SILC Spiel Summer 2003

The contents of the SILC Spiel newsletter were developed in part under grants from the Dept. of Education (DOE) and Texas Rehabilitation Commission (TRC). However, these contents do not necessarily represent the policy of DOE or TRC and you should not assume endorsement by Local, State or Federal Government.

Texas Centers Serve 6,657 in FY 2002
By Paula Margeson

Independent Living Centers are community-based, non-residential organizations operated by and for people with disabilities. There are fourteen such organizations, which operate centers in twenty locations throughout Texas. In the 2002 fiscal year, these centers provided direct services to 6,657 Texans with disabilities. Assistance addressed individual needs such as the location of accessible and/or affordable housing, the development of personal management skills, the acquisition of benefits, and peer support to deal with disability-related issues and concerns. During the year, Independent Living Centers facilitated employment for 400 job seekers with disabilities, helped 57 Texans relocate from institutions to the community, and assured that 353 residents avoided institutional placement, at a savings to the state of $1,000 per person per month. Independent Living Centers are critical elements of the infrastructure of community supports for Texans with disabilities. These vital organizations make it possible for the state to receive millions of federal service dollars annually and for citizens, who are disabled, to achieve and maintain self-sufficiency.
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The 78th Legislative Session Major Changes for People with Disabilities
By Ted Thayer

photo of public hearing in San Angelo, Texas

The Public Hearing in San Angelo produced a great deal of input from the deaf community.

The recently concluded legislative session resulted in monumental changes in the delivery of health and human services in Texas. Faced with a projected deficit of 10 billion dollars over the next two years and a determination not to raise taxes, the legislature enacted sweeping changes to the structure of the service delivery system. They also substantially reduced funding for such services. Although the results of the changes are still being interpreted and state agencies are working to minimize the impact of budget reductions, the following are some of the major changes likely to impact the lives of people with disabilities in Texas.
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House Bill 1

People will have limited access to prescription drugs.

People will see reduced service hours in primary home care (This is an example of the fifteen percent across-the-board reduction in state-funded programs).

The approximately 85,000 people on waiting lists for community-based services will still be waiting. All Medicaid waiver programs will be frozen at current levels.

The Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) will have a reduction in its benefit package. This will include reduction or elimination of durable medical equipment and certain therapies. Children’s mental health services will be eliminated.
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State Funded Programs

Persons receiving services through the Client Managed Attendant Services program or the Primary Home Care program will have a reduction in service hours.

Respite services in some programs will be reduced or eliminated.

In-Home Family Support consumers will lose services.

Consumers of Community Mental Health Services (MH) will be maintained.

A new functional assessment tool will be developed for service eligibility.
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Adult Medicaid Services

Eyeglasses, hearing aids, podiatric services, chiropractic services, and psychological services will be eliminated.
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Budget Riders: Community Integration

Rider 28, which allows funding to follow the person from an institution to the community, will be maintained.

Rider 7B will allow an individual to exceed his or her service plan budget for up to six months. The six-month time frame is a new limitation.
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House Bill 3484

This legislation will create a work group to explore policy concerning health care options that will allow people with disabilities to go to work. Policy options to be studied will include the following:

Availability and adequacy of health benefits to full and part-time workers.

Use of Medicaid as a potential supplement to employer health benefits.

Potential impact on the employment rate of people with disabilities as a result of the “Buy-in” option of the Medicaid program.

Potential impact on the ability of people with disabilities to receive employer-based health coverage as a result of increased use of the Health Insurance Premium Payment Reimbursement Program.

Potential impact on the employment rate of people with disabilities if Medicaid benefits were extended to allow their use while a person is working.
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Texas Rehabilitation Commission
(name changed to Department of Assistive and Rehabilitation Services)

Transition Planning Services and Extended Rehabilitation Services will be provided through vocational rehabilitation funds instead of state funds.

The Independent Living Services program and the Comprehensive Rehabilitation Services program will serve significantly fewer people.
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Texas Commission for the Blind
(name changed to Department of Assistive and Rehabilitation Services)

The Blindness, Education, Screening, and Treatment (BEST) program, the vocational rehabilitation program, and the Blind Children’s Program will serve substantially fewer people.

Selected children’s services will be shifted to federal funds.
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Reduces the number of Health and Human Service Agencies from twelve agencies to four agencies.

All agency policy-making boards will be eliminated.

Current agency advisory boards will be eliminated with the exception of those that are federally mandated.

All state agency directors will be appointed by the Governor or the Commissioner of Health and Human Services.

Avenues for public input will be greatly reduced.

* This article is based upon information provided by Jonas Schwartz, Policy Services Manager for Advocacy, Inc.
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The following organizational chart shows the new structure of Health and Human Services in Texas:

(d)
Click on chart or this link for larger version

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SILC Briefs
By Paula Margeson

Council Members Attend RCEP Conference
In late April, several SILC members participated in the Region VI conference on Independent Living sponsored by the Rehabilitation Continuing Education Program at the University of Arkansas. Held biannually, the 2003 event took place in Dallas and focused on the pending reauthorization of the Rehabilitation Act and the implementation of the Olmstead Decision within the states of Region VI.

RSA Awards New Funding For Texas
According to the Rehabilitation Services Administration, (RSA), Texas will receive an additional $437,729 in Title VII, Part C funds for FY 2003. The SILC and the state rehabilitation agencies have recommended that $250,000 of these funds be designated to establish a new Center for Independent Living in an unserved area and that the remaining funds, $187,729, be divided equally between those centers receiving Title VII, Part C funding, but operating below the fiscal baseline of $250,000 defined in the 2002/2004 State Plan for Independent Living.

Public Hearing Held in San Angelo
As part of its third quarterly meeting, the SILC conducted a public hearing to gain input from local residents regarding the need for independent living services in the San Angelo area. Although the city has a current population of more than 90,000, there is not an independent living center in San Angelo nor surrounding areas. Several residents provided comments about the need for assistance with issues such as transportation, employment, housing, and service coordination. Of particular value was input from Bishop Michael Pfeifer, who pledged support for the development of additional services to benefit people with disabilities living in the area. Bishop Pfeifer is over the San Angelo Diocese, a division of the Catholic Church that encompasses twenty-nine counties.

image of State Independent Living Council (SILC) logo SILC Loses Longest Standing Member
Charles Burtis has served on the State Independent Living Council from its inception as a governor appointed council in the early '90s. Prior to that time, when the council was merely an advisory body to TRC and TCB, Charles was a participant. Due to a shift in his job responsibilities at the Commission for the Blind from the independent living program to the department that has oversight over the agency's management information system, Charles will no longer be an ex-officio member of the council. His knowledge, experience, and professional guidance helped to ground the SILC and to shape it into an effective organization. While his fellow council members wish him much success in his new position, Charles's absence on the SILC will be felt for some time to come.
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