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Governor
Ehrlich’s Disability Budget Initiatives Community
Integration Living
At Home Waiver – $2,000,000 (Department of Health and Mental Hygiene) Sixty-six people will be able to move from the registry to receiving services with this funding after several years of being frozen. Services prevent nursing home placement. Developmental Disabilities Waiting List Initiative – $10,000,000 (Department
of Health and Mental Hygiene - DDA) This amount allows DDA to serve an additional 1,348 people with developmental disabilities and their families in FY 07 from the waiting list in residential, supported employment, family and individual support services. 2,637 (inclusive of the 1,348) additional people will receive resource coordination. Developmental Disabilities Emergency Funding - $2,698,691 (Department of Health and Mental Hygiene) This amount funds emergency services for 154 people (70 residential, 70 day, 14 ISS) with the most serious need for immediate support. Wrap-Around, Respite, and Family Networks
- $3,800,000 (Governor’s Office for Children) Will provide expanded wrap-around services for children with intensive psychiatric needs and improved local access to services through the creation of family navigators. Other Children’s Services - $4,080,000 (Maryland State Department of
Education) These will benefit children and families with increased service levels under Maryland’s autism waiver, a newly created autism pilot program. These include Child Care Resource and Referral Network - $750,000; Early Childhood Mental Health - 1,875,000; Autism Waiver – $1,000,000; Autism demonstration pilot for early screening and diagnosis – $455,000. Special Olympics - $200,000 (Department
of Health and Mental Hygiene) This will allow 400 more athletes to participate in summer games, provide free health screening to 5,000 athletes via community Medfests, and assure criminal background screening of 2,000 volunteers working directly with athletes. DDA Wage Initiative - $16,239,575 (Department of Health and Mental
Hygiene) Represents 5th installment of effort to bring the wages of community direct support workers in line with those paid by state in state residential centers. Community Mental Health Providers - $9,255,000 (Department of Health and
Mental Hygiene) Represents a 4 percent cost of living adjustment overall to be dispersed to community providers of psychiatric rehabilitation, supported employment, therapy and more. Wage increases for private duty nurses in Medicaid programs - $8,680,000 (Department
of Health and Mental Hygiene) More than 2,000 private duty nurses (including those in REM programs) will receive an increase in hourly rates of reimbursement easing the shortage of nurses in these programs. Wage increases for shift home health care workers - $216,000 (Department
of Health and Mental Hygiene) Thirty-five workers in the children’s model waiver will receive increases in the hourly rates of reimbursement easing the shortage of these critical workers. Medicaid Personal Care Program – $2,084,000 (Department of Health and Mental Hygiene Medicaid) Governor Ehrlich provided the first rate increase since 1982 to over 3,000 personal care workers during the last legislative session. These funds allow an additional 10% increase to workers paid $11 per 2-hour visit to $12. Housing Bridge Subsidies - $700,000 Federal Funds (Department of Housing
and Community Development) Bridge subsidies were one of the eight recommendations of the Governor’s Housing Commission. The funds will allow the continuation of 75 to 100 people to receive assistance in getting housing as they exit a nursing home with SSI income levels. DDA Transportation supplement - $1,000,000 (Department of Health and
Mental Hygiene) These funds will offset increased costs incurred transporting people with disabilities. MH and Substance Abuse - $670,160 General Fund (Department of Health and
Mental Hygiene) These funds will be used to treat inmates with dual diagnoses of substance abuse and mental illness. Non-visual access accommodation for State websites - $100,000 – General Fund (Department of Budget & Management/Maryland Department of Disabilities) Will focus on making state websites compliant for non-visual accessibility. Transportation: Para-transit - $2,050,000 (Maryland Department of Transportation /Maryland Transit Administration) Funds will be used to hire 15 contractual positions to facilitate better customer service at the call center. MTA capital program – $6,300,000 (Maryland Transit Administration) Funds will be used to purchase new mobility buses and a new centralized mobility center.
Governor Ehrlich’s Disability Budget Initiatives Employment and Training Medicaid Buy-In – $10.6 million (Department of Health and Mental Hygiene) Maryland will fully implement a Medicaid Buy-In as part of Maryland’s state Medicaid Plan. The program will serve about 1,542 initially. Transitioning Youth - $7,689,340 (Department of Health and Mental Hygiene) 497 students leaving special education will receive services in supported employment or vocational training. Attendant Care Program - $335,000 (Maryland Department of Disabilities) These funds will serve 44 additional people on the waiting list. This program assists people with disabilities to be employed or go to school who, without a personal attendant, would not be able to do so. This will expand employment rehabilitation services to 50 people with acquired brain injury. This funding will provide up to 320 hours of rehabilitation, re-training, job development and job coaching. Blind Industries and Services (BISM) of MD - $150,000 (Maryland State Department of Education) BISM provides intensive rehabilitation and training to individuals who are blind and visually impaired. These funds will be used to provide vocational rehabilitation to individuals who are blind to enter the workforce. Community College Initiative for Students with Learning Disabilities $500,000 (Maryland Higher Education Commission) Funding will serve approximately 200 high school graduates with a learning disability to assist them in the completion of an Associates degree through local community colleges. Youth chosen for this demonstration project will be eligible for up to $2500 for each of 3 years to attain an AA degree or career certification. They must demonstrate a need for time-limited intensive supports that are not typical of what community colleges are required to provide. Youth must also not be eligible for DORS or DDA services. |
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