Moving forward, vol. 16, no. 4 (2011 January 28)

Moving Forward
Brought to you by the Georgia Council on Developmental Disabilities

The Developmental Disabilities Advocates' Guide to Legislation
Jan 28, 2011 Volume 16--Issue 4

Budget: Individual Appropriations Committees heard from the agencies whose budgets they are responsible for overseeing this week, which gives legislators further opportunity to ask specific questions. They are focused on the FY 2011 budget only, so much of the detail on the FY 2012 budget has been taken out of this issue of Moving Forward.

TEFRA / Katie Beckett: Regarding DCH's proposal to charge co-pays for services delivered to children enrolled in this option for Medicaid services, the advocates, the Department, legislators and the budget offices are engaged in active conversations about whether it can be done. Please stay tuned for further information.

Governor Deal has confirmed that he will speak at Disability Day at the Capitol!

House and Senate News:

DBHDD Budget continued:

House Leadership -- Speaker of the House: David Ralston, 7th; Speaker Pro Tempore: Jan Jones, 46th. The Speaker vote is held the opening day of the session, but we do not expect any changes. Majority Leader: Larry O'Neal 146th; Minority Leader: Stacey Abrams.

Annualize the cost of the FY 2011 150 waiver slots for the New Options Waiver (NOW) and Comprehensive Waiver

Replace loss of the enhanced Federal Medical Assistance

Percentages (FMAP) from (ARRA) of 2009.

$42,144,989

Senate Leadership--Presiding: Lt. Gov. Casey Cagle;

[Note: With the $42,144,989 above, $8,166,004 added to

President Pro Tempore: Tommie Williams, 19th; Majority Leader: Chip Rogers, 21st; Majority Whip: Cecil Staton, 18th; Minority Leader: Robert Brown, 26th. Minority Whip: Steve

Adult Mental Health, and #,790,838 added to Child and Adolescent Mental Health, the state dollars to replace the

Henson, 41st.

loss of ARRA funds are made whole.]

Contact information for the Governor--The Honorable Nathan Deal, 203 State Capitol, Atlanta, Georgia, 30334; 404-656-1776, http://gov.state.ga.us

Realize efficiencies of serving fewer consumers in institutions

by closing one state hospital.

Direct Support Services

(3,270,191)

Visit www.vote-smart.org to identify your legislators. Find your legislators' contact information at www.legis.state.ga.us

Reduce one-time funds for the Marcus Institute. (235,000)

House Information, 1-800-282-5800; Senate Information 1-800-282-5803.

Department of Community Health; FY 2011:

Budget Information, Governor's Proposed Budgets The 2011 Session tackles the 2011 supplemental budget,

Infant and Child Essential Health: Reduce programmatic

grant-in-aid to County Boards of Health.

(167,798)

referred to here as FY 2011A, (ending June 30, 2011) and Reflect savings from the phase out of the Babies Born

2012 FY budget (beginning July 1, 2011). Cuts are in ( ). Healthy program.

(339,605)

State dollars unless indicated. We've kept FY2011 and FY 2012 figures for BHDD only. All others, FY 2011 retained.

Infant and Child Health Promotion: Reduce funds for

personal services.

(854,036)

Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Health Facilities Regulation: reduce funds for 6 new state

Disabilities; Georgia reached a settlement with the

licensure positions in FY 2011 appropriations. (478,181)

Department of Justice on October 19, 2010. Figures below support the Settlement Agreement. See the GCDD website Department of Education, FY 2011A

for the Settlement documents.

Reduce funds provided for Residential Treatment Centers

FY 2011A

(154,804), Sparsity Grants (119,332), and Special Needs Scholarships (483,318).

Provide funding for 400 family supports, 5 crisis respite

Preschool Handicapped: Reduce funds.

(1,138,638)

homes, and 6 mobile crisis teams to serve people in

community settings.

$2,778,820

Pupil Transportation, reduce funds.

(5,545,136)

[Note: This is broken down into $347,400 for Family Support and $2,404,420 for mobile crisis teams and crisis

QBE Formula: Provide a mid-term adjustment for

enrollment growth.

$83,024,414

respite homes.]

Provide differentiated pay for newly certified math and sci-

Replace loss of the enhanced Federal Medical Assistance ence teachers.

$12,664,855

Percentages (FMAP) from the American Recovery and

Reduce funding provided for the RESAs core services.

Reinvestment Act of 2009. (ARRA)

$8,075,835

(241,172)

[Note: With the $8,075,835 above, $1,564,772 added to Adult Mental Health, and $726,402 added to Child and Adolescent Mental Health, the state dollars to replace the loss of ARRA funds are made whole.]
FY 2012
Provide funding for 400 family supports, 5 crisis respite homes, and 6 mobile crisis teams for people with DD
$12, 800, 081

Reduce funds for GNETS (SED)

(2,622,953)

School Nurses: Reduce funding for grants.

(1,099,980)

Department of Labor; Vocational Rehabilitation

FY 2011A

Reduce funds for personal services.

(1,079,897)

Reduce funds for contracts.

(323,090)

[Note: This is broken down into $1,684,800 for Family Support and $9,617,681 for mobile crisis teams and crisis respite homes.]

Stay in Touch! Go to www.gcdd.org / stay connected to register for all communications.

The Georgia Council on Developmental Disabilities collaborates with Georgia citizens, public and private advocacy organizations, and policymakers to positively influence public policies that enhance the quality of life for people with developmental disabilities and their families.

Department of Human Services; FY 2011A and

Legislation:

2012 (Division of Aging Services)

HB 23: to enact the "Foster Children's Psychotropic

Eliminate the contract with the Center for the Visually

Impaired.

(177,859)

Medication Monitoring Act"; to require the Department of Human Services to establish regulations governing the use of psychotropic medications for foster children in state

Reduce funds for Alzheimers Respite Services (225,000) and Non-Medicaid Home Community Based

custody. Sponsor: M.Oliver, 83. Status: House Second Readers

Respite Services

(1,376,718) HB 24: to substantially revise, supersede, and modernize

Transfer the Family Connection program to the

provisions relating to evidence, [including] to change provisions relating to foreign language interpreters and

Governor's Office of Children and Families and

interpreters for the hearing impaired. Sponsors: Willard,

recognize savings from consolidation

(9,374,089) 49; Lindsey, 54; Weldon, 3, Dobbs, 53; Jacobs, 80.

Status: House Second Readers

Update on Committees, House: Appropriations: Terry England

HB 52: to add public and private schools, public and private colleges, and public and private universities to the places where disabled persons may be accompanied by a guide or service dog; to prohibit the requiring of extra deposits for persons with guide or service dogs. Sponsor: Bearden, 68. Status: House Second Readers

Higher Education: Len Walker Human Relations and Aging: Ann Purcell Insurance: Richard Smith Industrial Relations: Bill Hembree Rules: John Meadows Ways and Means: Mickey Channell

HB 65: to clarify that nonidentifying medical information contained in adoption records shall be open to certain persons for purposes of providing medical treatment and diagnoses. Sponsor: McCall, 30. Status: House Second Readers
HB 77: to amend an Act providing appropriations for the State Fiscal Year beginning July 1, 2010, and ending June 30, 2011. Sponsors: Ralston, 7; Jones, 46; O'Neal, 146; England, 108; Collins, 27; Huckaby, 113. Status: House First Readers

Update on Committees, Senate Appropriations: Jack Hill Appropriations, Health: Greg Goggins Appropriations, Human Development: Renee Unterman Appropriations, Education: Bill Health Health and Human Services: Renee Unterman Education and Youth: Fran Millar Rules: Don Balfour
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Capitol Impact!

HB 78: to make and provide appropriations for the State Fiscal year beginning July 1, 2011 and ending June 30, 2012. Sponsors: Ralston, 7; Jones, 46; O'Neal, 146; England, 108; Collins, 27; Huckaby, 113. Status: House First Readers
Glossary
Appropriation--a specific amount of money that is intended for use by a specific state program ARRA--American Recovery and Reinvestment Act DCH--Department of Community Health DD--Developmental Disabilities DHS--Department of Human Services DBHDD--Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities DOE--Department of Education DOL--Department of Labor FMAP--Federal Medical Assistance Percentages FY--Fiscal Year HB--House Bill HR--House Resolution SB--Senate Bill SR--Senate Resolution
www.gcdd.org

Dates to Remember:
February is Self-Advocates Month at the Capitol Mental Health Day at the Capitol: February 9th Advocacy Day at the Capitol for Unlock the Waiting Lists: February 15th
Disability Day at the Capitol: February 24th!

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