- Senate Panel Snubs Waiting Lists
- Action Items: Funding to reduce the waiting lists
- Personal Attendants Rally for Better Pay and Benefits
- Bills Target Special Ed Reform
IN THIS ISSUE:
SENATE PANEL SNUBS WAITING LIST REDUCTION
On Monday, March 19, the Senate Finance Committee Workgroup on Health and Human Services adjourned just before midnight without recommending any funding to end the waiting lists for Medicaid waiver home and community-based services. The workgroup did allocate $65 million to address growth of the waiting lists due to a growing population.
On the House side, Appropriations Committee members have tentatively allocated $58.8 million to cover demographic growth of the waiting lists, but have not earmarked funds to reduce the Medicaid waiting lists.
If these recommendations hold, there will be no funds to reduce the number of the 100,000+ people who are currently on the waiting lists—some of whom have waited for community services for years.
This week, the full Senate Finance and House Appropriations Committees are expected to finalize their budget recommendations. Advocates for home and community-based services are stepping up efforts to urge them to provide sufficient funding to reduce the waiting lists by 20 percent over the next two years, with a goal of eliminating them entirely over the next decade.
Action Item!
The DPC supports sufficient funding to reduce the waiting lists by 20 percent over the next biennium. (Select this link to see the DPC position statement on this issue.)
If you support this recommendation and have not contacted members of the Senate Finance and House Appropriations Committees, time is of the essence. To share your views with members of the Senate Finance Committee and House Appropriations Committee, log on to the Texas Action Center.
Also, if you have not shared this information with friends, colleagues and family members, spread the word! Details for signing up for the Texas Action Center are included at the end of this newsletter. Legislators are genuinely interested in knowing the views of their constituents. The Texas Action Center makes it easy to tell them what you think!
PERSONAL ATTENDANTS RALLY FOR BETTER PAY
AND BENEFITS
The Personal Attendant Coalition of Texas (PACT) hosted Personal Attendant Appreciation Day at the State Capitol, Tuesday, March 20. Speakers at the rally and news conference called on legislators to improve pay and benefits for personal attendants whose services are crucial to a growing number of people with disabilities of all ages.
Without personal attendant services, they noted, many people with disabilities would not be able to function in their home or community. Many would be stuck in nursing homes or other institutions. Nonetheless, salaries and benefits for community-based personal attendants lag far behind those of attendants who work in state institutions and nursing homes. Even fast food and entry level retail workers earn more.
Senator Judith Zaffirini (D-Laredo) was a special guest speaker at the rally. She praised personal attendants who are committed to helping people with disabilities live in the community and noted the need for more attendants if the state is to meet the growing demand for community-based services. Sen. Zaffirini, a member of the Senate Finance Committee, vowed to work with PACT to increase state funds to improve salaries and benefits for personal attendants.
Livable wages and benefits for personal attendants is one of four “key” issues featured in the Disability Policy Consortium’s Keys to the Community campaign. To read more about the issue, select this link.
To find out more about the Keys to the Community campaign, send an e-mail to info@dpctexas.org.
BILLS TARGET SPECIAL EDUCATION REFORM
Last week, parents of children with disabilities and other advocates rallied at the Capitol in support of a legislative package intended to improve special education in Texas. The package consists of 12 bills that address three categories of assistance for students with disabilities—early intervention, support and training for teachers and aides, and more information and control for parents.
For more information about the special ed bills, send an e-mail or call the DPC office at (512) 371-1783.
About the Disability Policy Consortium
The DPC is made up of a diverse assortment of disability advocacy groups that have joined forces to advance the rights, inclusion and independence of Texans with disabilities. Each member organization contributes its unique perspective and resources to the collective effort to promote effective public policy for a variety of issues important to people with disabilities and their families.
Let your friends know about the Texas Action Center by selecting the link given below:
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[Send email to the Disability Policy Consortium]
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