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WILKES-BARRE &mdash; Despite Gov. Tom Wolf&rsquo;s veto of a bill that would place a moratorium on the closure of any state center, local legislators have vowed to override the action.
				On Wednesday, Wolf vetoed Senate Bill 906, which would have put a moratorium on the closing of any state center and was introduced after the Department of Human Services announced the closing of two of the remaining four state centers &mdash; White Haven in Luzerne County, and Polk, in Venango County.
				DHS&rsquo;s Office of Developmental Programs operates the four intermediate care residential facilities for individuals with intellectual disabilities.
				The bill would have blocked the closure of any state center for at least five years and put the decision to close any state center in the hands of the task force created by the bill.
				State Rep. Gerald Mullery, D-Newport Township, was the first legislator to vehemently object to the governor&rsquo;s veto.
				&ldquo;Gov. Wolf&rsquo;s decision to close the White Haven and Polk centers was wrong and his decision to veto legislation designed to protect our most vulnerable neighbors is equally wrong,&rdquo; Mullery said. &ldquo;Gov. Wolf&rsquo;s cavalier dismissal of these residents&rsquo; desires, their families&rsquo; concerns, and their caregivers&rsquo; commitment is disheartening.&rdquo;
				Wolf statement
				In an emailed statement, Wolf said, &ldquo;All people deserve the opportunity to live among their family and peers in integrated, supportive homes. Quality home and community-based care should be the priority for the individuals we serve.
				&ldquo;Community care results in better outcomes for individuals with disabilities. Individuals with disabilities should be offered an everyday life as fully integrated members of our communities. My goal is to serve more individuals in the community, reduce reliance on institutional care, and improve access to home and community-based services.
				&ldquo;This legislation does not promote this investment and transition to community-based care for individuals with a disability. Instead, this legislation continues the reliance on institutionalization and is a barrier to community living.&rdquo;
				Wolf went on to say that specifically, the legislation is in response to the recent announcement of the closures of Polk State Center and White Haven State Center. He said the two centers are large institutions that are costly to maintain and do not promote community living.
				&ldquo;As individuals have transitioned to the community, the need for state-operated centers has declined,&rdquo; Wolf said. &ldquo;It should be acknowledged that closures of state centers have always been controversial.&rdquo;
				Wolf said the process that DHS has followed for state center closure announcements was established to provide for the transition of residents and staff and to honor agreements with the employee unions. He said the department has followed this announcement procedure for the last two decades.
				&ldquo;The Department fully understands the gravity of the decision to close a center and has extensive procedures in place for such closures,&rdquo; Wolf said.
				Mullery: &lsquo;Callous veto&rsquo;
				But Mullery sees the governor&rsquo;s action differently.
				&ldquo;To issue this callous veto in the face of the recent Office of Inspector General report is nothing more than repulsive,&rdquo; Mullery said. &ldquo;Not only are our community-based care providers failing their residents, our Department of Human Services is complicit in their failings and unprepared or unwilling to protect our intellectual and developmentally disabled citizens. Anyone who read the OIG report would agree the need for a moratorium is correct and necessary.&rdquo;
				Mullery said the governor appears more interested in saving face with interest groups like The Arc than ensuring the safety and well-being of the centers&rsquo; residents.
				&rdquo;His citation of cost savings is disgusting,&rdquo; Mullery said. &ldquo;My mother told me a long time ago, you get what you pay for. When it comes to caring for those with intellectual and developmental disabilities, nothing could be truer.&rdquo;
				Mullery added, &ldquo;This cannot be the end. The voiceless need our representation now more than ever. I will do everything in my power to secure enough votes to override this inhumane veto.&rdquo;
				Rep. Tarah Toohil, R-Butler Township, called Wolf&rsquo;s veto &ldquo;ill-advised&rdquo; and said she and others in the House &ldquo;who support the centers, our attention will now focus on securing enough votes for an override &#8230; so that residents and their families have a choice in where they live and the care they want to receive.&rdquo;
				&ldquo;Although not unexpected, I am still greatly disappointed by the governor&rsquo;s veto of Senate Bill 906. This legislation would have provided for a five-year pause to ensure families, residents, caretakers and clinicians are all heard from to ensure every aspect of the lives impacted by a closure are considered before another state center is closed for good,&rdquo; Toohil said in a news release.
				Senators issue statement
				State Sens. John Yudichak, I-Swoyersville; Lisa Baker, R-Lehman Township; Scott Hutchinson, R-Oil City; and Michele Brooks, R-Jamestown, released a joint statement regarding Wolf&rsquo;s veto of SB-906:
				&ldquo;We are profoundly disappointed with Gov. Wolf&rsquo;s decision to veto Senate Bill 906 &mdash; a bipartisan bill that would have empowered families with what we believe is their right to choose the best level of care for their loved ones with intellectual disabilities.
				&ldquo;The Administration&rsquo;s decision to close White Haven and Polk State Centers ignores the voices of families and mounting data that underscores the shortcomings of limiting choices on how best to serve individuals with intellectual disabilities.
				&ldquo;Furthermore, the governor&rsquo;s veto of Senate Bill 906 is devastating for the family members, the dedicated employees and the individuals with intellectual disabilities who call White Haven and Polk State Centers home.&rdquo;

Mullery, Toohil vow to override Wolf veto on center closure moratorium bill