Moving forward, vol. 9, no. 3 (2004 January 23)

Volume 9, Issue 3

Governor's Council on Developmental Disabilities ~ Unlock the Waiting Lists! Campaign

January 23, 2003

This week, the Appropriations Committee heard each agency director or commissioner review the FY '05 budget for their departments. Commissioner Green of DHR began her remarks by reviewing the numbers of people with developmental disabilities remaining in state institutions (approx 1500), the number of people with DD being served in the community (14,000) and the number of individuals waiting for home and community-based services (4,000). She also stated that the Community Care Services Program will add 460 slots, and receive an enhancement to cover the increased costs of serving older adults who are currently in the program.
The Commissioner of DCH reviewed his budget at 3:30 Thursday afternoon, and Kathy Cox, State School Superintendent reviewed her budget at 10:00 AM Friday morning. These hearings had not occurred as of press time.
Regular legislation session schedule should resume Monday, January 26th. This will be the 6th legislative day.
Legislation Tracker You may view any bill in its entirety at http://www.legis.state.ga.us/legis/2003_04/leg/legislation.htm
HB 34: Education; students committing certain acts of physical violence; disciplinary tribunal HB 130: Georgia Health Care Act HB 211: Assistance dogs; interfering with, assaulting, killing; penalties HB 256: Industries for the Blind; manufactured products; purchase by state employs; exception HB 295: Education; deaf students; certification of interpreters HB 316: Persons supervising children; criminal background checks; National Crime Information Center Comments: HB 316 would authorize, but not require the exchange of national criminal history background checks (fingerprint checks of state and national criminal history files) with local government agencies designated to report, receive, or disseminate information under the National Child Protection Act and the Volunteers for Children Act. This information would be obtained on behalf of businesses or organizations -- public, private, for profit, not for profit, or voluntary -- that provide care to children, senior citizens, or persons with disabilities. HB 318: Adult Day Center Licensure Act; enact HB 363: Electronic Textbooks; make available to local boards, schools, and students HB 357: Certain deaths; persons in compensated care; notify coroner HB 428: Intellectually Disabled Health and Fitness Program Fund; establish; special license plates. Comments: HR 428 plate legislation and HR 225 special purpose fund, 25% to DD Council to assist individuals moving from institutions to homes with one time moving expenses and household equipment. HB 583: Students; certain acts of physical violence; disciplinary tribunal HB 1055: Audible Universal Information Access Services, Blind and Print Disabled Citizens HB 613: Parking Permits; Certain Transporters of persons with disabilities HB 869: Reconfigures the system for charging and collecting fees from criminal and civil proceedings that have been used to fund the BSCITF. HB 1128: Community service boards; full-time employment of retirees; prohibit; exception Sponsors: B. Mitchell, R. Mangham Status: House Health and Human Services Committee HB 1129: Community Service Board Overview Commission; create Sponsors: B. Mitchell, R. Mangham Status: House Health and Human Services Committee

HB 1132: Starvation and Dehydration of Persons with Disabilities Prevention Act; enact Sponsors: C. Rogers, J. White, S. Burmeister, J. Mills, M. Coan Status: House Judiciary Committee HR 225: Intellectually disabled health and fitness program; special plates SB 12: Disabled Adults and Elder Persons; penalties for abuse, neglect, and exploitation Comments: SB 12 increases the penalty for abuse, neglect, and exploitation of disabled adults and elder persons from a misdemeanor to a felony. SB 50: Health Insurers; Consumer Choice of Benefits Health Plan Act. Comments: SB 50 is the "Georgia Consumer Choice of Benefits Health Insurance Plan Act." Proponents of this bill state that employers and individuals need to be able to buy group and individual health insurance plans that are more affordable and flexible and that there is a need to increase the availability of health insurance by authorizing plans that do not contain the state mandated health benefits. Some examples of the mandated health benefits include: coverage of services provided by psychologists, chiropractors, and optometrists; screenings for ovarian, cervical, colorectal, breast, and prostate cancer; 48 hour or 96 hour minimum hospital stays for birth of a baby; hospital stays after a mastectomy; and child wellness visits. SB 111: Death Investigations; patients receiving compensated care in facilities licensed by DHR SB 185: Natural Gas; discontinuing service to persons age 65 or disabled; prohibit during winter heating season SB 301: License plates; special; parents of persons with disabilities .Comments: SB 301 would permit children of disabled parents to obtain a specially designed disabled person's license plate. These special plates permit people to park in the specially designated disabled parking areas. The plate will be issued to only one child of a disabled parent. SB 302: Handicapped parking; enforcement; change provisions SB 422: Assisted Living Facilities
Disability Day at the Capitol 2004 February 26, 10am to 2pm
Better All Together Inclusion Works! Conference
March 17-20, Peachtree City Visions and Strategies to Support Valued Lives & Inclusive
Communities Childhood Through Adulthood
Register for both events at www.gcdd.org

Budget Overview

The Supplemental Budget, or FY 2004 Budget as shown here, covers the remaining part of Fiscal Year '04, until June 30, 2004. All numbers in parentheses are cuts. Items are reported as they appear in the '04 tracking documents from the legislative budget office, and further analysis of the budget is on-going.

DHR Budget 2004

Family Connection

($250,000)

Client trans. services (consolidate 13 regions into 7)

($250,000)

Reduce operating expenses for

Long Term Care Ombudsman

($22,187)

Gov. Council On Dev. Dis.

($744)

Reduce Funding in High Risk pregnant women and Infants

($150,000)

MHDDAD Adjust funds to reflect Medicaid earnings in excess of rev max target Reduce Community Services Close Medical Surgical Unit at Central State Healthy Mothers Healthy Babies Powerline Contract

($1,826,126) ($385,730) ($1,250,000) ($16,000)