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Residential Funding Key Priority
support House Two
In accordance with state statutes, DDS and MRC Residential programs, Line Item 5920-2000 will require legislative support of the Governor's Recommendation for this account. Funding this account will help stabilize community residential programs that have gone since 1988 without a base rate increase. During that same period of time the CPI has increased 102% while base provider rates increased at 0%.
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Turning 22 Funding Needed for 804 Young Adults
add $15.2 million
Massachusetts has an incredibly positive record of supporting kids with disabilities in public schools, as well as in collaboratives or other settings. Aided by the federal Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), consumers and families have high expectations with regards to supports and services. However, when a special education student graduates from the protection of IDEA, families are shocked at the difference between the adult disability system versus the benefits of IDEA coverage.  The Turning 22 Line Item is designed to respond to those students who will need either residential or day and employment services after graduation. This year 804 students will graduate seeking entry into the adult service system. The ADDP/Arc 5920-5000 Turning 22 request for an additional $15.2 million is to address these needs so that all of the gains made in the educational system will not be lost as these individuals wait for services and supports to be available.
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Brain Injury Budget Request
add $2 million
 
There are over 3800 people with traumatic brain injury in Massachusetts who are either under-served or un-served.
Through the work of the Massachusetts Brain Injury Commission, it would take nearly $26 million to address residential, day and employment, transportation, respite services, regional service centers, assistive technology, and social isolation programs needed by these 3800 individuals.
The Brain Injury Association and ADDP request that the Legislature increase Line Item 4120-6000 by $2 million this year to address both Day & Employment Programs and Transportation needs. This increase will help increase self sufficiency and reduce isolation.
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House Review Up First, Then Senate, Then Conference
To the public it may seem that the legislature takes a few months each to study the budget. Truth be known, building the Massachusetts budget is a year long affair with preliminary work that may actually be years in the making.
The heaviest lifting in the budget process is performed by the leadership of the Ways and Means (Budget) Committees, (chaired by Senator Steve Brewer and Rep. Brian Dempsey) but actually each member of the General Court has an opportunity to weigh in with the Committee's leadership, and further opportunities to amend budgets on the floor of each House.
The Massachusetts House will be expected to dig deeply into each line item with the Ways & Means professional research staff and understand the nuance and policy implications behind each request.
ADDP Members are concerned about a variety of line items and encourage our members to contact their individual House Members to offer guidance on key issues and the rationale behind those requests.
To contact your individual House Members click here. |
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Employment Request Critical
increase by $5.5 million
Disability Community advocates are keenly focused on encouraging the Legislature to add $5.5 million more to the Governor's funding of Line Item 5920-2025 for DDS Day and Employment Services.
This issue has been a strong focus of attention over the last five years as the Department of Developmental Services has directed providers to close sheltered workshops and create more diverse Community Based Day Supports programs and Supported Employment opportunities. In House Two, the Governor made a down payment towards this effort by providing half of the needed money to convert programs from sheltered workshops to more inclusive settings. To implement the DDS/Arc/ADDP Blueprint for Employing People with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities, the Legislature will need to add the remainder of the needed dollars or risk the State being directed to do so by intervention by the U.S. Departments of Labor and Justice.
DDS, The Arc of Massachusetts and ADDP have been cautious in building an Employment Blueprint that seeks to protect people currently being served in sheltered workshop programs. Consumer Protections built into the Blueprint include:- Participants will be able, if they choose, to stay with their current provider agency
- Participants will receive the same number of hours of service as they do in the current program setting
- Participants may either enroll in Community Based Day Supports providing both day activities at their provider agency with opportunities for community engagement opportunities; or they may choose Supported Employment which would assist them in obtaining part time or more community based employment opportunities matched to their abilities
Supporters of the Blueprint, including DDS, ADDP, The Arc of Massachusetts, and University of Massachusetts Institute for Community Inclusion came together over the summer to attempt to build a plan that might be more Massachusetts-centric, than a possible plan imposed upon the state by the Courts and U.S. Department of Justice as was the case with neighboring Rhode Island. If the Blueprint is not fully funded with the additional $5.5 million request, the Commonwealth will need to weigh the potential cost of federal control and adjust its' current five year sheltered workshop closure plan. |
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Autism Funding 
add $3 million
As the demand for Autism services continues to skyrocket, over 400 individuals are on the state's waiver waiting list. Additional funding is needed for both the Waiver and Autism Support Centers in Line Item 5920-3010.
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