The Developmental Disabilities Assistance and Bill of Rights Act, which authorizes and funds the DD Council, was written to assure that individuals with developmental disabilities and their families participate in the design of and have access to needed community services and supports that promote self-determination, independence, productivity, and integration and inclusion in community life. Iowans affected by disabilities want choices about where they live and work but those choices are too often limited by the inadequacy of available community-based options.
In the coming year thousands of Iowans with disabilities will lose or fail to access needed services unless adequate funding for community-based services and supports is appropriated this session. Further, the anticipated redesign of the Mental Health and Disability Services System cannot continue until the system is fully funded, and inequities in disabilities services cannot be addressed until funding issues are faced. In these difficult economic times it is more important than ever that the General Assembly support continued access to critical services and supports and resist budget reductions that shift costs to other areas of the state budget and put vulnerable Iowans at greater risk. The DD Council urges you to consider strategies that preserve current services by creating efficiencies in the system and increasing the flexibility of funding available to serve individuals in their own homes and communities.
· Fund mental health and disability services and target available state resources to ensure that funds are directed to the areas of greatest need:
The State must honor its commitment to fully fund allowed growth to counties and, in the face of rising costs and demand, offer counties the opportunity to generate additional revenue by replacing the dollar cap on county property tax levies with a levy rate cap. This will address increased service costs and demand and enable counties to meet the needs of consumers without painful service reductions or long waiting lists. The DD Council also urges state legislators to consider additional strategies that increase revenues and promote cost-saving efficiencies that eliminate duplication and incent positive outcomes for Iowans with disabilities.
· Rebalance Iowa’s MH/MR/DD/BI system by shifting policy and funding toward a more equitable system that is consumer and results focused and community-based: Iowans with disabilities should have access to services and supports in their own homes and communities. Recommendations from the state’s MH/MR/DD/BI Commission and several past legislative interim committee’s have supported that outcome and identified strategies to address direct care workforce shortage needs, implementation of a comprehensive and coordinated service system for children with disabilities and redirection of any cost savings from reductions in institutional services to community-based services and supports. A balanced system will provide options; value consumer and family choice and use limited resources wisely.