Nevada, Pennsylvania, Virginia Updates

Passed on by Bob Williams:

February 10, 2010 – That’s The Way It Is: (Feel free to repost in full or in part)

PUBLIC OBSCENITY IN NEVADA: Former U.S. Supreme Court Chief Justice Warren Burger said that people know obscenity when they see it. The same is true of obscene public policy. Arguing that the state could no longer afford to pay for "bloated government services", Nevada Governor Jim Gibbons has proposed to cut 109 million in state Medicaid funding. According to news reports, such cuts would results in the “ration(ing of) adult diapers, eliminate denture and hearing-aid programs, and force personal care assistants to buy their own disposable gloves” as well as reduce services for persons with traumatic brain injury. "Cutting them off of dentures, hearing-aid services and diapers, “Assembly Speaker Barbara Buckley, D-Las Vegas, commented, “I don't know how we look the elderly in the eye." Not only would these cut degrade the civil rights and essential humanity of Nevadans with disabilities, their families and personal assistants but also expose them to potential health risks as well. See: http://journalstar.com/news/national/article_5743704b-b9ec-5b22-9b5a-88f00b0cca8f.html.

A FRIEND IN PENNSYLVANIA: When most other States are slashing Medicaid funding for community living, Pennsylvania Governor Ed Rendell says he wants to invest in making “major progress rebalancing and restructuring the long-term living system to ensure that older Pennsylvanians can age in place at home with dignity and a high quality of care.” The Governor’s 2010-11 budget includes a $17.3 million increase for direct services. “Over the last eight years, funding for aging and long-term living services has grown by $1 billion, a 307-percent increase. “ According to a release from his office, “Nursing homes will be eligible for $24 million more to support the increased needs of a more complex nursing home population. In addition, nearly 1,700 additional older adults and 1,525 additional persons with disabilities will be able to receive home- and community-based services so that they can live more independently. Finally, 4,000 additional older Pennsylvanians will be able to get their prescription drugs through the PACE and PACENET programs.The gains for older Pennsylvanians and persons with disabilities would not have been sustainable without major initiatives to rebalance the long-term living system. The share of consumers served in their home has doubled since 2003. Because home-based services are more cost-effective, scarce public resources can be stretched further.”” See: http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/governor-rendell--2010-11-budget-preserves-health-care-for-seniors-persons-with-disabilities-and-pennsylvanias-poorest-families-83890992.html.

LIFE DEFERRED: When Sam May graduates from a Fairfax Virginia high school next year, he should be able to look forward to his life – finding a job, attending community development, making plans to move into their own home someday. Instead, May, who has significant disabilities due to Fragile X syndrome, will have his life and future put on indefinite hold by being placed on a waiting list along with over 600 others with intellectual and developmental disabilities. At least half of these persons have been deemed by the county to have an “urgent need” for such Medicaid waiver services as personal assistance, supported employment and other supports to remain in their homes and communities. In 2007, Virginia agreed to put more resources into increasing accessing to these services and supports and to fall the waiting list. However, impending budget cuts threatens to make an already precarious and dire situation even worse. See: http://www.fairfaxtimes.com/cms/story.php?id=1049.