Adoption of FY 2007 State Operating Budget. DDA’s budget  includes all of our priorities except there are no funds for transitioning people living in state institutions to the community. Despite several letters to the Governor requesting these funds, no funds were provided in any of the Governor’s supplemental budgets. The budget does provide full funding for Transitioning Youth, full funding for the final year of the Community Direct Support Worker’s Wage Initiative, $2.5M for DDA, $1.7M for transportation subsidies to agencies, and $10M to serve 1,225 of the 15,000+ persons on the Waiting List.

Passage of the Maryland Medicaid Advisory Committee - Membership, Staffing, and Reimbursement. HB 1330/SB 771.   This piece of legislation would call for at least 5 members of the Maryland Medicaid Advisory Committee to be people who are on Medicaid so that people who have Medicaid get more of a say in what happens with the Medicaid program. It also asks that some money be made available to help with transportation, child care, and other expenses that might keep someone from being able to participate

         Passage of the Cost Of Living Adjustment (COLA) Bills for DDA Community Programs. SB 447 passed on the final day of the Session. The bill requires that annual cost of living increases be provided to community programs funded by DDA and the Mental Hygiene Administration up to 5%. The bill was amended to add the language "Subject to the limitations of the budget…" which does weaken the bill by eliminating a mandate for a COLA. However, passage of the bill does send a message to the Governor about the legislature's priorities for this important need.

         Passage of the DDA/MHA Privacy Bills. Both bills passed the Senate (SB 1040) and House (HB 1625) on the final day. This bill was developed by the Arc of Maryland’s Legal Advocacy Committee in response to the DHMH release of thousands of home addresses of persons receiving residential supports funded by DDA and the Mental Hygiene Administration. The bill will prohibit release of such personal information of people with disabilities in the future. An amendment was added at the request of DHMH to exempt nursing and assisted living facilities from the bill.

         Passage of the Mortality and Quality Committee: Both bills passed (HB 831/SB734) The bill was developed by The Arc of Maryland and expands the role of the Mortality Committee to examine trends in serious physical injuries sustained in DDA institution and community programs.

        Passage of the Special Needs Trust Housing Program: The bill passed on the final day of the Session (HB 717). This bill allows special needs trusts to apply for low income housing loans if the individual with disabilities is income-eligible. This bill resulted from a visit by Delegate Costa to Lorraine and John Sheehan’s home and learning about special needs trusts. However, often the special needs trust over time spends down and ongoing maintenance and major repairs of the home are unaffordable, such as a roof. The bill will allow special needs trusts to qualify for low income loans for the individual with disabilities to continue living in his/her home.

Maryland Cares – This bill also passed on the final  night: HB 1467 sets up a 6 month temporary safety net for people enrolled in the Part D Prescription  Plan. It allows reimbursement for certain co pays that are not covered, reimbursement to providers if they incurred costs that should have been covered, and provided funds to local area aging boards to assist people with disabilities to navigate the new plans.

                 Condo Conversion – These Bills Passed as well. SB 10/HB                     123 passed to protect people with disabilities in cases of                     conversion of their rental unit to unaffordable condos. The                     bills provides up to 3 years additional leases and moving                     costs.