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The Maryland Community Resource Center Coalition (MD
CRC Coalition) is a statewide organization consisting of parents, families and friends with a strong commitment to retaining
the four state centers (Rosewood, Holly, Potomac and Brandenburg). The Coalition was formed to prevent further downsizing,
advocate for the CHOICE of an SRC as a quality option for care, promote new admissions to the SRC's when requested by responsible
family members or guardians, prevent the closure of any of the four remaining centers, and to revitalize the centers around
the Community Resource Center model.
The CRC Model would continue to offer residential options, but would also allow
anyone with MR/DD to benefit from respite care, medical, dental and rehabilitative services, and social and recreational opportunities.
Additionally, the CRC's would offer training for both community and residential center caregivers and would allow for educational
cooperation with local colleges and professional schools to provide hands on experience in working with persons with developmental
disabilities.
The Coalition made great strides in the 2004 legislative session. House Bill 1079 (Rosewood Center
Closure Bill) which promoted the closure and sale of Rosewood Center was defeated. House Bill 475 (Respite Care Bill) was
passed thus allowing the residential centers to resume offering respite care to members of the community with developmental
disabilites. Additionally, the first new admission to Holly Center in over eight years resulted from the efforts of the Coalition.
In the upcoming legislative session, we are prepared to initiate a "Freedom of Choice" agenda that will once again
make the SRC's an option for residential placements when deemed most appropriate -- especially for the medically fragile population.
But these efforts come at a cost-- professional lobbyists, legal support and medical experts. Your generous contribution
is desperately needed to continue funding our initiatives. 100% of the money contributed to the coalition is applied
to covering these expenses. The volunteer members of the MD CRC Coalition work entirely on a volunteer basis -- contributing
their time and experience and covering all of their own expenses.
CONTRIBUTIONS to the Coaltion may be made payable
to:
Rosewood Auxillary Center, Inc./Coalition Fund
Checks should be mailed to:
Coalition Fund
c/o
Mr. Harry Yost, Atty./CPA
105 South Crain Highway, Suite 2
Glen Burnie, Maryland 21061
All contributions will
be pooled and used to preserve the four residential centers. The Rosewood Auxillary is a non-profit 501(c)(3) and has established
aa separate Coaltion Fund Account to facilitate contributions statewide. All donations are tax deductible.
If you
have questions, please contact Mark Engberg (410-546-1087 / mengberg@comcast.net) or Harry Yost (410-768-5656).
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