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Press Release
Westchester Arc Conference Tackles Tough Issues
Families of People with Developmental Disabilities Voice Concerns
WHITE PLAINS , NY , October 7, 2005 - On Saturday, October 1, Westchester Arc and community partners tackled a wide array of problems facing the families of people with developmental disabilities. One hundred fifty children and adults attended the agency’s second Family Resource Day, held at White Plains High School . Experts addressed controversial New York State laws relating to sexual rights; the challenges to family life when a member has autism; how to “work the system” to obtain the best education possible for a child with disabilities, and much more.
Westchester Arc is the largest organization in the county serving people of all ages who have disabilities such as autistic spectrum disorders, Down syndrome, mental retardation, cerebral palsy and learning disabilities.
Capacity, Consent and Sexuality
Leslie Walker-Hirsch, former president of the general division of the American Association on Mental Retardation, and Lawrence Faulkner, Westchester Arc general counsel, discussed the frequent conflict between individual rights, health and safety concerns, and respect for family beliefs. “Sexuality is a normal, expected and joyful part of our culture and our humanity,” declared Ms. Hirsch. “Even if a person is delayed intellectually, the person’s body, emotions and spirit are probably not delayed.”
She and Mr. Faulkner agreed that New York State law is “conservative concerning romantic relations” involving adults with developmental disabilities, a topic that she recognized is “very controversial.” She devoted much of her presentation to the CIRCLES® paradigm for communicating “what types of touch, talk and trust work in different relationships” so that people with developmental disabilities can develop rewarding and mutual emotional attachments.
From Pre-School to Public School
A session on educational advocacy featured panelists who were outspoken in their approaches to navigating the “education maze.” Jill Faber, a parent and attorney specializing in issues related to developmental disabilities, counseled families not to accept school district claims that they do not provide certain services. “The state mandates that a child’s education is driven by individual needs,” she said.
“School districts can’t establish their own policies,” added Fran Porcaro, director of Westchester Arc’s Children’s School for Early Development.
Autism and the Family
Three generations of panelists described in emotional terms how the entire family unit is affected when a member has autism. Moderator Theodore Roth, Ph.D., with 40 years of experience counseling children and families with special needs, talked about the “confusion, sadness, blaming, anger, anxiety and dread regarding the future” that often accompany knowledge that a child has developmental disabilities. A common reaction is to focus family resources on the child with the disability, overlooking the rest of the family's needs.
Other speakers described situations in which not all family members recognize and accept the consequences of a child’s autism at the same time. These “personal schedules” can themselves cause stress.
Additional sessions throughout the day covered the regulatory and emotional aspects of residential planning; behavior management for school success; transitioning to adult services, and legal and financial planning. An all-Spanish workshop provided an overview of Westchester Arc services.
Established over 55 years ago, Westchester Arc is a family-focused agency that has long advocated educational and social inclusion for people with disabilities. To signal a deepening desire by people with disabilities and their families for community inclusion, Westchester Arc recently revised its name. As Westchester “Arc” (rather than “ARC”), the agency name symbolizes its work to bridge gaps and build supportive connections between people with developmental disabilities and the community. The agency is funded through both public and private means.
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