Options closing limits choices

To the editor:

Regarding the column about Henry's Turkey Service ('Another bunkhouse of horrors,” Dec. 27) and the horrific conditions in which these men worked and lived:

This situation was terrible and should never be allowed to happen again. But, that does not mean that all sheltered workshops are mere copies of Henry's.

On the contrary, the sheltered workshops in the Linn County area are CARF (Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities) certified, operated by well trained and dedicated staff, and open to the public for visits.

Despite the fact that they are operated under these strict standards, all of them will be closing in the near future. The decisions to close them are directly tied to the need to comply with various, if not misguided, federal regulations regarding the funding and the operation of these facilities.

The outcome of these closure decisions will be that many of the intellectually disabled workers employed there today will be left without any job and safe place to go during the day to socialize. These federal regulations are reducing choices for adults such as my son who works at Options of Linn County. When his program closes in 2016, he will have a choice of getting a community based job (not a choice for him, due to other medical conditions) or integrated day habilitation (not a choice either, same reasons), or stay at home. When this happens it will break his heart, no more job, no more friends, no more satisfaction of a job well done.

Kathy Harwood

Cedar Rapids