People With Disabilities Would Feel Cuts

Painstakingly and with an assistant’s help, Steven Allert points at words on a page to communicate.

His finger moves to “not” and “good” when asked what would happen if state money for his developmental disabilities program disappears.

Allert, 47, has cerebral palsy and has been taking classes at S.L. Start in Coeur d’Alene for four years. The program gives him “a little more freedom,” Allert said.

He is one of thousands of adults and children with developmental disabilities in Idaho who would be affected by funding cuts proposed by a legislative committee.

Sheri Elliott, 28, was able to move into her own apartment a year ago because of the skills she learned at TESH Inc.

“When we moved here, Sheri did not want to live on her own ever. Never. Never,” said Sheri’s mom, Marsha, who works as a rehabilitation technician at TESH.

Sheri Elliott, who had never stayed a night alone, has learned how to cook, clean and go grocery shopping. She has a boyfriend who is also in the program for developmentally disabled adults at TESH, and the two hope to get married.

“I’ve got a nice apartment,” she said with a smile.

Programs at TESH, S.L. Start and similar agencies around the state teach people with developmental disabilities how to interact with the community. They learn how to groom themselves, how to budget their money, how to prepare meals.

James Featherstone, 53, has taken classes at TESH for five years, and fears budget cuts will eliminate them.

“We’re not going to let that happen,” Pam Bemis, director of rehabilitation for TESH, tells him.

“I’m stressed over this,” Featherstone said. “I’m afraid (it) will be taken away from me. I wouldn’t be able to have my classes.”

Amanda Grafe has seen tremendous changes in her 8-year-old son, Kevin, in the year since he started taking classes at S.L. Start.

“It’s been remarkable,” Grafe said of her son, who is autistic. “In the last year, the language has just exploded.”

Grafe asks her son to pick up a drinking straw he dropped on the floor, and he does it.

“A year ago he wouldn’t have done that,” Grafe said. “He was inside himself.”

Kevin can now say, “hi,” quote lines from Disney movies, and name some objects when his mom points to them.

“It would be such a setback by eliminating this,” Grafe said. “It floors me this would actually be thought of.”

1. Cutting into care 2. Statehouse proposals for trimming Medicaid