The Association for the Mentally Retarded at Agnews (AMRA) represents the former residents of Agnews Developmental Center, and their families. During the closure of Agnews, AMRA actively advocated for improved medical resources and specialized community housing for residents displaced by Agnews’ closure.

Now AMRA’s mission is to insure the continued delivery of the highest quality care for our Developmental Disabled family members in the community. The state of California has now proposed the closure of Lanterman Developmental Center in Pomona. In response to that proposal, the AMRA Board of Directors has voted unanimously to issue the following statement:

1. AMRA believes that Developmental Centers should remain a viable and accessible model of care for individuals with developmental disabilities. California’s DCs represent a centralized resource of highly specialized clinical and therapeutic services that does not currently exist in any other setting. The loss of such a Center would weaken the already tenuous service structure for California’s most vulnerable population. As such, we join with Lanterman families in their opposition to closure.

2. If the recommendation to close Lanterman Developmental Center is accepted by the legislature, then AMRA will be a vocal advocate in ensuring that all of the funding and special legislation afforded to the former residents of Agnews be provided to Lanterman residents as part of the closure process.

In closing, AMRA believes that families should be the primary decision-makers as it relates to the care of their disabled family members. Community-based services have always been an available option, but it should not be a mandate.