pls testify Wed on LD 3 to keep money in HCBS Section 21/29/20/18 for Mainers with disabilities

[Maine Disability Alerts]

Dear Friends of Mainers with Disabilities,

There is a public hearing this Wed (yes, in December) on LD 3, "An Act to Establish the Winter Energy Relief Payment Program to Aid Residents with High Heating Costs and to Finalize the COVID Pandemic Relief Payment Program".

This is the bill that would send out $450 checks to most Mainers.

The bill includes a deappropriation of state money from MaineCare. About one-third of that is $35 million coming out of Home and Community Based Services (HCBS) for Mainers with autism or intellectual disability (Section 21/29), brain injury (Section 18), and other related conditions (Section 20).

The administration and legislative leadership are saying that this won't impact services because it's replaced by federal money.

But that's only because Section 21/29/18/20 aren't currently fully funded. There are still massive wait lists and a massive workforce crisis caused by too-low wages for direct support professionals.

Instead of taking $35 million out of HCBS, the state should leave that money in HCBS and use it to start addressing wait list and work force. This would have a very small effect on the payments (keeping about 90% of them).

The hearing starts at 1 pm on Wed in 228 State House (Appropriations hearing room).

You can testify in writing and/or in person and/or via zoom. To upload written testimony and/or get a zoom link:

1. Go to https://www.mainelegislature.org/testimony/
2. Select the "Public Hearing" radio button
3. Choose "Appropriations and Financial Affairs" from the "Choose a committee" pull-down menu.
4. Choose "Dec 21 2022 1:00 PM" from the "Choose date" pull-down menu.
5. Choose "LD 3" from the "Choose a bill" selection (it's the only choice available)
6. Check "I would like to present my testimony live" if you'd like to
7. Choose "I am for", "I am against", or "I am neither for nor against" if that choice is available
8. Either upload a document (txt, pdf, or Word) or paste/type your testimony into the text box.
9. Fill out your name, city/town, email address, phone, tell them you're not a robot, and press Submit/Register

And wait for the zoom link

Thank you!

[Maine Disability Alerts]

Thanks to everyone who testified at public hearing this week. You can read written testimony by going to http://www.mainelegislature.org/legis/bills/display_ps.asp?ld=3&PID=1456&snum=131&sec3# and clicking "Public Hearing Testimony". You will find concerns raised about the HCBS deappropriation in written testimony by Audrey Bartholomew, Sen Richard Bennett, Regina Bowie, Alan Cobo-Lewis, Nancy Cronin (Maine Developmental Disabilities Council), Kim Humphrey, Simone Maline (Consumer Council System of Maine), Jon McGovern, Eric McVay, Sen Marianne Moore, Rep Laurie Osher, Stephanie Pelletier, Dixie Redmond, Monique Stairs (Speaking Up For Us), Sarah Trites, and Lisa Wesel. (I hope I didn't miss anyone). Oral testimony (live and via zoom) is at https://legislature.maine.gov/Audio/#228?event=86789&startDate=2022-12-21T13:00:00-05:00

The committee ultimately voted unanimously to pass the bill without substantive amendment (it was "Ought to Pass as Amended", but the only amendment was to add a fiscal note). Sen Stewart (Senate GOP leader) pressed Commissioner Figueroa on nursing homes and HCBS, and Rep Faulkingham (House GOP leader) noted right before the vote that the Commissioner appeared to imply that these would get significant attention from the administration as a priority in the biennial budget.

The disability community's idea of "priority" may differ from the administration's idea of "priority". It is the job of the disability community to ensure that HCBS (including wait list and work force--especially wages) is a *true* priority for the administration and the legislature in the New Year. That will require more input from the disability community.