To: All Developmental Disabilities Providers

~ MEMORANDUM ~

Date: February 27, 2012

From: Julia Wilcox, Senior Public Policy Specialist

Re: TESTIMONY TEMPLATE – Human Services Public Hearing 3,01,12 re: DD / DSS Related Bills

In an effort to assist you to advocate on behalf of your agency, the individuals served by your programs, and the Nonprofit Provider Community at large, I have developed the attached TESTIMONY TEMPLATE specific to:

 S.B. No. 30: ‘AN ACT IMPLEMENTING PROVISIONS OF THE BUDGET CONCERNING HUMAN SERVICES.’ To implement the Governor's budget recommendations. (Implementer language pertaining to CLA and ICF / MR Rate Freezes& Reductions) (IN OPPOSITION.)

 S.B. No. 231: ‘AN ACT MODIFYING THE KATIE BECKETT HOME CARE WAIVER PROGRAM.’ To make technical modifications to a Medicaid waiver program for persons with disabilities to expand access and better define the population served. (IN SUPPORT)

 S.B. No. 232: ‘AN ACT EXTENDING A MORATORIUM ON NURSING HOME BEDS.’ To extend a moratorium on nursing home beds in keeping with a state plan to move more residents to community care settings. (IN SUPPORT)

Please feel free to utilize the template and any portion of the information included, in any manner you choose! Our suggestions would be as follows:

 Add all personalized/suggested information, as indicated in red.  Transfer message to your agency letterhead OR simply complete on CT Nonprofits’ letterhead as is.  Return completed template/testimony directly to me at: [email protected].  Ideally, you would also share the testimony electronically with your local legislator(s), with a personal note.  I will review testimony if you wish, or simply run the necessary number of copies (50) of YOUR testimony, and submit on your behalf to the appropriate Legislators, committees, etc. (in this case, members of the Human Services Committee.)

Please Note: In order for your testimony to be delivered in advance of the H.S. Public Hearing on 3/01, your document must be received by me no later than 3:00 PM, on Wednesday, 2/29! Please note, however, that written testimony may always be submitted electronically following the Public Hearing if necessary.

Please be sure to utilize the many additional advocacy tools, available on the CT Nonprofits website: http://www.ctnonprofits.org/pages/NonprofitResources/Advocacy_Lobbying_Toolkit.asp

As always, please do not hesitate to contact me with any questions, or for additional information, as follows.

[email protected] or 860.525.5080 x25

90 Brainard Road ♦ Hartford, CT 06114 ♦ Tel: 860.525.5080 ♦ Fax: 860.525.5088 ♦ www.ctnonprofits.org Testimony Submitted to the Human Services Committee:

Submitted By: Name, Position, Agency

Public Hearing Date: March 1, 2012

Concerns & Recommendations Regarding:

Repeal the 2% Rate Cap on Residential Care Homes and Community Living Arrangements, and Repeal of the Rate Freeze for Intermediate Care Facilities for Individuals with Intellectual Disabilities (ICF/MRs)

To Senator Musto, Representative Tercyak and members of the Human Services Committee: I appreciate the opportunity to provide testimony regarding these important issues.

Description: Who you are, title, services provided by your agency ______. We are among the 500+ member agencies of the Connecticut Association of Nonprofits (CT Nonprofits.)

There are many aspects of the Governor’s Budget that will have a positive impact upon the provision of services within the nonprofit sector. With regard to the Human Services Public Hearing on 3.01.12, we urge your support of S.B. No. 231 and S.B. No. 232 (as noted above.) However, I am writing to draw your attention to an area of grave concern for providers of residential services who are presently funded by the Department of Developmental Services (DDS.) We respectfully urge you to reconsider, and repeal the 2% Rate Cap on Residential Care Homes, as indicated in Section 4 and 5 of S.B. No. 30:

S.B. No. 34: Sec. 3. (Regarding Residential Care Homes) For the fiscal year ending June 30, 2009, no facility shall receive a rate that is more than two per cent greater than the rate in effect for the facility on June 30, 2008, except for any facility that would have been issued a lower rate effective July 1, 2008, due to interim rate status or agreement with the department shall be issued such lower rate effective July 1, 2008.

We submit that it would be misguided to impose this Cap on the Residential Care Home system, as it has been onerous and damaging to Community Living Arrangements (CLAs) to cap their rates for SFY 08. For this reason, we also urge you to repeal both the 2% Rate Cap on Community Living Arrangements, and to repeal the Rate Freeze for Intermediate Care Facilities for Individuals with Intellectual Disabilities (ICF/MRs) which receive Room & Board funding through DSS.

Reason / Impact upon your agency ______

90 Brainard Road ♦ Hartford, CT 06114 ♦ Tel: 860.525.5080 ♦ Fax: 860.525.5088 ♦ www.ctnonprofits.org Examples (if possible) ______

In closing, once again, I urge you to:

Repeal the 2% Rate Cap on Residential Care Homes and Community Living Arrangements (CLAs), and Repeal the Rate Freeze for Intermediate Care Facilities for Individuals with Intellectual Disabilities (ICF/MRs)

Please do not hesitate to contact me with any questions, or for additional information: Contact information ______

 S.B. No. 30: ‘AN ACT IMPLEMENTING PROVISIONS OF THE BUDGET CONCERNING HUMAN SERVICES.’ To implement the Governor's budget recommendations.

Please Note: S.B. No. 30 defines implementer language pertaining to CLA and ICF / MR Rate Freezes& Reductions, as presented in the Governor’s Budget Adjustments as follows:

 CLA and ICF / MR Rate Reductions & Freezes:

 Reflect Decreased Costs for Community Living Arrangements and Intermediate Care Facilities: Last year, the mortgages for a significant number of the state's community living arrangements for the aged, blind and disabled and the state's private intermediate care facilities for the developmentally disabled were paid off. Because current legislation freezes rates through FY 2013, there is no mechanism to reduce rates in recognition of these reduced costs. Under this proposal, any facility that has a significant decrease in land and building costs will receive a reduced rate to reflect the reduction in costs. Total: SFY13 = 5,219,000

 Freeze Rates for Certain Residential Service Providers: Since FY 2009, rates have been frozen for community living arrangements and intermediate care facilities for the developmentally disabled that submit annual cost reports to the department. This proposal freezes rates for community living arrangements, residential care homes and community training homes that do not submit cost reports. Total: SFY13 = 149,000

90 Brainard Road ♦ Hartford, CT 06114 ♦ Tel: 860.525.5080 ♦ Fax: 860.525.5088 ♦ www.ctnonprofits.org