CDCAN
CALIFORNIA DISABILITY
COMMUNITY ACTION NETWORK
DISABILITY RIGHTS
NEWS REPORT
#0028-2006 March 6, 2006 -
Monday
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
CALIFORNIA STATE
BUDGET
* ASSEMBLY HEARING ON DEVELOPMENTAL
SERVICES MOVED TO 4/24
* KEY BUDGET HEARING SET ON MARCH 29 FOR SSI/SSP
*
ADVOCATES WILL ISSUE MAJOR ALERT & ACTION FOR HEARINGS
* DDS PLANS
STAKEHOLDER MEETING MARCH 15
* MARCH 10 BRIEFING IN LA ON A MEDI-CAL PROGRAM
BY DHS
SACRAMENTO - The Assembly Budget Subcommittee on Health and
Human Services, chaired by Assemblymember Hector De La Torre (D-Southgate) has
moved its budget hearing on programs
overseen by the
Department of Developmental Centers from
April 17 to April 24, Monday late afternoon, at 4:00 PM, in the State Capitol,
Room 127. Those budget proposals by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's proposals
on services and programs overseen by the Department of Developmental Services
that impact over 200,000 infants, children and adults with developmental
disabilities. These programs include those impacting community-based services
funded by the 21 non-profit regional centers and also state owned and operated
developmental centers, inlcuding an update on Agnews Developmental Center in San
Jose, slated for closure by June 2007.
The State Senate is still scheduled to
hold its budget hearing on these programs on April 3, though no specific room
yet is announced.
The Governor's
proposals include a one time 3% increase in money for some programs that the
State contracts with the regional centers, who in turn fund community-based
organizations and others to provide the actual services, and proposals to put in
place more controls on regional center caseloads (people eligible for services)
and utilization (the use of services or supports), sometimes referred to as
"cost containment" measures and to continue on-going reductions passed in
earlier budget years - including some proposed by then Gov. Gray
Davis.
Other Budget and Legislative Bill Hearings
Scheduled
Other services critical
to a large number of children and adults with developmental disabilities, which
includes autism, cerebral palsy, mental retardation and other cognitive
disabilities, include major proposals impacting Medi-Cal, Medicare, In-Home
Supportive Services, Supplemental Security Income/State Supplemental Payments
(SSI/SSP), other community-based accessible and affordable housing and
transportation, special education and higher education, employment. Those
issues are the subject of other budget hearings by both the Senate and Assembly
Budget Subcommittees on Health and Human Services [see separate CDCAN Report
#029-2006 for a full listing of all budget hearings impacting people with
disabilities and seniors]. In addition, several bills impacting a wide
range of rights and programs - including In-Home Services, regional centers,
access to public accomodations, special education, have been introduced - and
some set for hearing. See CDCAN Report later today for full
listing]
In addition to the
upcoming budget hearings by the Legislature, two important meetings by state
agencies for the public dealing with a new proposed Medi-Cal program for those
not covered with healthcare insurance, scheduled for March 10 in Los
Angeles, and a March 15 meeting in Sacramento dealing with the Governor's
proposals regarding community-based services funded by regional centers (see
below for details)
Other Issues Both Subcommittees Will Likely
Consider
* The Governor's budget proposals to continue what disability
advocates say are "devastating" on-going reductions and freezes on
reimbursements for those same community-based services, and on-going freeze on
start-ups of new programs that are funded by the 21 non-profit regional centers
under contract with the Department of Developmental Services. State
officials say these are "temporary measures" that are needed to help control
rising costs that they say the State cannot "sustain".
* Both
subcommittees will likely hear updates and possibly take any additional action
regarding the state owned and operated developmental centers (once known as
"state hospitals") and two other smaller facilities, including the scheduled
June 2007 closure of Agnews Developmental Center in San Jose. The update
will likely include a progress report on the transition plan of moving about 300
people with developmental disabilities from Agnews into community-based housing.
State officials say that a small number of Agnews residents, due to their age
and medical condition are likely to be relocated to other state owned and
operated facilities, including other developmental centers. There is
also reports that make it likely that the actual final closure date of June 2007
will be pushed back several months or longer to ensure that specific housing
needs are met for residents of Agnews moving out., though this is likely a
subject that will be reviewed as part of the Governor's revisions to his
proposed budget in May.
* Updates and possible further action
regarding the status of the Department of Developmental Services' long delayed
computerized system to track services and expenditures and other critical
information of children and adults with developmental disabilities. That
system, called the "California Developmental Disabilities Information System" or
CADDIS is critical to continued compliance with federal Medicaid regulations,
and also important to the implementation of several new programs, including one
that allows a person with developmental disabilities the possibility of
selecting and control of their own services, called "self directed
services".
Important Assembly Budget Hearing On Governor's
SSI/SSP Proposal
* Meanwhile as previously reported, the Assembly Budget
Subcommittee #1 on Health and Human Services, chaired by Assemblymember Hector
De La Torre (D-Southgate, 50th District) has scheduled a hearing on March 29, to
consider the Governor's proposal to withhold for 15 months starting in
April 2007, federal funds meant for cash grants - called SSI/SSP or
"Supplemental Security Income/State Supplemental Payment" for the lowest income
seniors and people with disabilities, and to use those federal funds for other
purposes in the state budget. [CDCAN Note: this is done by lowering the
state funded only portion of the grant (called "SSP") by the same amount
of the federal money that is sent to California by the federal government for
the specific purpose of increasing the SSI part of the grant. That means less
money in the grant then what the low income senior or person with disabilities
would have received otherwise, something that is already occurring this year for
three months beginning January 2006, and again for three months beginning
January 2007.]
* The Governor's proposal would be in addition to
what the Governor proposed - and the Legislature passed last year as part of the
July 2005-June 2006 State Budget, that suspended for two years, (January 2006
and January 2007) State funded cost of living increases for the SSP
portion of the grant, and to withhold for the first three months of both years,
the federal funds meant to provide cost of living increases for the SSI portion
of the grant.
* That proposal, in an unusual early action, was
rejected by the full Senate Budget Committee, chaired by Sen. Wes Chesbro
(D-Arcata, 2nd District) in January. Though nothing is final until a
budget is passed by the Legislature and signed by the Governor, if the Assembly
also rejects the Governor's SSI/SSP proposal, it is likely that action will be
crucial in keeping the proposal out of the budget. .
3/10 Meeting In LA On Medi-Cal
Proposed Program by Dept of Health Services
* On January 31, 2006, the Department of Health Services submitted a
draft proposal (referred to as a "concept paper") to the federal Centers for
Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) on the proposed Healthcare Coverage
Initiative program.
* The Healthcare Coverage Initiative program
proposes to provide healthcare services to a population without coverage
currently – and the Department of Health Services hopes will bring to the State
"significant" new federal funding.
* The Department of Health Services
has conducted one and has scheduled a second stakeholder meeting to discuss the
draft proposal as sent to the federal government and to receive
feedback.
* The actual proposal (concept paper) that was submitted to
the federal government, can be found online, under Hospital Financing, at:
http://www.dhs.ca.gov/mcs/mcpd/MCReform/
*
The SECOND stakeholder meeting will be held in Los Angeles, California at the
following location (the first was held 2/27 in Sacramento):
When:
Friday, March 10, 2006, 1:00 to 4:00 PM
Where: 350 S Bixel Street, Los
Angeles, CA 90017-1418
Note: Location, according to the Department of Health
Services, is accessible – if additional assistance is needed please
contact Sue Gerber with the Department of Health Services at
916/440-7631
RSVP: No rsvp mentioned, but seating capacity is limited
to 80 individuals.
The Department of Health Services said in
its letter that persons unable to make the meeting can submit comments and other
feedback electronically via email at:
MCRedesign@dhs.ca.gov
3/15 Meeting On "Cost Containment" by Dept of Developmental
Services
As previously reported, the Department of Developmental Services
(DDS) has scheduled a meeting:
When: March 15, Wednesday afternoon
from 3:00 to 5:00 PM
Where: Department of Developmental Serves
offices at 1600 9th Street, Conference Room 360, Sacramento
Meeting
Format: The Department of Developmental Services said that the meeting
will be "simple and informal" with each of the proposals presented, and
comments and questions taken.
Purpose of
Meeting:
So "interested
stakeholders can provide feedback" on existing and proposed "cost containment"
proposals included in the Governor's proposed state budget for July 2006-June
2007 including:
* The "cost
containment" proposals (both new and existing) and the Governor's proposal for a
one time 3% increase in what the state pays community-based providers for
several types of services. Some of the proposals simply extend the
existing "cost containment" measures for another year, or make special
provisions about the one time increase. These are the same proposals that
both the Assembly and Senate Budget Subcommittees will hear on April 3 and April
17 (see above).
* The proposals include those impacting intake
assessment timeline, supported living services, transportation and "Look-Alike
Day Programs", residential services, vouchered respite services (where the
parent can hire their own respite worker directly), supported employment,
continued freeze of start-ups of new community-based programs, and new
proposals regarding contract language impacting how regional centers fund and
monitor community-based services (purchase of services or "POS") and the
individuals and organizations who actually provide those services.
* Space
Limitations for March 15 Meeting: The Department of Developmental Services
said in their letter, dated February 17, announcing the meeting, that not more
than two individuals per "stakeholder group" (organization) can attend, due to
space limitations. [Note: CDCAN urged the Department of Developmental
Services to change meeting location (if needed) to allow for more people and to
also permit people to call-in toll free.to allow more people with developmental
disabilities and families and workers and other advocates who may not have
resources to come to Sacramento, to join in]
* RSVP -
persons should send a email message or call Mary Lee Pennington if they plan to
attend. Her email is marylee.pennigton@dds.ca.gov or
call 916/654-1884.
Advocates Plan Major Action Alert For Hearings & Townhall
Telemeeting
* The California
Disability Community Action Network (CDCAN) is issuing a major action alert on
the Governor's SSI/SSP proposal, and also the impact of the Governor's proposals
to continue for at least another year on-going reductions impacting services
(called "cost containment measures") and freezes of reimbursements owed to
community-based organizations (called "rate freezes"), a freezes of the start-up
of new community programs that advocates say are critically needed. The
CDCAN Action Alert will urge rejection of the proposals and restoration of the
state and federal money owed to SSI/SSP recipients this year and next
year.
* Alert will also cover proposals impacting Medi-Cal and the
need to monitor changes to In-Home Supportive Services (IHSS). The action alert,
which will be issued this week, will include a letter and phone campaign,
and effort to bring people to the hearings.
* The March 2 CDCAN Disability
Rights Townhall Telemeeting was postponed but will be rescheduled before the
April hearings, and will focus on the issue of the Governor's proposed 3% one
time increase for several community-based programs serving people with
developmental disabilities funded by regional centers, and also the proposal to
continue on-going reductions and reimbursement freezes, and its impact on people
with disabilities and their families, workers and others. For more
information go to the CDCAN website at www.cdcan.us
BUDGET HEARINGS ON DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL
SERVICES
(SSI/SSP)
03/29/06 Wednesday
Assembly Budget Subcommittee #1 on Health and Human
Services
1:30 PM State Capitol - Room
444
* Department of Social Services
(Budget Item 5180)
- SSI/SSP and Food Stamps
Also:
* Department of
Community Services and Development (Budget Item 4700)
- LIHEAP (Low
Income Home Energy Assistance Program)
- Community Services Block Grant
(CSBG) funding)
* Department of Aging (Budget Item
4170)
PRIORITY: VERY HIGH
CDCAN
Action Alert: YES
Should
People Make Effort To Come To This Hearing:
Yes
BUDGET HEARINGS ON DEPARTMENT OF DEVELOPMENTAL
SERVICES
(REGIONAL CENTERS AND DEVELOPMENTAL CENTERS)
Note:
Separate from the budget hearings - but covering many of the same proposals is
the March 15 "stakeholder meeting" by the Department of Developmental Services
scheduled from 3 to 5 PM at the Department's offices at 1600 9th Street in
Conference Room 360, Sacramento. To RSVP or for more information, contact
Mary Lee Pennington at 916/654-1884 or email her at marylee.pennington@dds.ca.gov
04/03/06 Monday
Senate Budget Subcommittee #3 on
Health and Human Services
01:30 PM State Capitol - Room (to be
announced)
* Department of Developmental Services (Budget Item
4300)
- Community-based issues (regional centers) and
developmental centers
PRIORITY: VERY
HIGH
CDCAN Action Alert:
YES
Should People Make Effort To Come To This Hearing:
Yes
04/24/06 Monday
[changed from 4/17]
Assembly Budget Subcommittee #1 on
Health and Human Services
4:00 PMState
Capitol - Room 127
* Department of
Developmental Services (Budget Item 4300)
- Community-based issues (regional centers) and
developmental centers
PRIORITY: VERY
HIGH
CDCAN Action Alert:
YES
Should People Make Effort To
Come To This Hearing: Yes
How To Receive CDCAN Disability Rights News Reports and
Alerts
The California
Disability Community Action Network is a non-partisan link to tens of thousands
of Californians in every community, including people of color, people of every
type of disability, including people with physical disabilities, people with
developmental and other disabilities, people with traumatic brain and other
injures, people with mental health needs, seniors, people with MS, Alzheimers
and others, and all of 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!
MANY
THANKS to Training Toward Self Reliance, UCP, The University Affiliated
Programs, CHANCE Inc, Arriba, Strategies Toward Empowering People, Parents
Helping Parents, 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
California Disability Rights Inc , CA NAELA, developmental center families, and
hundreds of individuals like Maureen Fitzgerald, Terri Lantz, Christal Hopkins,
Lisa Brown, Anna Wang, Dennis Dishaw, Bob Benson, David Engberg, Connie Arnold,
and so many others who through their support and contributions, make the
non-partisan CDCAN reports and townhall telemeetings possible. Thanks also
to partnerships and the good people with the State Council on Developmental
Disabilities, and also the Department of Health Services, the Department of
Developmental Services, Department of Social Services and the CA Health and
Human Services Agency and other agencies, and the State Legislature and staff,
the Legislative Analyst Office. Good people who do good things can make a
difference togethe