Lawmakers praise ARC officials and clients

Elected officials in the region see plenty of positives with some ongoing challenges in making life less stressful for those with disabilities.

Three Southern Maryland lawmakers were guests on The ARC of Southern Maryland's podcast on Feb. 21 in observance of Developmental and Disabilities Day in Annapolis. The annual event — also known as "DD Day" — is co-sponsored by the Maryland Disabilities Council and Developmental Disabilities Coalition.

The podcast was moderated by Rita Rich of The ARC and featured comments from Del. Todd Morgan (R-St. Mary’s, Calvert), Del. Edith Patterson (D-Charles) and Sen. Jack Bailey (R-Calvert, St. Mary’s).

One of the guests on the podcast was Christina Rockcliff of Spring Dell Center in La Plata. Rockcliff 49, told the legislators that despite her challenges she works three jobs — at a pet store, a senior center and as part of the cleanup crew at Regency Furniture Stadium in Waldorf.

“We want to prove we can do this,” Rockcliff said when describing what motivates her.

“Always, you do not have enough funding to support your programs,” Patterson told ARC officials, adding that is wrong for able-bodied citizens to underestimate the physically challenged.

“You are not invisible,” Patterson told Rockcliff. “You are part of our economy. You are part of our society.”

“There are a lot of pressure points in Annapolis, but this is not a political issue,” Bailey said. “We work as a group.”

The state senator noted that lawmakers from both sides came together two years ago to have a facility affiliated with the Kennedy Krieger Institute based in Baltimore located in St. Mary's County. The project was undertaken to spare families of children with developmental disabilities with having to drive from Southern Maryland to Baltimore on a daily basis.

Bailey said the region’s lawmakers also partnered with the “federal delegation” to procure funds for the project.

The state senator added that the regional delegation’s next focus should be on developing “a facility for lifelong learning.”

“In all three counties, we love what ARC is doing,” Morgan said, adding that he became aware of the agency’s challenges — especially transportation for clients — while he was a St. Mary’s County commissioner.

For more information on The ARC of Southern Maryland, including its podcast "See Me. See My Ability," go to arcsomd.org.