Letter: Nevada should provide more handicapped funding

Tuesday, Dec. 17, 1996 | 11:59 a.m.

We spend many years training the students of our school to become productive members of our society. We work with our students to give them the skills necessary to participate in day-activity centers, workshop programs, work enclaves and/or supported employment in the community. Our students will lose these skills if they have to wait months and years for a placement in one of these programs in our community. We must give these community programs adequate funding to provide our students with mental retardation a chance to become working and active members of our society.

I would ask our state leaders to please reconsider the budget to provide these specialized programs to individuals with mental retardation. These students must have an opportunity waiting for them when they leave our school. Please open the door for all our students to have a meaningful placement in a community training center and/or a job placement when they leave Helen J. Stewart School. I want to thank the Las Vegas SUN for its support of the funding for community programs for individuals with mental retardation.

Leni H. Proctor