Recent changes in state and federal mental health regulations have deepened concerns for parents with developmentally disabled children. Cara Thomas explains the state is slowly doing away with adult homes and sheltered workshops and instead integrating those with special needs into the community. 

UTICA, N.Y. -- To most people these tedious jobs may seem like a burden, but for the men and women who work at the ARC, these jobs give them purpose. 

Pat Villelo's son Tommy has downs syndrome. She said, "One of the jobs Tommy does is collating papers, putting packages together, kind of like assembly line jobs, a little mundane but a lot of these kids love that."

Sheltered workshops are places of employment for people with developmental disabilities, like downs syndrome or autism. 

"My son is non-verbal, so he can't really express a lot. So in the workshop he's with people he knows, the supervisors, the staff they know him, he feels comfortable. It's just a beautiful fit for him and I'd hate to see it go away," said Patty Femia, about her autistic son, Vincent. 

While many parents and guardians feel these workshops are the best place for their loved ones, New York State and the federal government feel differently. Instead, they are funding the integration of special needs adults into the community and at competitive jobs."

"I don't think Vincent would be able to alone. He could probably do it, but with a work coach. So that would kind of isolate him a little bit," said Femia.

Some of these special needs employees live at home, being cared for by a parent or guardian, but that situation can't continue forever. 

"As parents and care givers we're not going to live forever and where are our kids going to go to live?" said Villelo. 

Normally people with developmental disabilities would move into an adult home, but the state has decreased funding to those facilities and are instead moving disabled people into community apartments. 

Villelo said, "We need residences to continue to be opened, certified residences. A lot of our kids can't live in supportive apartments." 

Parent Advocates for the Developmentally Disabled spoke with local legislators Thursday morning about their concerns. They're hoping they'll take these insights back to Albany, and roll back some of the changes. 

According to the 2015-2016 proposed budget, the Office of Mental Health and the Office for People with Developmental Disabilities will be seeing an increase in funding this year, but parents say those funds are going towards things their children don't need. 

Back in 2012, Governor Cuomo created a committee who recommended the integration of developmentally disabled adults into the community, giving equal opportunities to all people. Click here for the full Report and Recommendations of the Olmstead Cabinet.

For a full look at the 2015-2016 executive budget's mental health chapter and see where state funds are going, click here.