Delaware Budget Gap Grows to over $600 Million As Projected Revenues Decrease, Governor's Budget Rolls Back Medicaid Increase Enacted in January. Thanks to Terry Olson of Mosaic for this update. Read more!

State Stimulus Updates

Report Finds Legislatures Cannot Accept Stimulus Funds Rejected by Governors.

President Obama Rejects Request by South Carolina Governor Sanford to Use $700 Million in Stimulus Money to Pay State Debt.

Pennsylvania Legislature Disagrees with Governor on Law Governing Who Determines How Stimulus Funds are Spent Read more!

CMS Calls on States to Increase Data Collection to Strengthen Long Term Care Services

The National Direct Service Workforce Resource Center has released a report suggesting that states should enhance data collection on workforce issues as a first step towards addressing workforce challenges. The report recommends that, at a minimum, states should collect data on:

• Numbers of direct service workers (full time and part time)
• Stability of workforce (turnover and vacancies)
• Average compensation of workers (wages and benefits)
  

According to the report, this data will help states to better assess workforce problems, create policy responses and evaluate outcomes over time. Read more!

Washington Community Residential Providers, Self-advocacy Groups, and Parent Coalitions Rally for Disability Programs at State Capitol

Several hundred people turned out on March 11th to urge support of independant living programs. Thanks to Scott Livengood of Alpha Supported Living Services for this update. Read more!

Provider Rates Restored in Arizona Under Preliminary Injunction

On March 11th Arizona providers, advocacy groups, consumers and their families won a court injunction to restore all provider rates to their pre-reduction levels. As a result 4,000 children and adults with developmental disabilities will not lose their services. The Arizona Department of Economic Security, Division of Developmental Disabilities plans to appeal the court decision. Thanks to Wendy Sokol of Soreo for keeping us updated on this case.

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1,500 Gather at Minnesota Capitol to Protest Cuts to Disability Services

Providers, advocates, individuals with disabilities and their families rallied at the state capitol March 7th to protest proposed cuts to disability supports and services. Individuals shared personal stories of how cuts would effect them and the Minnesota Consortium for Citizens with Disabilities sent a letter to legislators urging them to prevent devastating cuts to the essential disability services. Thanks to Tim Nelson of Hammer for this update. Read more!

ETA Releases Guidance on WIA and Wagner-Peyser Recovery Act Funding

Today, the Employment and Training Administration (ETA), which is part of the Department of Labor, issued guidance on implementation of the Workforce Investment Act and Wagner-Peyser Act funding in the ARRA. The guidance also includes state planning requirements for program year FY 2009. This funding provides $3.9 billion to the workforce investment system to increase employment and training services. The guidance pertaining to the Wagner-Peyser Act notes that “states have flexibility to use Wagner-Peyser funds to support targeted services to individuals with disabilities, such as the disability navigator program similar to those currently operated in many one-stop centers” and to “purchase assistive technology and other devices to support providing services to individuals with disabilities.”
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Maine Medicaid Program to Fill $65 Million Gap with Recovery Funds

Governor Baldacci announced in March an additional $65 million deficit facing the MaineCare program over the next three months. The state plans to use federal ARRA funds to cover the shortfall through the end of the fiscal year June 30. An additional $40 million in ARRA funds is expected to be used to fill deficits anticipated for FY2010 and 2011. Read more!

Senate Aging Committee Hearing Brings Commitment to Include Long-Term Supports and Services in Health Care Reform

Thank you to ANCOR members responding to the national phone-in alert on long-term services -- it worked! Senate Select Committee on Aging Chair Kohl (D-WI), Ranking Member Martinez (R-FL), and Senator Wyden (D-OR) on Wednesday, March 4 committed to carrying forth the message in the next day's White House Forum on Health Care, and to Congress, that long-term supports and services for individuals of all ages must be included in health care reform. Witness Judy Feder identified the need to expand support for Medicaid home and community-based services and urged support for CLASS Act and Community Choice Act legislation, while Henry Claypool testified on behalf of both also underscored the need to build and strengthen the workforce to provide services.

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Michigan Governor Proposes Closing State’s Last ICF/MR

In her 2010 budget proposal, Michigan Governor Granholm is calling for the closure of Department of Community Health's Mount Pleasant Center for Persons with Developmental Disabilities, the state’s last ICF/MR program. The 150 residents of Mount Pleasant will be placed in community based settings. In addition, the budget proposal does not recommend cuts to Medicaid programs. Read more!

Florida Court Dismisses Lawsuit over Cuts to Disability Programs

On January 23, a circuit court judge dismissed the lawsuit brought by an advocacy group that claims that cuts to service for the developmentally disabled will cause "immediate irreparable harm" to individuals with disabilities in Florida. The Advocacy Center for Persons with Disabilities argued that the state has unfairly denied residents the right to a hearing to appeal new limits on the services they receive. The group has a similar case under consideration in the Florida courts and a judge has ruled that they have not yet exhausted their options for hearing their grievances through state channels. Read more!