viewed with dismay by many in the DD community.

Seattle Disabilities Commission Funded

See Interview by Bellamy Pailthorp, KPLU FM (Seattle-Tacoma)
November 24, 2009.

VOR's Petition to Congress

Petition to Congress in Support of Residential Choice. (Prepared by Voice of the Retarded, May 2009)

Cost Reductions at RHCs

Statement on Cost Reductions, Efficiencies, and Needs at RHCs (Prepared by Action DD, April 2009)

Budgets

Final 2009-11 Biennial Operating Budget by Kathy Leitch, Asst. Secy., Washington State Aging and Disability Services Adm., May 1, 2009

Post Legislative Session Update by Kathy Leitch, Asst. Secy., Washington State Aging and Disability Services Adm., April 29, 2009

PostLegislativeSessionUpdate.pdfSide-by-side comparison of specific budget items
(The Governor's proposals compared to House and Senate Versions, with data to be updated as it becomes available.
Latest version 04/07/09)

Proposed 2009 –2011 Budget & Policy Highlights
(As submitted by Governor Chris Gregoire, December 2008.
Click on "Human Services" in order to view DSHS issues. )

Fircrest Pool

State Closes Fircrest Pool by Amy Daybert, Editor, The Enterprise (Shoreline, WA), March 18, 2009

View video clip on closing of Fircrest therapy swimming pool. King 5 TV, March 2009.

Proposal to close Fircrest swimming and therapy pools by Amy Daybert, Editor, The Enterprise (Shoreline, WA), February 18, 2009

Selah RHC

Governor hasn't made her case for closing Selah facility
Yakima Herald Republic editorial, February 22, 2009

Resolutions

Two resolutions approved by the Washington State Democratic Democratic Central Committee (WSDCC)
January 24, 2009:

1. A Residents Rights Resolution stating individuals with developmental disabilities who reside in ICF/MR should have the same rights other disabled individuals receive. View resolution (14kB PDF)
   
   
2. A Resolution in Favor of Keeping Yakima Valley School Open View resolution (38 kb PDF)