What is the message of the DD Coalition?

SB 702 is a bad idea for these tough economic times because:

1. Money is needed to restore cuts to services to people with developmental disabilities and their families;
2. Money is needed to restore cuts for dental and vision services to people with disabilities; and,
3. Money is needed throughout Oregon’s Human Services to restore a great variety of cuts to the elderly, poor and disabled.

This is not the time to add almost two million dollars in new costs to Human Services!

BACKGROUND

WHAT DOES SB 702A DO?

• The bill will pull all domestic employees within the brokerage system, Family Support, Children’s Intensive In-Home Supports, Comprehensive In-Home Supports and other DD programs into the Home Care Commission. This number is estimated to be nearly 10,000 workers who are hired directly by the individual client or family and many of them are family members.

Although the person with disabilities or the family/guardian will retain the right to choose who works for them, the Home Care Commission will be considered the employer of record. Home Care Workers are represented by the Service Employees International Union (SEIU). Negotiations between the Home Care Commission and SEIU determine the conditions of employment.

WHY DO WE OPPOSE THIS BILL?

• SB 702 will cost a significant amount of money during a time that human services, health care, and education programs that support people with disabilities are being slashed. We cannot put significant new costs into the DD system without risking more service reductions!

• There will be significant new costs of more than $2 Million in 2009-2011 biennium including workers compensation, training, and data collection.

• Major costs of millions of dollars would occur in 2011-2013. We need to focus on rebuilding the DD services that were cut already in 2007–2009 and those that will be eliminated in 2009-2011.

• Neither clients, families, nor other stakeholders were engaged in the design of this bill and the bill presents several major problems for the DD system.

• Currently, families or adults with developmental disabilities in "Support Services Brokerages" and other parts of the DD system hire their employees directly, giving them control over the services they receive. This includes many services, from intimate personal care to accessing community activities and jobs. It is a key value of our system that individuals and families control their support. This bill will have the unintended consequence of eroding the values critical to the DD community.

• Secondly, SPD has stated very clearly they cannot and will not guarantee that such a shift of our services into the Commission will not cut the services to the clients. The reality is that there will be significant costs to implement this bill. The money will have to come from somewhere and if costs to hire support are increased, buying power will be reduced. This will likely mean a reduction in actual service hours. It may also have an effect of cutting the wages of the workers as the average wage of brokerage system domestic employees in most cases is higher than the current wage average in Commission workers.

• We do want to see the opportunities that this bill opens up go forward, particularly access to workers comp coverage, training and benefit options. However, the structure proposed here does not address the specific needs of thousands of Oregonians with Developmental Disabilities who have designed programs that reflects their values, and addresses their needs.

• We recognize that many of our domestic employees do not work sufficient hours to be eligible for the benefits promised.

For many reasons, we ask that you OPPOSE Senate Bill 702. This is simply not the time and process to address such an important issue for the DD community.

• Electronically through the link for the proposed plan on our Web site (using the above address).
• In person through one of the public hearings that we will be holding around the state. The dates and meeting sites are below. It is recommended that you also submit a written copy of your oral testimony.
• By mail. Written testimony should be sent to:

On April 3, the Co Chairs of Ways and Means issued a listing of potential reductions for the 2009-2011 budget to address a budget hole expected to grow to $4.1 billion dollars. Click here to see the complete list of proposed reductions.  The Ways and Means Committee will embark on two weeks of public hearings around the state to discuss the proposals.  These locations will be posted as soon as they become available.