ALERT: People Currently Receiving Services From Mental Retardation System At Risk of Losing Services
ALERT: People Currently Receiving Services From Mental Retardation System At Risk of Losing Services
This is an urgent message for all persons and their families who are currently receiving services from the Mental Retardation System. The proposed budget passed by the Pennsylvania Senate last week (SB 850) not only eliminates all money for the waiting list but terminates services for up to 3,550 people currently receiving services. This includes up to 550 people in the Consolidated Waiver and 3000 people receiving family support.Senate Bill 850 reduces the support for Mental Retardation Consolidated Waiver services by $32,720,000 (state and federal).
· This cut will cause up to 550 people currently in the Consolidated Waiver to lose their services.
· This cut totally eliminates the emergency waiting list initiative, which was to serve 793 new people next year.
o This includes the termination of services for over 180 children who are currently in residential facilities but whose funding will end because they are turning 21 and are no longer eligible for the services they were receiving.
o This includes termination of residential services for over 100 adults who are in emergency situations.
· There is no doubt that because of these massive cuts some of the people who lose their services will end up in institutions (ICF/MRs) at a greater cost to the tax payer.
Senate Bill 850 reduces the base mental retardation community program by $12,117,000 (state funds).
· This cut will result in a loss of services for up to 3,000 families with sons and daughters with mental retardation who live at home.
· This money has historically been used to provide a small amount of support to families who get no other services to help them keep their sons and daughters living at home.
Senate Bill 850 reduces Autism services by $15,286,000 (state and federal).
· Almost 50% of the individuals who were to begin receiving services under the Commonwealth's newly approved autism programs will not receive these services.
Senate Bill 850 reduces the SSI supplement by $27,732,000 (state).
· Every SSI recipient will lose approximately $77 per year or approximately 17% of their state supplement.
What can you do?
The Senators are in their district offices for the rest of the month. Visit your Senator and tell him or her how your family will be affected if your son or daughter loses services.
Send e-mails and letters to your Senator or Representative. Let them know what these cuts mean to you. Use the link below to find your state Senator or Representative --
http://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/legis/home/find.cfm
Simply enter your zip code to find who represents you. Clink on your Senator or Representative's name to get his or her e-mail and street address.
Make your contact right away. Share this Alert with other families and interested parties. Your legislators need to hear from you now. You can make the difference. If you are silent, this proposed budget may become new budget for Pennsylvania. Together, we can stop these cuts.
Watch for more updates and alerts from The Disability Rights Network of Pennsylvania and visit our web page at http://drnpa.org/