From ADDP-Many Disabled will be Homeless & Jobless Under SWM Budget

Is this the Record Senators wish to run on for re-election?    Hundreds of letters have been sent to Senators by people with disabilities, their families and advocates pleading to not make people with disabilities homeless and jobless.   Individual Senators have written back, saying: "I will work hard to see that people with disabilities are a high priority in the FY 2011 budget."   Despite these assurances, the Senate Ways & Means budget will make 86 to 100 people currently living in group homes lose their homes.   Despite these assurances, the Senate Ways & Means budget will make up to 700 people lose their jobs funded through Developmental Disabilities & Mass Rehab Council budgets.   The Senate Ways & Means budget has not been debated in public.    Senators who support community services for people with disabilities will offer a series of amendments to the Senate budget next week.   The Senate may either address our concerns in a "consolidated amendment", not featuring a debate on our amendments by either granting our requests or ignoring them, or they may allow a discussion and voice vote on our amendments, or they may conduct a formal roll call vote on our amendments.    ADDP, The Arc, MFOFC will be sitting in the Senate Gallery every day of the Senate debate to witness whether the Senators hold a full and public debate on our issues and whether Senators will deliver on their private assurances of support for disability programs.   We will report to our thousands of supporters who will ask their legislators this week and during the election where they stood when the disability community cried out for help.    We will be asking legislators to explain how they can accept $4 Billion dollars in Enhanced Medicaid intended for health and human service programs and then cut the programs for which these dollars are intended to help preserve?

Please attend the Senate Debate on the FY 11 Budget

ADDP, The Arc of Massachusetts, Massachusetts Families Organizing for Change, and our other disability allies will be attending each session of the Senate's debate on passing the FY 2011 budget. If you can attend the Senate debate, please note which day you can attend and the time period in which you can be present.  Please send this information to Oanh Bui at oanh@addp.org. Senate Budget Debate will be held: Monday, May 24 (if the Senate decides to move early)Tuesday, May 25Wednesday, May 26Thursday, May 27Friday, May 28 (if needed) Please let Oanh know if you can attend in the morning, afternoon or evening. If we are present for the Senate budget debate, perhaps our hope will not be in vain.

ADDP Budget Restoration Priorities

Residential Services, Line Item 5920-2000:  Restore $6 million to prevent 100 people from losing their current homes. Day and Employment Programs, Line Item 5920-2025:  Restore $7 million so 45o people will keep their jobs and day services. Family Support, Line Item 5920-3000: Restore $1.5 million so individuals with disabilities and their families can receive in-home supports. MRC Brain Injury Services Line Item 4120-6000 underfunded by $2 million reducing community supports for 95 people currently receiving service.  The Brain & Head Injury trust fund has been declining in receipts and will force severe program reductions for people currently in residential and employment programs. MRC EEP Line Item 4120-3000, 300 people will lose service unless this line receives an additional $1.5 million.  This program serves people with multiple disabilities.

The Association of Developmental Disabilities Providers consists of 128 community organizations from across Massachusetts that provide services and supports to thousands people with developmental disabilities, or traumatic brain injuries. The membership of the Association hold more than 90 percent of the Department of Developmental Services community residential, day and family support contracts. Members also provide Medicaid-funded day habilitation services and Massachusetts Rehabilitation Commission-funded supports.