[pollywog]

This just came in to a group I am on today. Parents of children with disabilites should be quite concerned about this. For our family we have a severely autistic 25 year old son, and a disabled 12 year old. I can tell you that if these services of respite and help are cut out , it will effect us terribly. We CANNOT begin at our age to handle these handicaps without help.

[pollywog]

I am sorry this is such a long post but I feel it is so important. I am ALL for budget cuts. I think spending money that we don't have is plain old wrong. BUT for goodness sakes, don't take it away from the disabled and handicapped.!!!

[DoughtyOne]

Sadly, it always seems this is the stuff they cut first. My wife works for an organization that is directly affected by the cutbacks you have mentioned. I still maintain that if we had any idea how much commissions and the teacher's unions siphon off the state budget, we'd be stringing some people up.

Good luck to you. I know these programs certainly put the money to good use. I support them getting it.

[Callahan]

Every government program is "vital." That's why we can never eliminate anything. We'll just keep on our merry, bankrupt way and tax the "rich" for the money we need.

[byteback]

FRom what I've heard the bill is eliminating things like personal in home cleaning and paying parents to be parents. It's obvious that we are way overboard on the amount of welfare that taxpayers are saddled with.

[Incorrigible]

Autism Bump

[dts32041]

Funny I don't see anything about cutting road maintenance or building or delivering the mail or protecting the citizens.

Therefore nothing vital has been cut.

BTW did they ever remove the luxury phone tax imposed as a temporary measure during the Spanish American war.

To California go back to mexico where you want to be.

[FreedomCalls]

We CANNOT begin at our age to handle these handicaps without help.

That's what churches and charities are for. You ARE a member of a church aren't you? If so, ask and ye shall receive.

[GeronL]

What they need to cut is bureaucrats. We could cut welfare spending in half and still get more money to the poor if we had an efficient welfare system.

[Jeff Gordon]

It is nice to know that Arnold is doing the job we elected him to do. Go Arnie!

[montag813]

My condolences, but plese look to local charities and churches--which used to fill needs like this until Socialists hijcked our nation--and will have to again do much more as government retreats. This country was not founded as a personal welfare state for its citizens.

[Calpernia]

Why can't these programs be privatized? They are needed. So they will exist. But they don't have to be a gov program. They can become a nonprofit.

[Weimdog]

It looks as if they are proposing a FREEZE not a CUT.

(a) (1) It is the intent of the Legislature to limit the caseload of the regional centers to the total number of individuals served by regional centers as of December 31, 2003. - FREEZE

(2) Effective January 1, 2004, the total number of consumers for whom each regional center provides service coordination, develops an individual program plan or purchase of services or supports may not exceed the total number of consumers who were served by that regional center on December 31, 2003. - FREEZE

However, regional centers shall continue to provide each individual with intake and assessment and shall determine whether each individual would be eligible for services if the caseload were not limited.

(3) Effective January 1, 2004, no regional center may make new consumers eligible for services unless and until attrition occurs at that regional center. In determining which consumers are to be added to the regional center's caseload, the regional centers shall give priority to those consumers whose health or safety is jeopardized. - FREEZE


(b) The prohibitions contained in subdivision (a) shall not apply to consumers transitioning from a developmental center or state- operated facility pursuant to a community placement plan.

(c) (1) It is the intent of the Legislature that regional centers shall not exceed the amount appropriated for regional center services in the annual Budget Act, even if the result is that consumers with developmental disabilities are denied services or supports that have been included in the consumer's individual program plan. - NO DEFICIT SPENDING!

(2) Notwithstanding any provision of law or regulation, including, but not limited to, the Lanterman Developmental Disabilities Services Act and the California Early Intervention Services Act, no regional center may expend more than the amount allocated in that center's contract with the State Department of Developmental Services for that fiscal year. - NO DEFICIT SPENDING!

(3) Each regional center shall have the authority to deny, modify, reduce or terminate services to any consumer, including, but not limited to, those services and supports identified in the consumer's individual program plan.

(4) Unless required by the Social Security Act or Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, none of the provisions of Chapter 7, section 4700 et seq., including the right to fair hearing, shall apply to any consumer whose services or supports have been denied, modified, reduced or terminated pursuant to this section.

I may be wrong, but I read this as a spending freeze not a cut.

[Cinnamon Girl]

Have you called the Governor's office to double check what exactly is being proposed for cutting? I haven't heard specifics discussed yet. I am sympathetic to families with disabled children and I wonder if, like the educational system, most of the money is going to bureaucrats and administrators and not to the children.

[elli1]

I'm curious about what other benefits you're collecting for these kids. Like SSI...

[elli1]

"...elimination of the In-Home Supportive Services residual program which employs parents and other family members to provide assistance to family members with disabilities."------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Employs parents to provide assistance to family members? Really? How much? Should every new mom & dad get paid to stay home & take care of their infant? And for how long?

[NormsRevenge]

I'll probably catch flack for posting this. I would rather that fat cat bureaucrats, multiple levels of administrators etc were taken down first before others were jammed as they may soon be instead.

The rats and bureaucrats scurry better than easy targets like the ones depicted above.

Check yur local community for services or charities that may be able to help. Good luck.

[FairOpinion]

"elimination of the In-Home Supportive Services residual program which employs parents and other family members to provide assistance to family members with disabilities. "

I am very sorry for those who have such burdens to bear. However, o you think the government -- i.e. OTHER TAXPAYERS should PAY the parents to take care of their own children? What's wrong with this picture? THIS is one of the things that they will cut, very sensibly too.

[Yaelle]

DO NOT WORRY. Get to your regional center and ask for the booklet entitled "Making it Happen, Obtaining third party health insurance coverage for autism services."

The state cannot afford these services, but the wealthiest companies doing business in Cullyforneeah can. The health insurers. They are doing heads over teakettles fantastically, and they are required to pay for all autism services under Assembly Bill 88.

Thank attorney (and father of a boy with autism) Christopher Angelo for getting this bill passed. Basically, this bill makes it MANDATORY for all insurance companies, even HMOs, to cover any medically necessary services for our chronically disabled kids, with autism, cerebral palsy, etc. if they would cover them for "other medical conditions," such as brain trauma from a car accident.

Your insurance company will not point this out to you. You need to fight for it, but there are forms you can use to get them to pay.

It is better this way than having the state pay, anyway. FReepmail me for Mr. Angelo's addy/tel no. of you want. He is a passionate lecturer on this subject. I hope you all have a chance to inform yourselves about this wonderful ally we have in AB 88.

[Bill O Right]

Pollywog - It's obvious that many on this thread know little about autism and would not be so harsh if they had a child who was affected. My heart goes out to you! Perhaps other agencies will fill the need for your family. Make some phone calls the next few weeks to see how this will affect you and look into alternatives. God Bless.

[TheDon]

Wow! You've made my day. I thought all my money the government was taking from me with a gun to my head was being wasted. At least some of it is going to a good cause.