Senate Increases funds for Salary Reserve, Family Support and Brain Injury Services
 Salary Reserve Passed
Led by Senator Karen Spilka, the Senate approved an $11.5 million one time salary adjustment for the lowest paid human service workers earning less than $40,000. This demonstration of support from the Senate will know go to Conference Committee to work out a compromise between the House version of $7.5 million annualized and the Senate higher amount as a one time bonus. ADDP wishes to thank both the House and Senate for their support of the human service workforce and will be urging the Conference Committee to accept the Senate higher figure and the House's recommendation of an annualized amount.
Family Support/Respite and Turning 22 Services Increased
New Senator Joan Lovely was successful in convincing the Senate to increase its funding for both Family Support/Respite and Turning 22 Services, thus matching Family Support funding with the House version; and increasing Turning 22 by an additional $1 million over the House number of $6 million, thus for a total of $7 million.
Adult Foster Care Rate Review Passed
Sought by AFC providers, the Senate approved an amendment by Senator Thomas McGee to direct EOHHS to complete a rate review of the MassHealth payment rates for Adult Foster care services and propose revised rates for Adult Foster Care program.
Head Injury Services HITS Fund Increased
Sought by the BIAMA & ADDP, Senator Chandler successfully increased funding from this fund to increase much needed services for people with brain injuries. Funds raised from this dedicated source are paid by speeders on the state's highways. Previously only 75% of the fund's receipts went to it's intended recipients, with a quarter of the funds going instead to the state's general fund. This amendment provides for 100% of the surcharge and assessments to go directly to the HITS fund.
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Historic Case Ends with 677 People Successfully Transitioned From Nursing Homes to Community Settings
Massachusetts Precedent cited throughout nation
A nearly fifteen year court struggle to provide community integration, active treatment and the benefits of the Americans with Disabilities Act for people with developmental disabilities living in nursing homes came to final successful conclusion on Tuesday morning after a nearly two hour final hearing before U.S. District Judge Kenneth Neiman.
Supporting the decision to end the case, representatives of the plaintiffs and defendants spoke before the Court and acknowledged the tremendous successes delivered by the Commonwealth through the Department of Developmental Services and implemented by dozens of private providers who developed specialized Rolland Homes to ensure quality services and active treatment in home like settings, rather than institutions and nursing home settings.
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Senate Budget Tight: Some Amendments Needed
By Matt Murphy
STATE HOUSE NEWS SERVICE
STATE HOUSE, BOSTON, MAY 15, 2013.... Senate budget officials on Wednesday presented plans for state spending of $33.9 billion in fiscal 2014, an annual budget that relies on $430 million in new taxes tied up in a separate transportation financing bill.
Like the $34 billion House budget approved in April, the Senate plan, which will be debated next week, falls well short of the investments sought by Gov. Deval Patrick in both transportation and education. Patrick in January filed a $34.8 billion spending plan.
Describing the spending plan as a reflection of the priorities of senators, Senate Ways and Means Chairman Stephen Brewer told the News Service Wednesday morning that the differences between his committee's budget and the House budget are "incremental."
But the discrepancies between the legislative budget proposals and the increased investments sought by Gov. Patrick and fueled by broad new tax increases will set up a complex dynamic between the Legislature and the governor's office as the Senate debates the budget next week and the bills move into conference committee.
The overall Senate budget proposal recommends an increase in spending of $1.4 billion, or 4.4 percent, over fiscal 2013, and comes in $67.5 million less than the final House budget and $904 million lower than Patrick's recommended spending that relied on a $1.9 billion new tax package including an income tax increase that the House and Senate have sidelined.
The proposal also fully funds the special education circuit breaker with $22.4 million in additional spending, and increases funding for regional school transportation by $5 million over fiscal 2013 and for charter school reimbursements by $5.9 million over this year.
http://www.addp.org/images/PDFs/fy%2014%20chart.pdf
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Budget Moves On
 The House Ways and Means budget for Disability programs is leaving the House in pretty much the same form that it was referred to the floor by the Committee on April 10th.
One major improvement was the designation of $7.5 million for a one time salary bonus for direct support human service workers earning less than $40,000. Rep. David Linsky and Rep. Ruth Balser led this effort with the public support and endorsement of many of their House colleagues.
HWM Chairman Brian Dempsey released a $33.8 billion budget that contained some welcome news for disability advocates including:
- DDS Respite and Family support increased by $2 million over the Governor's request coming in at $51,504,298 to help more families seeking in home therapies to avoid more costly out of home placements.
- Autism Services increased by $1 million to address the tremendous cry for services in the Commonwealth.
- DDS Day and Employment funded at the Governor's request of $161,873,253
- Turning 22 at $6 million
- DDS Residential funded at a $38 million increase to address Chapter 257 roll out.
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