Governor Bredesen Ignores the Voices of People with Disabilities

(MEMPHIS, August 5, 2005) Governor Bredesen went to Lucy Elementary School, in Millington Tennessee to tout his new Pre-K program. He also had to deal with ADAPT of Tennessee. As Governor Bredesen left his program he was met with six ADAPT protester that were closely being monitored by five undercover police offices, one S.W.A.T. member and two personal security officers. Bredesen walked up to the group and said, “I just came to pay my respect.”

That’s when people in the group began saying to the Governor, “We want Money Follows the Person. We want it now. Free our people & save the state money. People want out of nursing homes. End the institutional bias, now!” 

Governor Bredesen continues to ignore the citizenry of Tennessee. There are over 6,400 individuals stuck in nursing homes in Tennessee that have said they wanted out. Yet Governor Bredesen and his Administration have done nothing to right this wrong. An Administration official went as far as questioning the mental capacity of those that have voiced their right to receive services outside of the nursing home. The concept of a state Money Follows the Person would not only provide freedoms and choices for those that need daily supports but also save the state millions.

A state Money Follows the Person concept would allow an individual that qualifies for or is already in a nursing home to choose where they receive the assistance/supports that individual needs. If the person chooses to receive those services outside of the nursing home the money comes out of the nursing home budget and “follows the Person” into the home and community based services budget. Providing choice is not only the right thing to do, it could save the state MILLIONS.

- Randy Alexander