What the Public is Saying About Regional Center Service Disparities to Latinos and Blacks

If you are concerned about the differences in how regional centers are providing services, particularly to Latinos and African-Americans, we encourage you to attend: PUBLIC HEARINGS on Service Disparities Sponsored by  the California Department of  Developmental Services The Department of Developmental Services will hold four public meetings to consult with stakeholders, including consumers and families, advocates, providers, and protection/advocacy agencies, to review purchase of service data and develop recommendations to help reduce disparities. Discussion areas will include identifying cultural barriers and challenges in obtaining regional center services and the areas that need clarification for people to understand the service delivery system, as well as, plans and recommendations to promote equity and reduce disparities in the purchase of services. THERE WILL BE TWO HEARINGS IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA ATTENDED BY SENIOR DDS OFFICIALS: INLAND EMPIRE: Thursday, August 25, 2016 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 Noon Molina Healthcare Molina Aliso Beach Conference Room 550 East Hospitality Lane, Suite 100 San Bernardino, CA 92408On-site translation will be provided in the following languages: Spanish, Mandarin, and Vietnamese. LOS ANGELES COUNTY: Friday, August 26, 2016 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 Noon South Central Los Angeles Regional Center 2500 S Western Avenue Los Angeles, CA 90018On-site translation will be provided in the following languages:  Spanish, Cantonese, and Korean. For more information - Click here Let's get a big turnout.  Please join us!

New Tax to move CA Regional Centers Toward Sustainability!!!!

After years of battles to increase Regional Center Funding to insure that CA families and consumers continue to receive quality services -  and staving off collapse of this critical entitlement system -  it seems a solution to increasing funding is almost a reality!

~ FYI ~

     Within the next few days, it is likely the Legislature will consider, and vote upon, increased funding for developmental services. A final dollar value is not yet known, nor are the precise details of the funding mechanism. This highly fluid situation is being monitored with the closest of attention, and as matters develop, you will be kept closely informed.  

The MCO Tax

     After intensive and top-level negotiations, a Managed Care Organization (MCO) tax was finalized and introduced in the Legislature yesterday, in the Second Extraordinary Session (or “X2”). Presented simultaneously as SBX2 15 (Hernandez) and ABX2 20 (Bonta), those identical bills create a tiered MCO tax to replace the current MCO tax. It would be mostly revenue-neutral, and have a minimal impact on health plans. These twin bills speak only to the way funds are obtained, not how they will be spent.

Lanterman Coalition Position

    The Lanterman Coalition collectively agreed that their fundamental position was a 10% across-the-board increase (estimated at $390M General Fund), coupled with funding reform to secure the system’s long-term sustainability, was the ideal way to rebuild. The Administration noted that, but requested the Coalition develop targeted increases. After careful review, the Coalition identified wages and benefits as a targeted “cost component,” that should benefit from a 10% increase. That target, with flexible implementation, was agreed upon as the most effective way to make an immediate impact. Funding reform, of course, remained as a key part of the Coalition’s long-term goal.

  The Coalition revised their position to a 7.5% funding increase for POS and OPS salaries and benefits, a 2.5% increase for POS and OPS non salary and benefit related administrative costs, and a 10% restoration (to 2006 levels) of supported employment rates. Additionally, the Coalition is requesting the long-sought reform of vendor audits and a commitment to adopt a process for service providers and regional centers to be reimbursed for unfunded mandates due to federal, state and local government action. This would be similar to existing mechanisms used by local governments. This proposal is in addition to the Administration’s proposal to fund: 5% salaries and benefits for POS direct service professionals, 5% salaries and benefits for RC service coordinators, 5% increase for SLS, ILS, in and out of home respite, transportation and ICFs and $30 million for interns and bonuses for competitive integrated employment.  The 5% salaries and benefits proposals would offset the 7.5% LC proposal.

Hearings This Week

  To address these bills, the Senate and Assembly X2 policy committees will be meeting tomorrow, Wednesday the 10^th, to hear the just-drafted MCO tax proposal. Once they have been heard, the X2 Conference Committee will be meeting, no sooner than Wednesday evening, to discuss the two placeholder bills that have been awaiting action for some months. Viewing information and outcomes will be provided in the usual fashion.

     The MCO tax bill will only focus on obtaining money. How it is spent, including for developmental services, will most likely be addressed in those placeholder bills. Thus, the fundamental question of how much money will be provided to our community, and how it will be allocated, remains open and very actively discussed. ARCA remains committed to maximizing the reinvestment in our community, as well as seeing a long-term sustainability plan for the developmental services system.

New Report: Regional Center System on the Brink of Collape

Dear Everyone,

Below is an email communication I received today. This topic will touch all of us, even those who don't have a family member with a developmental disability, like autism. I could go down the moral path, jump on my soapbox and go on about society being defined by how it cares for those who cannot care for themselves, but for now I'll stick to the financial implications. The lack of funding to the Regional Centers - where the immediate cost of care is less expensive than the long term  cost of neglect - will impact our society as a whole when the bill comes due.  Simply put, if we do not fund early intervention, help individuals to reach their potential to become tax payers & live independently, and support families to keep individuals living in their homes vs costly and ineffective institutions individuals with DD's will be forced to rely on social services with tax payers footing 100% of the bill. This is an important issue for all of us. We all need to weigh in and be heard. For me it's simple, do I want a person who is being paid below minimum wage to care for my son when I can't? Who will give up their ability to live, to care of my family? Do I want my son living in a State Developental Center, where a shower is being hosed down by a fire hose? No I don't.  If you think this scenario is impossible watch the video from the 70's and wake up, then take action. Make a call. Write a letter. 

"We're Here to Speak for Justice"   http://www.lanterman.org/uploads/videos/video_werehere.html.  Here’s the link…please give it another go!  (new link 8/1/2011)

ARCA has released its newest report, titled On The Brink Of Collapse, meant to provide policy-makers, advocates, and the citizens of California an understanding of the crisis engulfing our state’s developmental services system. Long-term underfunding of the service system has left both service providers and regional centers struggling to serve more people with fewer resources, which results in higher caseloads and less customization of service options. Today, service rates are lower despite the higher cost of living and working in California and caseload ratios are higher than in most other states. The result is a system that oftentimes is providing a servicerather than the right service, and is at risk of losing significant federal funding. California spends less on its developmental services system for each resident of the state than most other states in the nation. When taking into account the relative wealth of each state, California’s performance is even lower and continues to decline. In general, California’s rates for residential facilities, day and work services, and supported employment programs fall behind other large or western states. The impact of this difference is exacerbated by California’s high cost of living and other costs of doing business such as its highest-in-the-nation workers’ compensation premiums. In most metropolitan areas examined for this report, California’s service rates were lower, but the cost of living was significantly higher. ARCA hopes this report will increase your understanding of the fiscal challenges California’s developmental services system faces in fulfilling its promise to individuals and their families and the urgent need for both short and long-term Budget solutions, which ARCA and the other Lanterman Coalition members support, to stabilize and advance the system. If questions arise regarding the enclosed report, please feel free to email us via this contact form. The two prior reports, separately examining inadequate rates for service provision and underfunding of regional center operations, are also available.

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