The Senate Ways and Means Committee has released its FY 16 Budget, which contains
two items of good news:
1. AFC Respite Care has been restored in Line Item 400-0600 restoring the ability of Adult Foster Caregivers to bill for 14 Days of Respite Service for the coming fiscal year. Contained in that section is the following language: "
MassHealth shall maintain the same respite benefits for adult foster caregivers that were in effect January 1, 2015". It is not hoped that Mass Health will drop its plans to eliminate this cut for the remainder of the FY 15 budget knowing that the legislature is likely to overturn this decision for the next fiscal year.
2. Community Based Employment was increased by $2 million over the House budget of $3 million, still far below the needed revenue for this year's roll out of the DDS/Arc/ADDP Employment Blueprint.
Now the bad news:Other areas of the budget contain surprising cuts for the disability community which will likely be the subject of floor amendments.
1. DDS Day and Employment Supports, Line Item 5920-2025 was cut nearly $10 million below the House,
eliminating Day Hab Wraps, which provide assistance with toileting, feeding and behavioral supports for program participants. Advocates find this cut particularly upsetting, noting the disability severity profile of these day hab participants, whom without supports will likely lose their day hab placements, causing immense hardships for their families and increased residential costs if they live in DDS funded residential programs.
In order to implement this cut, DDS is likely to be forced to give immediate notice to 1000 consumers and families of their loss of services, which is likely to result in significant protest calls to legislators and executive offices.
2. DDS Respite and Family Support, Line Item 5920-3000, was reduced $4 million below the House numbers. Underfunding of this line item increases the likelihood of out home placements, which generally cost $100,000 more per person than in home supports and therapies provided through this line item.
3. DDS Adult Autism, considered House Line Item 5920-3005. but labeled Senate Line Item 5920-3020 was reduced by 50% or a $6 million cut. This action disappoints the autism advocacy community who worked hard for the passage of the 2014 Autism Omnibus Bill.
4. DDS Transportation, Line Item 5911-2000 was cut $3 million making transportation for people with disabilities to their jobs difficult to achieve.
Budget observers note that the final decisions will be made in the Joint House/Senate Conference Committee.
While there are many long time disability advocates in the Senate, there is hope that amendments will be filed and passed to reflect the long standing support of Commonwealth citizens for programs serving people with disabilities. That said, advocates will be making a full court push to restore these cuts.
