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Washington State's Institutions: Fircrest School

"They're becoming functionally obsolete."
--Dennis Braddock, head of Washington state's Department of Social and Health Services, talking about the five state-run institutions that house 1,100 people with developmental disabilities (November 2002)

Related:
Washington State Institutions: Frances Haddon Morgan Center
Washington State's Institutions: Rainier School
Text of Senate Bill 5971, A measure to consolidate the state's RHCs
Washington State Study Finds Community Costs Less

2007
April 23: Washington Reopened Doors Of State Institution To Young People
2006
April 17: Group Sues State Over Fircrest Moves
2004
July 28: State Moves Ahead With Fircrest Transfers
July 1: Feds Cite Washington State Agency Over Fircrest Transfers
March 3: Judge Allows Fircrest Moves
February 25: Fircrest Residents Move After Judge Lifts Restraining Order
February 20: Judge Puts Fircrest Transfers On Hold
February 10: Fircrest Warned Sixth Time For Risking Residents' Safety
January 6: Debate Over Fircrest Closure Likely To Heat Up
2003
June 5: State Senate Passes Budget Plan That Would Down-Size Fircrest School
March 14: State Senate Passes Fircrest Closure Bill
February 27: Fairley Bill Would Close Fircrest
January 31: Lawmakers Told Of Potential Savings In Closing An Institution
2002
December 9: Lawmakers Eye Closing Institutions To Save Money
November 22: Days May Be Numbered For Fircrest
May 10: Fircrest Employee Fired For Sexual Misconduct
1999
December 17: Niece played detective, got results

Niece Played Detective, Got Results
December 17, 1999
SEATTLE, WASHINGTON--Thursday's installment on the Seattle Times series on abuse finally focused on cases in Fircrest School, an institution in the Seattle area.

Pro-institution advocates in Washington State insist that their facilities are the best they have ever been, and that they have the most qualified, well-trained people working there.

I winced while reading the author's description of this woman's 62-year-old uncle (he "thinks like a 6-year-old"), but other than that, it seemed a pretty fair article. Nice to see a little balance after a week of focusing on trouble in community-based programs.

The author also reports the dismal fact that, of the 87 abuse cases Fircrest has called into police, only three have been investigated, and only one has led to conviction.

Full articles:
"Niece played detective, got results (Seattle Times)

http://archives.seattletimes.nwsource.com/cgi-bin/texis.cgi/web/vortex/display?slug=fami&date=19991216

"Here's what needs to be done so that abusers get caught, pay for crimes" (Seattle Times)
http://archives.seattletimes.nwsource.com/cgi-bin/texis.cgi/web/vortex/display?slug=solu&date=19991216

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Fircrest Employee Fired For Sexual Misconduct
By Dave Reynolds, Inclusion Daily Express
May 10, 2002

SEATTLE, WASHINGTON--A counselor at Fircrest School, an institution housing 274 people with developmental disabilities, was fired Tuesday after DNA evidence suggested he engaged in sexual activity with a resident.

According to the Seattle Post-Intelligencer, Kenneth Bines, 33, was fired for neglect of duty, gross misconduct and willful violation of the rules. He also faces a second-degree rape charge in King County Superior Court for the same incident. Washington State Patrol and King County Sheriff's Office said the DNA evidence came from a used condom found in the woman's room January 9.

Bines did not appear or submit a written statement at a May 3 disciplinary hearing. Department of Social and Health Services officials then issued a 15-day notice of dismissal, effective May 21. Bines has 30 days to appeal.

Security has been increased at the facility since the condom was found, said Marybeth Poch, the Division of Developmental Disabilities regional administrator overseeing Fircrest.

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Days May Be Numbered For Fircrest
By Dave Reynolds, Inclusion Daily Express
November 22, 2002

SHORELINE, WASHINGTON--State lawmakers are questioning whether it is feasible to keep operating five state-run institutions that house nearly 1,100 people with developmental disabilities.

While those institutions house 3 percent of the people served through the Division of Developmental Disabilities, they consume more than 25 percent of the agency's annual budget -- about $134,000 per person each year.

"They're becoming functionally obsolete," said Dennis Braddock, secretary of Washington's Department of Social and Health Services.

State employees and parents of people living in the institutions oppose any move to close the out-dated facilities -- and campaigned unsuccessfully against one lawmaker that has suggested moving people into community settings.

State Senator Darlene Fairley is the Democratic chairperson of the Senate's capital-budget committee. Fairley, who represents the district that includes Fircrest School, was reelected earlier this month despite opposing efforts by institution supporters.

Fairley is recommending the state close Fircrest School and sell its 87-acre campus -- a move that could bring in $32.7 million to the state. DSHS is requesting $6.5 million in the next biennium to remodel Fircrest's aging buildings. Recent estimates suggest that it would cost $23 million to completely refurbish the buildings, some of which have rotting floors and sagging ceilings.

"We needed to take an unemotional look at what makes fiscal sense," Fairley said.

Related article:
"Money crunch renews Fircrest debate" (Seattle Times)

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/134579066_fircrest19m.html

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Lawmakers Eye Closing Institutions To Save Money
By Dave Reynolds, Inclusion Daily Express
December 9, 2002

OLYMPIA, WASHINGTON--The Division of Developmental Disabilities could save up to $50 million if it found other uses for property on which sit five institutions housing people with mental retardation.

That's what an audit commissioned by the state's Joint Legislative Audit and Review Committee reported Tuesday.

About $36 million of that could be raised by closing Fircrest School, which houses 275 people, and Francis Haddon Morgan Center, which houses 49 people, and selling the property for commercial development.

Another $7 million could be generated by logging forested areas on the campus of Rainer School, the state's largest facility that currently houses 420 people.

The parents of those living at the institutions, along with the union that represents state employees, are opposed to any talk of down-sizing or closures. But the results of the report may be welcomed by Governor Gary Locke and other lawmakers who are looking for ways to close a budget gap that could exceed $2 billion next year.

More details are available from a story in Wednesday's The Olympian:
http://www.theolympian.com/home/news/20021205/southsound/21457.shtml

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Lawmakers Told Of Potential Savings In Closing An Institution
By Dave Reynolds, Inclusion Daily Express
January 31, 2003

OLYMPIA, WASHINGTON--The Senate Ways and Means Committee heard staff analysts suggest Thursday that the state could gain $15.7 million if it were to sell off valuable land on the campuses of five state-run institutions. More could be saved if lawmakers closed at least one of those facilities, they explained.

There are currently 1,082 people with mental retardation housed in those institutions, here called Residential Habilitation Centers (RHCs). And while the numbers of those moving out has slowed over the past few years, analyst Brian Sims suggested that as few as 625 people would be at the five institutions by the year 2012 if the trend over the past three decades continues.

"The Legislature will eventually be faced with the decision to consolidate and close one or more of the RHCs," Sims said, according to the Associated Press.

With the state looking at a $2.4 million shortfall for the next budget period, this may be one of the best times for lawmakers to consider consolidating institutions and moving people into the community. Even if the state does not sell institution lands, it could save an estimated $82 a day per person by providing community services instead of costly institutional supports, one committee staff member estimated.

"If you can't do consolidation when money is this short, and when senators are willing to take a look at it, you never will," said Senator Darlene Fairley, the Shoreline Democrat who is leading the push to close of Fircrest School, an institution in her district.

Lawmakers would have to take on the powerful public employees union and parent groups, such as the "Friends of Fircrest", that want all of the state's institutions to stay open.

The last state-operated institution to close was Interlake School at Medical Lake ten years ago.

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Fairley Bill Would Close Fircrest
By Dave Reynolds, Inclusion Daily Express
February 27, 2003

OLYMPIA, WASHINGTON--If all goes as state Senator Darlene Fairley and others have planned, Fircrest School will close within the next two years and its 260 residents moved to other institutions, nursing homes or into homes in the community.

Fairley, whose district includes Fircrest, is the chief sponsor of Senate Bill 5971 which would consolidate the five state-run institutions, here called Residential Habilitation Centers (RHCs). The measure was introduced Wednesday.

State lawmakers have been asking whether it makes sense to keep operating the RHCs that house about 1,100 people with developmental disabilities, while costs continue to rise. Those institutions house 3 percent of the population served through the Division of Developmental Disabilities, but they use more than 25 percent of the agency's annual budget -- about $134,000 per person each year.

For several months Fairley has been speaking out about the fact that Fircrest sits on valuable property surrounded by commercial areas. Selling or leasing the land could bring DDD an additional estimated $30 million. Under SB 5971, money saved or generated from the use of Fircrest land would stay within the division to be spent on services for people with developmental disabilities and their families, primarily in communities.

At the same time, the state has asked for millions of dollars to repair Fircrest, a former Navy hospital that includes World War II-era barracks and apartments, a chapel, pool, dining hall and other buildings, if it stays open.

The move is opposed by the state employees' union and a pro-institution group of parents whose family members are housed at the facility.

Gov. Gary Locke, who years ago considered a plan to close Rainier School, has decided not to take a position on the Fircrest issue. But Dennis Braddock, Secretary of the Department of Social and Health Services, said: "We are neutral on the bill, though consolidation is inevitable at some point in time because of the economies of scale."

Senator Alex Deccio from Yakima, who five years ago sponsored a bill that kept institutions from closing, is a co-sponsor of SB 5971.

Community advocates in the state are encouraged to contact their legislators and ask them to pass the measure.

Text of SB 5971 (State of Washington)
http://www.InclusionDaily.com/news/03/red/0227a.htm

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State Senate Passes Fircrest Closure Bill
By Dave Reynolds, Inclusion Daily Express
March 14, 2003

OLYMPIA, WASHINGTON--Fircrest School is one step closer to being shut down.

Friday, the Washington Senate voted more than 3 to 1 to pass SB 5971, a measure that would close the institution which houses 260 people with developmental disabilities, and sell or lease the land to pay for future services, mostly in the community.

"It's about realities," said Senator Darlene Fairley, who sponsored the bill.

Fircrest is located in Fairley's district and costs about $43 million to operate last year. The 87 acres that Fircrest occupies, which has been appraised at $30 million, could be sold or leased for commercial development.

The measure comes as lawmakers are looking for ways to close a $2 billion budget gap this session, and as community-based services -- including school- to-work transition programs for young adults -- are being targeted for cuts.

"This is about all the people who are in the community who are unserved."

Under the plan, Fircrest residents would have the choice of moving to one of the other four remaining state-run institutions, here called Residential Habilitation Centers (RHCs), to nursing homes, or to homes in the community.

Most opposition to the bill came from the union that represents state employees. Fircrest employs 740 state workers.

The Seattle Post-Intelligencer noted that few Democrats voted on the measure.

The bill now moves to the state House, where it will likely find more resistance: Democrats, who have traditionally supported the union and hold a 52-46 majority, are talking about alternatives to closing Fircrest.

Seattle Times columnist Lance Dickie wrote an excellent editorial on the issue.

Related articles:
"Change overdue for those with developmental disabilities" (Seattle Times)

http://www.InclusionDaily.com/news/03/red/0314a.htm

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