Your Attention Please!

As the holidays near, we are all gearing up for the legislative session. Please take some time to send your state legislators and Governor Perdue a personal holiday note asking them to support the requests below. This year looks to be a bleak one with deep budget cuts looming, so please help the campaign because we cannot do it without you! Our stories are powerful, so telling yours will help the greater good for everyone.
Happy Holidays,
Rita Young
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GET READY FOR A CHALLENGING
2010 LEGISLATIVE SESSION
Bringing you up to speed: HB 228 restructured the Department of Human Resources, creating the Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities (DBHDD). Home and Community-based services for people with Developmental Disabilities will be funded in the DBHDD budget. The ICWP home and community-based services will remain under the Department of Community Health.

The Situation:
- Georgia’s revenue has been in decline for the last 10 months – a 14.2% average decrease
- To date, $3.2 billion dollars have been cut from state agencies
- The FY 2010 cut to DBHDD was $118.6 million, a 14.7% reduction
- A higher federal Medicaid match rate from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act funds replaced $65.1 million, leaving a $53.5 million cut

The Need:
- Over 6300 individuals are on the waiting list for the NOW / COMP waiver. Nearly 4,000 are on the SHORT TERM list.
- 187 individuals are on the waiting list for the ICWP waiver.
- There are not enough state family support dollars to keep people stable at home while they wait
- Over 800 people with developmental disabilities remain in state hospitals; more individuals with developmental disabilities and / or physical disabilities are in nursing facilities.

The Request:
SUPPORT DBHDD’s request for 1500 NOW/COMP waiver services · $20,596,290 ·
- Support DCH’s request for 100 ICWP waiver slots under MFP · $1,199,652 · and cover ICWP waiting list · $1,829,854 ·
- Support an increase in state funded family support dollars (NOT currently included in the budget, but we propose an additional $6,000,000 each year)
- Support the Division of Developmental Disabilities’ request for a cost study on provider rates, and stabilize the rate structure so providers can stay in business
- Support the request for a new multi-year funding plan for Home and Community-based Services, effective FY 2011, for 5 years.

NOW is a good time to meet with your legislators in their home district,
attend their forums and meetings, and tell them what you need for a family member with a disability to be supported in your community.

More than 300 organizations statewide support the Unlock the Waiting Lists! Campaign
Legislative Leadership: GCDD · Two Peachtree Street NW · Atlanta, Georgia 30303 · 404.657.2126
Grassroots Coordination: AADD · 1440 Dutch Valley Place, Suite 200 · Atlanta, Georgia 30324 · 404.881.9777 x 220