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Hello everyone, we had a GREAT way to begin 2008 with the
announcement of the closure of Rosewood from Governor O’Malley.
We hope all of you are ready to work because the 2007 legislative session
has begun and it will be a BUSY session for CDRC and YOU. We will be discussing
Rosewood, legislation along with other issues.
Rosewood
Rosewood is CLOSING!!!!!!
Governor O’Malley signed an Executive Order on January 15th
for the closure of The Rosewood Center. The
closure will take place over the next 18 months.
The plan is to move 54 individuals out of Rosewood between now and June
30, and in FY 09 move the remaining 99 individuals out.
CDRC feels like that 18 months is the right amount of time to plan for
everyone’s transition.
CDRC would like
to thank Governor O'Malley, Secretary Colmers, Director Chapman and Dr. Day for
doing the right thing and closing Rosewood. The decision to close this
very troubled facility demonstrates strong leadership that recognizes the rights
of Marylanders with disabilities to live free. This is a decision that will
positively impact the lives of many people with disabilities in
Maryland
for years.
Legislation
CDRC hired its new Legislative Assistant in early January.
His name is Ryan. CDRC also
put together its 5 person Legislative Rapid Action Team LRATs. From its
membership. The LRAT’s consists
of; Sylvia, Dominic, James, Vickey and Lori.
Ryan, and the LRAT’s will be testifying on the budget hearings in the
month of February, along with other bills that CDRC is following..
Here is some legislation that CDRC will be following.
We will be adding on to the list once more bills are introduced
SB 1 -
Maryland
Legislative Youth Advisory Council
Establishing the Maryland Legislative Youth Advisory Council; providing for
the appointment, membership, terms, and duties of the Council; providing for the
appointment of the co-chairs of the Council; CDRC thinks having a Youth Advisory
Council would get the youth involved in making positive changes.
It will make youths more confident by being able to meet and discuss
issues with legislators.
HB 218 - Department of Health and Mental Hygiene - Living
at Home Waiver Program
HB
218 would Rename the Community Attendant Services and Support Program to be the
Living at Home Waiver Program; transferring the authority for administering the
Program from the Department of Human Resources to the Department of Health and
Mental Hygiene, where it has been for two years already; altering the
eligibility age for eligible individuals under the Program to 18-60, where it
has been for three years; CDRC will support this legislation but we are working
on amendments to make the LAH Waiver program better.
HB 231 - Department of Housing and Community Development - Community
Development Administration - Rental Assistance Programs
Repealing the Rental Allowance Program; establishing rental assistance
programs; authorizing the Department of Housing and Community Development to
provide financial assistance to specified households; providing for the
administration of the programs; requiring the Secretary of Housing and Community
Development to adopt regulations and establish guidelines for the programs.
We will be supporting this legislation, but we will be advocating for
more accessible affordable integrated housing for people with disabilities.
By making changes in the Rental Assistance Program it would allow the
Bridge Subsidy Program to continue. This
Bill Hearing is February 7th in The House of Delegates in
Environmental Matters at 1:00
DD Day at the Legislature—February
26th
This is a day
devoted to developmental disability issues here in
Annapolis
. There will be briefings in the morning over breakfast on hot issues this
legislative session and meetings with legislators in the afternoon (no cost for
meeting your legislator!). It costs $18.00.
ALL are strongly urged to participate.
CDRC will assist its members in the cost of attending.
Please contact Lianna if you need an application or if you need
assistance filling out the application. She
will be happy to help you.
Centers
for Medicare and Medicaid Services and paying for service/resource coordination
for people coming out of institutional settings.
We informed in December’s newsletter about some
changes that the federal government is deciding about for service coordination
types of services for people who are trying to move out of institutions.
The new rules are restricting the number of days the state can get paid to 60
days (reduced from the current 180 days) for people who have been in there for
more than 6 months. If someone has been in an institution for less than 6
months, then the service coordination will only get paid for two measly weeks.
This idea is a bad one. CDRC wrote
its comments on this issue to CMS. Many
of our allies have written CMS to tell them this time limit, and other parts of
the new rule is a BAD idea and will hurt people.
Both Maryland Senators, Cardin and Mikulski, and a growing number of our
U.S.
Congressmen, have filed a bill in the Congress to try to put a hold on the
rules we oppose. CDRC will keep you posted.
Thank You
CDRC would like to thank the new Director of the
Developmental Disabilities Administration, Michael Chapman for taking his Sunday
to be a guest speaker at CDRC’s January monthly membership meeting.
Mr. Chapman talked on many issues, one of which was the closure of
Rosewood, which is nearest to our hearts. CDRC
members asked Mr. Chapman some tough questions which Mr. Chapman answered.
CommunityPathways
Waiver
CDRC would like to
correct an error it made in January’s newsletter.
The Community
Pathways Waiver continues to cover services such as residential, CSLA, day and
supported employment services. Additionally, it covers Family and Individuals
Support Services for eligible individuals. Community Pathways currently serves
nearly 9,000 people with developmental disabilities.
Along with these services,
Assistive Technology
- available
Attendant Care - Called personal care or CSLA in Community Pathways
Behavior Consultant - available through DDA contracts
Case Management - called Resource Coordination in the waiver
Day Habilitation - available
CDRC
Meeting
Next CDRC Membership Meeting: February 24
Time: 1:00 – 4:00
Location:
Anne
Arundel
County
North Branch Library.
1010
Eastway
Glen Burnie
, MD 21060
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