There is an frame work for a budget, but no deal asa of yet. Tbew following
is the update this week
CDCAN DISABILITY RIGHTS REPORT
#165-2010 – SEPTEMBER 28, 2010 - TUESDAY
CALIFORNIA DISABILITY COMMUNITY ACTION NETWORK: Advocacy Without Borders: One Community – Accountability With Action - California Disability Community Action Network Disability Rights News goes out to over 55,000 people with disabilities, mental health needs, seniors, traumatic brain & other injuries, veterans with disabilities and mental health needs, their families, workers, community organizations, including those in Asian/Pacific Islander, Latino, African American communities, policy makers and others across California.
To reply to this report write: MARTY OMOTO at martyomoto@rcip.com WEBSITE: www.cdcan.us TWITTER: www.twitter.com - “MartyOmoto”
California Budget Crisis:
CDCAN Townhall Telemeeting Set for October 12 Tuesday with Department of Developmental Services
First Hour Will Feature Director Terri Delgadillo and other Department Senior Officials – Update on Regional Center and Developmental Center s – Question and Answers
SACRAMENTO, CALIF (CDCAN) [Updated 09/28/2010 12:20 PM (Pacific Time)] - A CDCAN Townhall Telemeeting, which can be accessed through toll free lines, is scheduled for October 12, Tuesday afternoon from 1 to 3 PM (Pacific Time) featuring Terri Delgadillo, director of the Department of Developmental Services, and other senior department officials for an update on regional center and developmental center related issues. Other CDCAN Townhall Telemeetings, focusing on Medi-Cal (including the Section 1115 Waiver), In-Home Supportive Services (including policy changes related to unannounced home visits, provider enrollment, etc), housing, transportation, special education, are planned contingent on resources and funding.
Delgadillo, who has participated in several CDCAN Townhall Telemeetings over the past several years, will also answer questions from the general audience, time permitting. The October 12th townhall will be dedicated to the memory of Dale Sorbello, the former chief deputy director of the Department of Developmental Services, who passed away August 29th, at age 60.
CDCAN TOWNHALL TELEMEETING
WHEN: October 12, 2010 – Tuesday afternoon from 1 PM to 3 PM
TOLL FREE NUMBER TO PARTICIPATE: 877-844-6052
Note: There is NO passcode - please wait for an available operator. Due to large number of people expected, you should dial in at least several minutes before 1 PM
TO ASK A QUESTION: you will be given instructions during the townhall on how to do this – anyone can ask a question. If you prefer, you can ask email your question to Marty Omoto at martyomoto@rcip.com or during the townhall, use twitter.
CDCAN Townhalls First Held in Mid-2003
CDCAN Townhall Telemeetings were first held in 2003 as a means to bring policymaking in Sacramento – and also Washington DC to people with disabilities, mental health needs, seniors, their families, community organizations, facilities and workers and others, covering a wide range of issues including access, public and accessible transportation, housing, mental health, In-Home Supportive Services, special education, regional center and developmental centers, Medi-Cal and other programs.
A single townhall telemeeting can draw over 700 persons – as it did earlier this year. Since 2003 thousands of people have participated listening to and asking questions directly to state and also federal officials, including the directors of all the major state agencies, legislative leaders, top federal agency officials and legislators. All the CDCAN Townhall Telemeetings are recorded and posted for people to listen to later on the CDCAN website at www.cdcan.us
Leaders Still Working To Finalize Budget Deal
Meanwhile, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger and the four legislative leaders - State Senate President Pro Tem Darrell Steinberg (Democrat – Sacramento, 6th State Senate District), Assembly Speaker John Perez (Democrat – Los Angeles, 46th Assembly District), State Senate Republican Leader Dennis Hollingsworth (Republican – Murrieta, 36th State Senate District ) and Assembly Republican Leader Martin Garrick (Republican – Carlsbad. 74th Assembly District) and staff are still working to finalize the details of the budget deal to close the over $19 billion budget deficit that will end the 90 day stalemate. Last week on Thursday, the Governor and legislative leaders came to an agreement on a “framework” for a budget deal – but still needed to finalize details.
Also This Week: September 30th Deadline For Governor To Act On Bills
Also critical this week is the deadline for the Governor to sign or veto bills passed by the Legislature in late August and sent to him after they adjourned on August 31. The Governor has until the end of the day September 30th (Thursday) to sign or veto several hundreds of bills that were sent to him. The Governor acted on 102 bills yesterday (September 28th), vetoing 37 of them – see separate CDCAN Report for report on those actions.
Department of Developmental Services Funds Many Services for People With Developmental Disabilities and Also Early Intervention Program for Infants
· The Department of Developmental Services, or DDS, has a budget projected for 2010-2011 of over $4.8 billion – a little more than half funded by state general funds ($2.7 billion) and the remainder coming from various federal funds, the bulk from the federal Medicaid (called Medi-Cal in California).
· The department contracts with 21 non-profit regional centers who coordinate community-based services and supports to over 240,000 children and adults with developmental disabilities, including thousands of infants with developmental delays enrolled in the state’s early intervention program (called “Early Start”).
· Persons with developmental disabilities eligible for regional center community-based services and supports may also be eligible for (or are already receiving) other services funded by other departments including In-Home Supportive Services (under the Department of Social Services), Medi-Cal health services (under the Department of Health Care Services), certain senior services (under the Department of Aging), special education services funded by school districts, paratransit and other public transit services by counties or other local agencies, and mental health services under the Department of Mental Health. The cost of those other services are not included in the Department of Developmental Services budget.
· The Department of Developmental Services also operates and staffs 4 large physical health facilities, called developmental centers (that many years ago were called “state hospitals”) and one smaller facility. About 1,900 people with developmental disabilities reside in those facilities. These facilities are different from the state hospitals operated and staffed by the Department of Mental Health.
· Out of the $4.8 billion total budget for the department, community-based services funded through the regional centers account for $4.154 billion (as projected in the 2010-2011 state budget that currently has not yet been approved by the Legislature or signed into law by the Governor). Developmental centers account for just over $625 million – more than half of that amount coming from federal funds.
Department Budget Hit With Big Reduction in 2009-2010 State Budget
· Last year, the Governor and Legislature approved policy changes and reductions as part of the 2009-2010 State Budget passed in February 2009 and revised in July 2009 that resulted in a cut in general fund spending to the Department of Developmental Services budget that totaled well over $500 million, including loss of federal matching funds. Thousands of “at risk” infants, and children and adults with developmental disabilities eligible for regional center funded programs and services were impacted, including hundreds of community agencies and organizations, and thousands of workers who coordinate or provide supports and services.
· An additional reduction to regional centers was proposed as part of the 2010-2011 State budget that totals about $20 to 25 million in state general funds or about $50 million if federal matching funds are included. That reduction and the exact amount and any related policy changes connected to it – are not yet final until the 2010-2011 State budget, delayed for 90 days, is finally enacted.
· The closure of Lanterman Developmental Center in Pomona and the transition of the people with developmental disabilities who reside there and the state workers who work there, was proposed by the Governor earlier this year as part of his proposed budget. While the Assembly and State Senate budget subcommittees approved the closure and transition plan, because it is part of the overall 2010-2011 State Budget that has not yet been passed by the Legislature or signed into law by the Governor, that approval of the Lanterman Developmental Center closure and transition plan is not yet final or official.
· Also impacted by the cuts were the state employees at both the DDS headquarters and developmental centers and the one small facility who were subjected to the furloughs since February 2009 that by June 2009 grew to a 15% pay cut. Many providers and thousands of their workers funded through regional centers faced their own version of furloughs imposed by the State, as a result of the enactment of the July 2009 revised State Budget that imposed additional non-paid “holidays” – meaning additional days that the State would not reimburse those providers for services.
· Reductions of similar size, dimension and even greater impact were also imposed on In-Home Supportive Services, Medi-Cal (including adult day health services), SSI/SSP (Supplemental Security Income/State Supplemental Payment) grants, CalWORKS (the state’s welfare to work program that includes thousands of children and adults with disabilities and mental health needs), senior programs under the Department of Aging, mental health services, public transit and special education. Some of those cuts to In-Home Supportive Services and Medi-Cal – have been, at least for now – blocked by federal or state courts.
· The US Supreme Court is expected to decide in the next week or so whether it will take up two major cases dealing with a Medi-Cal provider rate cut and a reduction in California’s contribution for IHSS worker (provider) wages. A lower federal district court blocked those cuts from taking effect. The State then appealed that ruling to the US 9th Circuit Court of Appeals – and lost there – and has since filed an appeal to the US Supreme Court to overturn and reverse the lower court rulings.
· A decision is still pending by the US 9th Circuit Court of Appeals on a lower federal court ruling that blocked in the fall of 2009, the State’s implementation of restricting IHSS eligibility using internal county assessment tools known as “functional index rankings” and “functional index scores” that would have eliminated or substantially reduced services for about 80 to 90% of the 462,000 children and adults with disabilities (including developmental), mental health needs, seniors, who receive IHSS. That cut – which remains blocked by that federal court ruling - was imposed as part of the 2009-2010 State Budget as revised in July 2009.
Second Half of CDCAN Townhall Will Focus on Growing Problems Impacting People With Developmental Disabilities Living On Their Own
The second half of the October 12th CDCAN Townhall Telemeeting will focus on the growing problems impacting people with developmental disabilities (and also other disabilities and mental health needs) living in their own homes, who, advocates say, are often viewed by many policymakers and the general public and media, as not seriously impacted by a loss or reduction of supports and services. Some advocates say those persons are often viewed as “less needy”.
Some advocates have pointed to the pattern in recent years – and most significantly last year as part of the 2009-2010 State Budget – as evidence, with cuts to regional center funded community-based services (including those that impact early intervention, supported living and independent living services, certain social recreation programs, respite, etc), In-Home Supportive Services, Medi-Cal, mental health service, certain senior services, early intervention services, that called for cuts in services to those viewed as “less needy”. Some advocates have pointed out that a service or support that a policymaker or the general public might view as not critical – such as meal preparation, or other assistance in living independently, could in fact be a very critical part of a person’s ability to live safely in their own home.
This second half of the CDCAN Townhall Telemeeting will include a panel, with questions and answers from the audience. If interested in participating as a panel member or if you want to ask a question in advance of the townhall, please send email to Marty Omoto at martyomoto@rcip.com
VERY URGENT!!!!!
PLEASE HELP CDCAN CONTINUE ITS WORK!!!
Your help is needed. CDCAN Townhall Telemeetings, reports and alerts and other activities cannot continue without your help. To continue the CDCAN website, the CDCAN News Reports. sent out and read by over 55,000 people and organizations, policy makers and media across California and to continue the CDCAN Townhall Telemeetings which since December 2003 have connected thousands of people with disabilities, seniors, mental health needs, people with MS and other disorders, people with traumatic brain and other injuries to public policy makers, legislators, and issues.
Please send your contribution/donation (make payable to "CDCAN" or "California Disability Community Action Network):
CDCAN
1225 8th Street Suite 480 - Sacramento, CA 95814
paypal on the CDCAN site is not yet working – will be soon.
MANY, MANY THANKS TO BOB BENSON, the Pacific Homecare Services, Easter Seals, California Association of Adult Day Health Centers, Valley Mountain Regional Center, Toward Maximum Independence, Inc (TMI), Friends of Children with Special Needs, UCP of Los Angeles, Ventura and Santa Barbara Counties, Southside Arts Center, San Francisco Bay Area Autism Society of America, Hope Services in San Jose, FEAT of Sacramento (Families for Early Autism Treatment), RESCoalition, Sacramento Gray Panthers, Easter Seals of Southern California, Tri-Counties Regional Center, Westside Regional Center, Regional Center of the East Bay, UCP of Orange County, Alta California Regional Center, Life Steps, Parents Helping Parents, Work Training, Foothill Autism Alliance, Arc Contra Costa, Pause4Kids, Manteca CAPS, Training Toward Self Reliance, UCP, California NAELA, Californians for Disability Rights, Inc (CDR) including CDR chapters, CHANCE Inc, , Strategies To Empower People (STEP), Harbor Regional Center, Asian American parents groups, Resources for Independent Living and many other Independent Living Centers, several regional centers, People First chapters, IHSS workers, other self advocacy and family support groups, developmental center families, adoption assistance program families and children, and others across California.
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