Gov. Rendell's budget cuts will harm Arc

Published: February 20, 2010

Article Tools

Font size: [A] [A] [A]

Our Social Networks

Facebook

To the editor: The Arc of Pennsylvania reacted to Gov. Rendell's fiscal year 2010-11 budget proposal with indignation. Gov. Rendell's budget proposal includes a cut of $17.3 million from adult mental retardation community-based waiver programs and no waiting list initiative to speak of.

The $17.3 million service cut unfairly targets Pennsylvanians with mental retardation. Other Medicaid-funded services, such as nursing homes and managed care companies, are not targeted by the Rendell budget for similar cuts.

Community-based mental retardation service providers are 100 percent funded by the public sector and therefore cannot make up lost revenue from non-public funding streams like private insurance or private pay. Only $6.1 million in state funds would be needed to restore the cut because these funds would be matched with $11.2 million in federal Medicaid funds.

Advocates are not only angry but scratching their heads over the Rendell administration's budget logic. Why give up $11 million in federal funds just to save $6 million in state funds?

Also disappointing is the fact that the Rendell budget proposes very little to address the emergency waiting list for services. More than 3,100 Pennsylvanians with mental retardation are on the state's emergency need waiting list - 389 of them have caregivers over the age of 60. However, the governor's budget recommends funding to serve only 50 individuals from the emergency waiting list.

Many elderly parents have cared for their adult sons and daughters their entire lives - some of the parents very frail and needing care themselves. This budget holds out little hope for them.

In addition, more than 700 young people with mental retardation will leave special education this year and need services as adults, yet the governor's budget proposes to serve only 100. Without services, these young people could lose the skills they've developed over a lifetime in school, and the taxpayers' significant investment in a lifetime of special education for these individuals could be for naught.

Stephen H. Suroviec

Executive director

The Arc of Pennsylvania

Harrisburg

Ads by Yahoo!