DDS Hearing Update

Dear Advocates,

The Oakland DDS hearing with Terri Delgadillo, Executive Director, was attended by over 300 parents, self-advocates and advocates from the Bay Area, especially The Arcs of San Francisco, Alameda and Contra Costa. After a 2 1/2 hour wait in line in the cold wind just to get into the Federal Building for the hearing, we made our testimony. Terri Delgadillo responded to my concern that there were no details to the DDS Headquarter and Developmental Center budget cut proposed savings of 55 million dollars. She will send out a chart with the details per our request.

The Arc has supported AB171, the Autism Insurance Bill, which was not in the budget proposals but we recommend. The Arc has reserved our support for many of the proposed recommendations by DDS until they actually publish the implementation details in Trailer Bills that will be part of the Governor’s budget. The devil is indeed in the details, which hurt us in last year’s budget.

Please keep advocating. Disability Capitol Action Day will be on May 25, Wednesday, 10 AM – 2 PM. A March to the Capitol, Educational Rally, and Resource Fair will take place in front of the Capitol Building with over 3,000 advocates expected. Please contact me if you are interested in attending.

Thank you,
Timothy Hornbecker, CEO

Calling All Advocates

Dear Arc of San Francisco Advocates,

I want to make sure that you have the local hearing location and time on the proposed savings (Budget Cut) of $174 million from the Department of Developmental Services. Please attend if you can, call in, or send your comments.
See the complete DDS Proposal here.

I will be sending recommendations from The Arc California and the Lanterman Coalition hopefully by Thursday, 5/5.

WHERE AND WHEN

DDS Hearing:
Monday, May 9, 2011 - Oakland
1:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.
Federal Building Auditorium
1301 Clay Street, Oakland 94612
DDS Public Forum Conference Call Number: (800) 288-8968

Written input is also welcome and should be submitted by May 9, 2011, to Patti Samuel at the following address. For additional information, please contact Patti at (916) 651-1484.

Department of Developmental Services
Office of the Director
1600 9th Street, Room 240, MS 2-13
Sacramento, CA 95814

Thanks for advocating on behalf of The Arc,

Timothy P. Hornbecker
CEO

Fight to Protect Medicaid

HOW IMPORTANT IS MEDICAID TO YOU?
Then fight to preserve it!

Do you or someone you know:

* receive home and community based services from your state developmental disability agency?
* rely on Medicaid to pay for doctor's visits and other health care?
Unless we mobilize to support the Medicaid program, these critical services could disappear for many people. The U.S. House of Representatives has already voted to:
• cut Medicaid by 20% (or about $770 billion over 10 years)
• cap the amount the federal goverment spends on it. The funding would not keep up with health care inflation.
• block grant it to the states. This means that states can spend the money almost any way they like and can just cut out groups of people or services. They could even return to placing people in institutions. (Click here for more information)

Take Action

Call your U.S. Senators today and ask them to speak up and support The Arc in this fight. Contact your Senator today.

Here is what to say:
• Medicaid is a lifeline for people with I/DD and we need you to be our champion;
• Please oppose block grants or caps for Medicaid that would hurt programs that help people with intellectual and developmental disabilities live in the community; and
• Don’t risk the health and safety of people with I/DD by slashing funding for Medicaid.