Our view: Bill inspired by local woman would give extra protection to developmentally disabled

Thanks to a Ramona woman, Californians with developmental disabilities may get the protection from abuse that they have long needed.

As part of a University of San Diego graduate-level class on lobbying, Maureen Carasiti hit upon the idea of creating a single statewide registry of abusive caretakers. Carasiti is executive director of Noah Homes, a residential program in Spring Valley for adults with developmental disabilities, such as mental retardation, cerebral palsy, epilepsy and autism.

Today, facilities for the developmentally disabled may be licensed by different agencies that do not routinely share information. A home for the developmentally disabled, for instance, may be licensed under one agency, but a day program for the developmentally disabled could be licensed by another.

Unlike most "there oughta be a law" outbursts, this one actually had legs. The result is the Registry to End Abuse Caretaker Hiring, or the REACH Project, proposed as Assembly Bill 1192 by Assemblywoman Noreen Evans, D-Santa Rosa.

If the bill passes, the Department of Developmental Services would start investigating reports of abusive treatment toward the developmentally disabled and tracking such abusers through a registry.

This bill will be considered by the Assembly Appropriations Committee on Thursday. Legislators should support this effort to protect some of the most defenseless of our fellow Californians.