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Florida - State Agency Proposes Further Budget Cuts in Services to Disabled

Agency seeks to trim another $55 million from its spending plan.

By Pera THE LEDGER

Published: Friday, September 16, 2011 at 10:06 p.m.

LAKELAND | Florida is poised to again reduce or eliminate services to thousands of people with autism, cerebral palsy and other developmental and physical disabilities.

In a report issued to the Legislature recently, the Agency for Persons with Disabilities outlined options for cutting another $55 million to meet an $810 million budget for the fiscal year that began July 1.

That is on the heels of $65 million in cuts made earlier in the year.

Many of the agencies that house, supervise and help train the disabled are feeling the pinch. Some, like the Alliance for Independence in Lakeland, deem the situation dire.

"We're at our breaking point right now," said Shirley Balogh, president and CEO of Alliance, which serves 98 people, down from 130 five years ago.

For instance, just three years ago, she said, her agency was reimbursed $35 a day for every individual served. That has dwindled to $26 a day, a decline of 26 percent.

Meanwhile, costs continue to escalate, Balogh said, and many people are either doing without needed services, "or they're moving to states where there's better funding."

Lawmakers have struggled for years with budget deficits at the agency, which serves about 30,000 people statewide through its main programs, known as "waivers." During its spring session, the Legislature earmarked $810 million for those programs — $120 million less than they had been projected to cost.

In the budget, lawmakers required a 4 percent cut in provider payment rates and also froze services for all but the most dire situations. Those moves, coupled with other program changes at the agency made this summer, reduced the projected deficit by about $65 million.

But that still leaves another $55 million before the agency meets its budget target.

Florida Rep. Seth McKeel, R-Lakeland, said tough times call for tough measures.

"It's painful," he said. "There are a lot of difficult decisions. That said, AFI in Lakeland is an organization my wife and I support. I see the impact (that budget cuts to programs like Alliance for Independence will have). But I also understand the Legislature has to balance the budget."

The report by the Agency for Persons with Disabilities includes the possibility of further rate cuts for some providers. But it also lists potentially far-reaching options that could affect services and spur controversy.

As an example, the report says the agency could save $9.7 million a year by restructuring adult-day services that involve 11,955 people. One of the possible changes would be to start a new service that would place less emphasis on training programs for older recipients whose families need some form of day care.

While the report says such restructuring could reduce costs and continue protecting the health and safety of recipients, it also notes opposition to the changes.

"Adult day training is one of the original community-based services for individuals, and some stakeholders are concerned about deviating from its traditional emphasis on training, fearing that is a step backwards in serving individuals with disabilities," the report says.

"Ultimately, the future of services to individuals with developmental disabilities is at stake."

As one of the state's larger providers of adult day training, Goodwill Industries-Suncoast is bracing for further reductions to its services.

As it is, the Agency for Persons with Disabilities "is extremely underfunded," said Jean-Marie , director of human services operations for Goodwill-Suncoast, which serves Polk.

Thanks to revenues from its many thrift stores, Goodwill-Suncoast has been covering part of the cost of its day programs that include lessons in art, personal grooming and job skills, but it can't afford to do more, said.

"We've got people who can't afford to continue (their training), and that's with us putting in 30 percent of the cost," she said.

If the state chops another $55 million, said many more people with severe mental challenges will be forced to stay at home, and many parents will have to give up jobs to watch over them.

"There's really nothing more to cut that doesn't impact the health and safety of the disabled," she said.

Other stakeholders like Balogh said they've met frequently with the state agency's staff over the past year in hopes of finding alternative budget cuts, but so far they've met with resistance.

For instance, service providers propose loosening up staff ratios, currently 1-to-10 or 1-to-5, depending on the severity of need.

"For some of our clients, it could be 1-to-10 or 1-to-12, depending on what the activity is" without compromising safety, Balogh said.

The state also could reduce the amount of training it requires her staff to have, she said, but so far there's been no compromise between parties.

There has just been talk of more money cuts and less service.

As a result, Alliance for Independence has laid off three full-time employees in the past three months, and Balogh said she fears even more in the months ahead.

"We're running bare bones here," she said. "It's very serious, and all the agencies across the state are taking this really seriously. We're all going to be in critical condition."

[ Material from The News Service of Florida was used in this article. Ledger Reporter Pera can be reached at eric.pera@... or . ]