10% Off People's Lives In Oregon

Well, they’re doing it again... the state has a plan to balance the Human Services budget off the backs of people (primarily with developmental disabilities)who need assistance. You don’t really wonder why I run this blog, right? And, you are getting the idea that when I talk about the civil rights of these folks constantly being violated, that I may have a point?? Here’s a summary of how the state plans to reduce DHS spending by 10%.

TOTAL 10% PROPOSED DHS REDUCTIONS


STATE FUNDS
(General & Lottery) OTHER FUNDS Federal Funds (Limited) Total

(413,504,241) (9,812,976) (458,107,783) (881,425,000)



SPD (Mostly) Cuts Culled from the Whole DHS 10% Cut List.


Biggest Provider Concern Is the COLA Delay Proposals



Note: Funds are listed as State Funds, Other Funds, Federal Funds and Total Funds. Often there’s not an Other category, so if you see only 3, assume that #2 is Federal. If there’s only two amts, assume GF and TF.



Delay COLA increases within DHS control - COLA



Additional 6 month delay COLA increases within increases for program service provider contracts would be delayed to start January 2010 rather than July 2009.

(11,360,313) (1,051,356) (17,637,728) (30,049,397
1.) These are the people who work to provide the assistance folks need in the community. As it is, they make between $8.50 and 10.00 per hour.

Cut Supported Employment - SE 38. Cut Supported Employment Services to 280 people with Mental Illness per year. Loss of these services means that people with mental illness won’t be able to find jobs, learn the skills needed to get and keep jobs. Without the benefits of work some will have trouble managing their illness and may require more intensive levels of care including state hospital services. This cut jeopardizes the MH Block Grant MOE requirements. (1,000,000) (1,000,000)

2.)Without Supported Employment, folks will be living on around $650 per month unless they have a work history to draw from.


Eliminate remaining dental for OHP Plus adults, except pregnant women. This reduction option would eliminate all dental services for non-pregnant adults, ages 21 and older who are covered under the OHP Plus and Standard Benefit packages.

(22,862,032) (38,960,662) (61,822,694)
3.) It’s a well known fact that people with disabilities (who qualify for OHP Plus) have a history of some very serious dental problems. They will pay for this out of pocket?

Limit OHP Plus adult vision services. This reduction option would eliminate routine vision coverage for all OHP Plus non-pregnant adults, age21 and older. Only a very limited number of clients in this group would qualify for vision overage due to medically necessary diagnoses to restore vision due to surgical removal or congenital absence of the natural lens. The reimbursements for this limited number of clients eligible for exams and vision products would be very small.

(4,893,721) (8,339,705) (13,233,426)
4.) Who needs glasses anyway?


DHS control - adjust contract services to delay COLA start date to July 1, 2010. (Does not apply to administrative budget items.)

(11,360,313) (1,051,356) (17,637,728) (30,049,397)



Restructure and Reduce Employed Persons with Disabilities (EPD) Program - Originally in 1999 was designed as a program for in-home clients who need some supports to enable them to be employed outside the home. Currently, 912 clients, of which half are DD, are served by a "sheltered employment" program. Policy discussion on continuation and purpose of this

program. 21 month implementation for the reduction.

(3,093,052) (3,862,740) (6,955,792)
5.) Sheltered Employment also includes day programs. If these go under, chances are that Group Homes and Foster Care will need to hire additional staff. Think the state will go along with that idea?



Reduction of General Fund to DD Housing Fund in Base Budget - The GF provides funding to the DD Housing Fund each biennium. Currently the Housing fund Base Budget is $9.7 million. An adjustment to recognize and additional $2.4 million in prior fund balance and interest will increase the Base Budget to $12 million in the Fall 08 Rebalance. The program has not indicated a strong plan to expend the $9.7 in current reserves and maintenance resources. GF support for the program can be reduced.

(2,500,000) (2,500,000)
6.) Who needs a place to live anyway?



Institution- SOCP - Program Support Hiring Freeze- Implement a hiriing freeze for the 2009-2011 biennium except for critical need and direct care staff positions in the SPD SOCP budget. Assumes 1% savings salary costs of $89.0 million TF, for estimated savings of $0.8 million TF. This is a one time savings for 6 month savings starting 7/1/09.

(78,144) (128,612) (206,757)





DD Service Element 45- A 24 month program reduction to a limited number of clients in Nursing Facilities who receive Nursing Facilities Specialized Services- 25 hours of employment or alternatives to employment, currently 100% General Funded services offered but not mandated in the DD program. Clients who receive this services can be better served in a community based setting. Places CAP at 15 clients@$719/mo.

(444,769) (444,769
7.) 15 clients, huh? What about the other 2 or 3 hundred living in Nursing Facilities?

Reduce Children In-home Intensive Services Medically Fragile Unit Budget - This reduction would reduce the budget for the MFP and recognize 1/3 of these children have private pay-in. Both in 2005-07and 2007-09 the State Plan includes services to both SPD and CAF children. These children require specialized nursing care due to being on vents. Parental income is not considered for financial eligibility for this population.

(1,861,888) (3,272,301) (5,134,188)
8.) Who needs to breathe anyway?



Restructure and reduce Special Projects DD Service Element 57- This is a 48.72% reduction in the Community Training budget portion of this service element which provides training to DD community providers.

(1,227,200) (772,800) (2,000,000
9.) This comes on the heels of the Governor saying “any level of abuse is unacceptable”. How are the providers going to be trained around abuse?



Reduction of Comp 300 Clients in Base Budget(EBL 50-040-05) - Reduce by 50% projection assumption of 130 clients entering DD Comprehensive services. Postpones final roll out of Staley Agreement by deferring 65 clients to 2011-13. A total of 130 people were projected, this will assume services for 65 people who will enter Comprehensive Services without having to go through Crisis Diversion (will not have to reach the Crisis level) before DD Comprehensive Services are offered. Removes administrative cost for CDDP caseload and services for 65 clients in EBL base budget.

(4,469,147) (6,946,411) (11,415,558)
10.) There is a lawsuit agreement that will need to be addressed here. Comp 300 was supposed to be completed by 2007. The agreement was already renegotiated once in 2004.




Reduction of DD Brokerage Support Services in Base Budget (EBL 50-040-06) - One of the final program requirements of the Staley Re-Settlement Agreement requires the DD program to provide services within 90 days (eliminating wait list). The Base Budget assumes opening to two new Brokerages in Oregon in 2009-11, each serving 700 potential new clients thus increasing Brokerage capacity by 1,400. This reduction assumes only opening one new Brokerage serving 700 clients and deferral of second Brokerage until 2011-2013. Current Brokerage capacity of 5,800 slots is at approximately 76% capacity, serving 4,700. Removes administrative cost of one brokerage development and services for 700 clients in EBL base budget. Should capacity need to be increased, SPD would bring the caseload driven issue to a Rebalance.

(6,115,070) (3,082,822) (9,197,892)
11.) Brokerages provide case management services to people with developmental disabilities. Many of those waiting for help have been waiting for 30 or 40 years. All Brokerages were also expected to be set up by 2007.




Restructure and reduce In-home Services and Family Support GF program in DD -35.17% reduction of In-home Services and Family Support Program.

(6,000,000) (6,000,000)
12.) Families will lose some seriously needed money here. That’s how the state treats you when you care for a disabled loved one at home.

Are we going to stand by and watch all this happen? Are we?