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- February 16th, 2012
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The Arc of Virginia Releases Letter to Governor McDonnell regarding DOJ Settlement Agreement
February 16th, 2012
February 15, 2012
Today, The Arc of Virginia released its letter to Governor McDonnell regarding Virginia’s recent settlement agreement with the U.S. Department of Justice. In its letter, The Arc thanked Governor McDonnell for his leadership on reforming Virginia’s system of support for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (ID/DD) and for his commitment to reaching a settlement agreement with the U.S Department of Justice. The Arc emphasized the importance of a safe, responsible transition process moving forward and also urged further action to address the ID/DD waiver waiting list crisis.
The Arc of Virginia expressed its full support for the agreement’s focus on serving individuals in the most integrated settings, calling the settlement “a visible and important milestone in Virginia’s long journey towards community care for its citizens with ID/DD.” The Arc underscored the importance of the agreement’s provisions related to quality assurance, risk management, discharge planning and oversight and described them as key components of the transition process. The Arc stated that such requirements “will help ensure that this transition is safe, successful and person-centered, improving quality of life for those transitioning while simultaneously strengthening a more cost effective service system.”
The Arc also pointed out the need for further action in order to address the unresolved ID/DD Waiver waiting list crisis. There are currently more than 7,000 with intellectual and developmental disabilities who are on waiting lists for community-based services, many living with aging caregivers. The ID Waiver waiting list alone is growing at a pace of 800 people per year. “The ID/DD Waivers required by the settlement are grossly insufficient to meet current and projected need,” said The Arc of Virginia President Glenn Slack. “Moving forward, we hope your Administration will support any additional ID and DD Waivers that may be added above the DOJ requirements so that Virginia can keep pace with current growth and fulfill its commitment to eliminate the waiting lists.”
Finally, The Arc of Virginia asked the Governor to ensure that the cost savings achieved by the transition remain dedicated to supporting people with ID/DD. The Arc proposes combining all current ID facility and ID/DD Wavier funds and moving them into a protected DBHDS trust fund in order to facilitate successful transitions, reduce the waiting lists and rectify inadequate provider payment rates. The Arc believes that doing so would also allow greater flexibility to respond to the DOJ requirements.
The Arc of Virginia’s Letter to Governor McDonnell can be found at www.thearcofva.org<http://www.thearcofva.org> .
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About The Arc of Virginia:
Established in 1955, The Arc of Virginia is a statewide advocacy organization for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities and their families. The Arc of Virginia is a state chapter of The Arc, the nation’s oldest and largest organization for people with ID/DD, and is composed of twenty-five local chapters from around the Commonwealth.