SECTION 1.

 

 

An Act to amend Chapter 19B, as appearing in the 1998 Official Edition, is hereby amended after Section 23 the following new section:--

 

          ÂThe Department of Mental Retardation will develop a five-year plan to address all individuals waiting for community-based services including residential, day, transportation and family support.ÂThe goal of said plan will be to fund services for all eligible individuals and families by 2010.

 

1.                ÂTo address such plan the Department of Mental Retardation will:

 

a.               ÂRequire each area office to provide an updated list of names in priority order with corresponding cost plan with additional dollars required.

 

b.               ÂIdentify service type needed for each eligible participant.

 

c.                ÂIdentify a number of people to serve per year in order to achieve the goal of said legislation by 2010.

 

d.               ÂSaid plan will include emergency allocations for those individuals not currently on the Department of Mental Retardation’s current list but go into crisis.ÂSaid emergency allocation will be based on historical data.

 

e.               ÂSaid plan will include annual allocations for family support funding for those not immediately served on the residential waiting lists.

 

2.                ÂIn year one and thereafter, until no one is waiting for residential services, 300 people on said waiting list for residential services will receive $20,000 in vouchers or allocations in additional dollars on an annual basis to provide support while said individuals are waiting for services.ÂDMR will utilize said waiting list for services to determine distribution.ÂIndividuals or families may utilize the funds for private-public partnerships and may choose to remove themselves from the residential waiting list.

 

3.                ÂTo minimize crisis driven services, the DMR will include allocations or vouchers on an annual basis for families who are in need of family support.ÂThese allocations will range from $3,000 to $10,000 per year based on range of services required.

 

4.                ÂTo encourage public private partnership in the employment of individuals with disabilities, incentives will be established for employers:

 

a.               ÂA tax credit equal to 20% of any hired individuals’ wages for the first two years of employment will be granted.

 

b.               ÂSix-month subsidies to assist in job-coaching will be distributed on a case-by-case basis not to exceed $12,000.ÂThese monies will be allocated from a subsidy line item funded by a one-time two million dollar allocation.

 

5.                ÂTo maximize community-based care, the Department of Mental Retardation will update the Facilities Consolidation plan to redirect resources, as more individuals leave institutional care and enter community-based homes.ÂThe plan should include a projected schedule of facility closures.ÂAny savings from said plan once the needs of individuals moving from facilities have been addressed may be used to offset additional monies required in this law.

 

6.                ÂTo maximize revenue, the Department of Mental Retardation will develop a plan which maximizes Medicaid funding received through the Home and Community Based Waiver and other proposed Waivers. This plan will include retained revenue as one option to address the waiting list.