AFC Caregivers breathed a sigh of relief when the Senate Ways and Means Committee restored the Administration's elimination of their ability to bill for 14 days of Alternative Cargiving in next year's FY 16 budget.  This allowed caregivers to have relief from their 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year of providing support.  AFC caregivers receive either $9000 or $18,000 a year for their dedication.   

The state's budget reduction, as part of Governor Baker's 9C emergency budget cuts  was expected to save the state annually $3.5 million in all funds, though only $1.8 million in state general funds.

Thankfully, Senator Karen Spilka's Ways & Means Budget restored this cut for next year, FY 2016, but will not stop the cut for the current fiscal year remaining, May 2015 through June 30, 2015, unless the legislature passes a separate FY 15 Supplemental appropriation in a different bill.  Advocates do believe that such an an amendment may be under consideration but the timing may be too late for the current fiscal year. 

Even though the Senate Budget restores the FY 16 cut and the SWM Committee has put itself on record as opposing such a reduction, Mass Health is still proceeding to implement the cut and has continued sending notices to AFC providers eliminating this option for remainder of the current fiscal year, which might net the state $300,000 in state savings, but cause major administrative headaches for Mass Health, AFC families, caregivers and providers as they cut, then restore the benefit for such a small amount of savings.

Some in the Administration say this is necessary because the House and Senate differ on this issue, however advocates believe this is in dispute noting that the AFC Respite Care was not even a point of discussion in the House budget and not known until after the House had completed its work.

In the meantime, members of the public, including families impacted by the cut are urged to continue writing to: 

Some families feel that their testimony may only be a formality if the State follows through with the cut without respecting their submitted and heartfelt testimony.

ADDP urges families to continue submitting testimony to Mass Health and hope that the voice of the Senate Ways & Means Committee and public will prevail.