Action Alert: Caps on Community Long Term Care Services
Gov. Walkers proposed 2011-13 state budget caps new enrollments for allof Wisconsins major long term care programs for children and adults withdisabilities and older adults. People currently getting services willstill receive them. Nursing home care is exempt from the cap.
For example, counties with Family Care and IRIS would not be able to addnew people to the programs unless a current participant dies or leaves.Students leaving high school would transition to a waiting list. Waitinglists for community programs will grow across the state.
The Legislative Audit Bureau released a report on Family Care thatconfirms the program has increased access to services that enable peoplewith disabilities and older adults to maintain their independence andremain in their own homes. Disability advocates fear that once the cap isin place, the only option for people with long term support needs incrisis will be institutional care such as nursing homes.
Disability advocates are circulating a petition to legislators askingthem to Keep the Community Promise and lift the caps on long term careprograms.
The Wisconsin Board for People with Developmental Disabilities supportsexpanding the Family Care, IRIS and Family Care Partnership programsstatewide by the end of the next budget and strongly opposes the cap on
enrollment. If you have an opinion, now is the time to take action:
E-mail your comments to the Joint Finance Committee atbudgetcomments@legis.wisconsin.gov. Please be sure to include your nameand address.
Contact your own state representative and state senator with yourcomments. If you dont know who they are go tohttp://www.dawninfo.org/advocacy/legislature.cfmto find out.
Consider adding your name to the petition to legislators asking themto Keep the Community Promise and lift the caps. To view the petition andsign it go tohttp://www.ipetitions.com/petition/keepthecommunitypromise/
The deadline to sign the petition is May 10.
Send your own story about being on the waiting list or enrolled inFamily Care, IRIS, or the Childrens Long Term Support waiver to ChrisThomas-Cramer at Christine.ThomasCramer@Wisconsin.gov. Please contact
Chris at the same address if you have any questions.
There is still time to make your opinions heard on the state budget!
For example, counties with Family Care and IRIS would not be able to addnew people to the programs unless a current participant dies or leaves.Students leaving high school would transition to a waiting list. Waitinglists for community programs will grow across the state.
The Legislative Audit Bureau released a report on Family Care thatconfirms the program has increased access to services that enable peoplewith disabilities and older adults to maintain their independence andremain in their own homes. Disability advocates fear that once the cap isin place, the only option for people with long term support needs incrisis will be institutional care such as nursing homes.
Disability advocates are circulating a petition to legislators askingthem to Keep the Community Promise and lift the caps on long term careprograms.
The Wisconsin Board for People with Developmental Disabilities supportsexpanding the Family Care, IRIS and Family Care Partnership programsstatewide by the end of the next budget and strongly opposes the cap on
enrollment. If you have an opinion, now is the time to take action:
E-mail your comments to the Joint Finance Committee atbudgetcomments@legis.wisconsin.gov. Please be sure to include your nameand address.
Contact your own state representative and state senator with yourcomments. If you dont know who they are go tohttp://www.dawninfo.org/advocacy/legislature.cfmto find out.
Consider adding your name to the petition to legislators asking themto Keep the Community Promise and lift the caps. To view the petition andsign it go tohttp://www.ipetitions.com/petition/keepthecommunitypromise/
The deadline to sign the petition is May 10.
Send your own story about being on the waiting list or enrolled inFamily Care, IRIS, or the Childrens Long Term Support waiver to ChrisThomas-Cramer at Christine.ThomasCramer@Wisconsin.gov. Please contact
Chris at the same address if you have any questions.
There is still time to make your opinions heard on the state budget!
