SSI/SSP Increases in State Budget, but Otherwise Budget Falls Woefully Short for People with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities

CALL YOUR STATE REPRESENTATIVE NOW AND TELL THEM TO REJECT THE BUDGET AND INSTEAD INVEST IN PEOPLE WITH INTELLECTUAL AND DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES.

Find your representative here and call their Capitol office.

Despite initial agreement between both the California Assembly and Senate on restoring cuts to the developmental disabilities community, in the final hour the Legislature and Governor decided to NOT make critically needed investments. The Legislature conducted their final budget committee hearing at 5:30PM on Friday to discuss the budget, which will now be sent to the full Senate and Assembly for a vote.

The final deal included the following:

– $25M provider rate increase for only one year. Money will be used as a “bridge” to help fund services until a new rate study is released; however, this amount of money will be inadequate to cover the need.

– No restoration of social recreation or camping services.

– Implementation of the 14 day uniform holiday schedule will be delayed for one year.

– Half-day billing (essentially a cut to provider reimbursement rates) will be implemented for a loss of $1.4M.

Jordan Lindsey, Executive Director, the Arc of California