Snohomish County Parent Family Coalition

Bills of Interest and Governors budget proposal 2012

2012-01-25T11:46:00.000-08:00

1/17/2012 Bills of Interest
2012 Governor Gregoire Supplemental Budget Proposal
While Legislators are working to develop a supplemental operating budget to address the budget deficit, there has been very little information about what the proposed budgets might include that would affect people with developmental disabilities and their families. The next Revenue Forecast is scheduled to be delivered on February 16, 2012. In recent years, proposed legislative budgets have been released after the most recent revenue forecast. We will keep you updated as we receive more information.

There are several bills working their way through the process and I have attached a bill list from The Arc of Washington to this email. The Arc of Washington office in Olympia is still without power so they have not been able to update this list since last week. To look up the full text of these bills please visit: http://www.leg.wa.gov/pages/home.aspx click on bill search and type in the bill number.

A couple additional bills not listed that you might be interested in are as follows:

HB 2581 – services to people with developmental disabilities transitioning from an RHC to Community Settings.

SB 6384 – ensures persons with developmental disabilities be given the opportunity to transition to a community access program after enrollment in an employment program for 9 months.

Our Economic Future Coalition

2012-01-10T11:52:00.000-08:00

We urge Governor Gregoire and the Washington State Legislature to show leadership in the effort to create jobs and rebuild a strong economy. In these tough times, we need to stand together as a state and invest in the public services that are key to our future prosperity and the quality of life in our communities.

In the wake of over $10 billion in cuts to community services during the past three years, an additional $2 billion in cuts would be devastating to our families and our communities.

Proposed cuts threaten to take access to health care away from 55,000 more people, eliminate care for 1,600 seniors and people with developmental disabilities, undermine our children’s education, and make college and job training inaccessible. These cuts disproportionately impact communities of color, immigrants and refugees and would worsen inequalities along race, gender, national origin, and income lines.

An all-cuts approach is the wrong direction for our communities. Instead, we urge lawmakers to take a balanced approach to solving our budget challenges. This includes protecting public health, public safety, working families and our children’s future. By investing in our future prosperity we can promote equal opportunity and a good quality of life for all. We ask lawmakers to work together so we can emerge from this recession with our communities intact and our economy poised to create good paying jobs.

As lawmakers consider the latest round of drastic and devastating cuts, the following actions should be taken:

• Raise revenue to address the immediate shortfall and prevent deeper cuts to essential services.
• Reform our tax structure to one that is more equitable and no longer places a disproportionate burden on those who earn the least.
• Pass an excise tax on stock profits and other capital gains to provide the revenues needed to invest in long-term job growth.
• Make sure tax breaks for businesses get the same level of accountability and scrutiny as all other spending in the budget so the public can evaluate whether they create jobs or not.

If the Legislature cannot meet the two-thirds majority requirement in place for raising some types of revenue, we support the Legislature sending a revenue referendum to the ballot, which can be passed by a simple majority vote in both houses

We oppose all efforts to use the recession as an excuse to weaken or overturn laws that protect workers, our communities, and the environment.

We call on our elected officials in Olympia to join with us in reaching a moral, responsible and balanced solution to support the vital public services that make Washington a great place to live and work.

For More Information go to: www.oureconomicfuture.org
Or email: info@oureconomicfuture.org

Proposed Budget Reductions that impact individuals with developmental disabilities

2011-10-01T14:06:00.000-07:00

Below are three documents that show proposed buget cuts that will impact individuals with developmental disabilities:
Impact of Great Recession and Further Budget Reduction Options
Susan N. Dreyfus, Secretary
Department of Social and Health Services
September/October 2011
HRSA Supplemental Budget Package
2011 Supplemental Budget Comparisons for Programs/Services for People with Developmental Disabilities
DSHS-ADSA Ten Percent Budget Options Summary
Ten Percent Reduction Exercis Stakeholder Discussion
September 28, 2011
WASHINGTON STATE’S Department of Social and Health Services—Aging and Disability Services Admin

Community Transit Cuts

2011-09-27T12:03:00.001-07:00

Board Selects Hybrid Service Alternative
Plan to cut 20 percent of service in 2012 has most commuter routing remaining same, new local routing planned

Snohomish County, Wash. – In 2012, Community Transit’s commuter service will maintain much of its current routing with fewer trips, while local service will be restructured to serve higher ridership corridors. This afternoon, the agency’s Board of Directors voted 6-3 to approve a plan to cut Community Transit bus service 20 percent effective Feb. 20, 2012.

After a summer-long public comment process that included reviews of four proposed service plans, the board chose the so-called Hybrid Alternative, which combines the commuter routing proposed in Alternative I with the local routing of Alternative III, with some modifications. The board did not restore service on Sundays or major holidays.

Snohomish County Councilmember Dave Gossett, Lynnwood Councilmember Ted Hikel, Mountlake Terrace Mayor Jerry Smith, Snohomish County Councilmember Dave Somers, Mill Creek Mayor Mike Todd and Stanwood Mayor Dianne White voted in favor of the plan. It was opposed by Mukilteo Mayor Joe Marine, Marysville Mayor Jon Nehring and Gold Bar City Councilmember Steve Slawson.

Descriptions of the plan are available on the agency’s website, and the agency’s blog.

This fall, Community Transit will develop maps and schedules for each of the routes and will launch a public education effort early in 2012. While no specific trip times are available yet, what is known is there will be fewer trips on almost every route, bus frequency will be decreased and the buses will end service between 10 and 11 p.m. on weekdays. Currently the last weekday route finishes at about 1 a.m.

“It’s never easy to cut service because of the impacts on so many lives,” Gossett said. “We listened to the public’s input on this issue, and that guided our decision.”

The board looked at four alternatives – three that were presented to the public in June, and the Hybrid Alternative that was developed at the board’s direction after the initial public comment period on the original three alternatives closed in mid-July.

With the decision, Community Transit will cut about 20 percent of its service starting Feb. 20, 2012. The agency will save about $12 million with the service reductions. The number of jobs that will be eliminated has yet to be determined.

The service cuts are necessary because Community Transit’s sales tax revenue has fallen by more than 20 percent from the level it received in 2007, the last pre-recession year. Meanwhile, operating expenses such as fuel, supplies and labor costs have continued rise.

Governor's Committee on Disability & Employment

2011-09-01T13:47:00.000-07:00

The Governors Committee on Disability Issues and Employment will be hosting a Town Hall Meeting on September 22, 2011 from 5:30 to 7:30 pm. This is a great opportunity for individuals with disabilities to shares issues and concerns and share any ideas they may have for positive change. Click HERE for flier.
Please help spread the word.

Medicaid Vision information

2011-08-17T09:56:00.000-07:00

June 29, 2011
ATTN: Medicaid Vision Providers
Legislation Gives Medicaid Clients Access to Low-cost Eyeglass Lenses and Frames
Medicaid providers may now obtain low-cost eyeglass frames and lenses for Medicaid clients
who otherwise might not be able to afford vision hardware because of state budget cuts.
Legislation passed this year and signed by Governor Gregoire allows Airway Heights'
Correctional Industries Optical Center to continue making vision hardware for Medicaid
providers and patients. Under the law, providers can furnish the eyewear to Medicaid patients at
the same cost they pay the Optical Center. Prices are expected to range around $20 for a pair of
glasses.
The vision benefit budget cut was one of several changes affecting coverage for clients of the
Medicaid program ages 21 and older. None of the changes affected children’s benefits, which
are generally protected under federal Medicaid law. The cuts also did not change coverage of
eye or hearing exams for adults. Those remain covered by Medicaid.
Airway Heights Optical Center is directing provider inquiries to its Customer Care
Department at 1-888-606-7788. Staff there will help providers through the process.
More information about the bill and copies of the legislation are available on the Internet at:
http://apps.leg.wa.gov/billinfo/summary.aspx?bill=5352&year=2011
Additional information also will be posted on the Airway Heights web page soon:
http://www.doc.wa.gov/facilities/prison/ahcc/default.asp
Providers are reminded that dispensing codes 92340-92342 are still valid codes and that
Medicaid will reimburse providers for dispensing the glasses.
Substitute Senate Bill 5352, was originally sponsored by Senators Jim Honeyford, R-15, Debbie
Regala, D-27, and Dan Swecker, R-20. It passed both chambers unanimously and was signed by
Governor Gregoire on April 18.
NOTE: Please do not reply directly to this Listserv message, as it is not monitored. If you have
feedback or questions, please select one of the options at
http://hrsa.dsh

Medicaid Vision Coverage

2011-08-17T08:34:00.000-07:00

STATE OF WASHINGTON
HEALTH CARE AUTHORITY
626 8th Avenue, S.E. • P.O. Box 45502 • Olympia, Washington 98504-5502

June 29, 2011
ATTN: Medicaid Vision Providers
Legislation Gives Medicaid Clients Access to Low-cost Eyeglass Lenses and Frames
Medicaid providers may now obtain low-cost eyeglass frames and lenses for Medicaid clients
who otherwise might not be able to afford vision hardware because of state budget cuts.
Legislation passed this year and signed by Governor Gregoire allows Airway Heights'
Correctional Industries Optical Center to continue making vision hardware for Medicaid
providers and patients. Under the law, providers can furnish the eyewear to Medicaid patients at
the same cost they pay the Optical Center. Prices are expected to range around $20 for a pair of
glasses.
The vision benefit budget cut was one of several changes affecting coverage for clients of the
Medicaid program ages 21 and older. None of the changes affected children’s benefits, which
are generally protected under federal Medicaid law. The cuts also did not change coverage of
eye or hearing exams for adults. Those remain covered by Medicaid.
Airway Heights Optical Center is directing provider inquiries to its Customer Care
Department at 1-888-606-7788. Staff there will help providers through the process.
More information about the bill and copies of the legislation are available on the Internet at:
http://apps.leg.wa.gov/billinfo/summary.aspx?bill=5352&year=2011
Additional information also will be posted on the Airway Heights web page soon:
http://www.doc.wa.gov/facilities/prison/ahcc/default.asp
Providers are reminded that dispensing codes 92340-92342 are still valid codes and that
Medicaid will reimburse providers for dispensing the glasses.
Substitute Senate Bill 5352, was originally sponsored by Senators Jim Honeyford, R-15, Debbie
Regala, D-27, and Dan Swecker, R-20. It passed both chambers unanimously and was signed by
Governor Gregoire on April 18.
NOTE: Please do not reply directly to this Listserv message, as it is not monitored. If you have
feedback or questions, please select one of the options at
http://hrsa.dshs.wa.gov/contact/default.aspx. Your message will be delivered to the appropriate staff member

Updated Side by Side Budget Comparison

2011-04-15T10:25:00.000-07:00

Click HERE for the updated 2011-2013 Side by Side Governor, House, & Senate Biennial Budget Comparison

Governor/House side by side budget

2011-04-12T14:22:00.000-07:00

HERE is the Governor-House budget side-by-side. The Senate should be releasing theirs this evening.

Arc of Washington State Action Alert

2011-04-08T09:58:00.000-07:00

The House votes on their budget soon! Take Action!

Make your voice heard today!

The House of Representatives Ways and Means Committee has released their 2011-2013 biennial budget proposal. A public hearing was a held a few hours after the budget was released. The entire House will vote on the budget soon. You must act today!
We need to thank legislators for their hard work, as it has not been an easy task to keep critical programs funded, but many programs that serve people with developmental disabilities were reinstated. Also included in the budget is the transition of 149 clients from Residential Habilitation Centers (RHC). Five RHCs will be consolidated into three. There are issues around Employment/Day and Adult Day Health that you may want to address.
Please act now and thank your legislators for the good things they have done and share your concerns for areas that may not have fared as well. Remember to be courteous. You can respond to this Action Alert or call and leave your message for your legislators on the toll free hotline at 1-800-562-6000.

"In our Shoes" Olympia Rally

2011-03-28T09:35:00.000-07:00

A huge thank you to Joy Caldwell, Executive Director of The Arc of Island Skagit for making the “In Our Shoes” event such a great success! (see KOMO 4 video coverage of the event)

Revenue forecast is down another $780 million State revenue forecaster Arun Raha said today that state revenues are lower through June 2013 than he predicted last November, in effect widening the state's $3.6 billion to $5.5 billion budget shortfall. Raha is releasing his latest quarterly report at noon that shows a $79.8 million drop in revenues expected by June and $698 million through June 2013. The report will be posted here. Raha's recent monthly tax-collections report is here. "The economic outlook remains cloudy with a great deal of uncertainty," Raha's presentation began. He mentioned oil price volatility tied to Mideast unrest and now the impact of the earthquakes and tsunami in Japan. Read more: http://www.theolympian.com/2011/03/17/1582624/revenue-forecast-is-down-another.html#ixzz1GtAD6DEN The House and Senate will likely publish their budget proposals next week. When they do they will hold public hearings right away. If at all possible, try to be prepared to come to Olympia and testify. With a bigger deficit and 70% of the budget untouchable human services are where they look to cut. Watch for an email letting you know the budgets have been released!

2011-03-17T14:58:00.000-07:00

State revenue forecaster Arun Raha said today that state revenues are lower through June 2013 than he predicted last November, in effect widening the state's $3.6 billion to $5.5 billion budget shortfall.
Raha is releasing his latest quarterly report at noon that shows a $79.8 million drop in revenues expected by June and $698 million through June 2013. The report will be posted here. Raha's recent monthly tax-collections report is here. "The economic outlook remains cloudy with a great deal of uncertainty," Raha's presentation began. He mentioned oil price volatility tied to Mideast unrest and now the impact of the earthquakes and tsunami in Japan.
Read more: http://www.theolympian.com/2011/03/17/1582624/revenue-forecast-is-down-another.html#ixzz1GtAD6DEN

The House and Senate will likely publish their budget proposals next week. When they do they will hold public hearings right away. If at all possible, try to be prepared to come to Olympia and testify. With a bigger deficit and 70% of the budget untouchable human services are where they look to cut. Watch for an email letting you know the budgets have been released!

2011 Supplemental Budget Comparisons

2011-03-04T12:42:00.000-08:00

Click Here to view the bills after the House cut-off and the budget after the Governor signed it.

Judge puts hold on DSHS trimming benefits

2011-03-02T12:52:00.000-08:00

Forcing poor families with disabled children to count federal disability payments when determining their income would cause "irreparable...

By Carol M. Ostrom

Seattle Times health reporter

Forcing poor families with disabled children to count federal disability payments when determining their income would cause "irreparable harm" to low-income disabled children, a U.S. District Court judge ruled Monday, putting a temporary hold on a state rule change.
The Department of Social and Health Services rule, which was to go into effect Tuesday, would have forced thousands of families to lose benefits from the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families and the State Family Assistance programs, argued lawyers for disabled children and their families.
U.S. District Judge James Robart said that if the new rule were allowed to go forward, those families would be "unable to provide appropriate ... medical care for their minor children with disabilities" and the children would suffer "significant, even life-threatening, adverse health impacts, including hospitalization."
When faced with a conflict between financial and budgetary concerns and "preventable human suffering," the judge wrote, "the balance of hardships tips in the favor of preventing human suffering."
A hearing on the temporary injunction will be held March 21.
Carol M. Ostrom: 206-464-2249 or costrom@seattletimes.com
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2014361030_dshs01m.html?syndication=rss

Bills of Interest/ Supplemental Budget Comparison

2011-01-26T17:10:00.000-08:00

Click HERE for the Bills of Interest updated 1/17/2011

Click HERE to view the 2010 Supplemental Budget Comparison House/Senate

Legislative Reception Update

2011-01-05T11:14:00.000-08:00

PLEASE NOTE:

The time for the Legislative Briefing on January 19, 2011 will begin at 2:00 pm instead of 2:30 pm. The briefing will wrap up by 4:00 pm. This will allow a little more time for advocates to go and eat dinner before the Legislative Reception begins at 5:30 pm.

The Community of People with Disabilities of Washington State

Invites You to Attend The 31^st Annual

Legislative Reception

Wednesday, January 19^th, 2011

5:30 – 7:30

in the Legislative Building’s Columbia Room

Hosted By

The Washington State Developmental Disabilities Council, The Governor’s Committee on Disability Issues and Employment, The State Independent Living Council, Parkview Services & The Washington State Rehabilitation Council

Contributions Go To:

Coni Mackey at coni@parkviewservices.org or 1-206-542-6644

Other Questions:

David.Maltman@ddc.wa.gov or 1-800-634-4473

A brief summary of the most current issues for developmental disabilities will be provided in the afternoon at The United Churches. Go have dinner after the briefing, then join us at 5:30 in the Columbia Room on the first floor of the Legislative Building for the Legislative Reception.

Briefing 2:00-4:00 pm

The United Churches

110 Eleventh Avenue SE
Olympia, WA 98501

Reception 5:30-7:30 pm

Columbia Room

Legislative Building
Capitol Campus, Olympia

Preliminary budget summary for DD

2010-12-15T17:56:00.000-08:00

Click HERE for Governor's Letter

Click Here for Preliminary Budget summary for DD

This morning the Governor’s staff held a meeting to share the Health and Human Services cuts that 3were in the Governor’s 2011-13 biennial budget proposal. Although her 2010 supplemental budget will not be released until Friday, some of its content was shared as well.

Carol Holland led the team of staff and had to choke back tears as she talked about having to take cuts they never thought they would have to take. Here are the highlights from the meeting:

· Elimination of the Basic Health Plan

· Medical Purchasing Authority will be moved from DSHS to the Health care Authority

· Physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy for adults will be maintained (no cut)

· Pharmacy benefits for adults will be maintained (no cut)

· Dental services will continue for adults who have a disability

· Adult vision and hearing hardware is suspended in the supplemental budget but is restored in the biennial budget

· Podiatry reimbursements for physicians are eliminated

· Medicare Part D co-pays are eliminated effective January 1, 2011

· Medicaid Personal Care hours will continue the current cuts (average of 10%)

· Close Frances Haddon Morgan Center in 2011

· Close Yakima Valley by January 2012

· Propose NTIB (Necessary To Implement the Budget) bill to allow RHC placement only for adults 21 and older

· Propose bill to take the RHC names out of statute

· Individual and Family services (IFS) is suspended in the supplemental budget but is restored, but with a $1 million reduction in the biennial budget (the program was a total of $12.3 million, it is not clear how this cut will be taken)

· Children’s Intensive In-home Behavior Supports program (CIIBS) reduction is continued in the supplemental, but is fully restored in the biennial budget

· 12% reduction to employment/day services rates to counties

· Employment/day services are provided to 2011-13 graduates on a waiver

· State-only employment/day services are eliminated

· 58 new community residential spots for children from foster care, juvenile rehab, etc.

· Community residential rates will continue to be reduced (getting additional clarification)

· The utility tax will not be pursued

· Reduce agency provider health benefits

· Delay mandatory training for long-term care workers

2011 DD Legislative Reception

2010-12-14T22:13:00.000-08:00

Click HERE for flier

The Community of People with Disabilities of Washington State

Invites You to Attend The 31^st Annual

Legislative Reception

Wednesday, January 19^th, 2011

5:30 – 7:30

in the Legislative Building’s Columbia Room

Hosted By

The Washington State Developmental Disabilities Council,

The Governor’s Committee on Disability Issues and Employment, The State Independent Living Council, Parkview Services &

The Washington State Rehabilitation Council

For Reasonable Accommodations

contact Debbie Himes at dhimes@esd.wa.gov or 1 360 486 5894 by December 20^th 2010

Contributions Go To:

Coni Mackey at coni@parkviewservices.org or 1-206-542-6644

Other Questions

David.Maltman@ddc.wa.gov or 1-800-634-4473

A Video and Vote from Senator Zarelli!

2010-12-08T15:06:00.000-08:00

Please view the link below for a message and vote regarding IP’s (Independent Providers) who care for their family members in-home.

Thank you,

Kelly Church

It’s Reset Tuesday, and in today’s new video Sen. Joseph Zarelli raises questions about how state government compensates people who are “independent providers” of in-home care for family members and whether the cost of the program could be reduced by adopting the approach used to compensate foster parents.

Vigil-goers hold candles to the budget-cut wind

2010-11-18T15:26:00.000-08:00

Vigil-goers hold candles to the budget-cut wind

posted 05:47 PM 11/17

Some were in wheelchairs. Others held banners. In all about 100 activists showed up tonight for a candlelight vigil under the Capitol's stone-roofed north entrance, expressing worry that looming budget cuts are going to shred the state's safety net.

The state's anticipated budget shortfall for next year is $4.8 billion, and a Thursday morning revenue forecast could make the situation worse or better.

But already, Gov. Chris Gregoire has ordered across-the-board spending cuts to cover a $520 million deficit through June, and that alone will knock some 27,000 children off health-insurance subsidies and could end prescription drug coverage for up to 500,000 recipients of Medicaid after March.

Additional cuts of 10 percent or more are under review by state agencies as Gregoire prepares for a budget to be released before Christmas.

"Even though we are in a recession, and I know we have to do these cuts, it's going to hurt in the long run," said Kyle Matheson, who held a battery-powered candle. "We need to stop this hurt."

Matheson said he recently became unemployed and also serves on the board of People First of Washington, which advocates for people with disabilities. "I'm concerned about the Medicaid cuts, the pharmacy cuts, any type of cuts that are going to hurt anybody with developmental disabilities or mental health issues," he said.

Diana Stadden, policy and advocacy coordinator for the ARC of Washington advocacy group, said she has a 17-year-old son with autism and she worries about pharmacy cuts. As a parent of three children employed by a nonprofit, she said it will be difficult to pay for some of his medications.

Stadden's group was one of several that arranged the vigil, including AARP, PAS-Port for Change, Puget Sound Alliance for Retired Americans, SEIU Healthcare 775NW and the Washington State Senior Citizens Lobby.

Ingrid McDonald of AARP, Walt Bowen of the Senior Lobby and Sue Elliott of ARC met with Gov. Gregoire and other healthcare-issue stakeholders late in the afternoon to talk about the pending cuts. McDonald said there was a shared sense of despair about the budget in the short term but optimism longer term that is linked to federal health-care reform.

She said Gregoire pointed to the reform as a way to get out of the current financing mess and that Gregoire reported talking to federal Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius about letting the state serve as a pilot for the new Centers for Innovation created by reform.

Dennis Mahar, leader of the Lewis-Mason-Thurston Area Agency on Aging said the state might be able to save money with a more coordinated use of Medicare and Medicaid spending.

He also expressed hope that lawmakers could find the guts to approve new revenues, summoning a two-thirds supermajority required by passage of Initiative 1053 on Nov. 2.

"I worry that our jails and emergency rooms will become our treatment centers," Mahar said.

Bowen said what is happening with budget cuts is the start of "dismantling" a long-term care system that took 30 years to build up and become cost-effective through supporting seniors in their homes instead of nursing facilities.

"I think the governor is … pained about the whole thing," Bowen said after the meeting with about 14 people and Gregoire about health care. "This is beyond anything she ever thought about in political life before … She was troubled by what is going to happen and tried to explain it. She's trying to figure out what to do about it."

The Governor’s Office confirmed Gregoire met with the parties but had no immediate comment. Mahar and McDonald cited elimination of hospice care aid for 2,600 low-income people and an end to prescription drugs for outpatient clients of the Medicaid system as major harmful outcomes of the budget crisis.

"I don't know how you do that,” Mahar said of the hospice cuts that are included in the Department of Social and Health Services share of 6.3 percent spending cuts. The cuts also will eliminate dental, vision and other care for low-income elderly and reduce hours available for homecare workers to assist the frail still living in their homes.

DSHS Secretary Susan Dreyfus said last week her agency also is cutting about $19 million more from its welfare spending, particularly in child-care subsidies for poor families transitioning to work, because caseloads have swollen and funding has not. That is in addition to more than $50 million in welfare cuts announced a few months ago.

Adam Glickman of the Service Employees International Union provided an analysis of the overall DSHS cuts that make up a large share of the $520 million in across-the-board cuts. The analysis showed administration and support services are being reduced by about 5.2 percent, while alcohol and substance abuse programs and developmental disabilities are cut by 10 percent. Economic services such as help for those on welfare are being cut 16.8 percent and long-term care is cut 15.7 percent, the analysis shows.

Inside of the long-term care area, SEIU's analysis shows home-care services are reduced by 15.5 percent and community residential services by 7.8 percent.

"It means some seniors and people with disability will lose homecare services entirely. Others will see their services drastically reduced, and thousands of vulnerable seniors will lose access to critical services like dental and vision coverage and prescription medications," Glickman said.

Glickman said SEIU and the coalition wants to put a human face on the cuts before the ugly budget fight gets under way in January in the Legislature. And McDonald said they want the public to know what really is at stake.

"There's not a clear path to it not being ugly," Glickman said.

Read more: http://www.theolympian.com/politicsblog/index.html#1443709#ixzz15eLnWb00

Stop the Cuts! DRW wants to hear your story.

November 17, 2010

The Governor’s budget eliminates Medicaid payment for all prescription drugs and all physical, occupational, and speech therapy services for people living in the community.

This includes all prescription drugs - even medications essential for the treatment of diabetes, epilepsy, mental illness, heart disease, and other disabilities.

We need to hear from you. These cuts must be stopped.

If you have a story to tell about how the loss of medications or therapies will harm you, please contact Disability Rights Washington at: 1-800-562-2702 x 101. TTY callers please contact us between 8:30 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. at 1-800-905-0209.

You can also e-mail us at: yourstory@dr-wa.org.

Click here for more information.

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

candlelight vigil on the Capitol Campus

2010-11-09T10:07:00.000-08:00

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

2010 Initiatives – Their Effect on You

2010-10-19T22:49:00.000-07:00

Referendum 52 – Healthy Schools for Washington
Many schools across Washington State have harmful toxins such as mold, asbestos and lead. Lead poisoning, particularly from old paint, is the most common environmental hazard that causes developmental problems. More than one in 25 American children have blood lead levels high enough to lower IQ or cause learning disabilities, violent behavior, attention-deficit disorder or hyperactivity.
Ref. 52 would use existing taxes to create 500 million dollars of bonding capacity to fix old, unsafe schools. Every school district in the state could get funding through competitive grants. Ref. 52 will also save taxpayers $130 million a year in reduced energy costs once buildings are updated and modernized and it will create 30,000 new construction jobs across our state. (www.HealthySchoolsForWA.org)
Initiative 1098 – Washingtonians for Education, Health Care & Tax Relief
A coalition of business, labor and community leaders, including Bill Gates, Sr., designed this initiative to provide badly needed funding prioritized for education and basic health services. I-1098 will raise $1 billion per year by taxing singles who make over $200,000 a year and couples making over $400,000 a year, only about 3% of our state’s population. The majority of other taxpayers will pay less by reducing the state property tax by 20% and increasing the small business tax credit from $420 a year to $4,800 a year. Small businesses are now required to pay B&O taxes even when they are losing money. I-1098 will eliminate this tax, making it easier for them to keep current employees and create even more jobs.
The income level cannot be changed to include more than those making the income listed above without a vote of the people. There would be regular audits and full public disclosure to ensure the funds are used for education and health services. Monthly reports on deposits, withdrawals and balances will be posted on the web. (www.YesOn1098.com)
Initiative 1100 and Initiative 1105 – Privatizing liquor stores
Currently, $330 million generated from taxes and the sale of liquor fund core public services for both state and local governments such as health care, law enforcement and education. I-1100 stops the state’s operation of liquor distribution by June 15, 2011, I-1105 stops it by November 15, 2011. Over 5 fiscal years, I-1100 is estimated to decrease state revenues between $76 million - $85 million while for that same time frame I-1105 is estimated to decrease state revenues between $486 million - $520 million. If state liquor stores are privatized, that also eliminates the state’s current avenue for selling lottery tickets, I-1100 would decrease lottery revenues $1,327,000 over 5 years and I-1105 would decrease lottery revenues $1,194,000. Washington State would have an estimated cost of $313,000 during the next biennium to make the changeover. (www.protectourcommunities.com) (http://ofm.wa.gov/initiatives/)
Initiative 1053
During the last legislative session the legislature suspended I-960 until the summer of 2011 in order to avoid an all cuts budget. I-1053 would reinstate I-960 and require a 2/3 vote of the legislature in order to raise taxes or create new taxes. If the legislature had not suspended I-960 during this bad recession it would have had to make severe cuts to public services. If I-1053 does pass, the legislature will have no choice but to cut more services in order to make up for the $3 billion shortfall the legislature is expected to face. This means cuts or elimination of state funded services such as Individual and Family Services as well as Medicaid coverage of dental, vision, therapies and other services. (www.sos.wa.gov/elections/initiatives/text/i1053.pdf)

Initiative 1082 – Privatizing the public worker’s compensation system
Our current public worker’s compensation system is regarded as a national model of efficiency. In I-1082 the insurance industry would like to privatize our worker’s compensation system. I-1082 would allow big insurance companies to prioritize profits over ensuring workers are able to fully recover before returning to work from a work related injury. These companies would look for low-risk, profitable businesses and leave the state with the high-risk businesses, and taxpayers would shoulder the cost.
I-1082 will hurt small businesses as they will not have the power of bigger businesses to get low rates. I-1082 also eliminates the worker’s contribution to the system, which would increase rates for businesses by at least 25% and mean lay-offs for many small businesses. AIG, which was a major player in the collapse of our financial system, is a major player in the private workers’ compensation market. (VOTENO1082.com)
Initiative 1107
In the 2010 legislative session, legislators worked to avoid an all cuts budget and to protect core public services by passing a small, temporary tax on soda pop, bottled water, candy and gum. Adding about 2 cents to a bottle of water or can of pop brings $352 million to our state over the next five years to help keep education, the Basic Health program and other services from being stripped. The legislature passed this tax only after having to cut $4 billion from Basic Health and nursing homes and suspending initiatives to reduce class sizes in education. I-1107 would repeal this small tax on items that are not essential to consumers. The tax does not affect food products, even though claims are being made to the contrary. It will actually increase B&O taxes for some businesses as well.

For additional information:
Washington Secretary of State

State of Washington Office of Financial Management

Washington State Budget and Policy Center

(put together by Washington State Arc)

Public Hearing on Affordable Housing

2010-10-19T17:43:00.000-07:00

Public Hearings Re: 2011 Action Plan and Program Performance

Snohomish County will hold two public hearings to solicit citizens’ views on priority needs for the use of CDBG, HOME, and ESG federal grant funds for affordable housing and non-housing community development (ex. public services, public facilities, infrastructure, economic development) activities for the 2011 program year. The hearings will also report on and receive citizens’ views on program performance under the Snohomish County 2005-2009 Consolidated Plan. The County will also respond to proposals and answer questions.

The hearings will be held on:

Date: Monday, November 1, 2010

Times: First hearing will be held at 12 noon
Second hearing will be held at 6 p.m.

Location: Meeting Room 6A02
Snohomish County Robert J. Drewel (Admin East) Building
3000 Rockefeller Avenue
Everett, WA 98201

Persons unable to attend the hearings may submit written comments prior to the hearing date.

Best regards,

Sue Tracy, Senior Grants Analyst
Snohomish County Office of Housing, Homelessness,
& Community Development
Phone: (425) 388-3269
Fax: (425) 388-3504

ADSA Reorganization

2010-10-19T17:40:00.000-07:00

Greetings:
Today I am pleased to announce the appointment of MaryAnne Lindeblad, Director of the Division of Health Care Services in the Medicaid Purchasing Administration, as the new Assistant Secretary for the Aging and Disability Services Administration effective November 1. MaryAnne brings a unique background, skill set, and experiences that will serve us well as we continue our efforts to build a strong system of care for our elders and persons living with developmental disabilities.
MaryAnne began her career with DSHS in 1977. Her first job was as a nursing care consultant in what is now ADSA. Lindeblad returned to DSHS as a division director in 2002. Prior to that, she served as assistant administrator at the Health Care Authority, where she managed the Public Employee Benefits Board’s programs for about 300,000 active and retired state employees. Earlier, she directed operations for Unified Physicians of Washington, a statewide physician-owned health plan, from 1994 to 1997. She has a master’s degree in public health from the University of Washington.
MaryAnne serves on the Medicaid Managed Care Technical Advisory Group, chairs the Long-Term and Chronic Care Committees of the National Academy for State Health Policy, serves on the Board of the Olympia Free Medical Clinic and the Family Support Center in Olympia, and is a member of the Advisory Board of the Evergreen State College Masters in Public Administration Program.
Under MaryAnne’s leadership, we will maintain our Department-wide commitment to assure that all people live safely, with dignity and fullness of life.
I know you join me in thanking Kathy Leitch for her service as Assistant Secretary of ADSA since 2000 and recognizing her many accomplishments for our state. She has worked tirelessly on behalf of our aging and developmental disability communities her entire career. She is one of a handful of national experts in the field of caring for our elders and people with physical and mental disabilities in their own homes and communities. We are recognized nationally for how far ahead of the nation we are in our home- and community-based system of care in both our long-term care and developmental disabilities systems. Kathy has been courageous and steadfast in her efforts in advocating at the state and national levels to protect vulnerable citizens from abuse, neglect and financial exploitation. She has positioned us well as we now move forward to reform our health care delivery system and further our efforts to increase the capacities of our systems that provide critical services for our elders and persons with physical and developmental disabilities.
In the future, Kathy will be working with MaryAnne on our initiatives to improve the quality of our adult family homes and modernize our adult protective services system. Kathy will also continue her work as we strive to build capacity and improve the quality of care and services we provide to people with developmental disabilities.
MaryAnne, as Director of the Division of Health Care Services in the Medicaid Purchasing Administration, has brought strong, innovative leadership in creating a state chronic care management program founded on targeting resources where they can achieve the best results and on helping consumers manage their own health. MaryAnne is a champion for the health home concept and other programs that focus on improving access to quality, integrated and affordable health care and services for low-income and vulnerable populations.
Last year, she was one of six Medicaid directors chosen nationally to participate in the inaugural class of a Medicaid Leadership Institute. The Institute, launched by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and chaired by former Wisconsin Governor and former U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Tommy Thompson, is aimed at building leadership in the Medicaid system and helping the state-federal programs serve as national models for high-quality, cost-effective health care.
I look forward to her continued leadership in making sure we maximize all of the many opportunities national health care reform will bring us to further improve the lives of our citizens.
I know that MaryAnne is looking forward to meeting you and all of our many partners as we continue our work together in the future. We are in historic and unprecedented times. Now more than ever we need to be working together to leverage every possible resource so that we continue to move forward as a state that is committed to our most vulnerable citizens.
MaryAnne will begin as Assistant Secretary of ADSA on November 1. Please join me in welcoming MaryAnne to ADSA. I am confident she will do an excellent job for our State.
Susan N. Dreyfus, Secretary
Department of Social and Health Services
October 15, 2010

Health Care Reform/ Social Security

2010-10-19T17:15:00.000-07:00

The Capitol Insider for the Week of October 18, 2010

Major Events Last Week

Health Care Reform

A federal judge in Florida issued a ruling allowing a lawsuit to go forward challenging the constitutionality of the Affordable Care Act (ACA). The lawsuit was filed by 20 states, led by Florida, against the federal government to halt implementation of the new law. The ruling outlines which issues the states will be allowed to proceed with in the case. While Judge Roger Vinson dismissed several issues, he will allow the states to proceed on the following issues: whether the law's individual mandate requiring people to buy health insurance exceeds Congress's constitutional authority and whether the law's expansion of Medicaid eligibility to additional low-income people violates state sovereignty because it will require states to spend billions more on the program. Also last week, in a suit brought by private parties in Michigan, another federal judge upheld Congressional authority to establish the individual mandate to purchase health insurance. In Virginia, a similar lawsuit is scheduled to begin oral arguments today. The Arc and United Cerebral palsy (UCP) participated in an amicus brief supporting the ACA in the Virginia case. The judge in the Florida case refused to accept amicus briefs. These lawsuits could take years to be decided with certain cases making their way to the Supreme Court.

Social Security/ Cost of Living Adjustments (COLAs)

On October 15, the Social Security Administration (SSA) announced that monthly Social Security and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits will not automatically increase in 2011 because there was no increase in the Consumer Price Index from the third quarter of 2008 (the last year a COLA was determined) to the third quarter of 2010. This will be the second consecutive year without an automatic COLA. In the SSI program, the maximum federal payment for an individual will remain at $674 per month. For couples, the maximum federal payment will remain at $1,011 per month. SSI resource limits will remain at $2,000 for individuals and $3,000 for couples.

SSA announced that it will also not increase the 2011 substantial gainful activity (SGA) level used to determine disability. Therefore, the SGA level for people with disabilities will remain at $1,000 per month in 2011, while the SGA level for people who are blind will remain at $1,640 per month. Similarly, while last year SSA increased the amount of earnings required to earn quarters of coverage, or work credits (used to determine whether an individual has contributed enough to the Social Security system to be eligible for disability, retirement, and survivor benefits), SSA has indicated that the earnings needed to earn a quarter of coverage will not increase for 2011. For more information, see:
http://www.socialsecurity.gov/pressoffice/pr/2011cola-pr.htm

Social Security /One-time payment

Following the SSA’s announcement of a second year without a COLA for Social Security and SSI beneficiaries, Democratic leadership of the House and Senate and the White House have announced support for legislation to enact a one-time payment of $250 for beneficiaries. For the typical retiree with a benefit of nearly $1,200 per month ($14,000 per year), the $250 payment amounts to about a 1.7 percent annual increase. Beneficiaries with disabilities, particularly those who receive SSI benefits, typically receive lower benefits than retirees; therefore a $250 payment would equate to an even higher percentage increase for them. Representative Earl Pomeroy (D-ND) introduced legislation in July to provide a one-time $250 payment, at a cost of $14 billion. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) have indicated their intentions to have the House and Senate, respectively, vote on legislation to provide the $250 payment when the Congress returns for a lame duck session after the November elections. White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs noted that President Obama will renew his call for a $250 Economic Recovery Payment to seniors this year, as well as to veterans and people with disabilities. He also urged "Members of Congress on both sides of the aisle to support our seniors, veterans and others with disabilities who depend on these benefits".

ADSA FY 2011-13 Reduction Proposals

2010-10-15T21:43:00.000-07:00

STATE OF WASHINGTON

DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL AND HEALTH SERVICES

P.O. Box 45050, Olympia, Washington 98504-5050

October 7, 2010

TO: ADSA Staff and Stakeholders

FROM: Kathy Leitch, Assistant Secretary KL

Aging and Disability Services Administration

SUBJECT: ADSA FY 2011-13 Ten Percent Spending Reduction Proposals

My September 29th memo to you on current-year budget reductions promised information about what has been submitted by DSHS/ADSA for the Governor’s consideration as she prepares her budget proposal for the 2011-2013 biennium.

Unfortunately, the revenue picture is not significantly brighter for 2011-2013. Each agency was asked to submit options to reduce state spending by 10%. That target is not in addition to the 6.3% current-year across-the board reductions I outlined last week. As you will see, we carried some of those proposals forward through the biennium, did not carry others forward, and have identified several new options.

Previously I said the state will be bringing fewer resources into its partnerships than planned and service recipients and their families will need to assess their ability to do more, service providers will need to reassess and revise their business models, we will ask more of the federal government, and labor, local communities, and governments will need to help sort out their priorities and what role they can play in streamlining government. I also said that given the magnitude of these changes there inevitably will be some services that will no longer be provided.

While we have a bit more latitude to be strategic as we approach 2011-2013, those statements are still accurate and will frame our discussions as we move forward.

ADSA’s proposals would reduce its expenditure of state general funds as follows:

Long Term Care $ (272,404,000)

Developmental Disabilities $ (98,915,000)

Mental Health $ (68,512,000)

Alcohol and Substance Abuse $ (18,083,000)

Total $ (457,914,000)

The figures above include an increase of $169M in “other” revenues for ADSA programs (primarily through increased federal match and increased fees). An increase in “other” revenues allows a corresponding decrease in expenditure of state general funds. The balance of the reduction in state general fund spending comes from cuts in programs.

The program specific steps are outlined in the attached chart. Details for all DSHS programs, including ADSA’s, can be found at the DSHS Budget Page. Beginning this week, OFM will begin reviewing agency proposals and we will work throughout the fall to refine those ideas as the Governor’s budget is developed and then finalized in December.

As you can see from the attached chart the types of actions we can take fall into the same categories as before, except there are also several new ideas for 2012-2013 that will increase revenues from non-state sources. In summary:

· Most of the 6.3% current year reduction proposals are continued through the biennium, with the following major exceptions (by category):

o ADSA Reductions: Temporary layoffs for employees are not continued.

o Rate Changes: Boarding home rate reductions; reduction to AAA Case management rates; and DDD SOLA reductions are not continued.

o Service Reductions: Suspension of the Individual and Family Support program for families who support people with developmental disabilities; reduction in funding for the Senior Citizen Services Act; suspension of entry to the Children’s Intensive In-Home Behavioral Supports program; and the reduction to Youth Detoxification are not continued.

· There are several items that appear for the first time on the biennial list:

o Service Alternative: A proposal to purchase health care for direct care workers employed by homecare agencies at a lower cost through the BHP or other Health Care Authority health plan options (DDD and LTC).

o Service Investment: Additional funding for the Volunteer Services Program to increase the number of volunteer hours provided in support of vulnerable adults; incentive-funding for nursing homes to engage more fully in the home and community-based service system; and an additional investment in the Family Caregiver Support Program to slow entry of clients into the Medicaid system (LTC).

o Additional Revenues: Five new revenue proposals that would create a net reduction of $153.3M in state general fund expenditure:

§ A proposal to extend a revenue-generating public utility assessment on DDD community residential providers, licensed boarding and adult family homes and home care agencies (DDD and LTC).

§ A shift of current in-home service participants to the new Community First Options Program under Medicaid, which provides a higher federal match rate (DDD and LTC).

§ Implementation of a quality assurance fee on nursing homes (LTC).

§ A Vulnerable Adults Safety Improvement Package that improves the abuse response system and covers more facility oversight costs through increases in facility license fees (LTC).

§ An increase in fees for licensing, certification, and regulatory oversight of chemical dependency treatment programs and community mental health agencies (ASA and MH).

As always, I will continue to keep you informed as we move toward the upcoming legislative session.

Attachment

Message from the Governor

2010-10-14T17:47:00.000-07:00

Dear Stakeholder:

You likely remember the headlines from a few weeks ago that announced the recession was over. Mathematically that may be accurate, but we know we still have a long way to go to rebuild our economy.

In the wake of reduced spending and hiring, there is still more to be done to balance our state budget. I want to take a moment to explain the need for across-the-board cuts, and what will happen next.

As the economy continues to sag and spending remains at a low level, state revenue continues to decline. At the same time, caseloads are increasing for public education and health care services. It is a cycle that is devastating to the people who rely on state services and difficult for state workers to endure. The supplemental budget passed this year left a $453 million ending fund balance, or surplus, in the state budget. However, the two revenue forecasts since May have been well below expectations. The state lost $203 million in the June forecast and $770 million in September. These reductions turned our $453 million surplus into a $520 million shortfall.

When a shortfall is projected, the law requires that I take action to balance the budget — either through spending reductions referred to as “across-the-board cuts,” or by calling a special session of the Legislature. Legislative leaders could not reach consensus on a special session. Thus, I had to direct agencies to reduce spending by 6.3% starting October 1. Agencies have submitted their reduction plans, which you can view at http://www.ofm.wa.gov/reductions/default.asp.

By law, across-the-board reductions leave no discretion to a governor. They apply to all branches of state government and to all agencies headed by elected officials that receive appropriations from the General Fund.

Though across-the-board cuts do not allow us to pick and choose the reductions we must make, we can use the supplemental budget to address some of the most compelling concerns these cuts raise, but the same level of cuts must be made. That supplemental budget will be presented to the Legislature, and legislators have the opportunity to take swift action when they return to Olympia.

Let me be clear: 1) cuts at this level in a fiscal year are a real challenge, and 2) balancing the budget through across-the-board reductions is difficult. The services we have to reduce are often the very ones we want to protect. These are hard times, and they are hard for me and for the state family I have known for the past 30 years of my career.

For me and my administration, this presents an unprecedented challenge in historic times. We have to do what we could never have imagined.

Simply put, we will emerge from this recession a much different state than when we started. We will still focus on the things we are proud of: protecting our most vulnerable citizens, keeping the public safe, stewarding our natural resources, educating our children, and creating the jobs of the future (lots of them!). But the way state government delivers on our promise will, by necessity, change. We are in that transformation now and I know it has created uncertainty and unfamiliarity.

When the Legislature returns, it will need to pass the supplemental budget and the added challenge of an operating budget that addresses a projected nearly $4.5 billion shortfall for the 2011–13 biennium. We all have a very tough job ahead of us. I welcome ideas from you, and citizens across the state, to transform our budget, prepare for the future and live up to our values.

Even in these hard times, I see hope. This is a time for us to work together and to support one another as we handle these difficult times. As partners, we will make our state an even better place to live and work.

Sincerely, Chris

The President Signs Rosa’s Law

2010-10-11T18:17:00.000-07:00

The President Signs Rosa’s Law

E-Newsletter Issue Date: Monday, October 11, 2010

On Friday afternoon, President Barack Obama put his pen to work signing the Twenty-First Century Communications and Video Accessibility Act of 2010 into law, delivering brief remarks on the impact of the law on people with disabilities and celebrating Rosa’s Law. The law, which was enacted by the President on Tuesday, substitutes the term “intellectual disabilities” for “mental retardation” in many federal laws.

Self-advocates William Washington (The Arc’s national office receptionist), Jill Egle (Co-Executive Director, The Arc of Northern Virginia) and Jeremy Jacobson (son of The Arc’s Chief Development and Marketing Officer Trudy Jacobson) joined Paul Marchand, Director of the Disability Policy Collaboration to represent the intellectual and developmental disability community whose advocacy resulted in this bill.

Nine-year-old Rosa Marcellino, for whom the law was named was in attendance with her family and received a hug from the President. Also in attendance were the bill’s sponsors, key policy leaders and musician Stevie Wonder.

Rosa’s Law was passed by the Senate earlier this year and passed the House in September. Self-advocates and The Arc have led the effort to get the bill enacted as part of a nationwide effort to remove the stigma of the “r-word.” The majority of states have altered their terminology by replacing the term “mental retardation” with “intellectual disability” in state laws and in the names of state agencies that serve this population.

Changes in terminology are another stepping stone toward realizing a more inclusive society. The Arc was instrumental in the passage of Rosa’s Law by galvanizing support across the nation and through vigorous advocacy. “We have achieved another historic milestone in our movement. We understand that language plays a crucial role in how people with intellectual disabilities are perceived and treated in society. Changing how we talk about people with disabilities is a critical step in promoting and protecting their basic civil and human rights,” said Peter V. Berns, CEO of The Arc.

The Twenty-First Century Communications and Video Accessibility Act increases accessibility for people with sensory disabilities to modern communications, such as internet access over smart phones. The Arc also advocated strongly for this legislation and celebrates its enactment.

on behalf of DSHS Secretary Susan N. Dreyfus

2010-10-11T15:48:00.000-07:00

This message is sent on behalf of DSHS Secretary Susan N. Dreyfus

October 5, 2010
Dear Stakeholders, Partners, Community Leaders and Colleagues:
As I said last week in my message and in our videoconference on Thursday, the 6.3 percent across-the-board spending reductions we announced would not be the end of budget reductions the Department will face in the short term. Given the revenue forecasts for the 2011-13 biennium, which begins July 1, 2011, the Governor’s Office of Financial Management has asked all Executive Cabinet agencies to submit additional reductions totaling 10 percent (Details are now posted on the DSHS Budget Web page).
Unlike the 6.3 percent, the 10 percent reductions we have developed for the next biennium are not going into effect now. We, along with other agencies, we will be working with OFM throughout the fall to refine the spending reduction options as the Governor’s 2011-13 biennial budget proposal is developed. The Governor’s budget proposal will be submitted to the Legislature in December for consideration during the 2011 legislative session, scheduled to begin January 10. The Legislature will adopt a budget for the 2011-13 biennium that we will begin to implement in July of 2011.
Beginning this week, OFM will start reviewing the spending reduction options submitted by all Cabinet agencies. This 10 percent reduction is not in addition to the 6.3 percent reductions. We carry forward into the biennial budget proposal many of the 6.3 percent reductions announced earlier this week, but the biennial budget process allows us to be more strategic in regard to our approach. It provides an opportunity to reinvest a portion of some of the reductions to help build stronger home- and community-based services. While these investments may be short-term in nature, these investments are intended to allow our community partners some flexibility and increased capacity to address expanded areas of social service needs in their communities.
We believe a thoughtful, strategic budget is one way we will bring to life our Framework for the Future. These reductions are not just about reducing, but about resetting in a sustainable way for our future. We must re-examine the work we do -- in light of the Governor’s eight budget development questions and our Department-wide efforts to:
strengthen and expand home- and-community-based service delivery systems
provide integrated case management services to high-need/high-cost individuals and families
and control General Funds-State expenditures while preserving services for our most vulnerable citizens.

I welcome your comments and questions at StakeholdersFeedback@dshs.wa.gov.
Thank you for the great work you do every day and your leadership.

Susan N. Dreyfus, Secretary
Department of Social and Health Services

Kelly Church
Parent/Family Coalition Co-Coordinator
425-258-2459 x 107
The Arc Of Snohomish County
kelly@arcsno.org

House Approves Bill Removing ‘Mental Retardation’ From Law

2010-09-28T08:00:00.000-07:00

House Approves Bill Removing ‘Mental Retardation’ From Law
By Michelle Diament

http://www.disabilityscoop.com/author/michelle-diament/

September 23, 2010

The House of Representatives unanimously approved a bill Wednesday evening paving the way for the term “mental retardation” to be replaced with “intellectual disability” in many areas of federal law.

The legislation known as Rosa’s Law now goes to President Barack Obama who White House officials say intends to sign the measure.

Under the bill, the terms “mental retardation” and “mentally retarded” would be stripped from federal health, education and labor policy. “Intellectual disability” and “individual with an intellectual disability” would be inserted in their place.

The changes would occur as laws and documents come up for revision over the next several years. Since the alterations would be implemented gradually, the legislation is not expected to incur any cost.

“For far too long we have used hurtful words like ‘mental retardation’ or ‘MR’ in our federal statutes to refer to those living with intellectual disabilities,” said the bill’s sponsor Sen. Barbara Mikulski, D-Md., in a statement Wednesday. “Rosa’s Law will make a greatly-needed change that should have been made well before today — and it will encourage us to treat people the way they would like to be treated.”

The language swap would not alter the rights that individuals with disabilities have, but would merely bring the federal government more in line with a trend toward using the term “intellectual disability.” Already the term is used by most states and some federal agencies including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Rosa’s Law is named for Rosa Marcellino, a Maryland girl with Down syndrome.

Gov. Gregoire responds to budget ideas posted on website

2010-09-03T09:35:00.001-07:00

Gov. Gregoire responds to budget ideas posted on website
For Immediate Release: August 26, 2010

OLYMPIA – Gov. Chris Gregoire today began posting video responses to the most popular budget suggestions offered recently on her budget ideas web site.

“As I said when we unveiled this web site, I want staff at the Office of Financial Management as well as members of the executive budget panel to review each and every idea,” Gregoire said. “I’ve been taking a look at them as well, and want those who have participated to know that we’re taking those ideas seriously.”

Visitors of the website submitted nearly 2,000 ideas, posted nearly 5,600 comments and cast 137,000 votes to weigh in on the suggestions.

Gregoire’s responses can be found on the state’s YouTube channel at http://www.youtube.com/user/washingtongovernment, as well as on the governor’s Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/govgregoire. Responses will be posted periodically, with the first response posted this morning.

OFM will also begin providing written comments to many of the suggestions receiving the most votes. The feedback will be shared on the governor’s budget webpage at http://governor.wa.gov/priorities/budget/default.asp.

Facing a $3 billion deficit for the 2011-2013 biennium, Gregoire has initiated a process to transform Washington’s budget – which included soliciting ideas from Washingtonians. Along with the interactive website, more than 1,200 citizens attended a series of public hearings around the state to learn more about the budget process and share input and individual strategies.

Although the interactive website is now closed, the public can still share their ideas for transforming the budget through the governor’s website at http://governor.wa.gov/contact/default.asp.

County seeks advocates to protect vulnerable adults

2010-09-03T09:26:00.000-07:00

There is a critical need for volunteer ombudsmen throughout Snohomish County to assist the elderly living in adult family homes, nursing homes and assisted living facilities.

As a certified volunteer long-term care ombudsman, individuals can make a difference by being an advocate, educator, investigator and problem solver. Volunteer ombudsmen come from all walks of life, various age groups and educational levels. The common thread is an interest in serving older adults and persons with disabilities.

Volunteers receive four days of free training to become certified ombudsmen. They are asked to volunteer four hours a week, attend monthly meetings and submit a monthly activity report. Expenses such as mileage are reimbursable.

The next four-day volunteer training will be held Sept. 21, 22, 28, 29.

The Snohomish County Long Term Care Ombudsman Program protects and promotes the interests, well-being and rights of vulnerable adults living in long-term care facilities. It is part of the Washington State Long Term Care Ombudsman program, a federally mandated program created by the Older Americans Act.

For more information and an application packet, contact Michal Glauner at 425-388-7393 or michal.glauner@snoco.org

Gov. Gregoire announces next steps for state budget

2010-08-13T10:33:00.000-07:00

Gov. Gregoire announces next steps for state budget

For Immediate Release: August 12, 2010

OLYMPIA – Gov. Chris Gregoire today announced steps to address a potential shortfall in the current state budget and directed agencies to prepare for the expected budget gap in the 2011-13 biennium.

“Thanks to the incredible hard work of Washington state’s delegation, especially Sen. Murray, we dodged a bullet and have avoided across the board cuts for now,” said Gregoire. “But our state budget remains under stress. To be fiscally responsible, we must transform the way we provide services and take action now to prepare for potential shortfalls.”

Due to legislation passed by Congress this week to send emergency state aid to states, including Washington, the need for any drastic cuts to be taken immediately was narrowly averted. In addition, agency and department savings from across all of state government implemented last year has yielded $89 million in savings to the state budget. Over the last three years, the state has cut $5.1 billion in state spending. This has come in the form of service reductions, facility closures and the laying off of thousands of public employees.

Over the last two months however, revenue collections have been $125 million below expected amounts and the state today has an ending fund balance of $72 million for the 2009-11 biennium. If the upcoming September forecast or a later revenue report comes in less than expected, the state could be faced with a shortfall that eliminates the ending fund balance, which would necessitate further action, likely across the board cuts.

The state is also currently projected to face a $3 billion deficit for the next two year budget.

To prepare for the upcoming two-year budget and be ready for any immediate action that needs to be taken to correct the current budget, Gregoire today announced that she would direct state agencies to:

• Prepare reductions of 4-7 percent for the possibility of across the board cuts starting October 1st if the next forecast or revenue receipts are lower than expected.

• Prepare budget reductions for a supplemental budget for the last six months of the current biennium equal to $500 million statewide to be passed in January.

• Draft 2011-2013 budgets to prepare for the expected $3 billion shortfall which will require a 10 percent reduction in the expected general fund budget.

“By necessity, government must be smaller. We must make a dramatic shift in what can be expected of state government,” said Gregoire. “Essential services for those most in need must continue, but it must be done as efficiently as possible. As we put together a budget that reflects our values, we will demand performance out of every program. The recovery will be long and bumpy, but we will survive this crisis and we will emerge stronger.”

For more information on the Governor’s budget process, please visit http://governor.wa.gov/priorities/budget/default.asp.

Good News on the FMAP Extension

2010-08-05T10:52:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, the Senate cleared a major procedural hurdle and is expected to vote later this week on a bill that provides $26 billion dollars in aid to states. The bill includes an extension of the increase in the federal medical assistance percentage (FMAP) of $16.1 billion for Medicaid and $10 billion in education funding intended to prevent teacher layoffs. Speaker Pelosi announced that she would be calling House Members back next week from the August recess to vote on the bill. The House of Representatives must pass the exact same bill to send it to the President for his expected signature.

The bill is fully paid for but it reduces the amount of federal support for FMAP from the $24 billion that would have been available under previous versions of the extension. The provision would phase out the enhanced FMAP during the six-month period from January 2011 through June 2011, providing states with a 3.2 percentage point increase in the second quarter of fiscal year 2011 and a 1.2 percentage point increase in the third quarter of FY 2011.

The DPC has actively supported the FMAP extension and the education funding as they are both critically needed to prevent harmful cuts to services and schools. However, we are concerned that it is partially paid for by scaling back future food stamp benefits which serve many people with disabilities.

If you have any questions, please contact Julie Ward.

The Arc
1660 L Street, NW, Suite 301
Washington, DC 20036
p. 202.534.3700 | f. 202.534.3731
www.thearc.org

Special session ruled out: Gregoire faces across-the-board cuts

2010-08-03T09:27:00.000-07:00

Special session ruled out: Gregoire faces across-the-board cuts

BRAD SHANNON; Staff writer | • Published August 03, 2010

The U.S. Senate again delayed a key vote on giving $25 billion more medical- and school-funding aid to the states Monday. Meanwhile, Democratic leaders in Washington state ruled out holding a special legislative session to fix budget holes related to the lack of federal aid.

Gov. Chris Gregoire had set a noon Monday deadline for Democratic leaders in the state House and Senate to say whether they could bring their caucuses to town for a short special session. Without the federal help that the U.S. Senate might give, she fears a $300 million deficit that requires immediate cutting of spending.

Even so, her spokeswoman Karina Shagren said Gregoire hasn’t announced a decision on how to bridge the looming budget gap.

“We’ll see what Wednesday brings,” Shagren said. “The governor is working with other governors to see that a vote gets taken Wednesday and it gets pushed through.’’

The alternative to a special session is having Gregoire, a Democrat, order cuts of up to 4 percent that fall across the board – nicking prisons, health care, higher education and other programs equally.

The Republican minority in the statehouse says across-the-board cuts are a terrible way to cut the budget, but majority Democrats say it is quicker and politically easier than bringing lawmakers to town in an election season when agreements are harder to reach.

“My personal view is we should continue to do the across-the-board cuts – cuts that could only last from now until we go back into session in January,” House Ways and Means chairwoman Kelli Linville, D-Bellingham, said Monday by telephone. “I think going into special session, there is no guarantee there will be any agreements.”

“We believe that the governor should first take across-the-board cuts and not call a special session. To methodically go through and do selective cuts would require time. And somehow in the middle of the campaign session I’m not sure that’s the best reason,’’ added state Sen. Ed Murray, the Senate Democratic Caucus chairman from Seattle. “I think it would be a completely politicized situation” in a special session.

Indeed, House and Senate Democrats run the risk of aiming for a special session of a few days, then watching their caucuses blow apart in disagreements that drag out for the full 30 days that the state constitution allows for a special session. That’s pretty much what happened in April after majority Democrats failed to complete a revenue package and budget during their 60-day regular session. Hopes for a quick deal disappeared as lawmakers battled for 30 days to find agreement, and aides to Gov. Gregoire say she doesn’t want to see that again.

But Republicans say across-the-board cuts hit worthy programs just as hard as those that can afford reductions – with Sens. Mike Hewitt and Joe Zarelli saying in a letter to Gregoire last week that cuts would hit the developmentally disabled, for instance, at the same rate as they hit tourism programs.

“The lawmakers who have led us into this deficit should have the guts to step up and solve it, not pass off their responsibility to someone else,” House Republican Leader Richard DeBolt of Chehalis said in a statement he released Thursday after talking with Gregoire and other legislative leaders. “Budget writers should develop a plan for balancing the budget and then hold a one-day special session to put us on a course of responsible and sustainable state spending.”

Republican Rep. Gary Alexander of Thurston County said he’s willing to lay out some specific ideas for cuts – including dropping the eligibility limit for the Basic Health Plan, perhaps reducing the so-called Disability Lifeline help, and considering cuts to such programs as all-day kindergarten and coaching for math. Alexander said he also would consider allowing state payments to family members that care for their ailing relatives instead of paying extra to home-health workers.

“It’s not correct to assume Republicans are going to vote no on anything they come up with. I know Sen. Zarelli and I have said if we can participate in the process, then it’s very likely we’ll be looking for some support” for budget-cutting legislation, Alexander said. “I know the Democrats aren’t going to like some of the suggestions we put on the table.’’

The budget dispute would be averted if Congress acts. The U.S. Senate is considering an extension of federal medical assistance funding for the states that totals about $16.1 billion, or two-thirds what an earlier bill would have provided, and another $10 billion in aid for schools to avert teacher layoffs.

The Senate action, which was delayed to Wednesday from Monday, would in effect rescue roughly 30 other states – which, like Washington, counted on the aid in their budgets – from having to make new cuts.

U.S. Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., said she has met national Republicans’ objections about the extra spending by offering an amendment that pays for it using unspent money already allocated to the federal government. But Sen. Mitch McConnell, the U.S. Senate minority leader from Kentucky, complained in a floor speech Monday that the spending on teachers would create “a permanent need for future state bailouts.”

McConnell called the aid a “brazen attempt” to push more money to public employee unions and set up massive tax hikes at the end of the year.

Even if the Senate approves H.R. 1586, which previously passed the U.S. House, it goes back to the other chamber for final approval.

Under the proposal, Washington state receives about $528 million including about $320 million in medical aid and $208 million in school aid, according to Murray spokesman Matt McAlvanah. He said the school aid could spare up to 3,000 jobs in public schools.

Read more: http://www.theolympian.com/2010/08/03/1323850/no-quick-fix-for-state-budget.html#ixzz0vYpFWOQ7

FMAP funding has one last chance, ACT NOW!

2010-07-30T15:39:00.000-07:00

CALL NOW! FMAP funding has one last chance! Take Action!

Ask to include amendment 4567 in HR 1586, vote is Monday!

Senator Murray is the lead sponsor of Amendment #4567 to H.R. 1586. This amendment includes a 6 month extension of the increased FMAP as well as additional money for teacher jobs. A summary is below.

Summary of Murray-Harkin-Reid-Schumer Amendment to H.R. 1586

FMAP. The amendment would extend and phase out increases in the Medicaid matching rate for six months, through June 30, 2011. This will ensure that states continue to receive these increases throughout state fiscal year 2011. The provision is estimated to cost $16.1 billion over 10 years.

Education Jobs Funding. The amendment would provide $10 billion for additional support to local school districts to prevent imminent layoffs. It is estimated that this fund will help keep nearly 140,000 educators employed next year.

This amendment will be voted on around 5:30 pm Eastern Time on Monday, August 2nd. Congress wraps up on August 9th. Action is need now.

Please call Senator Cantwell and ask her to support Senator Murray's amendment 4567 to extend the FMAP in HR 1586 which will be voted on Monday at 5:30 pm ET.

Please call Senator Murray and thank her for sponsoring amendment 4567 to HR 1586.

If the FMAP amendment does not pass, our Governor will be forced to make severe cuts to our needed services and the jobs that support them right now, because the FMAP extension funding was assumed in the last state budget.

Gov. Gregoire unveils new budget ideas website

2010-07-20T22:11:00.000-07:00

Interactive site allows Washingtonians to submit ideas about state budget

OLYMPIA – Gov. Chris Gregoire today announced the launch of an interactive website that allows citizens to share, comment and vote on budget ideas. The most highly rated ideas by viewers will rise to the top of the list and be considered by budget writers.

The website is one tool the governor is using to develop the state’s 2011–13 spending plan in the process she calls “Transforming Washington’s Budget.”

“Closing our state’s budget gap requires innovative thinking as well as making some tough decisions,” Gregoire said. “This interactive website gives people an opportunity to share ideas and engage in a discussion about what ideas might work best for us. I’m eager to hear what people have to tell us.”

Ideas will be posted between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. The site will be moderated so that profane or vulgar postings will not be accepted.

Earlier this summer, the governor announced her plan for “Transforming Washington’s Budget” through a number of steps, including the formation of a committee of leaders from across the state to serve as an advisory and sounding board. In addition, she is layering a series of eight questions on top of the budget system known as Priorities of Government, or POG, to identify the most essential state services, whether they are being delivered in the most effective and cost-efficient way, and whether the state or another entity should provide the service.

The public is invited to share ideas at transformwabudget.ideascale.com.

For more information about transforming Washington’s budget and public budget hearings, visit http://www.governor.wa.gov/priorities/budget/default.asp.

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

Budget Hearings

2010-07-19T22:08:00.000-07:00

The Governor's Office of Financial Management (OFM) are holding budget process hearings across the state. Attached are the dates and link. Thank you, Kelly

http://governor.wa.gov/priorities/budget/transformbudget.pdf

Executive Budget Hearings July 2010

July 19 – Tacoma, 7-9 PM, (UWT-William W. Phillip Hall, Milgard Assembly Room, 1900 Commerce Street)

July 21 – Everett, 7-9 PM, (Everett Community College, Parks Building, Multi Purpose Room, 2000 Tower Street)

July 27—Vancouver, 7-9 PM, (WSU-Vancouver, Administration Building Room 110, 14204 NE Salmon Creek Avenue, Vancouver)

July 29—Spokane, Time TBA, (Spokane City Hall, City Council Chambers, 808 W. Spokane Falls Boulevard)

Take Action--Medicaid

2010-07-08T11:13:00.000-07:00

What Will Happen to Medicaid?
Take Action!

Urge your Senators to support the extension of the FMAP increase

We are all anxious about Medicaid. Most states start their 2011 fiscal years this week and they are desperate for funding to keep their programs running. And Congress has just failed again to pass an extension of the increase in the federal medical assistance percentage (FMAP).

Without swift enactment of a six-month Medicaid FMAP extension, states may be forced to cut BILLIONS from their programs, including home and community based services, supported employment, dental care and even basic health care.

Advocates must make their voices heard to get the FMAP extension passed very soon.

Take Action

Please call your Senators' district offices during the Independence Day recess (July 2-12). The phone numbers and sample talking points are provided when you click on the "Take Action" link and enter your zip code in the "Call Now" box.

What to say:
• May I please speak to the staff person who covers health?
• I am calling to urge Senator _________________ to do everything possible to ensure that a Medicaid FMAP extension is passed.

• People with disabilities depend on Medicaid for their very survival. Without an extension of the Medicaid FMAP increase, we will lose vital services.

For this alert please call; do not email. Offices are keeping track of calls and personal visits.

Thank you in advance for your advocacy.

House Human Services Committee/ Autism Work Session;June 16th, 2010

2010-06-17T13:56:00.000-07:00

TVW has uploaded video of the hearing on their website. You can access it via the links below. I’ve also included a link to the committee website where a PDF version of all the PowerPoint presentations can be accessed.

Video from tvw.org
House Human Services Committee held on June 16, 2010 10:00am
Work Session: Strategies for Addressing the Increase in Autism Diagnoses.

Please click here to watch video or paste this url into your browser address bar: http://www.tvw.org/media/mediaplayer.cfm?EvId=2010060078

Committee meeting documents are available online: http://www.leg.wa.gov/House/Committees/HS/

Lucinda Duvall
Legislative Assistant
Human Services Committee
House of Representatives Office of Program Research

June 2010 revenue forecast

2010-06-17T11:21:00.000-07:00

The June 2010 revenue forecast press release is now available on the Economic and Revenue Forecast Council's web page HERE

You can also retrieve a copy of our Revenue Review meeting handouts.

Color, best for viewing

Grayscale, best for printing

Funding for Employment Services to HS Grads

2010-06-14T22:42:00.000-07:00

Funding for Employment Services to High School Transition Graduates
Due to additional funding from the legislature, employment services from the Division of Developmental Disabilities are available for all young adults who meet eligibility requirements.

Information on who is eligible and how to get started is in our latest bulletin,.

Go to IFBT website to read the bulletin

For information on this and other important topics, visit:
http://www.informingfamilies.org/

2010 Primary Candidates Who Have Filed

2010-06-14T22:36:00.000-07:00

Click HERE to view the 2010 Primary Candidates who have filed.

The Voice Unheard

2010-06-11T17:30:00.000-07:00

A thought provoking Poem by one of our own wonderful Siblings was posted on Autism Speaks blog

The Voice Unheard

I scream
I cry
I bang
You still don’t understand
The words won’t form for me to speak
But alas I have much to say
If only there was a way
A way for you to hear me
From behind the prison bars

The children on the streets stare
Like illuminating eyes in the night
I appear not to care
As they ponder over the sight
Of me walking on my toes
And screaming without no cause
To them I’m an alien
If only they could understand

There’s more than meets the eye with me
I’m not just some freak
If they could only see
I can’t help what I am or how I act
There’s much more under the surface
A truth waiting to be found
I’m not going to die
But that doesn’t make things alright

My mind, my body
Don’t work like they should
I’m trapped
A prisoner
No one’s knows how it happens
Why I can’t talk to you
It’s something in my brain
That went askew

There are others like me that can talk
But their case is different than mine
See we are all very different
Even with the same infected mind

In my case, I’m severe
I can’t talk
Only scream and yell
I bang walls and slam doors
And windows in cars
My senses aren’t like yours
My sense of feeling is off
I bang my head down on a table
Just to be sure it’s still there

Autism isn’t like cancer
There’s no cure
Or solution found
Only drugs and medication
To try and calm us down
But I am lucky to have a family
That loves me so much
They make sure I’m taken care of
And do everything they must

So next time you see me on the street
Or others of the same fate
Think of all we go through
Just to get through each day
Autism has a voice
If you take time to listen
You will hear

This “In Their Own Words” essay is by 15-year-old Emily Church. Emily’s 12-year-old brother has autism and she wrote this poem for a high school English class. “The Voice Unheard” is written from the point of view of her brother explaining his actions.

If you have a story you wish to share about your personal experience with autism, please send it to editors@autismspeaks.org. Autism Speaks reserves the right to edit contributions for space, style and content. Because of the volume of submissions, not all can be published on the site.

Medicaid Action Alert

2010-06-03T11:56:00.000-07:00

Huge Medicaid Cuts are Still at Stake
Take Action!

Make sure your Senator(s) continue to support extending the increase in the federal share of Medicaid

The clock is ticking on extending the increase in the federal government's share of Medicaid (known as the federal medical assistance percentage (FMAP)). When the Senate returns next week they are likely to debate a tax extender bill that must include FMAP when it goes to the floor for a vote. This may be the last opportunity this year to vote to extend FMAP. Advocates must make their voices heard.

Without swift enactment of a six-month FMAP extension, states will be forced to make very deep cuts in programs, including home and community based services, supported employment, dental care and even basic health care.

The Senate must pass the FMAP extension soon.

You are receiving this alert because one or both of you Senators was among the 62 Senators that voted for the FMAP extension recently. Each of these Senators needs to be thanked for their past support. We must also urge each Senator to do all they can to make sure the FMAP extension is in the tax extender bill when it comes to the floor next week.

Even though your Senator has supported it in the past, some Senators have raised concerns about the growing federal deficit and the cost of the extenders bill. WE CANNOT TAKE IT FOR GRANTED THAT YOUR SENATOR WILL VOTE FOR THE FMAP EXTENSION AGAIN.

Take Action

Please call your Senator's office THIS WEEK. Call TOLL FREE - 1-877-442-6801. Sample talking points are provided when you click on the "Take Action" link.

What to say:
• May I please speak to the staff person who covers health?
• I am calling to thank Senator _________________for the past support of the FMAP extension and urge that s/he do everything possible to ensure that it is in the tax extender bill when it comes to the Senate floor for a vote.
• People with disabilities depend on Medicaid for their very survival. Without an extension of the Medicaid FMAP increase contained in the bill, we will lose vital services.

Please call; do not email. The reality is that staff on Capitol Hill rarely read constituent email anymore. There is just too much of it to keep track of. The best measures they have about what constituents need are telephone calls or personal visits.

Thank you in advance for your advocacy.

Disability Policy Seminar Fact Sheets

2010-05-20T14:30:00.000-07:00

http://disabilitypolicyseminar.org/

FACT SHEETS

Health Care Reform

Long Term Services and Supports Provisions in Health Reform

Employment

Direct Support Workers

FY 2011 Budget and Appropriations

Modernization of Disability Terminology

FMAP

OTHER HELPFUL DOCUMENTS

Tips on Writing or Emailing a Member of Congress (word)

How to Obtain House and Senate Documents (word)

Congressional Research Service Reports on the Federal Budget Process

Budget Reconciliation Legislation: Development and Consideration
http://www.rules.house.gov/archives/98-814.pdf.

U.S. House of Representatives -

Tying it All Together: Learn About the Legislative Process

http://www.house.gov/house/Tying_it_all.shtml

The Role of the President in Budget Development

http://www.rules.house.gov/archives/RS20179.pdf

Bills and Resolutions: Examples of How Each Kind is Used

http://www.rules.house.gov/archives/98-706.pdf

Overview of the Authorization-Appropriations Process

http://www.rules.house.gov/archives/rs20371.pdf

Overview of the Congressional Budget Process

http://www.rules.house.gov/archives/RS20368.pdf

Basic Federal Budgeting Terminology

http://www.rules.house.gov/archives/98-410.pdf

The Congressional Budget Process Timetable

http://www.rules.house.gov/archives/98-472.pdf

Earmarks and Limitations in Appropriations Bills

http://www.rules.house.gov/archives/98-518.pdf

Pay-As-You-Go Procedures for Budget Enforcement

http://www.rules.house.gov/CRS_Rpt/RL34300.pdf

Gov. Gregoire signs supplemental budget

2010-05-06T14:45:00.000-07:00

Gov. Gregoire signs supplemental budget

For Immediate Release: May 4, 2010

OLYMPIA – Gov Chris Gregoire today signed a supplemental budget that funds critical state programs while implementing new reform measures to streamline and reduce state government.

“This budget is a fair mix of cuts and revenue that ensures our most vulnerable receive the services they need, our young learners get the education required to be successful and productive, and our communities remain safe and protected,” Gregoire said. “Despite our difficult economic times – we managed to protect many core services that Washingtonians value, and at the same time reduce and streamline state government. That’s something to be proud of.”

Despite a $2.8 billion dollar deficit, Gregoire applauded state lawmakers for developing a budget that maintains several critical state programs, including the state’s Basic Health and State Need Grant programs. The budget also addresses several of the governor’s priorities, including job creation and reform.

“This budget includes significant strategies to put people back to work,” Gregoire said. “We have the potential to create more than 70,000 jobs over the next five years with this budget through tax incentives, green building enhancements and rural construction projects. Additionally – this budget goes a long way to reforming the way state government works – and I applaud the Legislature for that. They had the courage to reduce state spending by eliminating nearly 70 boards and commissions, close institutions and consolidate programs and agencies to increase efficiency.”

Gregoire vetoed some sections of the budget – including the provisions that would have put the Insurance Commissioner in the red and stripped the Life Sciences Discovery Fund of funding. Gregoire also vetoed 26 of the 52 reports assigned through legislation to the Executive Branch. Combined with vetoes to the Legislature’s revenue package -- the state’s ending fund balance is now expected to be approximately $453 million.

Overall, the state’s $2.8 billion deficit was filled by a combination of $747 million in cuts, $618 million in federal funding and $757 million in new revenue. This is on top of actions the state took to solve the $9 billion shortfall the state faced last year, which included $4.4 billion in cuts.

http://www.governor.wa.gov/news/news-view.asp?pressRelease=1488&newsType=1

Sections vetoed by the Governor:

Section 129, page 35, lines 19-20, Office of Financial Management, Change to Fiscal Year 2011 General Fund-State Appropriation

The reduction to the Fiscal Year 2011 appropriation is vetoed in order to retain sufficient funds to conduct two critical budget-related studies: an independent assessment of placements in residential habilitation centers in Section 129(6) and an analysis and strategic business plan for the Consolidated State Data Center and Office in Section 129(7). Insufficient funds were provided to prepare a valuable study, and no new funds were provided for the Data Center study. The agency will still implement all administrative reductions assumed in the budget as passed, and the additional spending authority will be used to accomplish the new work assigned to the agency. For these reasons, I have vetoed Section 129, lines 19-20.

Section 129(6), page 38, Office of Financial Management

The $200,000 appropriation for this study is divided between two fiscal years so the Office of Financial Management will not be able to use half of the money, making it impossible to satisfactorily complete the review as envisioned. Therefore, I am vetoing section 129(6). In order to assess the status of people who currently live in residential habilitation centers, I am directing the Department of Social and Health Services to conduct assessments in a similar manner as is done for people in community residential programs. The assessments shall include interviews with all residential habilitation center residents or guardians of residents to determine the optimum setting for these individuals and shall include the option and choice to remain in a residential habilitation center. The Office of Financial Management shall contract with an independent consultant to review the assessments and determine whether there are funded options available in the community for residential habilitation center residents who indicate an interest in moving to a community placement and whether appropriate services and resources in the community exist or can be developed to provide adequate care for people with developmental disabilities. The consultant shall provide a report to me and the Legislature by December 1, 2010. For these reasons, I have vetoed Section 129(6).

Section 205(1)(m), page 88, Department of Social and Health Services, County Employment Funding

This proviso prohibits the Department of Social and Health Services from reducing expenditures for contracts with counties for employment assistance for people with developmental disabilities. This restriction limits the Department’s ability to manage necessary budget reductions. Therefore, I have vetoed Section 205(1)(m).

Section 205(1)(n), page 88, Department of Social and Health Services Developmental Disabilities Program, Agency Provider Savings and Hourly Rates

The Department of Social and Health Services is directed to report on the fiscal impact of Chapter 571, Laws of 2009 (Substitute House Bill 2361) and the relative hourly costs of agency providers and individual providers. However, no funding is provided for this purpose. Therefore, I have vetoed Section 205(1)(n).

Section 205(1)(o), pages 88-89, Department of Social and Health Services Developmental Disabilities Program, Workgroup on Administrative Burdens for the Homecare Industry

The Department of Social and Health Services is directed to convene a new work group to address administrative burdens on the homecare industry and to report on its findings. However, no funding is provided. Therefore, I have vetoed Section 205(1)(o).

Section 205(1)(p), page 89, Department of Social and Health Services, Report on Placements for Residential Clients

This proviso requires a quarterly report on all placements for residential clients in the community protection and expanded community programs in the Division of Developmental Disabilities. Because of the cost involved, I have vetoed Section 205(1)(p) and am directing the Department of Social and Health Services to continue providing the quarterly reports, which cover only new residential clients added to the programs in the current biennium.

Section 205(1)(r), page 89, Department of Social and Health Services, Self-Advocate Support

This proviso directs the Department of Social and Health Services to spend an additional $100,000 to provide instruction in self-advocacy to families of individuals with developmental disabilities. In these difficult economic times, it is not prudent to expand services. For this reason, I have vetoed Section 205(1)(r).

Section 205(1)(s), pages 89-90, Department of Social and Health Services, Community Support

The Department of Social and Health Services is directed to spend an additional $100,000 for parent-to-parent networks and community support groups for people with developmental disabilities. In a time when we are reducing other valuable core services of state government, we cannot afford to expand these services. For this reason, I have vetoed Section 205(1)(s).

Section 206(20), page 97, Department of Social and Health Services Aging and Adult Services Program, Agency Provider Savings and Hourly Rates

Section 212(7), pages 121-122, Department of Social and Health Services, Autism Health Coverage Study

The Department of Social and Health Services is directed to report, in collaboration with the Health Care Authority, on the fiscal impact of state-purchased health care to cover autism spectrum disorder diagnosis and treatment for individuals younger than 21 years. This is not the time to engage in new studies to assess the expansion of state-paid services, no matter how worthy. Therefore, I have vetoed Section 212(7).

http://www.governor.wa.gov/billaction/2010/veto/6444.pdf

Final 2010 budget Comparison--Updated

2010-04-29T09:11:00.000-07:00

Click HERE for the final 2010 budget side by side for developmental disabilities put together for the Arc of Snohomish County. The final bills of interest are listed HERE.

Disability Policy Seminar

2010-04-29T08:54:00.000-07:00

Kelly Church (Arc of Snohomish Parent/Family Coalition Coordinator) had the opportunity to travel to Washington DC for the Disability Policy Seminar. While there she made appointments to meet with many of our Representatives. This is a picture of her with Senator Cantwell. Kelly was able to share about the concerns surrounding the population of individuals with developmental disabilities.

2010 Final Budget Comparison

2010-04-20T15:16:00.000-07:00

Click HERE for the 2010 Final Budget side by side comparison for developmental disabilities put together by The Arc of Washington State.

Respectful Language Bill HB 2490

2010-03-28T22:30:00.000-07:00

Respectful Language Bill HB 2490 Signed by Governor March 17, 2010

NEW SECTION. Sec. 1. The purpose of this act is to move toward
11 fulfillment of the goals stated in RCW 44.04.280, to remove demeaning
12 language from the Revised Code of Washington and to use respectful
13 language when referring to individuals with disabilities.

View complete Bill HERE

Latest updated bills and budget side by side

2010-03-28T22:26:00.000-07:00

Here is the latest updated bills and budget side-by-side (not final of course)

Gregoire calls special session for Monday

2010-03-14T12:23:00.000-07:00

Gregoire calls special session for Monday

State lawmakers rushed to pass a backlog of bills on the last day of the regular legislative session Thursday but left the hard stuff &...

By Jim Brunner and Andrew Garber

Seattle Times staff reporters

OLYMPIA — State lawmakers rushed to pass a backlog of bills on the last day of the regular legislative session Thursday but left the hard stuff — closing a $2.8 billion budget shortfall — for later.

Shortly after lawmakers applauded themselves upon adjourning the 60-day regular session, Gov. Chris Gregoire called them into special session starting Monday.

"We are at a turning point in our history and we need to get it right," Gregoire said at a late-night news conference

Gregoire urged lawmakers to finish up within seven days and keep their focus only on the budget and a jobs bill, although under the state constitution the new session can last up to 30 days and isn't limited to any particular subject.

Standing with Gregoire, House Speaker Frank Chopp, D-Seattle, and Senate Majority Leader Lisa Brown, D-Spokane, said they believe they're close to agreement on taxes and cuts needed to balance the budget.

"We are making real progress," Chopp said.

As the clock ticked down on the regular session, lawmakers approved a package of education bills promising better funding for public schools and pledging access to quality preschool as a new state entitlement.

The Legislature also approved legislation sought by Gregoire that would allow the state to intervene in failing schools and set up new evaluations for teachers. That was aimed at helping Washington compete for a share of $4.35 billion in federal grants known as Race to the Top.

Democratic leaders said they hope to reach a deal on the budget and taxes within a few days.

"There's no great fight going on here," said Sen. Ed Murray, D-Seattle, the Senate's lead negotiator on taxes. "It's just a matter of getting more time to get through it, and we'll get through it."

The House and Senate have approved different bills that would close the budget shortfall with a combination of cuts, taxes and use of one-time fixes such as federal aid and reserves.

Murray said there's still a fundamental disagreement with the House over whether to include a general sales-tax increase.

The Senate has proposed $890 million in new taxes, including a tax on bottled water, a three-tenths of a cent increase in the state-sales tax, a boost to tobacco taxes, and an end to certain tax exemptions.

The House has proposed $680 million in new taxes, but its package does not include a sales-tax increase.

That's been a big sticking point for weeks between the two chambers. House Democratic leaders say they don't have the votes to pass a sales tax.

Murray said he has the opposite situation in the Senate. "If we don't have the sales-tax piece in there at some level, we don't have the votes for revenue," he said.

Republicans criticized Democrats for wasting taxpayer money on a special session, which costs about $20,000 a day — even as they negotiate a budget that will raise taxes.

Sen. Mike Carrell, R-Lakewood, was one of several Republicans who sponsored a bill to cut off lawmakers' "per diem" allowance of $90 a day for expenses while they're in a special session.

Although that bill was introduced too late to pass in the session, Carrell said he's told the Senate he won't accept the per-diem payments during the special session.

"There's no reason to keep us around here if the majority party can't get its act together. We're burning enough money down here as it is," Carrell said.

In addition to the budget talks, Gregoire and legislative leaders said they wanted to see a major jobs package as part of the discussion.

One proposal pushed by House lawmakers would use $500 million or more in state bonds to pay for energy-efficiency upgrades to public schools — with the idea of kick-starting construction jobs while saving money for schools on utility bills in the long run.

But that plan, which was questioned by the state treasurer, bogged down in the Senate.

Gregoire praised legislators for their work on education, including the Race to the Top.

The measure makes low-performing schools more accountable and creates a new teacher- and principal-evaluation system, necessary for the state to be competitive to win one of the Race to the Top grants.

The state's application for the Race to the Top program is due in June.

Many say the bill won't put Washington in a strong position to win one of the grants, which could be as much as $250 million for a state of Washington's size.

Seattle Times staff reporter Linda Shaw and The Associated Press and contributed to this report. Jim Brunner: 360-236-8267 or jbrunner@seattletimes.com.

Andrew Garber: 360-236-8268 or agarber@seattletimes.com.

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2011324350_olympia12m.html

Side by side budget comparison

2010-02-28T23:02:00.001-08:00

Go Here to see an up to date developmental disabilities side by side budget comparison.

Independant Living Rally February 24

2010-02-22T11:55:00.001-08:00

Independent Living Day Rally - February 24

PAS-Port for Change invites you to attend Independent Living Rally Day on Wednesday, February 24, 2010. The Rally is sponsored by PAS-Port, Advocacy Day-the Arc of Washington and Disability Rights Washington. There will be several speakers from the disability community and entertainment by the Raging Grannies.

February 24, 2010 at 11:00 a.m.
Capitol Steps, Olympia WA - Rain or Shine!

Let's tell our legislators how important living
in the community is for us.

Come to Olympia to be part of the action.

"Standing up for Ourselves - Yes We Can!"

The Rally begins at 11 am and will last approximately 45 min. The Columbia Room at the Capitol building is available before and after the rally.

Town Hall Meetings

2010-02-18T11:18:00.000-08:00

Greetings!

Over the next three weeks, our elected officials in Olympia will face tough decisions about how to close the state’s budget deficit. After billions in cuts last year, the estimated $2.8 billion dollar deficit for 2010 threatens vital programs that protect the health and well being of children and families in Washington state.

This Saturday, February 20, is your chance to speak with legislators directly about proposed cuts to child welfare services, education, and children’s health, as well as bills before the legislature. Legislators from across the state are taking time off from the session to hold town hall meetings in their home districts.

These town hall meetings are a rare chance to influence your legislators mid-session while they are still working out the details of critical legislation, including the budget. By urging legislators to look at all revenue options before cutting programs, you can ensure that vital social and educational services are protected.

If you are interested in joining friends and neighbors at a local town hall on Saturday, please click on the link below:

http://fusewashington.org/page/event/search_simple

At the height of the legislative session, your elected leaders are looking for ideas and stories from constituents to take back to Olympia. Your local town hall meeting is an important venue to advocate for the needs of kids and families in Washington!

Kelly Church
Parent/Family Coalition Co-Coordinator
425-258-2459 x 107
The Arc Of Snohomish County
kelly@arcsno.org/www.snocopfc.blogspot.com

We All Belong

2010-02-02T12:10:00.000-08:00

We All Belong

Posted January 27 2010

Advocates tell legislators loud and clear: We All Belong! Find out what it means to them and why inclusion is this year’s big message.

Check it out at http://olympiainsider.org/

Olympia Insider January 29, 2010

2010-02-02T11:43:00.000-08:00

January 29, 2010

Work, work, work... while you can.

Last week is when a lot of committee work was being done. Bills are still being introduced, but at a much slower pace. Bills have to get a hearing and be exec'd (passed out of the committee) by next Tuesday for policy committees (February 2^nd) or by next Friday for bills in the fiscal committees (February 5^th). After those dates, bills still sitting in those committees are considered dead, well sort of. If a bill is considered Necessary To Implement the Budget (NTIB) it can still manage to stay alive if a legislator works to include it in the budget.

Some bills that got a hearing and were exec'd this week were HB 2801, which would expand tools and strategies for anti-harassment policies in schools, and HB 2865, which makes cases involving individuals with intellectual & developmental disabilities eligible to be heard in a mental health court. Self advocates were thrilled that HB 2490, the Respectful Language bill that removes mentally retarded references from state law language was exec'd from committee. Self advocates were even happier after HJM 4024, which changes the "R" word to intellectual disability in Federal laws, was heard in the House Human Services committee. Representative Dickerson told the self advocates who had testified that they had shared the best testimony she had heard this whole session. She then stopped the hearing, went into Executive Session and immediately exec'd the bill.

A new bill introduced last week and that has a hearing this coming Wednesday at 8 am is SB 6780, introduced by Senator Keiser. This is a historic bill in that it really attempts to improve community services and supports for individuals with developmental disabilities (DD). It restructures our current system in which 21% of the DD budget is spent on only 3% of the DD caseload who are served in Residential Habilitation Centers (RHC), the only entitlement available. The expertise in the RHCs would now be available to individuals with DD all around the state instead of only to people in the five institutions. Those individuals needing 24 skilled nursing would be able to remain and age in place.

It also creates State Operated Living Alternatives (SOLA), where state employees currently working in the RHCs can move to smaller community settings with the clients they currently care for, making the transition to the community easier. Quality Assurance studies in our state are done on individuals who move to the community from an RHC. These studies show that after 6 years, with very few exceptions, the individuals and/or their families are happy with the community setting and would not want to move back to an RHC. Please thank Senator Keiser for her leadership in working hard to improve community services and make the transition easier for individuals to move from an RHC to the community. Check out the Action Alert at http://capwiz.com/arcwa/state/main/?state=WA

What about the budget?

We still are facing at least a $2.6 billion deficit but new economic forecasts just released are more optimistic than before. The Economic & Revenue Forecast Council will meet on February 12^th for the next revenue review. The House and the Senate budget staff are working hard behind the scenes as the House and Senate budgets should be released shortly after the forecast. To see a chart of the issues affecting those with developmental disabilities in the Governor's proposed supplemental budget go to http://www.arcwa.org/state_budget.htm

A great turn-out for this year's first Advocacy Day!

Last Wednesday was the first of the 2010 Advocacy Days. Last year blue scarves were provided at the Independent Living Day rally to advocates for community services for people with developmental disability. Last year we only provided blue scarves to advocates, last week we provided a blue scarf with a "Develop Abilities" button on it to each legislator. Self advocates also gave each legislator a button with a message about banning the "R" word to add to their scarf. Other organizations will continue to deliver buttons to legislators to add to their scarves.

If you still have your scarf, you are encouraged to wear it each time you come to Olympia. If you don't yet have on, try to wear blue colors. Scarves will be handed out to advocates on the February 24^th Advocacy Day to wear at the Independent Living Day rally. Last year we had over 700 people attend the rally. Our goal this year is to get at least 1,000 people there. Plan to attend on February 24^th. Let us know if you need help to make this happen.

Last week we had an overview of this year's session, this week our topic is on the budget. We need to ensure that legislators are funding needed services for people with developmental disabilities in the community. You can help deliver messages to all legislators with your personal message. This is a great way to help legislators understand what is important to you. To learn more about Advocacy Day go to http://www.arcwa.org/advocacy_day.htm

What can you do to help?

Announcements for the Olympia Insider issues, the Olympia Insider Podcasts and Action Alerts are sent via The Arc of Washington State Action E-list at http://capwiz.com/arcwa/state/main/?state=WA You can sign up there and the e-list makes it very easy for you to let your legislators know what is most important to you. When bills or budget items need emails or phone calls targeted to your legislator you will receive an email with basic information about the issues and a suggested email you can revise or just send that will go directly to your legislator from you with just the click of a button. It is also important to let the media know what is important to you so watch for Action Alerts for you to contact your local media through newspapers, radio and TV from your area as well as major outlets.

You can also participate in this process by letters, phone, email and personal visits to ask legislators to make sure that bills or budget items you are most concerned about get heard.

It is an exciting, stressful, passionate, frustrating, and rewarding journey but change is made by those who show up!

Diana Stadden

The Arc of Washington State

Policy and Advocacy Coordinator

SB 6780

2010-01-28T15:29:00.000-08:00

Community Living for
People with Developmental Disabilities
SB 6780
By November 1, 2010, DSHS is to submit a plan that:
Establishes additional community State Operated Living Alternatives, staffed by
many of the state employees from the RHCs, providing opportunities for staffclient
relationships from the RHCs to continue in the community;
Assesses and plans for each individual’s rights, health and safety, providing
appropriate support and services in a stable community setting;
Transitions all individuals who live in an RHC into their choice of either state
operated or private community supported living alternatives by December 2014;
Prepares clients and their families for transition to the community, including
visits to community living settings;
Assures that individuals moving from an RHC will be offered appropriate waiver
services and continue to be eligible for funding that meets their assessed need;
Starts transitioning portions of two RHCs, 1 on the east side and 1 on the west
side, to regional resources for crisis beds and respite as well as maintaining a
small number of skilled nursing beds to allow current RHC clients needing 24
hour skilled nursing to age in place.
Describes by December, 2012, how to:
• Close Francis Haddon Morgan Center
• Close portions of other RHC’s
• Establish 2 community state staffed resource teams
By December, 2014:
• Close remaining RHC’s
• Maintain or establish a small number of nursing facility beds
• Report to the Legislature regularly on the progress of implementation and
satisfaction levels of individuals transferred to the community
Prepared by The Arc of Washington State

Olympia Insider

2010-01-26T14:52:00.000-08:00

January 22, 2010

It’s a flash flood of legislation.

Things are moving fast in this very short session. Many bills have been introduced, already had a hearing, and been passed out of their committee, waiting for a floor vote to move to the other chamber and go through the process again. Some of the bills are wonderful ideas such as changing language in state law (HB 2490) and recommending Congress do the same (HJM 4024) to eliminate the “R” word. HB 2801 expands tools, information & strategies for anti-harassment in public schools. There are other bills protecting vulnerable students and vulnerable adults as well as protecting individuals with developmental disabilities from becoming homeless when they leave a Residential Habilitation Center.

Some bills are a bad idea such as HB 2955, which would require a means test (income limit) for families receiving services through the Individual and Family Services program. This program provides respite to families caring for a loved one with developmental disabilities at home. It also helps pay for some therapies and in-home modifications. Means testing has been tried before. It saves no money and uses valuable case manager time to collect and evaluate family incomes.

It is also inequitable for families who choose to care for their child at home to be means tested for this small amount of support when families who choose the state Residential Habilitation Centers for their child (at a much higher cost to the state) are not means tested. You can help stop this bill by calling committee members now. Check out the Action Alert at http://capwiz.com/arcwa/state/main/?state=WA

The deficit is still a huge question.

We still are facing at least a $2.6 billion deficit. The Economic & Revenue Forecast Council will meet on February 12^th for the next revenue review. The House and the Senate budget staff are working hard to decide which recommendations from the Governor’s budget proposals they will want to keep and what other ideas they may want to include instead. Keep posted for their budget proposals. There are still many areas in the DD budget that are proposed to be eliminated or reduced by the Governor that it is important to advocate to protect now so they don’t end up in the final budget. To see a more comprehensive chart of the Governor’s proposed budget go to http://www.arcwa.org/state_budget.htm

Advocacy Days are here again!

The Thirtieth Annual Disabilities Legislative Reception was held last Wednesday evening in Olympia. The Autism Society of Washington held their annual Autism Awareness Day earlier that day with a record attendance. Several legislators spoke about their support for individuals and families with autism, families shared personal stories and individuals on the autism spectrum rallied the crowd as well. A brief summary of current developmental disability issues was also well attended that afternoon with many new faces coming to Olympia that day. Individuals with developmental disabilities, their families and their providers wanted their concerns to be heard.

This Wednesday starts the 2010 Advocacy Days. Last year blue scarves were provided at the Independent Living Day rally to advocates for developmental disability services in the community. If you still have your scarf, you are encouraged to wear it each time you come to Olympia. If you don’t yet have one try to wear blue colors. Last year we only provided blue scarves to advocates, this Wednesday we will be providing a blue scarf with a “Develop Abilities” button on it to each legislator. Come to Advocacy Day on Wednesday and help us distribute them to legislators.

Many community advocacy groups have pins or buttons that represent their voice. You can help deliver those to all legislators with your personal message and ask them to add the button or pin to their blue scarf. This is a great way to show unity and help legislators recognize the need. To learn more about Advocacy Day go to http://www.arcwa.org/advocacy_day.htm

Make sure to come to the rally on the February 24^th Advocacy Day where we will be providing more blue scarves to advocates (there is no cost to you). Last year we had more than 700 rally participants in blue scarves on the capitol steps. This year we want to reach 1,000 participants so plan ahead!

What can you do to help?

The Arc of Washington State has an Action E-list at http://capwiz.com/arcwa/state/main/?state=WA you can sign up for that makes it very easy for you to let your legislators know what is most important to you. When bills or budget items need emails or phone calls targeted to your legislator you will receive an email with basic information about the issues and a suggested email you can revise or just send that will go directly to your legislator from you with just the click of a button.

You can also participate in this process by letters, phone, email and personal visits to ask legislators to make sure that bills or budget items you are most concerned about get heard.

Don’t forget to check the Olympia Insider website (www.olympiainsider.org) every week for new podcasts, and to subscribe using iTunes or another RSS tool in order to be notified automatically when something new is posted. Remember you can download these to your video-enabled handheld devices!

Advocacy Day needs you there because change is made by those who show up!

Diana Stadden

Arc of Washington State

Policy and Advocacy Coordinator

We All Belong Newsletter

2010-01-26T14:36:00.000-08:00

We All Belong

Reforming Services for People with Developmental Disabilities

Community - Based Residential Services

The Governor's proposed 2010 budget includes funding to grow the Expanded Community Services and Community Protection Services programs.

To learn more about what's being proposed, go to the Expand Funding page of the We All Belong website.

Keep Listening and Sharing
As the legislative session heats up and difficult descision are being made, we will continue to focus on the details proposed in the Governor's Budget that will build up community services and move people from the large state DD facilities.

You can help ensure that the voices for supports in our communities are heard loud and clear.

Share this email with people you know this matters to by clicking the link below.

Coming Soon - Increase Staffing

Our next focus will be on increasing staffing to help people move from institutions to community living.

More information about We All Belong can be found at our website:www.weallbelong.org

Sincerely,

We All Belong

Learn More

Read our First One Pager

Read the RHC Recommendation

Read the Governor's Policy Brief

Community Transit Public Hearing

2010-01-26T14:29:00.000-08:00

Agency Proposes 25-Cent Fare Increase, Service Cuts and Suspensions

January 8, 2010

Ongoing recession impacts drive need to close $11 million budget gap

Snohomish County, Wash. - For the third year in a row, Community Transit has had to make cuts to its budget because of lower revenues due to the economic recession. The agency cut about $14 million in staff, training and marketing over the past two years that did not impact customers. For 2010, the agency is proposing a major cut in service, as well as a fare increase for local bus and DART paratransit customers, that would take effect in June.

Service cuts and suspensions
Nearly all of Community Transit’s 64 local and commuter bus routes would be affected in an effort to eliminate service that is duplicated by other providers, streamline routes and make existing service more efficient. The agency is also proposing to suspend all service on Sundays and major holidays, including DART paratransit service and Swift bus rapid transit. By closing its base on these lower ridership days, the agency achieves 47 percent of the proposal’s savings with only 35 percent of total service hours cut and an impact to fewer customers.

Combined, these proposed service cuts and suspensions would save the agency $5 million in the second half of 2010 and $11 million in 2011.

Fare increase
The proposed fare increase would raise local bus and DART fares by 25 cents for all fare categories: youth, adult and reduced fare (senior/disabled/Medicare). Even with the proposed fare increase, Community Transit’s local bus fares would be comparable with other local transit fares in the region. The proposed fare increase would raise about $250,000 in the second half of 2010 and $500,000 in 2011.

“This is an unavoidable situation and we’ve held off as long as we could, but like most other businesses we’ve been hard hit by the economy and it’s now impacting our customers,” said CEO Joyce Eleanor.

Route-by-route details of the proposal are posted online and available on buses. A video featuring CEO Joyce Eleanor that outlines the agency’s economic situation and provides information on the proposals also is posted on the agency’s website, as well as on YouTube and Facebook.

“I realize that some people depend on Sunday and holiday transit service, but without this move we would need to propose deeper cuts to service every other day when even more people would be impacted,” said Eleanor. “This is a service suspension and we will make these cuts the highest priority to be restored as soon as the agency can financially do so.”

Eleanor and staff will host five community meetings throughout January at which details of the proposal will be shared, and riders and members of the public can ask questions.

On Feb. 4, the Community Transit Board of Directors will hold a public hearing on the proposal at its regular monthly meeting, at 3 p.m. in the Community Transit Board Room, 7100 Hardeson Road, Everett. The board is expected to take action on the proposal on March 4. If approved, the fare increase would go into effect on June 1 and service cuts on June 13.

Community Transit Cuts

2010-01-26T14:23:00.000-08:00

Dear Bridge Staff and Friends and Advocates for the Disabled,

These service cuts eliminate Sunday transportation - to Church, Family, and Community social activities for many of the people we serve.

See full text from the Community Transit web site below... or go to http://www.communitytransit.org/News/New.cfm?id=1368

If you find this as unacceptable as we do please attend the public hearing. On Feb. 4, the Community Transit Board of Directors will hold a public hearing on the proposal at its regular monthly meeting, at 3 p.m. in the Community Transit Board Room, 7100 Hardeson Road, Everett.

If you would like to coordinate, collaborate and combine our voices please call or e-mail reply to me.

“When you give a banquet or reception, invite the poor, the disabled, the lame, and the blind.

Then you will be blessed” Luke 14: 13-14

Best Regards & Prayers for those we are blessed to Serve,

Jack Staudt

Executive Director - Bridge Disability Ministries - www.bridgemin.org

Updated Bills of Interest 1/25/2010

2010-01-25T12:08:00.000-08:00

Click here to see the updated bills of interest.

Phone calls needed now on HB 2955!

2010-01-23T12:16:00.000-08:00

Phone calls needed now on HB 2955!

More Info

Protect the Individual and Family Services program

Phone calls are needed now through Wednesday, January 27th to House Human Services committee members. The committee will consider House Bill 2955 on Wednesday morning. The bill would require a means test (income limit) for families using the Individual and Family Services program.

Individual and Family Services is a low cost program that provides a respite break for families caring for their child with developmental disabilities at home in the community. It also helps pay for some therapies and in-home modifications needed.

There would not be a cost savings for the state as the cost of having case managers use their time to collect and evaluate family income would be more than what could be saved.

It is inequitable for families who choose to care for their child at home to be means tested for this small amount of support when families who choose the state Residential Habilitation Centers for their child (at a much higher cost to the state) are not means tested.

Call committee members and let them know this is not a good bill. Don't hurt families who save the state millions of dollars by caring for their child with developmental disabilities at home and just need an occasional break.

Dickerson, Mary Lou (D) Chair	JLOB 302	(360) 786-7860
Orwall, Tina (D) Vice Chair	JLOB 332	(360) 786-7834
Dammeier, Bruce (R)	JLOB 421	(360) 786-7948
Darneille, Jeannie (D)	LEG 436B	(360) 786-7974
Green, Tami (D)	JLOB 327	(360) 786-7958
Herrera, Jaime (R)	JLOB 416	(360) 786-7850
O'Brien, Al (D)	JLOB 429	(360) 786-7928
Walsh, Maureen (R)	JLOB 423	(360) 786-7836

Direct calls to these legislators' offices are best but if you are unable to call long distance you can call the Legislative Hotline toll free at 1-800-562-6000 and leave a message for each one.

News release from Gov. Gregoire's office

2010-01-22T11:05:00.000-08:00

This news release was issued from Gov. Gregoire's Office today:

CHRISTINE O. GREGOIRE
Governor

STATE OF WASHINGTON

OFFICE OF THE GOVERNOR

P.O. Box 40002 • Olympia, Washington 98504-0002 • (360) 902-4111

Gov. Gregoire proposes legislation to reform state health care programs Plan would transfer Medicaid program to Health Care Authority to decrease costs, improve service

OLYMPIA – Gov. Chris Gregoire today is asking state lawmakers to approve her legislation through which state leaders will take a critical look at how the state purchases health care services, from physician care to prescription drugs.

“The need for national health care reform is urgent. Now is the time for Congress to pass effective and affordable reform. This legislation I’m introducing readies Washington state for that reform,” Gregoire said. “Even during these tough times, I know it’s possible to provide thousands more Washingtonians with the health care coverage they need and deserve. By streamlining our purchasing practices, we have the ability to decrease costs while providing services to more people who need them.”

Gregoire proposes transferring administration of the state’s Medicaid program now managed by the Department of Social and Health Services to the Health Care Authority. In this new partnership, the two would provide new leadership, focus, efficiency and consistency to drive higher quality care at lower costs.

The medical assistance programs at DSHS, the Basic Health Plan and the employee benefit programs represent the largest of the state’s health-care operations. Health-related spending by state government agencies exceeds $9 billion for the 2009–11 biennium, or nearly one-third of the entire state budget.

“We cannot gain control of health care costs with a ‘business as usual’ approach,” said Steve Hill, Health Care Authority administrator. “The Governor’s plan to consolidate health care purchasing will get us all pointed in the same direction as we work to improve service and hold down costs.”

“This is a smart move that will allow maximum leverage of Washington state’s health care buying power,” said DSHS Secretary Susan Dreyfus. “It will position us well to impact the quality and value of the health care we purchase.”

By gaining firmer control of health-care purchasing, Gregoire expects the state will have a stronger ability to preserve Basic Health Plan coverage, the General Assistance-Unemployable program and other state-only coverage threatened by spending reductions made necessary by the national recession.

“For national health-care reform to be successful, we will need to implement significant strategies for cost containment,” said Assistant DSHS Secretary and State Medicaid Director Doug Porter. “Washington state has made a strong start in this area in recent years, and the new alignment proposed by the Governor offers an historic opportunity to bend the medical cost inflation curve.”

For more information, please visit