The House of Representatives just voted 247-161 to extend the increase in the federal share of Medicaid, known as the federal medical assistance percentage (FMAP). The House had been called in for a one day session by Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) to vote on the $26.1 billion Medicaid-Education Jobs bill, H.R. 1586. The bill now heads to President Obama for his expected signature.
…The bill is fully paid for but it reduces the amount of federal support for FMAP from the $24 billion that would have been available under previous versions of the extension. The provision would phase out the enhanced FMAP during the six-month period from January 2011 through June 2011, providing states with a 3.2 percentage point increase in the second quarter of fiscal year 2011 and a 1.2 percentage point increase in the third quarter of FY 2011.
The Arc has actively supported the FMAP extension and the education funding as they are both critically needed to prevent harmful cuts to services and schools. However, we are concerned that it is partially paid for by scaling back future food stamp benefits which serve many people with disabilities.
If you have any questions, please contact Paul Marchand.
Here’s how the California delegation voted.Please call and thank those who voted to for the extension, it will bring in almost $2.5 billion to our budget (already accounted for) and saves us from almost certain further devastating cuts which would have negatively impacted the lives of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities and their families.
The following voted for the measure:
Yea
CA-1
Thompson, C.
Yea
CA-5
Matsui, Doris
Yea
CA-6
Woolsey, Lynn
Yea
CA-7
Miller, George
Yea
CA-8
Pelosi, Nancy
Yea
CA-9
Lee, Barbara
Yea
CA-10
Garamendi, John
Yea
CA-11
McNerney, Jerry
Yea
CA-13
Stark, Fortney
Yea
CA-14
Eshoo, Anna
Yea
CA-15
Honda, Michael
Yea
CA-16
Lofgren, Zoe
Yea
CA-17
Farr, Sam
Yea
CA-18
Cardoza, Dennis
Yea
CA-20
Costa, Jim
Yea
CA-23
Capps, Lois
Yea
CA-27
Sherman, Brad
Yea
CA-28
Berman, Howard
Yea
CA-29
Schiff, Adam
Yea
CA-30
Waxman, Henry
Yea
CA-31
Becerra, Xavier
Yea
CA-32
Chu, Judy
Yea
CA-33
Watson, Diane
Yea
CA-34
Roybal-Allard, Lucille
Yea
CA-35
Waters, Maxine
Yea
CA-36
Harman, Jane
Yea
CA-37
Richardson, Laura
Yea
CA-38
Napolitano, Grace
Yea
CA-39
Sanchez, Linda
Yea
CA-43
Baca, Joe
Yea
CA-47
Sanchez, Loretta
Yea
CA-51
Filner, Bob
Yea
CA-53
Davis, Susan
Those who vote against:
Nay
CA-2
Herger, Walter
Nay
CA-4
McClintock, Tom
Nay
CA-21
Nunes, Devin
Nay
CA-22
McCarthy, Kevin
Nay
CA-24
Gallegly, Elton
Nay
CA-25
McKeon, Howard
Nay
CA-26
Dreier, David
Nay
CA-40
Royce, Edward
Nay
CA-41
Lewis, Jerry
Nay
CA-44
Calvert, Ken
Nay
CA-45
Bono Mack, Mary
Nay
CA-46
Rohrabacher, Dana
Nay
CA-48
Campbell, John
Nay
CA-49
Issa, Darrell
Nay
CA-50
Bilbray, Brian
Nay
CA-52
Hunter, Duncan
Those who didn’t vote:
Not Voting
CA-3
Lungren, Daniel
Not Voting
CA-12
Speier, Jackie
Not Voting
CA-19
Radanovich, George
Not Voting
CA-42
Miller, Gary
July 26, 2010
We are working closely with Assemblymember Wes Chesbro as the sponsors for his bill, AB2702, a bill that clarifies that people with intellectual and other developmental disabilities must be included in decisions that change their IPP or IFSP.The Assemblymember is the author of AB 2702 and he would like to tell the stories of how this happened to people in our community and why his bill is needed to address the related issues.In developing the bill we heard many stories from folks but now the bill is being strongly challenged and we need more current examples to show why this concept is so important to us all.Click here and tell the policymakers what’s happening: http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/AB2702
June 7, 2010 - Advocacy Letter Supporting the Assembly Budget Action for DDS
June 4, 2010 Honorable Denise Ducheny, Chair Honorable Bob Blumenfield, Vice Chair Budget Conference Committee State Capitol
SUBJECT: 4300-101-0001 Department of Developmental Services: Community-Based Local Assistance (Issues 313 & 314) – SUPPORT ASSEMBLY VERSION
Dear Senator Ducheny and Assembly Member Blumenfield:
As organizations in the disability community that support justice for all people with disabilities, we strongly support the Assembly version of the Department of Developmental Services budget and urge you to reject any further cuts in services and supports for people with intellectual and other developmental disabilities.
Years of freezes and cuts have left California's system of community supports and services for people with developmental disabilities starting to unravel. The Lanterman Act promise has, in some cases, become hollow. Just last year, the system took a cut of about half a billion dollars in state and federal funds and has been sent into a tail spin trying to implement over 20 changes to the Lanterman Act in 21 different regional centers. Please bring some sense of stability back to the system. The Senate version of this budget item would inflict another $48 million cut in total funds at just the time when we will need more community services for people coming out of the Lanterman Developmental Center.
We are unanimous that any further cuts would be unacceptably harmful to people with disabilities, and we urge you to reject them.
Sincerely,
Tony Anderson Executive Director The Arc of California (916) 552-6619
With support from the following co-signatories:
Al Millan, Executive Director, WarmLine Family Resource Center Alliance of California Autism Organizations , representing a statewide Alliance of over 42 local, state as well as nationally affiliated parent founded autism organizations, representing families and individuals with autism spectrum disorders. Andrea Capone, Family Member, Los Angeles Annette Musso, Parent, Empowered by Autism Art Santos, Executive Director,The Arc of Imperial Valley Autism Society-San Francisco Bay Area Barbara Guenther, Executive Director, Placer ARC Barbara Maizie, Executive Director, The Arc of Contra Costa Brad Pitzele, Los Angeles California Association of State Hospital Parent Councils for the Retarded (CASHPCR) California Church IMPACT California Supported Living Network Caring Hearts Foundation. Carol McKinnley, Director Harmony Homes Chad Carlock, Law Offices of Chad Carlock Charlene M. Geiger, Danville Charles F. Greene, Executive Director, Cedars of Marin Connie Uychutin , Executive Director, The Arc of San Joaquin Dan McMullan, Director, Disabled People Outside Project David Schneider, President CEO, The Arc of San Diego Diana M. Conti, Executive Director, Parca Diane Casey, Chair-SKIES Parent's Group Dr. Harvey and Mrs. Connie Lapin, Parent Advocates, Los Angeles Easter Seals, California Eddie and Friends Carehome, Owner, Cosette L. Tsouras Evan LeVang, Executive Director, ILSNC Family Resource Center Network of California Family Voices of California Francis Smith, Yolo County Fred Robinson, Executive Director, The Arc of Ventura Gail Williamson, Executive Director, Down Syndrome Association of Los Angeles, Inc. Gerry Forcier, Executive Director, The Arc of Solano J.H. and Charlotte Dethero Jennifer Timmermann, founder of MoChAA, Mothers of Children with Autism and Aspergers Jim Baldwin, CEO, The Arc of Bakersfield Jim Stream, Executive Director, The Arc of Riverside Joan Lockhart, Executive Director, ParentsCAN - Parent Child Advocacy Network Jordan Lindsey, Director of Policy & Public Affairs, California Association for Health Services at Home (CAHSAH) Joyce Hearn, Executive Director, OCARC Julie Rienhardt, Executive Director, Imagine Supported Living Services Kecia Weller, President, People First of California Kevin MacDonald, Executive Director, The Arc of Southeast Los Angeles Kim Olson , Executive Director , Alpha Resource Center of Santa Barbara Kirby Wohlander, M.S.W., L.C.S.W., M.B.A., Executive Director, Toward Maximum Independence, Inc. (TMI) Kristie Burchit, Education Advoacte California Kristina Oxnevad, Executive Director,The Arc of San Bernardino Lillian Smith, Power "N" Support Team Lori Ramirez, Executive Director,The Arc of Fresno Margaret Mortimore MS PT, Vendor for Early Intervention for CA Regional Centers in Southern CA. Mark F. Romoser, Community Advocate, Silicon Valley Independent Living Center Mark Hughes, Director of Residential Services, Gateway Center of Monterey County, Inc. Marsha Burch, President, Board of Directors, Community Resources for Independent Living Mary Ann Hagstrom, Executive Director, The Arc of Taft Mary Frankel, Supported Employment Program Director, Clausen House Michael McGinnis, Executive Director, Arc of Butte County Mike Sweeney, Executive Director, The Arc of Amador and Calaveras Mission-Hope Day Programs and Mission-Hope Developmental Services, Inc., Molly Nocon, CEO Noah Homes, Spring Valley, CA Nick Harriger, Day Program Area Manager, Project Independence Nimfa Gamez, United Association of California Careproviders P. Dennis Mattson, Executive Director, Independent Options Parent Coordinating Council- Lanterman Developmental Center (PCC) Pat Lee, Claremont, CA Pat Napoliello, President of CAIC - California Alliance for Inclusive Communities Residential Care Providers of California Rev. Audrey Turner, Executive Director, Peppermint Ridge Richard Balocco, Executive Director, DesertArc Richard Pierce, Executive Director, The Arc South Bay Robert Dean, CEO, Vista Hill Foundation, San Diego Robin Keehn, Executive Director, State Council on Developmental Disabilities Area Board II Ron Luter, Executive Director, The Arc of Alameda County Sally Milano, Parent Advocate, San Gabriel Valley Sandra Jackson, Executive Director, Las Trampas, Inc. Sheri Burns, Executive Director, Community Resources for Independent Living Shirley Dove, Parent, Ventura Shirley Rodriguez, Cal-TASH The Aktion Club of Camarillo at Skyway The Aktion Club of San Buenaventura by the Sea Timothy Hornbecker, CEO, The Arc of San Francisco Tina Waters, M.A. Autism Specialist, CCC Executive Director, Community Coaching Center United Cerebral Palsy Association of San Diego County
May 18, 2010 - Dept of Developmental Services May Revise Budget Report
Budget Hearings Schedule (Assembly Highlights | Senate Highlights) Thursday May 20, 2010: Assembly Budget Sub #1 Hearing (upon adjournment - probably around 11 am or so) in room 4202. The committee will review the May Revise and the January 10, 2010 Governor Budget proposals impacting the Department of Developmental Services. Friday May 21, 2010:Senate Budget and Fiscal Review Subcommittee No #3 on Health and Human Services, chaired by Senator Mark Leno 9:30 a.m. - John L. Burton Hearing Room 4203 (TELEVISED) to discuss Department of Health Care Services - Family Health, Department of Developmental Services, Department of Public Health - Selected Issues, and other departments as necessary.
April 23, 2010
Dear Friends, The Legislature's key budget subcommittees will start making decisions about services to our community at their hearings on this Thursday, April 29, and on Wednesday, May 5. This is your opportunity to ask the actual decision-makers to stop making cuts in services to people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, and fix some of the problems the cuts caused last year. The two, small subcommittees that will hold hearings on those two days are the ones that will actually shape the budget this year. Please come to Sacramento on those days, if you can, and be prepared to tell the senators and assemblymembers what decisions to want them to make. Here's the schedule: 1. 9:30 a.m. Thursday, April 29, Capitol Room 4203 (a large auditorium) -- Senate Budget Subcommittee on Health and Human Services. 2. 1:30 p.m. Wednesday, May 5, Capitol Room 444 (a smaller hearing room - plan to arrive early) -- Assembly Budget Subcommittee on Health and Human Services. When you speak to them, speak from the heart. Here are some of the messages we hope to deliver: • No more cuts. Our community has suffered from more than enough cuts over the last nine years. Tell them how the cuts have affected you and those you love. • Raise revenues instead to cover the state budget deficit. This should include doing much more to get California's fair share of federal funds intended specifically for developmental services. California ranks 43rd in the nation in accessing federal Home and Community Based Services waiver dollars! • Fix the mistakes that the Legislature and Governor Schwarzenegger made last year, including: - Make it clear that all of our services must be decided through the individual program plan (IPP) process, with consumers participating - not by regional center staff acting alone. Nothing about us without us! - Require that regional centers must grant exemptions to cuts when a consumer's health or safety is at stake, and require regional centers to notify consumers of their appeal rights. - Roll back the huge, arbitrary cuts in respite care that had the biggest impact on the people most in needs. - Reverse the cuts to Early Start services important for children 0-3 years old, which save children from a lifetime of disabilities. • Close the Lanterman Developmental Center. Work very closely with the residents and their families, through the IPP process, to meet their needs and avoid transfer trauma. After you tell them how the cuts have impacted you, ask them to help you in finding ways to address your needs and or the needs of your family members given the cuts they made and are currently considering. Whether or not you can come to Sacramento for these hearings, if you live in a district represented by one of the members of either budget subcommittee, it's time to start communicating with them. Here are some hints how to do that: http://thearcca.org/policy/support_oppose.pdf The members are: Senators Mark Leno (chair), Elaine Alquist, and Roy Ashburn. Assembly Members Dave Jones (chair), Jim Beall, Wesley Chesbro, Hector De La Torre, Bill Emmerson, Brian Nestande, Bob Blumenfield (alternate), and Jim Nielsen (alternate). Don't know who your state senator or Assembly representative is? (You're not the only one.) Go to www.arccalifornia.org; scroll down to the red, white and blue "Write Your Legislators" box; enter your ZIP code; and click on "Go!" Thank you for your advocacy.
March 23, 2010
Today Assembly Bill 1694 by Assemblymember Jim Beall will be heard in the Assembly Health committee. This important bill will help bring needed resources for education and prevention of Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders and other related effects. Today we'll be participating in the coordination of a rally and press conference beginning at 11:30 am. on the East Steps of teh Capitol to be followed by the Health committee at 1:30 pm. Ricky, self-advocate from The Arc of Riverside, will be a featured speaker at the ralley and he'll be joined by his mother Eva Carner, renowned family advocate from The Arc of Riverside. Please join us today and help us show the legislators and the media that the prevention of FASD is serious business and that Assemblymember Beall's AB 1694 is good public policy especially during these tough economic times. If you can't join us please let the following members of the committee know you support the bill and this cause. To view the bill click here . Below is the current list of committee members scheduled to AB 1694 this week:
As many of you know this year the Schwarzenegger administration is relying on the federal government to contribute to the resolution of our budget crisis in a very big way and this appeal is not going to be easy.This year many of us will be meeting with our Congressional representatives supporting the Governor’s appeal for continuing the enhanced financial participation in the Federal Medical Assistance Percentage (FMAP).If the federal government does not respond the way the Governor has requested his contingency plan includes dramatic draconian cuts to the safety net system including the elimination of critical programs like our California Health Families (the state’s SCHIP), CalWorks, and IHSS just to name a few.
The Department of Developmental Services budget for people with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (I/DD) also relies on additional federal support occurring through a variety of federal waiver approaches and without it we’ll have a big hole in the state budget.If these cuts occur we could lose ground on hard fought battles that we’re still fighting today for the rights of all people with I/DD to live free of segregation and mass institutionalization.
Please join us this year in Washington DC from April 12th through 14th as we spend two days preparing to visit with our representatives in Congress to talk about these and many other issues impacting our community in California and one day meeting our representatives in the House and Senate.
March 9th is the Deadline for Pre-Registration ($60 discount)
Please attend the 2010 Disability Policy Seminar, Working Together for a Future that Works, to explore the unique challenges and opportunities brought about by the economic crisis facing the Second Session of the 111th Congress and the Obama Administration.The U.S. has suffered a long and deep recession, and most states continue to face severe shortfalls in their budgets, leading to cuts in many vital services and supports for people with disabilities. With job development and federal deficit reduction as central themes for economic recovery, Seminar participants will be equipped with the tools and information needed to advocate before the U.S. Congress about our mutual public policy priorities.
During full-day sessions on April 12 and 13, you will hear from leading public policy experts, disability advocates and Congressional staff about key policies important to the disability community.Then, on April 14, you will put the Seminar sessions into practice by visiting Capitol Hill to meet your Congressional delegation and deliver a unified message to Congress and the Obama Administration that persons with disabilities should have equal opportunity to participate in our economy and society, and should receive the necessary services and supports.There is power in numbers.The 2010 Seminar will bring together hundreds of disability advocates from around the country to discuss a wide range of public policy issues affecting people with disabilities and their families. Click here for more information and registration: http://www.thearc.org/NetCommunity/Page.aspx?pid=2173
Working Together for a Future that Works is presented by: The Arc of the United States, United Cerebral Palsy, American Association on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities, Association of University Centers on Disabilities, National Association of Councils on Developmental Disabilities, and Self Advocates Becoming Empowered.
February 20, 2010
Here are links to Action Alerts from The Arc of California in PDF format: You can get a free PDF reader from Adobe at http://get.adobe.com/reader/.
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The Arc of California, 1225 8th Street, Suite 350, Sacramento, CA 95814. Office (916) 552-6619, Fax (916) 441-3494
