State Lawmakers To Get An Earful About Budget Cuts Impacting People With Developmental Disabilities

May 20, 2009 - PRLog -- The Arc of Alameda County announced today that it will send over 100 people with developmental disabilities along with their parents/relatives and other stakeholders to Sacramento on Wednesday, May 27th to participate in “Disability Capitol Action Day.”

According to Arc of Alameda County Executive Director, Ron Luter, the state budget crises is making clients of his organization very nervous.  Luter notes that reimbursement rates for Arc programs have been frozen for a decade and in February there was a 3% cut in funding.  "There's a another huge cut coming on July first, the start of the fiscal year," said Luter, "and now the Governor is suggesting yet another multi-million dollar cut."

Program such as In Home Supportive Services (IHSS), that are separate from the Arc but serve the same people, are also victims of the state budget crunch.   "Our clients feel as if they are being hit from all sides," said Luter, "and they are terrified of what might happen to their services."

Capitol Action Day, to be held at the State Capitol from 10 a.m. until 3 p.m., is sponsored by a coalition (www.disabilityactioncoalition.org) which includes various groups that represent people with disabilities.  Some two thousand people are expected to attend the event which consists of an educational rally, march to the Capitol, resource fair and legislative visits.

In February of this year lawmakers, faced with an $18 billion shortfall,  ordered a three percent cut in the reimbursement rate paid to organizations such as the Arc.  Luter says that reduction resulted in several lay-offs in his organization and a pay cut for remaining direct-service personnel.  The legislature then ordered the Department of Developmental Services (DDS) to determine where it could slash an additional $100 million from its budget in the 2009/2010 fiscal year.  Then in his "May Revise," the Governor called for an additional $234 million cut in the DDS budget.

Approximately 85 percent of The Arc of Alameda County’s revenue comes from DDS. “It’s not clear exactly how the cuts will be administered,” said Luter, “but we're facing at least a $500,000 shortfall in 2009/10 - even more if DDS gets cut again. This should not be happening to the vulnerable people we serve!”


Note: Buses bound for Sacramento begin loading at 7;30 a.m. from The Arc of Alameda County facility at 2700A Merced Street in San Leandro (at the corner of Fairway). Departure time will be 8:00 a.m.

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About The Arc of Alameda County: We are 501(c)(3) non-profit that provides life skills education, vocational training and job support to adults with developmental disabilities at facilites in San Leandro, Hayward, Union City and Livermore. We also operate a day-care facility for children under 5 with or without special needs. The goal is for our 600 clients to have the knowledge and support to reach their chosen potential.