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Virginia budget update

March 16th, 2010

Press Release by The Arc

Thank you for your phone calls, emails, letters and visits during the Conference Committee negotiations and throughout the General Assembly session-they really made a difference!

 BUDGET UPDATE

The Conference Committee completed their work yesterday and just a few hours after their report was printed, the General Assembly passed Virginia’s 2010-2012 Biennium Budget.

Thanks to your efforts and the likely extension of FMAP*, the budget restores funding for many critical home and community-based services for people with developmental disabilities and their families!

Restorations of home and community based services in the 2010-2012 budget include:

• 250 new ID Waivers for individuals/families on the ID Waiver waiting list (start date of  7/1/10)*
• Elimination of the proposed cut to respite services. *
• Elimination of the proposed cut to HCBS Waiver provider reimbursement rates *
• Elimination of proposed freeze on HCBS Waiver enrollment  *
• Elimination of proposed cuts to Medicaid podiatry and optometry services.*
• Monthly income for HCBS Waiver eligibility would not be reduced from 300% SSI to 250% SSI *
• No cuts to consumer directed services

Cuts/Policies that remain in the 2010-2012 VA Budget include:

• $23 million to rebuild a 75-bed institution at Southeastern Virginia Training Center in Chesapeake.
• $24 million to renovate Central Virginia Training Center, an institution in Lynchburg.
• 750 ID Waivers and 134 DD Waivers eliminated (this would make 4 years of no new DD Waivers).
• Assistive Technology (AT) will be reduced from $5,000 to $3,000 per year in FY12.*

• Environmental Modifications (EM) will be reduced from $5,000 to $3,000 per year in FY12.*

*-Restorations dependent on FMAP funding. Like many other items in the budget, these restorations are contingent upon a 6 month extension of the enhanced FMAP (a temporary increase in the federal share of Medicaid spending).  On Thursday of last week, the U.S. Senate passed  the FMAP extension, which was included in the American Workers, State, and Business Relief Act of 2010 (H.R. 4213), by a vote of 62-36.  The U.S. House of Representatives has not yet decided on whether to adopt the Senate bill or develop its own bill, which, after passage would be conferenced with the Senate bill.    The Arc will be sure to keep you updated on the status of FMAP, letting you know when action is needed.

What happens next?

The budget bill now goes to Governor McDonnell for his review.  The Governor has the ability to propose amendments to the budget before the General Assembly’s veto session on April 21st.  Moving forward, it will be important for us to continue asking Governor McDonnell to support “Community for All”.   Keep a look out for action alerts from The Arc in the weeks ahead.

What do we do now?

 1.        Thank your Delegate and Senator.

 2.       Thank Senators Warner and Webb for their support of the FMAP extension.

 3.       Stay  in touch!  The General Assembly session is now officially “over”  but the civil rights movement for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities has just begun.  Please stay tuned on how you can help The Arc keep this movement going and growing.