Analysis of Governor’s FY2010 House One Budget

DDS (DMR*) and other Budget Cuts – Second Report

This report provides a line item analysis of the Governor’s 2010 budget.  Cuts total $68 Million in the DDS/DMR budget when compared to the FY09 budget after taking into account transfer of funds for services to Rolland Nursing Home Class Members and students graduating from special education who require adult services (Turning 22).   These cuts threaten the entire Family Support and Autism Service Systems.  If they stand, the cuts will also mean the loss of day/employment services to a few hundred adults. The numbers are explained further below.  Additional cuts in Special Education and employment at the Massachusetts Rehabilitation Commission will also have an impact.  We believe there are MassHealth reductions which will likewise affect individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD) but we cannot determine the extent of those until further information is gathered.   More than 10,000 individuals and families will completely or partially lose services as a result.

Line Item or Agency Review

The largest cut, totaling $45 Million, is in a consolidated line-item, now called “Community Programs” (5911-2000) which combines:

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• Respite/Family Support Services
• Day/Employment Services
• Transportation

Services at risk include employment/day services for adults and respite/family support services. The Arc estimates that 8,000 to 11,000 individuals will be affected depending upon how the agency manages the reductions.   The cut in this line item cannot be overstated.  DMR has limited choices in dealing with the reduction.  One option would be zeroing out all Family Support services, but that would mean eliminating services for a full one-third of DMR’s caseload. Or it could provide continued funding for some – perhaps 2,000 or so of the 11,500 recipients – but that would mean 500 additional adults would have to lose day and employment services.  Either way, crucial services to individuals will be lost and there is no way to fund a back-up plan.  Triage will be the order of the day.  Massachusetts will be receiving stimulus funds. To read about this please review the stimulus fact sheet off the main budget page.  You can also see how much additional Medicaid we are receiving here.

A second consolidated line-item, “Residential & State Operated Programs” (5920-2000) combines the following accounts:

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• Community Residential
• Residential Rate Initiative
• State Operated Community
• Boulet

The consolidation language does not include reference to Turning 22 funds which concerns us.  Additionally, we are concerned that including State Operated Facilities will cause technical problems with funding.   

The Autism Division account was not consolidated in the Governor’s budget but experiences a further cut of almost $821,000. This makes the total cuts for this line item $2.5 Million which is almost 50%.  This cut risks funding for autism support centers.  In one fell swoop we will lose family support and autism support services in 2010.  A total of $6.26 Million is needed.

We received word that the DESE-DMR program received no further cuts.  However the line item is combined with other special education accounts including the ‘circuit breaker’ to aid cities and towns.  The account which assists families to keep their children at home was slashed by 35 percent in the first round of 9C cuts in October.  The new consolidation, line item 7010-0041, now includes the circuit breaker, Concurrent Enrollment and School aged children in prisons and institutional schools.  These were accounts 7061-0012, 7061-9600 and 7028-0031 respectively. The funding is below 2009 levels.  The DESE-DMR account needs $10 Million alone to be level-funded.

Also we received word that the Massachusetts Rehabilitation Commission’s Extended Employment Program is eliminated although the line item remains.  Last year’s 9C cuts reduced the account (4120-3000) to $7.6 Million. Now, the consolidation of four accounts – Employment, Independent Living, Turning 22 and Home Care – under that same number shows a $7 Million deficit compared to last year.  (The account includes $21.7 Million, but we project a minimum of $28.6 Million is needed to keep track with last year and new Turning 22 needs.)

Second round of FY09 9C cuts

DMR took $7 Million in 9C cuts while EOHHS took $30 Million.  The cuts at DMR include $515,000 in Family Supports (about half of the new monies approved by the Legislature last year), delay in Rolland spending, and savings in heat or transportation budgets at facilities and state-operated programs. Individuals now receiving funding will not be affected by these cuts. 

The 2010 budget, if it stands, will be painful to thousands of families.  We’ll be working with our partners -- ADDP, MFOFC, MASS, MDSC, AFAM and others -- to coordinate a rally at the State House.  We must take these cuts seriously. Let’s work together to avoid this potentially destructive impact on individuals and families.

*Department of Mental Retardation will become the Department of Developmental Services