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Hello Everybody,
Happy springtime!!!!!
Welcome to the Cross Disability Rights Coalition’s (CDRC) March/April newsletter. In this edition we will discuss, CDRC’s activities and legislative issues this year.
Legislative Issues:
· We introduced HB
988/SB776 - Individuals with Developmental Disabilities - Additional Rights and Services - The Right to be Informed. Our bill is
sponsored by Delegate James Hubbard of Prince George’s County in the House of Delegates and
Senator Sharon Grosfeld of Montgomery County in the Senate. House co-sponsors are Delegates Conroy, Costa, Kullen, Madaleno, Mandel, Oaks,
and Taylor. Our bill adds the right to be informed of less restrictive service options to the list of basic rights. That means this bill
will have the staff of Service Providers, at a persons annual meeting, offer less restrictive services and give these options to the
individual in a way in which they can understand. Please contact your local legislators and ask them to support these bills!!
Our bill had it’s hearings on March 7th and March 10th. This was the first time CDRC members Bill Ohge and Anna
Burkett, gave testimony. It is very scary when you testify in front of all the Delegates, and Senators. They did a great job. Michael
Taylor, Kenny Capone, Howard Holland, Linda Merkle, and James Devore all gave testimony as well.
·
SB 714/ HB 794 - Developmental Disability - Written Plan of Habilitation -
State Residential Centers. These bills make sure that during the annual meeting of
individuals in State residential Centers, an independent service coordinator who does not work fork for the institution, makes a list of
anything that could stop someone from being independent and of all services the person would need to live in the community. This information
is then given to the Developmental Disabilities Administration and the Department of Disabilities so that they can find ways to remove these
things that stop someone from being independent. This is legislation introduced by the Arc of Maryland that would help assure that residents of the four State Residential
Centers receive information on less restrictive services from someone who does not work for the institution. This should be helpful in
seeing that the residents are informed of services other than those in the SRC’s. CDRC strongly supports these bills. Kenny testified on behalf of POG & CDRC.
·
HB 1542 & 1566, SB 986 - CDRC is working with SEIU (Service Employees International Union) on legislation
that would benefit home care providers. SEIU is a union that supports these very important people in our lives and we look forward to
working with them and testifying on behalf of their bills. CDRC supports these bills.
- HB 651- Developmental
Disabilities Administration - Prioritization System for Investigations - Requiring the Developmental Disabilities Administration and the
Office of Health Care Quality, create a way to determine how important reports of injuries or medication errors are and then that those
problems be taken care of in order of importance. CDRC supports this legislation but is not testifying at the legislature.
- SB 986 - Maryland
Home Care Services - Personal Care Providers - Reimbursement, Training, and Benefits. Says that the Department of Health and Mental
Hygiene should pay personal care providers a higher amount for personal care services provided
under the Maryland Medical Assistance Program. It also says they should create training programs and that the department will work a place
of higher learning, similar to a college, to develop this training. CDRC supports this legislation but is not testifying at the
legislature.
- HB 1534 - Intermediate Care Facilities for Individuals with Developmental Disability - Freedom of Choice. House Bill 1534 provides that it is the policy of the State
to recognize the right of individuals with developmental disabilities who need residential services to live in the setting of their choice,
including a State residential center. The bill requires that the Secretary of Health and Mental Hygiene approve the admission of an eligible
individual with developmental disabilities to a residential center if the individual chooses to receive services in that center. This same
legislation has been introduced in the Maryland Senate. CDRC does NOT support this legislation. Please contact your local legislators and ask
them to OPPOSE this bill!
- SB 606/HB 1306 - Maryland Home Care Services Improvement and
Reimbursement Rate Commission –CDRC is opposing a bill submitted by AFSCME (American Federation of State County &
Municipal Employees). This bill says it will help home care givers but we don’t think it will actually do very much. Also, CDRC knows that
AFSCME are the people that work in the four State Residential Centers (Rosewood, Holly Center, Potomac Center, Brandenberg) and want the
people who live there to stay there. CDRC OPPOSES these bills!
If you need help contacting your legislators please get in touch with John, Kenny, or
Jessica at CDRC (410-974-6139 or 1-888-272-3449).
- Michael Taylor - continues to work at the legislature as
POG’s representative. He testified at both of CDRC’s hearings as well as on other bills for the Arc of Md. And POG. Michael is quickly
becoming a seasoned veteran at giving testimony and schmoozing legislators.
·
Kenny Capone - is enjoying his internship with Senator Grosfeld. He
has written reports for the Senator on the FY 06 budget pertaining to the disabled community.
Other Stuff CDRC is Doing:
- Nursing Home Liberation Training - The Maryland
Disability Law Center has been working with CDRC putting on a 3 - day training for 10 CDRC members. The training teaches us ways to be able to help folks out of nursing facilities. We’ve already had
2 training days, the final training day, originally scheduled for March 12, had to be canceled due to illness. We’ll let you know when the
rescheduled date is once we decide on one. If it goes well, we’ll likely do another training over the summer.
- Web Site - Kenny has been updating our web page weekly. He
will be updating the site with more legislative information, stories, photos, activities, and information approximately every week. We will
have some new freedom stories up next week so be sure to visit our web site, www.thecdrc.org.
- Housing Seminar – NCB and CDRC will hold a one day
seminar on Affordable/Accessible Housing on April 4th or 11th (Date is not finalized. If you have a preference, please
call John , 1-888-272-3449, no later than March 25th). For the past few years NCB has hosted a training on affordable/accessible
housing for participants from: Centers for Independent Living, Service Providers, and Advocacy Groups. They give a great session and are
well educated and experienced in the issues surrounding housing. This training is specially intended for CDRC Housing Issue Experts, but
everyone is welcome. Please call Jessica and let her know if you are interested in attending.
- SWOT – The SWOT (Seeking Ways Out Together) Training
has been scheduled for April 17th, from 10:00am – 2:00pm at Inwood House in Montgomery County.
The SWOT Team will talk to CDRC about ways to get information about community to the SRC residents. This is a very important
training for CDRC membership Please try to attend!
- Monthly Meetings – CDRC’s monthly meetings in
March & April will be held one week earlier than usual and will both be held at Inwood House in Montgomery County. Usually, CDRC meets
the fourth Sunday of every month. But, because of the Easter and Passover holiday’s we have had to move the meetings to the third Sunday
of the month. Due to the scheduling change, we are also unable to use the library in Laurel. Aprils CDRC meeting will be held immediately
after the SWOT training.
CDRC March Meeting:
10921 Inwood Ave.
Silver Spring, MD 20902
1:00 – 4:00
CDRC April Meeting:
10921 Inwood Ave.
Silver Spring, MD 20902
SWOT 10:00 – 2:00
CDRC 2:00 – 4:00
Phew! Well, that’s a pretty good idea of what is going for March and April. See you on the 20th if not sooner.
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