A number of local parents called the 17 newsroom, worried that a move to reduce the state's budget deficit, could leave their disabled children with no place to go.
Chateau D'Bakersfield has about 150 clients with either physical or mental impairments, and most of them pay for the Monday through Friday program with Medi-Cal, but the state wants to save money by cutting that funding.
Manuela Martinez's 28-year-old son, Carlos, needs almost constant care, but for the past three years he's attended Chateau D'Bakersfield.
Chateau staff provide daily medical monitoring, physical, occupational and speech therapy as well as social activities.
"These kids would not have a life if it wasn't for this program, this is their life," said parent William Julien, whose 22-yeary-old son with Downe Syndrome attends Chateau D'Bakersfield.
Martinez says she's seen a change in Carlos since he started coming to Chateau. "He comes home excited he comes home happy," said Martinez.
There's a move to eliminate Adult Day Health Care funding by the state, it would save more than 100 million dollars, but affect thousands of elderly or disabled people state-wide.
"The cost that ADHC saves the state is a lot greater than they would save by closing ADHC's," said Sam Mohan, the CEO of Chateau D'Bakersfield. Mohan says ADHC's keep clients from costing the state more by having to go to the emergency room, critical care or nursing homes.
Mohan says those are just the monetary benefits. "This program is actually prolonging their lives."
Many parents with adult children or family members at Chateau D'Bakersfield wonder where their loved ones would go if it weren't for ADHC's.
"I would have to stop working first of all, because someone would have to be home with her," said Yvette Gaston, a parent of a 22-year-old disabled daughter. "We have to find a way to help them understand that they can't just throw our children out on the streets, what will they do, what will they, how will they keep growing?" asked Manuela.
Kern Regional Center is another local resource for developmentally disabled people, and it would stay open even if the state cuts ADHC funding, but it only serves those who've had a disability since childhood.
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