'We Think Of It As A Community For My Son'

When the 2012 Virginia General Assembly session gets underway in Richmond Wednesday, on the agenda will be legislation that supports moving special needs citizens into the community rather than in ian nstitutionalized setting.

Reston's Jane Anthony and her son, Jason Kinzler, were recently featured in a story on Richmond's CBS affiliate.  Jason, 36, has been a resident of the Northern Virginia Training Center for many years, and his mother said he has done well there.

"We don't think of it as institution," Anthony said. "We think of it as a community for my son."

Anthony is an advocate for people with special needs. She spoke about the need for funding for special services in Virginia at last week's pre-session public hearing n Reston with Del. Ken Plum (D-36) and Sen. Janet Howell's (D-32).