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President Obama Provides Clear Alternative on the Budget

/in /by The Arc

Preserving Safety Net for Most Vulnerable, Not Tax Breaks for Millionaires

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Arc’s Chief Executive Officer Peter V. Berns issued the following statement in response to President Obama’s George Washington University address:

“President Obama today reaffirmed his commitment to reducing the federal deficit while holding true to our most cherished American values. We believe that the President’s plan to preserve our vital safety net programs – Medicare, Medicaid, and Social Security – is more balanced and fair than the plan advanced by the House Budget Committee. Instead of relying on cuts to vital programs for the most vulnerable Americans, the President is proposing to raise revenues by ending the unfair tax advantages enjoyed by the richest individuals and corporations in America and balancing the spending cuts.”

“We take heart in hearing the President’s frequent mention of people with disabilities in his speech. This shows that he understands that the over 7 million Americans with intellectual and developmental disabilities will be among those most harmed by the House Budget plan to block grant Medicaid, end Medicare as we know it, repeal the Affordable Care Act, and decimate funding for housing, education, transportation and employment programs by making deep cuts over time. We appreciate the President’s call to stand for the rights of people with disabilities.”

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The Arc to Congress: House Budget Plan for 2012 Will Wreak Havoc in Lives of People With Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities and Their Families

/in /by The Arc

Washington, DC – The Fiscal Year 2012 budget proposal released this week by House Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan (R-WI) , if adopted, would cause great harm to the more than 7 million people in the United States with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). The plan would virtually eliminate federal funding for education, housing, job training, transportation, and other domestic spending. Eliminating Medicaid and Medicare and replacing them with a block grant and vouchers threaten to wipe out much of the progress that people with ID/D have achieved over the last several decades. Our constituents could return to the widespread impoverishment, poor health, and isolation not seen since these entitlement programs were created in 1965.

“Under Chairman Ryan’s plan, people with IDD can be denied health insurance and the services and supports they need to live and work in the community. There will be no guarantees of any assistance or support for people with intellectual disabilities who want to continue to live in their own homes, rather than institutions,” stated Peter V. Berns, Chief Executive Officer of The Arc.

Health Insurance. Medicaid and Medicare are overwhelmingly the largest providers of health insurance for people with disabilities. People with IDD would no longer be entitled to Medicaid to pay for their health care services such as prescription drugs and doctor visits. Many people with IDD cannot get medical insurance through the private market because: 1) they do not work full time and cannot obtain employer-sponsored coverage (only 21% of people with all disabilities are working); 2) they have pre-existing conditions and cannot find health insurers who will sell them policies; 3) if they can find insurers to sell them policies, the policies do not cover the services and products they need (or the coverage is exorbitantly expensive). Under the House plan, both states and private insurers will be free to deny coverage and assistance to people with IDD.

Long Term Services and Supports. People with IDD often require assistance with activities of daily living throughout their lifetimes, such as getting dressed, taking medication, preparing meals, and managing money. Over 650,000 people with IDD receive such long-term services paid for by Medicaid while living at home with their families, in other community-based settings, or in intermediate care facilities. Under the House plan, states could be free to discontinue all of these services.

While there are numerous parts of the FY 2012 budget plan that are of grave concern, the proposal to block grant Medicaid is by far the most egregious. Under a block grant system, states will be faced with the rising health care costs that result from population increases, outbreaks of diseases, and economic downturns or other circumstances. Their only options will be to cut people off the Medicaid rolls, to eliminate necessary services, or to reduce provider payments. For people with IDD, that means that they won’t be able to go to the doctor or obtain prescription medications they need. Their very health and well being is at stake.  Block granting also creates a perverse incentive for states to return to the days where they warehoused people with disabilities in institutions to save money. States will no longer have to meet the quality standards currently imposed by the Medicaid program for community-based services or nursing homes.

The Arc appreciates the importance of reining in the federal deficit.  However, we believe that the budget cannot be balanced on the backs of our most vulnerable citizens. There are far more thoughtful, effective and humane ways to accomplish this critical goal. We know that providing home and community-based services is more cost effective and better for the individual than institutional care and we do not want to go backwards. What is needed is to flip the system on its head and make home and community based services what is required and institutions the exception to the rule.

“The current situation is bad enough now, where people with IDD literally wait 10 years or more to get Medicaid home and community based services. Is Congress really just going to cut them off entirely from services that allow them to be included and participate in society like we all do?  What the House is proposing is just wrong!  It is that simple.” said Berns.

The Arc is the largest organization with a network of over 700 chapters across the country for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. The Arc promotes and protects the human rights of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities and actively supports their full inclusion and participation in the community throughout their lifetimes and without regard to diagnosis.

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The Arc and UCP Urge Congress to Implement the CLASS Act

/in /by The Arc

Washington, D.C. – The Arc and United Cerebral Palsy (UCP) restate their support for the Community Living Assistance Services and Supports (CLASS) program. Both The Arc and UCP worked hard to support passage of the CLASS Act and support full implementation of the program.

The CLASS program is a new long term care insurance program. It is financed by voluntary payroll deductions and will provide a cash benefit for individuals with functional limitations. CLASS plan benefits can be used for personal care attendants, assistive technology, home accessibility modifications, and other supports and services that help people with disabilities to function in their daily lives.

UCP and The Arc support the CLASS program, in part, due to our concern that individuals and families should not be forced to impoverish themselves to cover the costs of services they or their family members need in the event of disability or advancing age. Long-term services and supports can put enormous strain on both families as well as the federal-state Medicaid program. Both organizations believe it is imperative that the hard-fought CLASS program be fully implemented.

Nearly half of all funding for long term services is now provided through Medicaid, which is a growing burden on states and requires individuals to become and remain poor to receive the help they need. There is also an institutional bias in Medicaid whereby approximately two-thirds of all spending is directed towards nursing homes and other institutions instead of preferred community-based services and supports.

The CLASS program is a national solution to a national problem. The plan should give consumers access to a broad array of support options, including a continuum of home and community-based supportive services. This new system will ultimately relieve pressure on Medicaid. The new system should promote independence and dignity across the lifespan by ensuring beneficiaries the right to control and choose what services they receive, how and where they are delivered, and who provides them.

We are pleased by the renewed attention to the CLASS program brought about by today’s hearing in the House Energy and Commerce Committee’s Health Subcommittee. We urge members of Congress to ensure that the CLASS program is fully implemented as soon as possible so that the working public may begin to participate in the program and insure themselves against future need.

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The Arc to New Hampshire State Rep. Harty: People With Disabilities Are Valued and Achieve

/in /by The Arc

Washington, DC – Comments by State Representative Martin Harty of New Hampshire that “the mentally ill, the retarded, people with physical disabilities…the defective people society would be better off without,” should be shipped to Siberia, harkens back to the darkest days of history for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities when forced institutionalization and sterilization was commonplace.

“Rep. Harty’s remarks are reprehensible and should be condemned by his constituents and colleagues alike. Our society has long ago recognized that people with intellectual and developmental disabilities are part of the fabric of our society with the right to be included and participate in the community,”  said Peter V. Berns, Chief Executive Officer of The Arc.  “While we don’t believe that Rep. Harty views are representative of America’s elected officials, these remarks are especially chilling as budget slashing across the nation threatens the well being of our most vulnerable” Berns added

In 1962, President John F. Kennedy, Jr., sounded a clarion call to bring people with IDD out of the shadows and into the light and affirmed the fundamental value of people with IDD and their potential to achieve in every aspect of society.  In the face of Representative Harty’s outrageous behavior, we need to be reminded of that message today.

“People with IDD can and should lead lives of inclusion and opportunity, realizing their full potential in school, the workplace and throughout the community.  The Arc stands with them as valued, contributing members of their community, and calls on people of good conscience in New Hampshire and nationwide to do the same.” Berns said.

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The Arc Launches Dynamic New National Brand Identity

/in /by The Arc

Washington, D.C. – The Arc, the largest organization advocating for and serving people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD), including Down syndrome, autism, FASD, cerebral palsy and other diagnoses, is changing its look and adopting a new visual identity. The Arc is joined in the launch of this rebranding initiative by state and local chapters representing more than 30 states.

“This is an exciting time in The Arc’s history,” said Peter V. Berns, CEO of The Arc. Our powerful, new, shared identify reflects the energy and the action of our organization as we work to transform the lives of people with IDD.  This impactful and fresh identity will move us further in revitalizing The Arc – an organization that has been on the frontlines of advocacy and service for over 60 years –by harnessing the incredible power of those we serve.”

The Arc’s vibrant new logo and tagline communicate the organization’s commitment to promoting and protecting the human rights of people with IDD and actively supporting their full inclusion and participation in the community throughout their lifetimes. The Arc’s logo is
emblematic of the organization’s embracing nature with the flowing “catalyst” icon; a burst of energy is symbolic of our support of independence. The new tagline, Achieve with us, conveys The Arc as a provider of opportunity, hope, growth and change.

The Arc’s new identity grew out of a lengthy, collaborative effort that began in spring 2008 and has involved literally thousands of The Arc’s volunteer and staff leaders, constituents and other stakeholders to create a visionary plan for the future: The Strategic Framework 2010-2019. A survey of chapters of The Arc demonstrated widespread support to rebrand and create a more compelling vision for The Arc.

The launch of The Arc’s new brand coincides with the commemoration of Developmental Disability Awareness Month in March. Nearly a quarter century ago, The Arc’s advocacy led to President Ronald Reagan officially proclaiming March to be Developmental Disabilities (DD) Awareness Month. Chapters of The Arc across the nation are celebrating DD Awareness Month with special events and activities. Over the past six decades, The Arc has championed groundbreaking legislation that has improved the lives of people with IDD.

“There is tremendous energy and ‘buzz’ as we begin to implement The Arc’s new brand identity” said Mohan Mehra, Board President of The Arc. “This will help raise public awareness of The Arc and translate to greater support at both the local and national levels. I am especially invested in the new brand and have been involved since the start of the process. Having served as a business manager with Kraft Foods with experience in business strategy, marketing and sales I know that a new brand can make a real difference.”

The Arc selected CoreBrand, an award-winning branding firm, to design and execute the new identity led by Brand Director Jonathan Paisner.  “As a branding consultant, this was the rare opportunity to help discover and unleash a powerful brand simply waiting to be born,” Paisner said.  “A true collective voice –- one shared by and reflected in over 700 chapters – will certainly be a boon to fundraising, volunteerism and visibility in the corporate world. Yet the true impact of a greater national presence will ultimately bring all of these elements together to advance The Arc’s goals of inclusion, hope, opportunity and achievement.”

The look and feel of the new brand will advance further with the May 10, 2011 national announcement of The Arc’s FINDS (Family and Individual Needs for Disability Supports) survey results at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C.  The FINDS survey will yield a candid and current view on issues concerning the needs for disability supports across the lifespan. This unprecedented assessment of data from nearly 6,000 individuals will enable those in the field to better understand what services are available, what gaps exist and what new supports are needed.

Today, across the United States, the 700+ chapters of The Arc share common goals:

  • The Arc is embracing, determined and experienced in promoting and protecting the rights of people with IDD;
  • The Arc provides key needed services and supports across the arc of a lifetime and across diagnoses, such as Down syndrome, autism and many other intellectual and developmental disabilities.
  • The Arc is banding together around the new and vigorous identity that embodies the energy and movement of The Arc to help people with IDD feel empowered and included.

“We are thrilled,” Berns added, “that upon the launch today we will have more than 150 of The Arc’s state and local chapters simultaneously unveil The Arc’s new brand identity in communities across the country.  With close to 25% of chapters of The Arc on board already, and more chapters signing on daily, the successful implementation of our new brand strategy is well underway,” Berns explained.

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The Arc and UCP to Create New Policy Operations

/in /by The Arc

Since 2003, the Disability Policy Collaboration (DPC) has been the shared public policy arm of UCP and The Arc. The DPC focuses on federal legislative and regulatory efforts to improve the lives of individuals with disabilities and their families.

Since its inception, the DPC has been a vital force in shaping federal legislation to advance the lives of people with disabilities and, most recently, played a significant role in the passage of Health Care Reform as well as Rosa’s Law.

With the announced retirement of Staff Director Paul Marchand in December 2010, the two organizations began a reassessment of the collaboration to determine the most effective way to engage in advocacy and policy efforts in the future.

Effective April 1, 2011, the DPC will cease and each organization will resume its own public policy program while continuing to join together on select projects as well as actively participate as members of the Consortium for Citizens with Disabilities (CCD).

“We are proud of all that the DPC has accomplished over its eight years, pushing for civil rights protections and public policies that provide support to ensure fair and full citizenship for people with disabilities,” said Stephen Bennett, President and Chief Executive Officer of United Cerebral Palsy. “We look forward to continuing our partnership with The Arc, both as a member of CCD and through shared, targeted projects. We believe that our new approach will only expand the number and strength of advocates striving to create a life without limits for people with disabilities.”

“The efforts of the DPC have had an immeasurable impact on federal legislation and regulatory efforts that improve the lives of people with disabilities and their families,” said Peter V. Berns, CEO of The Arc. “As we move forward, The Arc and UCP will continue to be vigorous advocates for people with disabilities and to create opportunity in every aspect of their lives.”

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The Arc and the Autism Society Annouce Collaboration on the Autism NOW Center

/in /by The Arc

The Arc and the Autism Society collaborate on Autism NOW: The National Autism Information and Resource Center — a National Initiative of The Arc and funded by the Administration on Developmental Disabilities. The partnership will include the engagement of the Autism Society in several aspects of the Center’s activities, including participation on the National Advisory Committee, providing information and referral services through the Autism Society’s AutismSource™ national contact center, and utilizing the Autism Society’s chapter network to disseminate information to the broader autism community about the Autism NOW Center’s activities and resources.

“We are thrilled that Autism Society will play such an important role in the operations and outreach of the Autism NOW Center,” stated Peter V. Berns, CEO of The Arc. “The Arc and Autism Society working together will ensure that more families connected to autism and other developmental disabilities have more meaningful resources and solutions for their needs.”

“We are looking forward to working with The Arc on Autism NOW to ensure that individuals on the autism spectrum and their families get the help they need in finding quality resources,” said Lee Grossman, President and CEO of the Autism Society. “We applaud  the Administration on Developmental Disabilities for responding to the community’s call for this much needed national resource and are pleased to contribute to it.” The Autism Society has provided information and referral services to the community through AutismSource since 1971.

In October, The Arc received an award of $1.87 million for fiscal year 2010 to establish a national resource and information center on Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and other developmental disabilities. In collaboration with several key partners, The Arc is implementing an innovative and dynamic initiative to engage and leverage a national network of disability, aging, military, and family organizations to deliver information and resources relevant to individuals with ASD and other developmental disabilities. More information about the Center can be found at autismnow.org.

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The Arc Announces New Members to Serve on National Board

/in /by The Arc

Washington, D.C.—A roster of dynamic new members have joined the national board of The Arc. This distinguished group includes activists in the intellectual and development disability (IDD) movement and leaders from a wide range of professions, including business.

The new board includes a vice president of one of the world’s leading investment groups, a former Policy Director for a United States Senator, a corporate attorney, an executive with MetLife and a coach with the Washington Redskins football team.

“It is my privilege to serve as the new President of The Arc,” said Mohan Mehra who has served on The Arc’s Board of Directors since 2004. “This remarkable group shares the quality of being deeply committed to improving the lives of people with IDD and each brings talent, energy, insight and experience. This is an exciting time for The Arc as we assume our position as the largest human service organization in this country serving those with intellectual and developmental disabilities. I look forward to working with board members to move us into the future,” Mehra said.

“The Arc is moving in a clear, new direction as we experience rapid growth including plans to launch a fresh and powerful brand identity this spring. These leaders will help to reinvigorate our organization and propel us even further with their passion and energy. The board brings additional bench strength to The Arc in their communities and nationally; their unique skills will complement and enhance the board’s collective contributions,” said Peter V. Berns, CEO of The Arc.

In a recent survey by Forbes magazine of the 200 largest U.S. charities, The Arc ranks eight (8) in total revenue https://www.forbes.com/lists/2010/14/charity-10_land.html?boxes=listschannelinsidelists

National Board Members of The Arc:

  • President: Mohan Mehra served as Secretary of The Arc and has been a member of the Board of Directors since 2004.
  • Vice President: Nancy Webster, who has served on the Board since 2002.
  • Treasurer: Ron Brown has served on the Board since 2006.
  • Secretary for the Board: Michael Mack, who previously served as Vice President and as Treasurer.
  • M.J. Bartelmay, Hermitage, PA. Immediate Past President of The Arc of Pennsylvania. Previously served as Director at Large on The Arc’s national board.
  • Barbara Coppens, Cherry Hill, NJ, Self-Advocate, Advocate Assistant with Disability Rights New Jersey.
  • Hugh M. Evans, CFA, Baltimore, MD. Vice President of T. Rowe Price Group, Inc.
  • Connie Garner, Ph.D., Burke, VA. Policy Director with the law firm of Foley Hoag LLP. Former Policy Director, Special Populations for the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) where she worked closely with the late Sen. Edward M. Kennedy.
  • Gary Horner, Chief Financial Officer, ACHIEVA. Elected by the National Conference of
    Executives (NCE) to serve a two year term as NCE’s second representative.
  • Thomas A. Judd, Minneapolis, Minnesota. Attorney, Fredrikson & Byron P.A.
  • Joe Meadours, Sacramento, CA. Self-Advocate and Executive Director of People First of
    California. Elected to a second term on the Board.
  • Pat Napoliello, San Francisco. Founder of the California Alliance for Inclusive Communities and former President of The Arc of San Francisco. Elected to a second term on the Board.
  • Kurt Rutzen, Minneapolis, MN. Self-Advocate. Program Specialist for the University of
    Minnesota Institute on Community Integration’s Research and Training Center on Community Living.
  • Lou Spanos, Pittsburgh, PA. Linebackers coach for the Washington Redskins. Previously spent 16 seasons as a defensive assistant with the Pittsburgh Steelers.
  • Directors-At-Large
    • Doug Church, Oak Hill, VA. Vice Chairman, Virginia Heritage Bank.
    • Kelly Piacenti, Chester, NJ. Director of the MetLife Center for Special Needs Planning.
    • Stacy Taylor, San Diego, CA. Partner in the international law firm DLA Piper.

The Arc is especially grateful to Lynne A. Cleveland who served as the President of the national board since October, 2008 and has served on the Board of Directors of The Arc since 2000.

The Arc also thanks our outgoing Board members: Kim Brown, Shirley Dove, Bill Dusold, Chester Finn, Janet Albert-Herman, Cindy Johnson, Mary V. Jordan, and Deb Seman, NCE Representative to the Board.

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The Arc Receives ACF Award of $1.87 Million for National Autism Resource and Information Center

/in /by The Arc

Washington, DC – The Administration on Developmental Disabilities (ADD), within the Administration for Children and Families (ACF) at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, announced yesterday that The Arc will receive an award of $1.87 million for fiscal year 2010 to establish a national resource and information center on Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and other developmental disabilities.

The Arc, in collaboration with several key partners, will implement an innovative and dynamic initiative, called Autism NOW: The National Autism Resource and Information Center, to engage and leverage a national network of disability, aging, military, and family organizations to deliver information and resources relevant to individuals with ASD and other developmental disabilities.

“The Arc and our partners are primed and ready to build a dynamic resource to address the needs of people with ASD and other developmental disabilities through this national network. We are proud to have the opportunity to launch Autism NOW, a much needed resource. It is especially significant that self-advocates will have a meaningful role in leading, implementing and realizing the goals of this innovative project,” said Peter V. Berns, CEO of The Arc.

Other partners include the Autistic Self Advocacy Network (ASAN), and Self Advocates Becoming Empowered (SABE) to provide expertise from the self-advocate perspective. For research expertise in key areas across the lifespan in ASD and other developmental disabilities, The Arc has partnered with members of the Association of University Centers on Disabilities (AUCD) Network, also referred to as UCEDDs (University Centers on Excellence in Developmental Disabilities), the Institute for Community Inclusion from the University of Massachusetts, the Developmental Disabilities Institute from Wayne State University, and the Center for Community Inclusion and Disability Studies from the University of Maine.

For deep policy expertise in areas of autism, family support, health care implementation, and aging, partners incude Brandeis University’s Heller School of Public Policy and the National Council on Aging (NCOA). The Arc has engaged a national dissemination team that will connect efforts to key stakeholders in every state and territory in the United States, including the National Association of Councils on Developmental Disabilities (NACDD), National Disability Rights Network (NDRN), Association of University Centers on Disabilities (AUCD), the National Military Family Association (NFMA), National Council on Independent Living (NCIL), and the American Association on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (AAIDD). Other key autism organizations will also be included in the Center’s activities.

The project will be led by Ann Cameron Caldwell, Ph.D., the Chief Research and Innovations Officer for The Arc and Tonia Ferguson, Special Projects Director.  “The new National Autism Resource and Information Center will fill a great need in the autism community by providing high-quality resources and information on community-based services and interventions for people with ASD and their families.  The Arc understands the challenges that families face; and we also recognize the vast contributions that people with ASD and other intellectual and developmental disabilities make to our societies and communities,” Caldwell said. “We are proud to have people that identify as having ASD or other intellectual and developmental disabilities (self-advocates) as full partners leading and implementing this initiative.”

“Autism is a heart-wrenching condition that presents special challenges for many families,” said HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius. “We want families to know that we are listening to them, and
the release of this grant award, brings us one step closer to providing the resources needed to improve the quality of life for people with ASD and other developmental disabilities.”

“People with ASD and other developmental disabilities face significant challenges in accessing the supports they need,” said Commissioner Sharon Lewis of ADD. “This new center will serve to connect people with ASD and their families to services and activities that promote self-determination, independence, and inclusion in the community.”

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The Arc Calls for Boycott of “Pennhurst Asylum” as a Horror Attraction

/in /by The Arc

Assails Use of Notorious Institution as Halloween Fright House

If there is any “haunting” on the 110-acre former site of the Pennhurst State School and Hospital in East Vincent Township, Pennsylvania, it is in the dark vestiges of an institution where residents with disabilities were abused, neglected, beaten, and sexually assaulted.

Shockingly, the suburban Philadelphia Pennhurst site, which closed in 1987, has now become the location that two developers are using to stage a commercial horror house attraction, scheduled to open to the public on Friday, September 24, called “Pennhurst Asylum.”

The Arc, The Arc of Pennsylvania, The Arc of Chester County, and hundreds of advocates for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) in neighboring states are calling on their members and the public to boycott the new attraction, which desecrates one of our nation’s most notorious state institutions.

U.S. District Judge Raymond J. Broderick ruled against Pennhurst in a 1977 class action suit finding the institution guilty of violating patient’s constitutional rights. When it was forced to close in 1987 in the wake of allegations of abuse, it sparked the process of deinstitutionalization; the remaining 460 patients were discharged to live in the community, transferred to other facilities or provided with treatment plans guided by family members.

The Arc of Pennsylvania was a key plaintiff in the litigation that resulted in Pennhurst’s closure to stop overcrowding and abuse sending a strong message about the mistreatment of this vulnerable population.

“This outrageous, offensive and disgraceful business venture is an assault on the historical memory of Pennhurst and diminishes the pain of real people with disabilities who endured unspeakable abuse within its walls. “Pennhurst Asylum” exploits the suffering that took place there and undermines meaningful efforts to eradicate stereotypes and negative perceptions that persist in society against people with disabilities,” said Peter V. Berns, CEO of The Arc.

This fright-filled Halloween themed atrocity, according to property owner Richard Chakejian and his partner Randy Bates, aims to attract customers between 12 and 20 years old. Visitors will be “entertained” and scared by an electro-shock therapy scene with a Frankenstein-like monster; an autopsy room will contain some artifacts that the developers said were found on the property.

Reports of the torso of a female monster, complete with a skeleton face in the autopsy room, is said to “mimic” former residents of Pennhurst or people with disabilities. It’s been reported that in response to these claims, Chakejian said, “This is all traditional Halloween fun.”

Despite a lawsuit filed on Tuesday, by a resident of the East Vincent Township, seeking a court injunction to halt the property development of the Pennhurst property, Chakejian in partnership with Bates, who owns and operates Bates Motel and Haunted Hayride in Glen Mills, PA, are moving forward.

“The Arc is making a plea to all people of good conscience to join us in standing against the opening of this truly horrifying project as well as Mr. Bates’ other attraction, The Bates Motel/Haunted Hayride. We want to send a strong message to business people such as Mr. Bates that the public will not tolerate commercial enterprises which are so disrespectful of a large group of people. While we have come far in the struggle to ensure that people with disabilities are not abused, neglected or mistreated, the “Pennhurst Asylum” is an ugly reminder of how far we have to go,” Berns said.