Forum to Gauge Impact of Willowbrook School's Closing

Staten Island Advance - Friday, September 28, 2007

The 20th anniversary of the closing of Willowbrook State School will be commemorated at an Oct. 12 conference at the College of Staten Island, it was announced yesterday.

The public forum will focus on what the closing of the state-run facility meant to Staten Island as a community, as well as the impact on the quality of life of people with disabilities and their families, organizers said.

Willowbrook became synonymous with the mistreatment of children and young adults with developmental disabilities. It was officially closed by the state on Sept. 17, 1987, after journalistic exposés, including one done by the Advance, highlighted overcrowding and abuse of those who lived within its confines on what is now the campus of CSI.

"This event helps us remember the Willowbrook State School, and reminds us that Willowbrook holds academic and historic importance, not only to the residents, staff and families directly involved with its operation, but also the disabilities rights movement," said CSI President Dr. Tomas Morales. "We embrace the history of our campus and consider it not only a resource for remembrance, but also a source of pride and connection to the entire disabilities community."

The conference will be held at 1 p.m. in the Williamson Theatre of CSI's Center for the Arts. The hour-long program, which will feature 11 speakers, is slated to be followed by a 25-minute audience question-and-comments session.

One speaker, Henry Kennedy, a long-time advocate for people with disabilities, said: "As a parent of a young woman with developmental disabilities, I applaud the commitment of parents and advocates who fought to close Willowbrook and other such institutions in New York state. We celebrate their hard work and recognize that it continues today to resonate in the services, educational programs and community housing opportunities available for those with developmental disabilities."

In addition to Dr. Morales and Kennedy, other speakers will include: Diana Ritter, commissioner of the New York State Office of Mental Retardation and Developmental Disabilities (OMRDD); David Booth, who oversees borough operations of OMRDD; Nona Brathwaite, former Willowbrook resident and advocate; Dr. Ted Brown, director of the Institute for Basic Research; Diane Buglioli, director of A Very Special Place and a former Willowbrook worker; Christine Cea, CSI Foundation board member and parent of a disabled child; Lorraine DeSantis, chair of the Staten Island Developmental Disabilities Council and parent of a disabled child; David Goode, CSI professor of sociology and Willowbrook historian; and Margaret Venditti, director of the CSI Office of Disability Services.

Noted Goode: "On the 20th anniversary of the closing of Willowbrook, it is important for us to commemorate how, through courage, cooperation and hard work, good was ultimately able to be made out of a bad situation. It is also an opportunity to consider where we are and where we would like to be regarding matters of disability in our community."

The event is open to the public and is free of charge. If you would like to attend, organizers ask that you notify CSI's advancement office at 718-982-2365.

By Judy L. Randall
Reprinted here with permission from the