PLEASE READ: Urgent Appeal regarding medicaid waiver service eliminations, etc

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Dear Parents, Families, Guardians, Consumers and Friends,

As you know there are numerous Budget Cuts that have begun to be implemented

by the Agency for Persons with Disabilities (APD). The limitation on

Personal Care Assistance and Supported Living started this month. Limited

Support Coordination for all Children not living in a Group Home started this month

as well. Limited Support Coordination for the Consumer Directed Care Plus

(CDC+) program and the Family and Supported Living Waiver will begin October

2007. The elimination of Non Residential Support Services (NRSS), Home Maker,

Chore Services, Massage Therapy, and Psychological Testing was also passed by

our Legislators this past June but APD has not announced when the elimination

will be made as of yet. Limitations were approved for Group Homes but it has

not been announced when they will become effective.

The most recent proposal being made by APD is to eliminate Independent

Support Coordinators all together and give State Employees the task to case

manage all the Medicaid Waiver cases. The proposal includes hiring State

Workers at $28,000.00 per year and to give them starting caseloads of

50-Consumers. Right now independent waiver support coordinators carry

36-cases. It's absurd to think the arrangement the State is proposing will be better than

what is happening now. They will never be able to do what we do for the salary

they want to offer and the caseloads they are proposing. Services, in

general, will change. Matter-of-fact, now that the State limited PCA and got that

past through the Lesgislative Session, APD is asking us to go to Medicaid

State Providers NOT Medicaid Waiver Providers for ALL the children on any of the

Waivers. Out of 35+ Providers in Broward County provided by APD only 2

would be available to provide "pediatric unskilled PCA", and one out of the

two indicated a limitation to location. To say the least, services would be

provided by untrained, unfamiliar direct care staff.

What the State is acting on and proposing will bring Florida and the field of

disabilities back at least 15-years or more. The Children are being

penalized and the Adults are being punished under these new terms from APD. It sounds to me this

is only the beginning of a disaster waiting to happen.

If Support Coordination is eliminated as we know it today there will be more cuts to services. The objectivity will be lost

and the State (APD case managers) will help the State (Medicaid State Plan)

cost contain by slowing down the approval of services and better yet,

rejecting services being requested altogether. State Case > Managers having 50-cases and working 8-AM-to 4-PM will never devout the time

independent coordinators give now. The program will become a burden more then

a relief. The 24-hour on-call support will be gone by your Support Coordinator.........wiped out.

If you agree with the contents of this letter I urge you to contact APD, your Senators, Legislators and your

Governor and tell them your story. Tell them what you think about the program and

your Support Coordinator. Tell them you do not want to lose the advocacy

and support you have been receiving. The Governor has called for a Special

Session in early September where your Legislators will be making decisions on

how and where to cut Florida's budget to make up for the enormous debit we're

in. Hearings will be held on August 27th and 28th before the Special

Session, so people can voice their opinion and concerns. I urge you to contact your

representatives NOW and during these hearings so when the Special Session

is held your voice will be counted and the MEDICAID WAIVER PROGRAM can

maintain some semblance of integrity. Please do not let the program be taken

away from YOU and your loved one.

Here is how to contact your State Representative:

http://www.myfloridahouse.gov/Sections/Representatives/representatives.aspx

Here is how to find your State Senator and contact him or her:

http://www.flsenate.gov/Legislators/index.cfm?Mode=Find%20Your%20Legislators & Submenu=3 & Tab=legislators & CFID=50642397 & CFTOKEN=51896813

I thank you in advance for taking the time to call, e-mail or fax your State Senator and State Representative. Get your friends and relatives to also call or e-mail their concerns regarding the cuts that are being proposed. Florida's State budget should not be balanced on the backs of those with developmental disabilities.

Prado, J.D.

President

FVMR

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