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Report #159-2007 - October 19, 2007
- Friday
ASSEMBLY HUMAN SERVICES
COMMITTEE
* HEARINGS ON LANTERMAN ACT SET OCT 24TH
AND NOV 16TH
* FOCUS ON OCTOBER 24th AUTISM REPORT
& WORKERS
* COMMITTEE CHAIR BEALL WANTS TO
"EXPAND OPPORTUNITIES"
* SEN. STEINBERG TO REPORT AUTISM
COMMISSION FINDINGS
SACRAMENTO
(CDCAN ) - The Assembly Human Services Committee, chaired by
Assemblymember Jim Beall (Democrat - San Jose), [pictured left], as previously
reported, will be holding two informational hearings, the first scheduled for
October 24th at the State Capitol and second on November 16th in San Jose on
California's landmark civil rights act for children and adults with
developmental disabilities - the Lanterman Developmental Disabilities Services
Act. [Note: For copy of the agenda, please go to the CDCAN website
at www.cdcan.us ]
In addition to hearing from panels of persons with
developmental disabilities, providers and others on the issue of direct care
workers, the October 24th hearing will also hear a presentation from Sen.
Darrell Steinberg (Democrat - Sacramento), chair of the California Legislative
Blue Ribbon on Autism Commission and other members of the commission and
commission staff on the recently released report "An Opportunity to
Achieve Real Change for Californians with Autism Spectrum Disorders". Policymakers
and advocates say that the "exploding autism
epidemic" is another critical issue confronting not only developmental
services but the State and nation, with a major report on addressing the
crisis.
Informational hearings are frequently held by various
committees of the Legislature throughout the year, but especially when
they are not in session. No official actions are taken in these
hearings and brief testimony is usually taken at the end of the hearings
from the public. To provide testimony during the public testimony
portion, persons usually only need to line up to speak (when called upon
by the chair).
First Informational Hearing
October 24, 2007 - Wednesday afternoon 1:30 to 5:00
PM
State Capitol - Room 447
Subject: "Taking the Lanterman Act Into the
Future"
Note: see below for agenda
Second Informational Hearing
November 16, 2007 - Friday afternoon 1:30 PM to 5:00
PM
Campbell Community Center - Roosevelt Room
1 West Campbell Avenue
Campbell, CA (near San Jose)
Subject: "The Lanterman Act: Expanding Opportunities
for Employment and Community Participation for People with Developmental
Disabilities"
Olmstead Informational Hearing Set for November
16th
Though not directly connected to the Assembly Human
Services Committee, another panel, the Assembly Aging and Long Term Care
Committee has scheduled an informational hearing that directly impacts persons
with developmental and also other disabilities, mental health needs and
seniors.
That informational hearing will focus on California's
implementation of the 1999 US Supreme Court Olmstead Decision, which required
the states to take measures to avoid the unjustified institionalization of
persons with disabilities and seniors. That informational hearing is
scheduled for November 14th, Wednesday from 10:00 AM to 12:30 PM , at the
Wilshire Grand Hotel, 930 Wilshire Boulevard, in Los Angeles. See separate
CDCAN Report for more details.
Beall Says He Wants to Look At Lanterman Act and
"Expanding Opportunities"
Assemblymember Jim Beall (Democrat - San Jose) who has an
adult step son who has developmental disabilities, said he and his
wife "...know first hand the challenges involved in caring for someone
you love that has developmental disabilities". He added that he
wants to "take the Lanterman Act" into the future and "expand
opportunities" for persons with developmental disabilities saying that
"the Lanterman Act is now 40 years old. I want to make sure that the
Act is keeping pace with innovations on the delivery of services" and
also that it continues "expanding opportunities and choices for
individuals with developmental disabilities."
California Only State In Nation To Have Civil
Rights Law for Persons with Developmental Disabilities
No other state in the nation has a similar law, which is
named after the Republican Assemblymember, Frank Lanterman, who authored the
legislation that was passed in 1969 and signed into law by then Governor
Ronald Reagan.
Over 220,000 children and adults with developmental
disabilities are currently served by the 21 non-profit regional centers
overseen by the Department of Developmental Services. Thousands
of community-based organizations and individuals provide actual
services and supports in the community. Included in the total number
are about 3,000 people with developmental disabilities who reside in the
five state owned and operated developmental centers and also two other
smaller facilities. Included in the total is another 8,900 or so
persons with developmental disabilities reside in privately owned or
operated health facilities (skilled nursing facilities and intermediate care
facilities).
According to the most recent data from the Department of
Developmental Services, 86,500 persons (or 42% of the total population served
under the Lanterman Act) are white, followed by 67,000 persons (32%) who are
Hispanic, 20,900 who are African-American (10%), 11,800 who are Asian-American
(6%), 4,165 who are Filipino (2%), Native Americans 822 (0.4%) and Pacific
Islanders with 458 persons (0.2%) and others making up 16,359 persons or 8%.
Looming Budget Shortfalls Raises Concerns on
Lanterman Act
The informational hearing, while not directly connected to
the budget subcommittees or the budget process, is being held at a time when
nearly every Capitol observer and policy analyst, including the Governor's
Department of Finance, agree that State faces next year a huge budget
shortfall that could grow over $10 billion while caseload of children and
adults with disabilities, mental health needs, seniors and others continues to
grow. That issue is not directly addressed in either informational
hearing in terms of the budget shortfall's potential and actual impact on
children and adults with developmental disabilities.
Advocates fear continuation of budget freezes and the
possibility of new proposals for reductions or other measures that will result
in cutbacks in staffing, services or programs.
Not on the agenda specifically is the report required by AB
203, a budget related (budget trailer) bill that requires the Department of
Developmental Services to report back to the Legislative budget and policy
committees on ways to contain or cap spending for community-based services and
also operational costs. The Department of Developmental Services
reportedly hired a consultant to draft the report, though the current status
or contents of the report has not been released publicly.
In recent years various efforts to expand certain
opportunities including self determination, where a person with disabilities
has more control and choices on their own supports and services have been
promoted and enacted, and expanded federal funding of critical services
including In-Home Supportive Services and certain Medi-Cal programs.
But recent governors and legislatures have also passed
proposals that significantly cut funding and imposed freezes for thousands of
community-based services and supports and certain staffing levels, including
those at regional centers. Advocates and some policy makers have raised
concerns about the devastating impact of those measures, especially when
combined with reductions and other efforts to contain costs in other areas
such as SSI/SSP (Supplemental Security Income/State Supplemental Payment),
In-Home Supportive Services, Medi-Cal, housing and transportation that also
impact not only children and adults with developmental disabilities, but
hundreds of thousands more people with other disabilities, mental health
needs, seniors, persons with traumatic brain and other injuries, persons with
MS, Alzheimer's and other disorders.
Advocates point to reductions or cost savings measures in
other areas - including special and adult education, community colleges,
employment efforts, affordable and accessible transportation and housing that
have had dramatic impact on children and adults with disabilities, mental
health needs, seniors and others.
Other Informational Legislative Hearings Scheduled
(Date Order)
Note: see separate CDCAN Report for details on each of
these informational hearings or visit the CDCAN website at www.cdcan.us
]
10/24/07: "Lanterman Act Into the Future"
(Assembly Human Services Committee) [first of two hearings]
10/24/07: Veterans Homes of California: Oversight
(Joint Hearing of Veterans Affairs & Budget Subcommittee #4)
10/25/07: "Revitalizing Communities for the 21st
Century" (Senate Select Committee on Urban Economics)
10/30/07: "Insurance Annuities and Senior
Citizens: What is Suitable" (Assembly Insurance Committee)
10/31/07: Governor's Revised Health Care Proposal
(Assembly Health Committee)
11/14/07: Olmstead Decision Implementation and Home and
Community Based Services (Assembly Aging & Long Term Care)
11/16/07: :Lanterman Act - Expanding Employment
Opportunities and Community Participation info hearing (second of
two)
COPY
OF AGENDA FOR OCTOBER 24th INFORMATIONAL HEARING
(you
can also go to the CDCAN website at www.cdcan.us to
obtain an official copy of this agenda).
ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON HUMAN SERVICES
Assembly Member Jim Beall, Jr., Chair
Informational Hearing
Wednesday, October 24, 2007
1:30 - 5:00 p.m.
State Capitol, Room 447
Sacramento, California
AGENDA
Taking the Lanterman Act into the Future:
Challenges in the Caseload Growth of Consumers Affected by Autism Spectrum
Disorders, and the Direct Support Worker Staffing Crisis
1:30-1:45 PM Welcome and Opening Remarks
Assembly Member Jim Beall, Jr., Chair
1:45-2:30 PM - The California Legislative Blue Ribbon Commission on
Autism Report
Senator Darrell Steinberg, Chair, California Legislative Blue Ribbon Commission
on Autism
Mr. Rick Rollens, Commission Member
Dr. Louis A. Vismara, MD, Commission Staff, Policy Consultant to Senator Don
Perata,
2:30-4:30 - The Impact of the Direct Support Worker Staffing Crisis on
the Delivery of
Developmental Disabilities Services
2:30 to 3:00 PM - PANEL 1
Consumers
and Direct Services Workers Perspectives
Mr. Jonathan Rosinus, Consumer
Ms. Darcy McCann, Consumer
Mr. Nick Feldman, Consumer
Ms. Tamara McClatchey, Direct Service Worker, Becoming Independent, Santa Rosa
3:00-3:10 - PANEL 2
The
Department of Developmental Services Perspective
Ms. Terry Delgadillo, Director, California Department of Developmental
Disabilities
3:10 to 3:40 PM - PANEL 3
The
Impact of the Direct Support Worker Staffing Crisis on the Quality and
Availability of Person Centered Services
Mr. Robert J. Baldo, Executive Director, Association of Regional Center Agencies
Mr. R. Keith Pennman, Executive Director, San Gabriel/Pomona Regional Center
Mr. James Burton, Executive Director, Regional Center of the East Bay
Ms. Pamela Jensen, Co-chair, Policy Committee, California Rehabilitation
Association; Executive Director, Ukiah Valley Association for Habilitation
Dr. Carol Zabin, PhD, University of California, Berkeley, Center for Labor
Research and Education
3:40
to 4:30 PM - PANEL 4
Strategies for Improving the Competencies and Stability of Direct Support
Workers in the Developmental Disabilities Field
Mr. Tony Anderson, Executive Director, The ARC of California
Mr. Jeff Ross, M.A., Ed., Director of Student Support Services, Taft College,
West Kern Community College District
Ms. Linda Collins, Executive Director, Careers Ladder Project, Foundation for
California Community Colleges
Mr. Dexter Ligot-Gordon, National Economic Development & Law Center,
National Network of Sector Partners
Ms. Mark Polit, SEIU
Mr. John Christensen, Vice President/Chief Operating Officer, HOPE Services
4:30- 5:00 PM - PUBLIC TESTIMONY
Please: Contributions Urgently
Needed!
Advocacy Without
Borders
Advocacy
Without Borders: Connecting People With Disabilities, Mental
Health Needs, Seniors, Traumatic Brain & other injuries,
People with MS & other health needs, including People of
color, different languages, cultures, Families, Workers,
Providers, & Organizations to Rights & Unified Action.
This report - and the CDCAN townhalls, and other events and
projects are for all of them and for promoting advocacy without
borders toward unified action. We are one community.
To respond to
this report reply to: Marty Omoto at martyomoto@rcip.com
CDCAN website: www.cdcan.us
To
continue the CDCAN website, the CDCAN News Reports. sent out
and read by over 45,000 people and organizations, policy makers
and media across California and to continue the CDCAN
"Advocacy Without Borders 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
or go to the CDCAN website at and click on
"DONATE TO CDCAN" to contribute using credit card via
Paypal.
The CDCAN Townhall Telemeetings are partially funded by a small
grant from the USC UCEDD, Grant #90DD0540 from the Administration
on Developmental Disabilities. (note: the opinions expressed or
content in these reports do not necessarily reflect the views or
opinions of the USC UCEDD.
THANK YOU
AGAIN - STEP!
MANY THANKS to Manteca CAPS, Training Toward Self Reliance, UCP,
California NAELA, Californians for Disability Rights, Inc (CDR)
including CDR chapters, CHANCE Inc, Parents Helping Parents,
Arriba, Strategies To Empower 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, developmental center families,