Individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD), members of their families, and representatives of organizations statewide which support them will participate in a Zoom Rally to advocate for no cuts to the Developmental Disabilities Administration (DDA) budget for FY21.
Community providers have been on the frontline in providing services during the COVID-19 pandemic, and now face potential cuts that would be devastating.
To be held at 10 am on Monday, June 15, the Zoom Rally is organized by three organizations spearheading the effort to save funding earmarked for the I/DD community: The Arc Maryland; Maryland Association of Community Services; and People on the Go of Maryland.
Governor Hogan is currently trying to deal with budget shortfalls brought about by the coronavirus pandemic.
Potential cuts in funding for I/DD community services could come just months after a 4% increase was restored in Maryland’s FY21 budget. The 4% funding increase was mandated through the Minimum Wage bill, passed in 2019 as a way to ensure that Medicaid providers would hold ground even as employee payrates increased.
“Provider organizations have already been hard hit by the pandemic with skyrocketing service and staffing expenses,”says Laura Howell, Executive Director of The Maryland Association of Community Services.“Providers need reliefand assistance from the state. Any cut to the DDA budget would be harmful to providers and the people we support, and will affect access to essential services for citizens who need them the most.”
“Families and more than 17,000 people with intellectual and developmental disabilities are counting on the state to do the right thing,” Ande Kolp, Executive Director of The Arc Maryland added. “If any of the disability service providers reduce services or close as a result of funding cuts, it is our fear that would translate into a lack of access to services. Without these services to support their adult child during typical working hours, many parents will have great difficulty maintaining their own jobs.”
Advocates worry that cuts may alsoreverse many of the positive gains that have been achieved by Maryland’s disability community over the past few decades, including successful efforts to close State institutions, increase inclusion, and advance community participation andemployment for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
Monday’s Zoom Rally, which will include participants from throughout the State, will feature a number of speakers, including State Senator Guy J. Guzzone, two parents of adults with I/DD, a direct support professional, two self-advocates, and representatives from two community providers.
For more information about the Zoom Rally or the effort to save State funding for Marylanders with intellectual and developmental disabilities (#SaveDDFunding) visit the facebook pages of The Arc Maryland, Maryland Association of Community Services, and People on the Go of Maryland,or call 443-851-9351 to speak with Ande Kolp of The Arc Maryland.
