1982. Geraldo Rivera is introduced on 20/20 ABC news by Hugh Downs, for a follow-up report to his original expose ‘Willowbrook: The Last Great disgrace’. We see clips of the original report and learn what has happened since the national fervor of its release. Some improvements have been made.
Shortly into the clip Geraldo talks to and introduces Bernard Carabello, a former resident of the Willowbrook State School. Suffering from cerebral palsy, Bernard was misdiagnosed at the age of 3 and committed to the institution for 18 years.
This segment continues with Geraldo and Bernard again visiting the Willowbrook State School, a day earlier than expected. They discover new beds being hurriedly shipped in before the cameras arrived and other attempts to mask realities.
Later Geraldo visits the Bronx Developmental Center, and speaks to a parent who lost her child at the supposedly modern facility. While cleaner and smaller than the big old institutions of 10 years ago, is it really better?
Throughout this clip we hear from directors of these institutions, parents, and doctors related to the care. The Willowbrook State School was closed in 1987.
Geraldo Rivera’s original expose is here:https://youtu.be/5F7CrMAwCw4