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Assembled at Project Independence, a provider of services for adults withdevelopmental disabilities, the crowd heard from State Senator Jeff Denham,author of amendments to Assembly Bill 207, who called from his Sacramentooffice to thank the group for their efforts and for supporting the bill. AB207 and AB 24xxx (Assemblyman Guy Houston) are both emergency appropriationsbills that would provide funding for critical services -- including thecommunity care system for those with developmental disabilities, as well asMediCal -- while budget negotiations continue.
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Carrying signs and chanting "Funding Now!" attendees presented a forcefuldemonstration of the community's concern about the effect of thisunprecedented budget delay on people with developmental disabilities who relyon state funding for essential services and supports that enable them to livesafely and with dignity in the community. During the past few weeks, rallyorganizers have gathered more than 3,100 signatures -- primarily from OrangeCounty -- on petitions asking the Legislature and Governor to work together toreach a budget agreement, and ensure that services to California's mostvulnerable citizens are not interrupted.
"We are now on Day 72 without a budget, and our elected leaders need toknow that a crisis is overtaking our community," said Bill Bowman, ChiefExecutive Officer for Regional Center of Orange County (RCOC), who spoke atthe event. "Even with best efforts by all involved, negotiations could takemore time than our community can withstand, so we urge the Legislature to passan emergency appropriation to protect the health and safety of people withdisabilities."
Bowman said that since the budget deadline was missed and state fundingcame to an end, RCOC secured a line of credit to enable it to continue fundingservices. This line of credit is expected to allow RCOC to continue operatingthrough October -- possibly into November. However, if a state budget stillhas not been passed when its credit line has been exhausted, Regional Centerof Orange County will be forced to close its doors.
"The prospect of a total loss of funding to service providers and supportfrom Regional Center staff presents the potential for catastrophicconsequences for the people we serve," he said. "Once Regional Center'scredit is exhausted, service providers -- many of them small businesses unableto secure their own lines of credit -- will have scant resources with which tocontinue delivering critical services. For example, group homes that areunable to pay direct care workers' wages, purchase groceries and pay rent willbe forced to close their doors. Residents with no family or no family contactwill have no place to go."
THE ORGANIZERS: The Orange County Community Coalition includes serviceproviders, families and advocates who are concerned about the short andlong-term impacts of California's budget crisis on people with developmentaldisabilities. It was organized by the Regional Center of Orange County(http://www.rcocdd.com), the private, nonprofit organization contracted by theState of California to coordinate needed services and supports to the morethan 16,000 Orange County residents with developmental disabilities.Developmental disabilities include mental retardation, autism, epilepsy andcerebral palsy.
SOURCE The Orange County Community Coalition
