Guest guest Posted February 26, 2012 Report Share Posted February 26, 2012 Please read below and contact as many representatives that are listed. Developmental Disabilities Legislative Session Report #7 By Kingsley Ross Summary: The seventh week of the session continued to focus principally on appropriations for people interested in developmental disabilities. There are two weeks left in this session if the legislature adjourns on time. Action during week 7: The Senate passed the General Appropriations Act (formerly SB 7050; now SB 2000) including a conforming bill related to services to people with developmental disabilities (DD) (formerly called SB 7096; now SB 1990). There were no major dollar changes to the $78 million increase for Waiver services and $100 million for the deficit. The Senate and House are now both ready for conference. In addition, the House Health Care Appropriations Subcommittee held its final scheduled meeting of the session. A portion of the meeting involved having the Director of the Agency for Persons with Disabilities (APD) answer question on the status of his agency’s deficit and how it is contracting for intensive behavioral services. Anticipated Action in Week 8: The conference appropriations process should formerly begin. Conferees will be appointed and a series of short noticed meetings will start. Informal meetings are occurring now. The House Health and Human Services Committee is scheduled to take up PCB5 on Monday. This is House’s version of SB 1516 which allows APD to change how it is rolling out the iBudget. The Senate Health and Human Services Appropriations Subcommittee is scheduled to consider SB 1516 on Tuesday which could be its last stop before reaching the Senate floor. Action Needed. First, if you have not done so, please sign the thank you petition drafted by Bill Muir at http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/florida-senate-supports-dd-funding/ . It is intended to thank Rep. Matt Hudson and Sen. Joe Negron for their appropriations recommendations related to Waiver services to people with DD. Second, please email or phone Sen. Negron and Rep Hudson and ask them to make sure that people have the transportation services necessary to get to their ADT programs. Ask them to make sure that their efforts to insure that people have the funds for ADT do not end up being a hollow promise because there is no way to get there except to cut back on ADT or other services. First Name Last Name District Phone Tallahassee Phone Email Address Matt Hudson matt.hudson@... Joe Negron negron.joe.web@... Finally, contact the Representatives on the Health and Human Services Committee below and ask them to make sure that APD addresses more than just the health and safety of those for whom it is responsible to serve. Ask them to be sure that all services are equally available to people with developmental disabilities depending on their needs. First Name Last Name District City District Phone Tallahassee Phone Email Address Dennis Baxley Ocala dennis.baxley@... Mack Bernard West Palm Beach mack.bernard@... T. Brodeur Sanford jason.brodeur@... Corcoran New Port Richey richard.corcoran@... Janet Cruz Tampa janet.cruz@... Eddy Hialeah Gardens eddy.gonzalez@... Gayle Harrell Port St. Lucie gayle.harrell@... Doug Holder Sarasota doug.holder@... Matt Hudson Naples matt.hudson@... Mia (M) ville mia.jones@... Ana Rivas Logan Miami ana.logan@... Mark Pafford West Palm Beach mark.pafford@... ''Doc'' Renuart Ponte Vedra Beach ronald.renuart@... Schenck Spring Hill robert.schenck@... Elaine Schwartz Hollywood elaine.schwartz@... Trujillo Miami carlos.trujillo@... Barbara Miami Gardens barbara.watson@... Wood Haines City john.wood@... Background Analysis: The House Health Care Appropriations Subcommittee’s grilling of Mike Hansen (APD’s current director) last Tuesday let it be known that he has still not been able to convince the chairman, Matt Hudson, that all is well with what he is doing with APD. In contrast, Sen. Joe Negron has publically said he has full confidence in Mr. Hansen, this means that the changes Hansen wants in FS 393 are by no means settled. A quick review of PCB5 also shows a similar lack of confidence. While the House appears willing to give APD flexibility in rolling out the iBudget, they are still skeptical that APD will be successful in containing APD cost overruns. The PCB calls for a study of several alternatives to the iBudget, in effect anticipating its failure. One of those is managed care and another is a community based care type alternative involving area managing entities. The PCB also makes fewer changes to FS393 and appears to drop the emphasis on prioritizing health and safety before everything else. This throws into question how APD is rolling out the iBudget in the Panhandle using a modified Option A reported on in Legislative Report #6. In addition, the PCB requires APD to create rules on what it is doing. This may open the door to iBudget challenges by individual consumers because what APD is doing now is being done without rules. Informal conversations with House staff says the House at least thinks that APD’s iBudget actions are outside current statute. The fact that APD asked for SB1516 also would make one believe that APD is at least not sure they are acting within the limits of current statute as well. All this makes for an interesting two final weeks as the budget and substantive bill issues are resolved. Unfortunately, the lives of people with disabilities are at stake which makes this struggle more than just dramatic. -- Regards,Ven Sequenzia, Jr. PresidentAutism Society of AmericaState of Florida Chapter Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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