You are invited to a candlelight vigil on the Capitol Campus to let the Governor know that the proposed cuts (below) are devastating! Be a part of a group to ask her to delay the cuts until the legislature has a chance to decide.
Date: Wednesday, November 17, 2010
Time: 4 - 6pm
Where: The side of the Legislative Building that faces the library/sundial.
Dress warm! Candles will be provided!
DDD & Medicaid Services Make Drastic Cuts!
The Governor recently announced that all agencies (except those protected by state or federal law) must make “across-the-board” budget cuts. These cuts will be extremely dangerous to people with developmental disabilities, costing the state more in the long run as people fill up emergency rooms or are forced to seek the only entitlement, an institutional placement, the only options left available. It will create safety issues and may even cause death.
Some of these cuts have already been implemented, some take effect January 1, 2011, others cannot be implemented without legislative approval when the state legislature is back in session on January 10, 2011. The cuts listed below have been sent to the Governor’s office by DSHS/Division of Developmental Disabilities and the Medicaid Purchasing Administration.
These cuts are happening because our state did not receive the amount of revenue they thought they would be collected. The Governor is required by the state constitution to have a balanced budget. These cuts are being made to make up for revenue not received.
Medicaid prescription drugs – Funding is eliminated for all outpatient pharmacy prescription drugs for adults. Only medications administered in a physician’s office or outpatient hospital settings will be covered. This takes effect March 1, 2011.
Medicaid Personal Care – Client receives personal care from a provider based on their assessment from the Division of Developmental Disabilities, allowing them to remain in their home. Cuts will be based on acuity (how high the need is). 6 to 14 hours per month will be cut from all clients beginning June 1, 2011.
Children’s Intensive In-home Behavior Supports – Provides in-home professional help for children with extremely challenging behavior challenges to avoid placing the child in an institution which would cost the state much more. This program is frozen, no new families will be enrolled. Effective Nov 1, 2010.
Individual and Family Services (IFS) – IFS is used mostly for respite, it is also used for therapies/co-pays and various other services. All families currently on IFS will lose service from Nov 2010 to July 2011.
Dental Services – All adult dental services except emergency services are eliminated. Adults will be able to go to a dentist or the emergency room for pain medication only, dental services will not provided. Effective Jan 1, 2011.
Vision, hearing & podiatry, physical, occupational & speech therapy services are all eliminated for adults. Effective Jan 1, 2011.
Residential Services – Rates to community residential providers will be cut 2%. It will be difficult for providers to attract and retain a stable workforce. Effective Jan 1, 2011.
Employment Services – Rates that counties pay employment providers will be reduced, causing service levels to clients will be reduced. Cuts to employment services means a loss of taxpayer revenue, no return on the State's special education investment and more demand on other support services. Effective Jan 1, 2011.
Transition Services – Clients graduating from high school in 2010 may lose their job that school transition staff helped them get or end up at home with no job, no return on the State's special education investment and more demand on other support services. Funding for 240 state-only clients that have not entered service will be eliminated. Effective October 2010.
Eliminate Case Managers (No Paid Services) – Clients with no services won’t have a case manager to provide community resources. Other clients won’t get timely assessments for services as some case manager positions currently open will not be filled. Effective Jan 1, 2011.
Temporary Layoff Days are extended to all DDD employees and two more layoff days are added. Effective Oct 1, 2010.
Residential Habilitation Centers – Reduce/restructure training programs & some services, close cottages, some staff layoffs. Effective Jan 1, 2011.
Diana Stadden
The Arc of Washington State
Policy and Advocacy Coordinator
Cell (Call-Text-Email): 253.576.6351
Fax: 360.357.3279 attn: Diana
Email: Diana@arcwa.org
No comments:
Post a Comment