Account	Account Name	FY 16  Final Budget	FY 17 House 2	Impact Compared to FY 16
MOD
1107-2400	Massachusetts Office On Disability	702,535	651,516	-51,019	-7%
MRC
4120-0200	Independent Living Centers	6,130,018	6,130,018	-
4120-1000	Administration	418,811	346,487	-72,324	-17%
4120-2000	Vocational Rehabilitation	10, 260, 724	10, 260, 724	-
4120--3000	Supported Employment Services	2,246,935	2,188,102	-58,833	-3%
4120-4000	Independent Living Assistance	95,12574	9,423, 606	-88,968	-1%
4120-4001	Housing Registry	80,000	80,000	-
4120-4005	Living Independently for Equality	30,000	-	-30,000	-100%
4120-4010	Turning 22 Programs and Services	749,665	672,538	-77,127	-10%
4120-5000	Homemaker Services	4,280,684	4,313,481	32,797	1%
4120-6000	Head Injury Treatment Services	15,817,983	15,898,808	80,825	1%
Total		49,527,394	49,313,764	-213,630	0%
MCB
4110-0001	Administration and Operations	1,461,023	1,368,933	-92,090	-6%
411-1000	Community Services and Independent Living	4,196,305	4,175,682	-20,623	0%
4110-2000	Turning 22 and Deaf  Blind Extended Supports	13,159,408	13,183,460	24,052	0%
4110-3010	Vocational Rehabilitation	3,340,735	3,340,735	-
Total		22,157,471	22,068,810	-88,661	0%
MCDHH
4125-0100	Operations	5,645,031	5,411,403	-233,628	-4%
Total		5,645,031	5,411,403	-233,628	-4%
DTA
4400-1000	Dept of Transitional Assistance Administration & Operation	64,427,943	66,298,663	1,870,720	3%
4400-1001	Food Stamp Participation Rate Programs	3,116,586	3,380,006	263,420	8%
4400-1025	Domestic Violence Specialists	1,046,651	1,373,491	326,840	31%
4400-1100	Caseworkers Reserve	70,833,479	72,296,441	1,462,962	2%
4400-1979	Pathways to Self Sufficiency	3,000,000	15,077,024	12,077,024	403%
4401-1000	Employment Services Program	12,110,000	12,413,060	303,060	3%
4403-2000	Transitional Aid to Families with Dependent Children Grant Pmt	221,480,089	181,244,244	-40,235,845	-18%
4403-2007	Supplemental Nutritional Program	1,200,000	1,200,000	0	0%
4403-2008	Transportation Benefits for SNAP Work Program Participants	0	2,600,000	2,600,000
4403-2119	Teen Structured Settings Program	9,854,932	10,029,832	174,900	2%
4405-2000	State Supplement to Supplemental Security Income	226,951,608	227,080,187	128,579	0%
4408-1000	Emergency Aid to the Elderly Disabled and Children	76,200,527	79,170,972	2,970,445	4%
TOTAL		690,221,815	672,163,920	-18,057,895	-3%
DMH
5011-0100	Department of Mental Health Administration and Operations	28,570,221	27,443,275	-1,126,946	-4%
5042-5000	Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services	87,034,610	88,085,318	1,050,708	1%
5046-0000	Adult Mental Health and Support Services	375,349,785	382,654,252	7,304,467	2%
5046-0005	Adult Community Based Placements	0	0	0
5046-0006	Adult Community-Based Placements	4,000,000	0	-4,000,000	-100%
5046-2000	Statewide Homelessness Support Services	21,134,979	22,942,401	1,807,422	9%
5046-4000	CHOICE Program Retained Revenue	125000	0	-125,000	-100%
5047-0001	Emergency Services and Mental Health Care	24,258,428	24,351,834	93,406	0%
5055-0000	Forensic Services Program for Mentally Ill Persons	9,183,472	9,147,943	-35,529	0%
5095-0015	Inpatient Facilities and Community Based Mental Health	190,325,165	205,798,658	15,473,493	8%
5095-1016	Occupancy Fees Retained Revenue	500,000	0	-500,000	-100%
TOTAL		740,481,660	761,038,511	20,556,851	3%
DDS
5911-1003	DDS Service Coordination and Administration	69,596,985	69,893,990	297,005	0%
5911-2000	Transportation Services	21,996,018	22,651,781	655,763	3%
5920-2000	Community Residential Services for Developmentally Disabled	1,084,666,855	1,110,427,449	25,760,594	2%
5920-2010	State Operated Residential Services	214,737,045	218,453,948	3,716,903	2%
5920-2025	Community Day and Work Programs	183,209,830	192,196,335	8,986,505	5%
5920-2026	Community Based Employment	3,000,000	7,645,000	4,645,000	155%
5920-3000	Respite Family Supports for the Developmentally Disabled	55,933,705	62,739,395	6,805,690	12%
5920-3010	Autism Division	6,085,431	6,482,270	396,839	7%
5920-3020	Autism Omnibus	12,667,109	12,434,095	-233,014	-2%
5920-3025	Aging with Developmental Disabilities	250000	250000	0	0%
5920-5000	Turning 22 Program and Services	7,000,000	7,000,000	0	0%
5930-1000	State Facilities for the Developmentally Disabled	110,998,314	109,853,183	-1,145,131	-1%
5982-1000	Templeton Farm Product Sales Retained Revenue	0	0	0
TOTAL		1,770,141,292	1,820,027,383	49,886,091	3%

You can download a copy of this table here.

You may remember that early last year one of the first bills the Governor submitted to the Legislature, would have given his Administration the right to modify MassHealth benefits without legislative approval.  The Legislature rebuffed the Governor's efforts.

Well the Governor is trying again.  Outside Section 39 of House 2 contains the following language:

"Authority to Restructure MassHealth Benefits

SECTION 39. Notwithstanding section 53 of chapter 118E of the General Laws or any other general or special law to the contrary, the executive office of health and human services may manage the MassHealth program within the appropriated levels in items 4000-0430, 4000-0500, 4000-0600, 4000-0700, 4000-0875, 4000-0880, 4000-0885, 4000-0940, 4000-0950, 4000-0990, 4000-1400, and 4000-1420 by restructuring benefits to the extent permitted by federal law. At least 30 days before restructuring any MassHealth benefits under this section, the secretary shall file a report with the executive office for administration and finance and the house and senate committees on ways and means detailing the proposed changes and the anticipated fiscal impact of those changes."

Needless to say this is dangerous.  Just as one example the entire PCA program is not mandated by federal law.  I am not saying the Administration would propose eliminating this program.  I am merely pointing out that "restructuring benefit to he extent permitted by federal law" is not a very comforting provision.  Right now the Legislature provides a very important check and balance against the Executive Branch cutting benefits singlehandedly. 

You have to admire the Governor for his persistence. Unfortunately now as advocates we will have to spend valuable advocacy time battling this proposal.

According to news from Massachusetts Law Reform Institute, the Governor's budget would remove 6,500 families from Transitional Aid to Families with Dependent Children.  These families would be forced to live on the SSI of  the child or parent.  Another 1,600 families would see their benefits cut drastically.  Only two other states count the SSI as income for TAFDC.

A flyer with more information is here.

The Massachusetts Commission for the Blind (MCB) will be conducting a series of listening sessions across the Commonwealth between October 2015 and March 2016. These listening sessions will seek to solicit consumer, provider and community perspectives on a range of services provided by MCB, as well as allow for input and feedback on other topics of importance.

MCB is inviting consumers, families, and all key stakeholders to attend sessions nearest them. MCB Commissioner Paul Saner will be on hand to hear your insights.

For those who cannot attend in person, comments may be submitted in writing to the Office of the Commissioner, MCB, 600 Washington Street, Boston, MA 02111 or email to [email protected]

When:  January 25, 2016 to February 11, 2016 

Where:  Around Eastern Massachusetts

* Written comments about the MBTA Fare Proposal will be accepted through Friday, February 12, 2016, and can be mailed to: MBTA, 10 Park Plaza, Boston, MA 02116, Attention: Fare Proposal Committee. You may also submit your comments on the MBTA website, mbta.com, by email at fareproposal@mbta .com, or by phone at (617) 222-3200, TTY (617) 222-5146.

* Written comments about the Commuter Rail schedule changes will be accepted through Friday, February 12, 2016, and can be mailed to: MBTA, 10 Park Plaza, Boston, MA 02116, Attention: Commuter Rail Schedule Committee. You may also submit your comments on the MBTA website, mbta.com, by email at [email protected], or by phone at  (617) 222-3200, TTY (617) 222-5146.

* All locations are accessible to people with disabilities. MassDOT provides reasonable accommodations and/or language assistance free of charge upon request. For accommodation or language assistance, please contact Trish Foley at (857) 368-8907 or ([email protected]. ma.us). Requests should be made as soon as possible prior to the meeting. For more difficult to arrange services, including sign-language, CART or language translation or interpretation, requests should be made at least ten (10) business days before the meeting.

* In case of inclement weather, meeting cancellation announcements will be posted at www.mbta.com .

A 

roster of the hearings can be found here .

This position covers the metro-west region.

The Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor provides case management and job placement services to a diverse caseload of adults who are legally blind. The goal of the vocational rehabilitation program is employment and the vocational rehabilitation counselor is the frontline coordinator of all services provided to reach that goal. Services provided under the Vocational Rehabilitation program include: vocational assessment and counseling, vocational training, low vision rehabilitation and physical restoration, adaptive equipment and rehabilitation engineering, rehabilitation teaching, orientation & mobility services, job analysis and job placement. Refers consumers for rehabilitation teaching and orientation and mobility instruction. Marketing and job development is a key element of this position. Community education and in-service training for business partners as well as human service organizations is required.

Provides supportive counseling in conjunction with skill training for consumers and family members when necessary. Consults and coordinates with outside agencies including schools, health providers and work programs on behalf of clients in conjunction with skill training. Coordinates with employment services specialist(s) to provide intern placement development and placement services.

This position covers the metro-west region.

Application deadline is 2/16/16

To apply or for more information click here.