The MH/MR Coalition Summit II Was a Success!
Total Page：16
File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb
MH/MR Coalition Working Together Campaign Update November 2001 The MH/MR Coalition Summit II was a success! The MH/MR Coalition Summit II was a success, thanks to all of you and your participation! This year, over 200 individuals attended the Summit, representing all association members of the MH/MR Coalition, 16 MH/MR county joinders and 92 community providers. The MH/MR Coalition was pleased to present the Coalition’s 2001 Legislative Leadership Awards to five Pennsylvania legislators: Sen. Robert Tomlinson (R-Bucks), Sen. Allen Kukovich (D-Westmoreland), Rep. Ray Bunt (R-Montgomery), Rep. Kathy Manderino (D-Philadelphia) and Rep. David Levdansky (D-Allegheny). All recipients of this year’s awards were present and addressed the Summit participants. The five legislators were recognized for their outstanding legislative leadership and advocacy regarding MH/MR issues, as well as their personal commitment to the MH/MR Coalition Working Together Campaign Principles. Sen. Tomlinson said that although the Legislature was unable to secure additional funding for our budget initiative, he would continue to work together with other legislators and the Coalition to obtain significant funding for the issue. Legislators spoke about quality as the biggest cost of turnover and reminded the audience about the need for tenacity in our campaign. Sen. Kukovich stated that he views the work of the Coalition - and the Legislature’s and Administration’s support of that work - as an infrastructure investment. Dr. Sheryl Larson of the University of Minnesota and Marianne Taylor of the Human Services Research Institute (HSRI) made a joint Best Practices presentation titled, Building Workforce Development Strategies: A Bird’s-Eye View, in addition to conducting a day-long interactive workshop on recruitment and retention for representatives of the MH/MR Coalition the day prior to the Summit. Jeff Keilson, the former Director of the Massachusetts Department of Mental Retardation for the Metro Region, shared information about the Massachusetts’ recruitment and public relations campaign with the Summit participants. The Coalition displayed over 18,000 unduplicated signatures on our petition supporting the Working Together Campaign Principles at the Summit. Let’s build on the momentum generated by the Summit, as well as the willingness of key legislators to make our initiative a priority to both the Legislature and the Administration. Keep those signatures coming! Update on County Recruitment and Retention Plans Plans to use the funds allocated in the FY2001-2002 State Budget for the Direct Service Worker Initiative were due to the Department of Public Welfare by Friday, November 23rd. This was an extension of the original deadline of November 2nd. Although several counties had already submitted plans that were developed in partnership with local providers and stakeholders, the extended deadline allowed others time to build on ideas gained at the Summit II. Local initiatives include: partnerships with community colleges and workforce investment boards, wage increases, career ladder incentives and public relations campaigns, to name a few. The Coalition sincerely thanks the panel of County MH/MR Administrators that shared their thoughts with the Summit II participants. The open exchange of ideas and collaboration between counties and providers working towards one common goal – increased funding to address the recruitment and retention crisis – is one of the greatest achievements of the Working Together Campaign. It’s That Time Again! The Coalition is here to help you in your grassroots efforts to secure increased funding to address the recruitment and retention crisis in community MH and MR programs. This MH/MR Coalition Update includes tools you can use in your advocacy: The MH/MR Coalition includes all of the major associations that represent mental health and/or mental retardation provider agencies and counties in Pennsylvania: Mental Health Associations in PA, MH/MR Program Administrators Association of PA, PA Association of Rehabilitation Facilities, PA Association of Resources for People with Mental Retardation, PA Community Providers Association, The Arc of PA and United Cerebral Palsy of PA. MH/MR Coalition Working Together Campaign Update November 2001 • The MH/MR Coalition’s Statement of Funding Need for FY2002-2003 • Talking Points to use with your legislators until Governor Schweiker’s Budget Proposal in early February • A list of last year’s Working Together Campaign legislative champions • Working Together Campaign Principles and Petition Sign-On Sheet to copy and distribute Future MH/MR Coalition Updates will include: • Sample letters for you to use with your legislators • Talking Points for consumers and direct support professionals • Information on gubernatorial candidates and talking points to use with them • Examples of grassroots legislative activities and best practices Action Steps 1. Write to your legislators** – Using the attached talking points, write to your legislators and thank them for their support last year; ask them to recognize the attached statement of funding need. 2. Visit or call your legislators – Using the attached talking points, inform your legislators about who you are and what the Working Together Campaign means to you, your family, your employees. Your personal stories are very important to this campaign. District phone numbers are included in the attached list. 3. Continue collecting petition signatures in support of the Working Together Campaign Principles – Ask your legislators to sign the petition! 4. Distribute the Working Together Campaign Update to everyone who is interested. ** Senators’ mail can be sent to Senate Box 2030** [** add Senate District number.] Representatives’ mail can be sent to House Box 202020. All representatives have the same box number for mail purposes. The Honorable xxxx [Senate or House] Box xxxxxx Main Capitol Harrisburg, PA 17120 The MH/MR Coalition includes all of the major associations that represent mental health and/or mental retardation provider agencies and counties in Pennsylvania: Mental Health Associations in PA, MH/MR Program Administrators Association of PA, PA Association of Rehabilitation Facilities, PA Association of Resources for People with Mental Retardation, PA Community Providers Association, The Arc of PA and United Cerebral Palsy of PA. MH/MR CoalitioCoalitionn MH/MR RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION FISCAL YEAR 2002-2003 FUNDING NEEDS A Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA) for line-item appropriations addressing community mental health and mental retardation services that equals the projected rate of inflation. Continuation of the multi-year commitment begun in FY2001-2002 by the Ridge Administration to address the recruitment and retention crisis with additional state funding. Additional state funding of $82.5 million to meet the need identified in 1999 for $100 million of additional funding. Workforce development and generation of an economic stimulus during the current global economic crisis by approving additional state funding for recruitment and retention. BACKGROUND INFORMATION SUPPORTING THESE FUNDING NEEDS 1. Pennsylvania has historically been a national leader in providing services and opportunities for individuals with mental retardation and individuals with mental illness in the community. The recent Olmstead decision by the United States Supreme Court and the implementation of the Court’s Order by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) through the Centers for Medicaid and Medicare Services (CMS), particularly in Olmstead Updates No. 4 and No. 5 issued in January, 2001, further clarify the Commonwealth’s responsibility in providing necessary services and in stating the entitlement that accrues to individuals with these disabilities. Update No. 5 identifies the issue of recruitment and retention as an example of how federal grant monies can be utilized in meeting the Olmstead mandates. Likewise, recommendation #5 of the recent Federal CMS review of PA’s home and community-based waiver services found that “The level of funding for waiver services is less than required to provide quality services,” and told the Commonwealth, “Reimbursement levels for waiver services must be set so they are sufficient to attract qualified and competent staff.” 2. The Mental Health/Mental Retardation Coalition (Coalition) is a stakeholder group of county, provider and advocacy associations supported by consumers, families and direct care professionals advocating additional state funding for the recruitment and retention crisis. 3. In 1999 the Coalition identified an initial funding need of $100 million state dollars required to begin addressing the recruitment and retention crisis resulting from years of underfunding existing services. The $100 million two-year request was based upon several factors inherent in the MH/MR community services system. The system is funded almost entirely by state and federal sources with limited or nonexistent private pay or other third-party reimbursement revenues. This dependency upon government funding requires regular and adequate cost of living adjustments to base funding allocations in order to assure that program quality and service goals and objectives are achieved. 4. The FY 2001-2002 state budget proposed by Governor Ridge and approved by the General Assembly included a multi- year special initiative of a 2% funding increase, equalling $17.5 million in additional state funds for this purpose, together with a general