• March 17 (10am-12pm): Teleconference on In-Home Supportive Services program, integrity and fraud prevention stakeholder process; toll-free number 1-800-700-7414; organized by the Department of Social Services
• March 18 (starting at 9:30 am): Room 4203, budget hearing, held by budget subcomittee #3 of Department of Health & Human Services, covering IHSS, CalWORKS, Dept of Aging
• March 18 (10am-4pm): Olmstead Advisory Committee public hearing, Department of Rehab Building, Room 262 or toll-free phone participation 1-800-232-0362, passcode 785453; agenda includes proposed closing of Lanterman Developmental Center, expansion of Medicaid section 1115 waiver

Read many other details in this CDCAN News Release. 

Spread the word about Easy to Read Flyers in English and Spanish that were developed for people with developmental disabilities. They were developed by the California Department of Developmental Services and explain the importance of completing the census questionnaire.

For assistance with the questionnaire, Please call the U.S. Census toll free at 1-866-872-6868 or visit the U. S. Census web site for more information.

 Late afternoon on February 24, the anxiously awaited decision of Judge Saundra Brown Armstrong was emailed to Disability Rights California and other disability advocates and social justice groups. The order for the injunction of the cuts to Adult Day Health Care spelled out the judge's agreement with Harry Cota and other plaintiffs that their ADHC services were critical to avoid institutionalization. The court found that the new restrictive criteria for access to ADHC would likely violate the Americans with Disabilities Act. The court rejected the Administration's argument that they are "entitled to cut services at will to accommodate...budgetary constraints." See press release for details.

For more information, visit the website. Reserve your booth at the information fair now.

In line with the Olmstead Supreme Court decision to support community living for people with disabilities, the California Department of Developmental Services has announced it will close the 82 year old Lanterman Developmental Center in Pomona, one of the last remaining large state institutions. In its press release, the DDS noted that its aging facilities and the declining population -- now under 400 from a high of 3000 residents -- meant it was no longer economically feasible to operate.

Catherine Blakemore, executive director of Disability Rights California, said, "this is a wonderful opportunity to assist hundreds of Californians with developmental disabilities in finding places where they can explore community living with the necessary supports. We are hopeful that in this time of budget cuts, regional centers and DDS will have adequate resources to ensure that each consumer has access to appropriate community services and supports which meet their individual needs."

Read the DDS press release here and the LATimes story here.

Related Links:

•  The 2010-11 Budget: Overview of the Governor’s Budget, Legislative Analysts Office, 1/12/10
• Governor’s 2010-11 January State Budget, California Mental Health Directors Association of California, 1/11/10
• A First Look at the 2010-11 Health Care Budget Proposal, Health Access, 1/8/10
• Governor Proposes Devastating Cuts to Health and Welfare Programs, Western Center on Law & Poverty, 1/8/10