Editorial: Welcome boost for disabled

Friday, Jan. 26, 2001 | 9:28 a.m.

Gov. Kenny Guinn's funding increase for programs that aid the disabled -- such as making it easier to keep their jobs while still receiving government services -- is welcome. Guinn also wants to create a new Office of Disability Resource Development and Planning, which should result in one-stop shopping for disabled individuals seeking government services.

Most disabled advocates cheered Guinn's initiatives, including the doubling of the amount of state funds that are dedicated to keeping physically disabled individuals at home with their families instead of staying in institutional care (going from $1.2 million to $2.4 million). But some advocates are concerned that a new agency wouldn't be a stand-alone department since it will be housed within the Department of Human Resources. The key, however, isn't where a new office is placed on the bureaucratic tree. The real issue is ensuring that the governor and the Legislature maintain a commitment to providing an efficient delivery of these services.

Recent years have seen progress, as Americans with severe disabilities get back into the mainstream of society. And while the federal Americans with Disabilities Act has been maligned by some business groups as too onerous, the fact is that successful businesses understand that disabled accommodations not only are the right thing to do, but they also are smart business decisions that increase the number of customers they serve. For that matter, Guinn's recommendations to the Legislature are part of government's proper role -- at both the state and federal level -- to ensure that disabled individuals are given the opportunity to succeed, too.