Legislative Action Alert - January 25, 2010
Good afternoon friend of the DLC,
Congratulations on coming through week two with flying colors! While there has been relatively movement on legislation of interest to individuals with disabilities or their families, this was the week the appropriations committees really got down to business.
A big thank you to all of you who came out for public testimony before the Health and Human Services Appropriations Committee on Wednesday. DSPD was extremely well represented by individuals, family members, and community providers. The folks from NAMI also did a great job focusing attention on the need for a community-based system-of-care to keep kids and adults with mental illness out of the hospital or the correctional system. Last, but certainly not least, I understand there was a fabulous turnout for the LCPD reception. During yesterday's committee meetings, several legislators commented on conversations they had with their constituents. Well done!
In their presentation, the Department of Human Services asked HHS Appropriations Committee members to provide it with guidance on where and how the Committee would like to see the Department cut its budget. Some of the options up for consideration are:
- increasing the caseload of DSPD and DCFS caseworkers;
- changing the processes for monitoring DSPD community-based providers;
- cutting DSPD and DCFS community-based provider rates;
- eliminating DSPD state-only funded services;
- reducing or changing DSPD's community-based waivers to focus more on proactive and preventive supports;
- reducing services, downsizing, or eliminating the Utah State Developmental Center;
- reducing the number of beds at the Utah State Hospital; and/or
- reducing funding for community mental health centers.
On a different note, yesterday the Public Education Appropriations Committee heard a presentation from the Superintendent of the Utah State Schools for the Deaf and Blind in which he stated that the USDB wants to focus more on early childhood intervention. In order to cover the costs associated with this shift in emphasis, he said the USDB plans to move experienced teachers out of curriculum development and back into the classroom, serve most, if not all, secondary students who use sign language on the USDB campus rather than in their neighborhood schools, and support the 23 students formally served by its residential program in their neighborhood schools or through other programs and services.
Finally, a small victory. The fiscal analyst for the Commerce and Workforce Services Appropriations Committee did not recommend cutting the General Assistance program further this year. GA provides a small amount of money to individuals who cannot work and are in the process of applying for permanent disability benefits from the Social Security Administration.
This is a critical time. The appropriations committees will prioritize their funding recommendations next week. Once again, the Executive Appropriations Committee tends to accept most, if not all, of the recommendations of the appropriations committees. If any of these or other programs, services, or supports are important to you, please call or e-mail your representative, senator, and members of the appropriations committees this weekend. Ask your family, friends, and colleagues to do the same. Share your story and any suggestions or ideas you may have. If you have a conversation with one or more of them, I would appreciate knowing how it went.
Please visit the DLC website at:http://www.disabilitylawcenter.org/legislative-advocacy.htm for the latest edition of our bill tracker and your legislator's contact information. If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to contact me. As always, thank you for your interest and support,
Andrew Riggle
Public Policy Advocate
1-800-662-9080 (Voice) or 1-800-550-4182 (TTY)
801-557-9182 (Mobile)
ariggle@disabilitylawcenter.org