The Future of Adult Protective Services is in Your Hands: Call, Write or Visit Your State Representative TODAY
The Future of Adult Protective Services is in Your Hands: Call, Write or Visit Your State Representative TODAY
Senate Bill 699, our bill to create an adult protective services system, has passed the State Senate. To become law, it must pass the State House before this session ends. The bill is currently in the House Health and Human Services Committee. After it's voted out of there, SB 699 must be voted out of the House Appropriations Committee and then considered on three separate days by the full House. And there are only about 12 days for all of that to happen.
The only way that we can succeed is if every one of us who cares about protecting people with disabilities from abuse and neglect, contacts our state representative now. The message is simple:
"Pass SB 699 as quickly as possible and without amendments."
State Representatives who are House leaders and those who are on the Health and Human Services Committee or the Appropriations Committee are especially important. But even if your State Rep. isn't a leader or on a key committee, s/he can contact leadership and ask that the bill be moved quickly and without amendments.
Given the short time frame, it'll take a lot of pushing to get it done. So far, things have been too quiet. We need to make sure that every Representative's office is hearing about the need to move SB 699 many times in the next two weeks.
Between today and September 13, you should visit, write and/or call your State Representative in his or her home district office. After September 13, you can contact them in their Harrisburg offices. If you can share stories that show why it's so important, that'll help. If you need more information, see the talking points below.
If you're representing an organization, please contact all the State Representatives in your area and ask your members to contact their Representative. If you're an individual, contact your own Rep. Do it today. Tell her or him that we're counting on them to do everything they can to pass SB 699 quickly and without amendment.
If you have questions or feedback, please e-mail Terry Roth at [email protected] or Judy Banks at [email protected].
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Suggested Talking Points on SB 699
- Throughout Pennsylvania, there have been many cases of abuse and neglect of people between the ages of 18 and 59 with disabilities. A House hearing held in the fall of 2006 documented a number of them, including a young woman with mental retardation who spent several days locked in a basement with her dead sister and a woman with multiple sclerosis who was raped by her husband. Current laws and policies do not protect them.
- Four years ago, the House passed adult protective services legislation, but the bill died in the Senate. Before another legislative session ends, the House has the chance to make it a reality and put an end to unnecessary suffering.
- Just as we need protective services laws and systems for older Pennsylvanians and for children, we need a law to protect vulnerable adults between the ages of 18 and 59. That was the conclusion of a study conducted by the Legislative Budget and Finance Committee (LBFC) in September 2003.
- PA is one of only five states that fail to provide protective services for adults.
- In the wake of the LBFC study a cross-disability coalition of people with disabilities, their families and advocates came together to develop principles for what an APS system should look like in PA. They agreed that the legislation must balance individual rights with the need for protection. They further agreed that they would build on the base of the Older Adult Protective Services Act, while having the Department of Public Welfare administer the system.
- SB 699 was drafted based on the principles outlined by the disability groups. They are strongly supported by more than 100 groups. The Secretaries of Aging and Public Welfare have expressed strong support and willingness for DPW to handle critical cases until funding is available to start-up the system. The bill will empower them to do so.
- At least the first year after a bill passes will be consumed with developing regulations and requests for proposals, so no funding will be needed for at least a year. In fact SB 699 was amended to take out an appropriation until funding is available. That also will give us the opportunity to look for alternative funding streams to help support the $6 million cost estimated for full implementation. Federal funding may well be available to deal with some of the cost.
- As taxpayers, we understand that budgets are tight, but believe that this must be a priority. Passing the bill now will enable us to get started even without funds. No one else should be injured or even killed while we wait.
- Our state's failure to provide protections for people between 18 and 59, at some point, could jeopardize our federal funding. That's one reason to act quickly to pass APS. But, more importantly, it's long past time to fix this gaping hole in our safety net.