Families for Families


 


 

IMPORTANT MEETING FOR 

FAMILIES AND LEGISLATORS!

 

I/DD Caucus Meeting 

Next Wednesday: February 11, 2015

10:00am

The Legislative Office Building, 

Hartford

 

Allan Bergman to speak to families and legislators.

 

Allan Bergman, a nationally recognized leader in developing federal and state policy relating to "best practice" services and supports for persons with disabilities, will be speaking to the I/DD Caucus on the outcomes and budget implications for de-institutionalization efforts around the country.  

 

Last year, Mr. Bergman was invited to speak before legislators, providers, families and advocates by the Connecticut Community Providers Association (CCPA) and Connecticut Council on Developmental Disabilities


 
Families who attended that meeting felt Mr. Bergman's presentation was eye opening and informative about national trends and how Connecticut can make changes to eliminate the waiting list and serve more people with I/DD.    

Legislators on the I/DD Caucus encourages all families and advocates for people with I/DD to attend!

 

Before you come, please contact your own legislators and ask them to attend the I/DD Caucus meeting and to make time to meet with you and other families after. Click here to find your legislators.

 

 

 

Families for Families: Letter to Governor Malloy about DDS Budget Cuts

 

DDS has received more than $43 million in cuts 

since December 2012!

 

  • In 2012 the DDS budget was cut by $30 million. Of the 40 state agencies affected by that rescission, only two (2) lost more dollars than DDS. That funding has never been restored. 
  • In November 2014, the DDS budget was cut by $5.5 million. In that rescission plan, DDS was ordered to sustain a full 10% of all the cuts announced by the Governor.
  • Yesterday, the Governor announced another round of cuts. According to the CT Mirror, "The largest cut was aimed at the Department of Developmental Services, which lost $8.4 million dollars.DDS will bear the the brunt of more than 26% of the totals cuts!

Parents and families on the Families for Families Advisory Council sent Governor Malloy this letter in response to 
the most recent cuts:

Dear Governor Malloy, 

 

We are profoundly disappointed with the latest set of disproportionate cuts imposed on the Department of Developmental Services, accounting for approximately one-third of all executive agency cuts.

 

We feel a sense of bewilderment as we watch an administration that has so frequently spoken of its concern for the intellectually and developmentally disabled community, take budgetary actions that single out that community for the greatest budgetary harm.

 

What makes these cuts even harder to bear is that they are so unnecessary.  The DDS budget could serve many more, if only serving as many people as possible became more important than preserving an outdated, inefficient system that limits opportunities for so many. 

 

We believe that this is a matter of justice.  And the justice of a system is ultimately measured by how it treats all of those it was intended to serve.

 

Accordingly, a system that denies services to thousands of families while at the same time funding inefficient institutions that, were they opened today, would be illegal, is not a just system. 

 

And a system that only concerns itself with those who already have services--and has no plan, and no funding, for those who have no services--is not a just system.

 

We therefore urge you, as a matter of a fundamental justice, to reconsider your administration's view that the community served by DDS is the community best able to bear budget cuts. This is demonstrably untrue.

 

We understand that difficult times require difficult decisions; but they can also foster innovative and creative solutions.  We ask that you look closely at DDS's antiquated and unnecessarily expensive service delivery system.  Changes to that system would produce real savings that would allow expanded services for those who currently languish on the waiting list.

 

Your appointment of long time advocate Morna Murray as Commissioner of DDS gives us great hope.  We sincerely look forward to working with your administration, the I/DD Caucus and Commissioner Murray to restore funding, eliminate the waiting list and to create a more fair just and sustainable system of supports for all people with I/DD.


 

Sincerely, 

The Arc Connecticut Families for Families Advisory Council

 

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Governor Malloy with families last summer.