Wrap: Central Missourian Angela Gourley sees the shift.

Her son Carter is six years old.

Carter was born with the neurological disorder called hydrocephalus.

Missouri lawmakers are looking at a bill that would determine a plan for consolidating or closing down Missouri's six habilitation centers, which house people with mental disabilities.

Tenants would  be transitioned to community based living groups with 2 to 4 residents per house.

Carter Gourley attends a public school in Camdenton, Camden County.

Camdenton's inclusive education style puts children with needs in classrooms with other students.

Angela says teachers turn his mistakes into lessons rather than exclude him.

First District representative Craig Redmon is co-sponsoring the bill.

He says he sees community based living as a way for people to integrate rather than segregate.

Fifty years ago, Redmon says it was not uncommon for people with developmental disabilities to be institutionalized and segmented from society for their entire lives.

More than 600 Missouri residents currently living in habilitation centers could be transitioned into community-based assisted living if centers are closed.

Angela Gourley says the shift to community living in recent years has been successful even in an older generation.

At the bill's first hearing, some families and friends who are opposed to the measure say they don't want to see the habilitation centers close.

Lawyer John Ahlquist spoke at the hearing on behalf of his friend Paula, who lives in the Bellefontaine habilitation center.

Ahlquist says he thinks group living would not provide proper care.

Talitha Weiss also spoke at the meeting.

Weiss has a cousin living in the Nevada habilitation center.

She says community living will deprive these people of the family bonds they created while living in habilitation centers.

Disability services committee chair Jeff Grisamore says the switch from habilitation centers to community based living won't affect the service people receive.

He says the money spent in centers will follow every individual into their community living.

Grisamore also says that while it is not the main reason to look at an updated model, the cost-effectiveness of the program is also appealing.

For Angela Gourley and her son Carter, it is all about who he is, not who he could have been.

She says what makes Carter special is that he doesn't care what people think, and that he just does what he wants.

And her thoughts about her son living in a habilitation center?

Carter has normal dreams, she says.  He dreams of having his own family someday and having kids.

But until then, Gourley says Carter is happy being a normal kid.

From Jefferson City, I'm Brian Pepoon.