Richard Messier
Richard, was admitted to Southbury Training School in 1965, at the age of 21. He received no educational or vocational rehabilitation and did not have any visitor from the outside between 1968 and 1991. He had no spoken language, he learned none while he was there. He was considered beyond rehabilitation, Richard seemed destined to spend the rest of his life at the Institution.
In 1991, Jean N. Bowen, then Executive Director of WeCAHR and Mark Olander, now Arc/CT President met Richard for the first time while visiting a cottage. Jean, WeCAHR advocates and Tom Nerney, who became his guardian, began an effort to change his life.
That effort came together on December 13, 1995 when Richard moved into a home of his own. Gaining control of the money for Richard was a critical part of the plan because it allowed Richard to move into his own home rather than into another group setting. A fiduciary (or fiscal intermediary) was hired to help Richard pay his bills and receive the money from DMR. Kirkey Barnes, Richard's coordinator assures Richard has all the support he needs and a young mom and her son live with Richard in the home.
Richard loves to draw and create paper collages, he has been taking private art lessons. Richard has new friends in his community and most importantly, Richard is happy!