Legislative Update 5/18/11

Your Monday Morning Update:

 

I’m sure by now, you all know that the Kansas 2012 budget was passed during the wee hours of the morning last Friday. No matter how you feel about it (good, bad or indifferent),  it is done!

 

As I ponder the final outcome of the session, I‘m a bit torn. I’ve always considered myself as a “glass is half-full” kind of gal, but right now, I’m not so sure…

 

There were four major objectives of the developmental disability platform-

 

1-      Passage of the Provider Assessment:  

This bill would allow Kansas to collect taxes from providers of DD services, and use the proceeds to draw down the federal Medicaid matching funds. These dollars would then be paid back to the providers. The good thing is SB 210 did pass. Not so good is the fact  we are still waiting for the Center for Medicaid & Medicare Services to approve this tax. Unless they do, DD providers will receive no additional funding from passage of this bill.

 

 

2-      Passage of Employment First:

This was one of the final bills passed in this ’12 session. HB 2336 endorses the belief that people with disabilities should have the opportunity to pursue real jobs in their communities at wages similar to those of their non-disabled peers. We can now officially say that Kansas is an Employment First State!  Our job now is to educate the business community on how they might increase their hiring practices of individuals with disabilities.  We can advocate and support till we are blue in the face, but it is imperative that businesses step up to the plate.

 

 

3-      Maintain SGF dollars (dollars having no federal match):

The State eliminated $3.5 million in SGF day and residential grant funding.  That funding was used to provide services to individuals not eligible  for Medicaid.  These dollars provided a safety net for individuals requiring just a little bit of support. As it looks right now, providers do not have to take a rate cut, so agencies have sworn to find ways to provide supports to these individuals with existing funds.  Funds which are already stretched so tight.

 

4-      Increase funding for the DD waiting list:

The final budget bill included $2.8 million for the HCBS DD waiting list. With the federal match, we’re looking at almost $6.7 million.  It costs an average of $40,000 to serve an individual in the community.  If all goes as planned , we should be able to take around 170 folks off of the waiting list.  That is fabulous news!  However, since the waiting list grows by more than 350 folks a year, perhaps it’s not so fabulous.

 

 

As I think about it and look back at the session, I’m appreciative for the progress made. Many good things came out of this session for individuals with developmental disabilities.  True, we didn’t get everything we wanted, but the step back we took was minor. 

 

Now let’s sit back, pour ourselves a half-full glass of water and take a breather. Next year will be here before we know it…and we’ll start all over again!

 

Warm regards,

 

Lurena Mead�
JCDS Community Relations Manager

913.826.2212