Economics alone don’t appear to be enough to settle the emotionally-charged debate surrounding the future of institutions for people with developmental disabilities.

In Texas, where legislators are struggling to bridge a $15 to $25 billion budget gap, disability advocates who favor closing large institutions thought economic concerns would be on their side this year, arguing that caring for individuals in the community is less costly.

But as the state’s legislative session comes to a close, that doesn’t appear likely. The state House has endorsed closing one facility, but Senate legislation is less clear. And political capital seems to be on the side of retaining the status quo.

That’s welcome news for some. Many families of those living in institutions oppose closing the facilities that they say provide complete care at a reasonable cost for their loved ones, reports The Texas Tribune. To read more click here.

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