Highlights of Appropriations Committee Budget

We have done a quick run-through of the budget the Appropriations Committee proposed today.  Click here to view the full Appropriations Committee budget.

The following are the main highlights from the budget.

First, the mostly good news…

• 75% of the cuts to the DMHAS Mental Health and Substance Abuse grant accounts were restored.  Now we must work to restore the remaining cuts and assure a methodology for a solid revenue base going forward.

• For DSS, the committee restored the total cut for behavioral health reimbursement in Medicaid in FY 14, and left a $1 million cut in FY 15 (a restoration over 2 years of $8.1 million).  We must watch this closely because it is within DSS authority still to reduce rates.

• Additions to the DCF and DMHAS budget are made for all the services that are funded under Public Act 13-3, An Act Concerning Gun Violence Prevention and Children’s Safety (the Sandy Hook bill).  This adds approximately $6.5 million in FY 14 and approximately $6 million in FY 15 to DMHAS Managed Service System account.

• Public Act 13-3 adds $1.8 million for Regional Behavioral Health Consultation, $2 million for expansion of home-based services, and $5 million to psychiatric clinics for children ages 4 through 18 who are experiencing anxiety, depression, trauma, and conduct disorders.

• Funding for the Pre-Trial Program and the Compulsive Gambler Program in the DMHAS budget was also restored.

• The Committee rejected transferring parents on HUSKY who are over 133% of the poverty level to the health insurance exchange.  These 37,500 parents will retain their HUSKY A health coverage.

…and the bad news:

• We are deeply distressed that the $21 million in DDS budget cuts have not been restored.  The Appropriations Committee reduced the rate of increase of growth for age-outs and high school graduates in the Employment Opportunities and Day Services line item by $1.56 million in FY 14 and $1.28 million in FY 15.  We must work with the two other trade associations and all of our families to provide the real picture of what the cuts to the DD sector have meant over the past several years to the quality of and access to services.  The terrible tragedy that occurred this year consumed the state’s attention, but we must find a way to bring the attention of the public, of our legislators, and of our governor back to these very vulnerable people we serve.

CCPA Public Policy Document Archive:

CCPA 2013 Legislative Agenda

CCPA / CT Nonprofits 2012 Joint Survey results- Impact of 5 years of No Cost of Service Increases

CCPA COLA Chart:  CCPA Analysis:  Compounded COLA vs Compounded CPI vs Compounded Medical CPI  FY1987 – 2013

Descriptions of Indices Used by CCPA