CDCAN
CALIFORNIA DISABILITY COMMUNITY ACTION NETWORK
DISABILITY RIGHTS NEWS REPORT
#0023-2006  February 18, 2006 Saturday
Advocacy Without Borders:
Connecting people with disabilities & seniors to rights and unified action
1225 8th Street Suite 480 - Sacramento, CA 95814  916/446-0013  Fax: 916/446-0026
Marty Omoto - director  email: martyomoto@rcip.com    website: www.cdcan.us
 
GOVERNOR APPOINTMENTS
* THERESE DELGADILLO APPOINTED DDS CHIEF DEPUTY
* WILL ACT AS INTERIM DIRECTOR OF DEPARTMENT

SACRAMENTO -  Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger announced Friday (February 17) the appointment of California Health and Human Services Agency Deputy Secretary Therese Delgadillo as chief deputy director and interim director  for the Department of Developmental Services, which oversees regional center funded community-based services and developmental center services for over 200,000 children and adults with developmental disabilities.  The position requires Senate confirmation and the compensation is $118,284.

Delgadillo, 47, is a Republican and from Sacramento and previously served acting undersecretary and deputy secretary for the California Youth and Adult Correctional Agency, legislative and policy director for US Senators John Seymour and Paul Coverdell,  and chief legislative consultant for the US Senate Select Committee on Drug and Alcohol Abuse.

She replaces Dale Sorbello who served as acting Chief Deputy Director for the Department of Developmental Services and interim director since November when Cliff Allenby left the department as director to head the Department of Social Services. 

California Health and Human Services Agency Secretary Kim Belshe praised Delgadillo saying that  she "...brings to DDS [Department of Developmental Services]  a strong and deep personal and professional passion for and commitment to the developmentally disabled and efforts to support their ability to live in the most integrated setting possible.  In addition, Terri brings a wealth of experience in the processes and mechanics of government, having served in various roles in both the state and federal government.  Taken together, her background, experience, and commitment have prepared Terri well to make an important contribution to advancing the Department's mission and work. "

Belshe said that Delgadillo, in her role as California Health and Human Services Deputy Secretary for the past two years, has been "... instrumental in developing and advancing the Governor's Health and Human Services agenda. In particular, Terri has provided considerable leadership and ability in working closely with the Department of Developmental Services, the Governor's Office, the Legislature and others to promote new and innovative policies on behalf of our state's developmentally disabled residents. "

Belshe also praised Cliff Allenby, former director of the Department of Developmental Services for his service there and Dale Sorbello for his work as acting Chief Deputy Director and interim director of the department.

The Governor also made the other following appointments on February 17 that impact people with disabilities or seniors:
* Ann Boynton, 44, of Sacramento and a Democrat,  was appointed by the Governor as undersecretary for the California Health and Human Services Agency. She has served as chief deputy cabinet secretary in the Office of the Governor since 2005. She was previously deputy director for external affairs at the Department of Toxic Substances Control from 2004 to 2005. Throughout her career, she was a consultant for numerous state agencies, including consulted for  including the Environmental Protection Agency, the Department of Consumer Affairs and the Department of Health Services. The California Health and Human Services Agency, directed by Secretary Kim Belshe, oversees all the major state departments that are responsible for most of the services and supports, including In-Home Services, regional centers, Medi-Cal, community care licensing, mental health services, developmental centers.  The  position requires State Senate confirmation and the compensation is $119,664.
* Eileen Kostanecki, 36, of Alexandria, VA, and a Democrat, was appointed by the Governor as assistant secretary for program and fiscal affairs for the California Health and Human Services Agency. She has served as deputy director for the State of Michigan's Washington, D.C. Office since 2003. Kostanecki was previously legislative director for the Economic Alliance for Michigan, health policy advisor to the Michigan House of Representatives and assistant director of government affairs for Henry Ford Health System. This position does not require approval by the State Senate and the compensation is $88,200.

REMINDER
* CDCAN Disability Rights Townhall Telemeeting - FEB 21, 1PM to 2:45 PM, sponsored by California NAELA and Santa Barbara County's CHANCE Inc (a housing coalition for people with developmental disabilities) on Medi-Cal issues, including update on SB 912, brief update on Medicare Part D, and major focus on impact of passage of the federal "Deficit Reduction Act" and its impact on Medi-Cal, and people with developmental and other disabilities and seniors, their families, workers, organizations.  Will feature officials from California Department of Health Services, including Stan Rosenstein, head of the state's Medi-Cal program.  Townhall telemeetings are free - and a means for people with disabilities, seniors, their families, workers, organizations and other advocates to participate in policy making no matter where they are.  CDCAN says it is part of their "Advocacy without borders" program. 
To participate: 
* Step One:  Dial toll-free 1-888-346-5716  (NO passcode!)
* Step Two: Tell the operator you want to join the CDCAN Townhall Telemeeting
* Step Three: The operator will connect you
Go to the CDCAN website at www.cdcan.us for more information. 

How To Receive CDCAN Capitol News Reports and Alerts
The California Disability Community Action Network is a non-partisan link to thousands of Californians with developmental and other disabilities, people with traumatic brain and other injures, seniors and their families, community organizations and providers, direct care and other workers, and other advocates. These action alerts and news reports is for all of them.   If you would like to get on this distribution (and conversely, get off of  it) please send an email with that  request to:  martyomoto@rcip.com OR sign up via the NEW CDCAN website at www.cdcan.us  Sharing information is part of our organizing effort. Please feel free to forward or copy  this (attribution is nice but not necessary). We're all in this together!