Senate Passes Budget:  DDS Amendments Not Adopted
Senate Rejects DDS Amendments
 
Service Cuts or Supplemental Budget Ahead

Despite the addition of $6.8 million dollars to increase DDS Family and Respite Support Services, the Senate Budget sustained key service reductions for the following priority line items:

5920-2000 DDS Residential remains underfunded by $6.5 million.  The loss of this funding, if not replaced, will result in a failure to address individual needs of people with iI/DD whose level of need increased due to aging, or health deterioration and the significant reduction of AFC support services.  An amendment offered by Sen. Jennifer Flanagan was not adopted.

5920-2025 DDS Day and Employment remains underfunded by over $10 million.  Current contracts for next year have been cut by 5% meaning some people will lose service, unavoidable unless there are dollars to fund 12 months of service.  The current contracts for next year won't pay for the full year of service.  People at the greatest risk are the most physically and behaviorally challenged who depend upon day hab supplemental Joan Lovely services to keep them our of more expensive nursing homes.  Senator Joan Lovely's effort to overturn this shortfall was not adopted by the full Senate.

5920-2026 DDS Sheltered Workshop Transition fund was cut by $4 million by both the House and Senate from the Governor's recommendation fo $7.6 million. This fund implements the federal CMS goal of closing sheltered workshops and providing for employment supports.


 
SENATE PASSES $39.5B BUDGET
  State House News logo
The Senate wrapped up three days of fiscal 2017 budget deliberations around 11 p.m. Thursday, voting unanimously to pass an annual spending bill after adding a total of $61.3 million on the floor.

"Thanks to all your advocacy this week we made additional investments in our shared priorities for an even stronger budget," Senate Ways and Means Chairwoman Karen Spilka said ahead of the vote. According to her office, the new bottom line on the bill is $39.558 billion.

The House passed its version of the budget unanimously on April 27 with a $39.508 billion bottom line, according to the House Committee on Ways and Means.

The bill that cleared the Senate 38 to 0 Thursday includes myriad policy positions, banning plastic bags from major retailers, empowering dental practitioners and easing veterans' access to medical marijuana.

"It does have a fair amount of fiscal discipline," Senate Minority Leader Bruce Tarr told the News Service after the vote. Asked what the number of policy riders would mean when the Senate reconciles its budget with the House version, Tarr said, "Senators have always looked to the budget to look to advance things that might not have made it through the committee process. I know the House takes a different view and tries to minimize outside sections. I don't disrespect them for that. I don't criticize them for that." - Andy Metzger/SHNS

5/27/2016 12:22:20 AM
Who Can Fix DDS Budget Woes?

 
ADDP and other disability advocates will be looking to the Legislative Leadership and Governor Charlie Baker to see if further funds can be identified to sustain all people currently receiving service.  Opportunities to allocate additional resources could include further review by the FY 17 Conference Committee or a potential FY 17 Supplemental Budget request from the Governor during the course of the next fiscal year.

Many believe that both the Governor and the Legislature do not wish to see people lose service next year and will likely be willing to look further at the DDS budget once the fiscal year begins or revenue income encounters an uptick in receipts.

ADDP will continue to monitor the situation, work with state leaders and keep our members informed.