Page 10 - Gracecare Homes Brochure

California
A move in the right direction
The Governor’s budget provides $7.8 billion (total funds) for DDS in 2019-20, an increase of 5.9% over revised 2018-2019 expenditures. General Fund expenditures comprise $4.8 Billion of this amount, a 7.5% increase over revised 2018-19 General Fund spending.
Proposition 63, also known as the Mental Health Services Act (MHSA), was approved by the votes in 2004 and imposes a 1-percent tax on personal income in excess of $1 million. Revenue generated under the Act primarily supports country mental health services. The Gover- nor’s budget indicates approximate- ly $2,398.1 billion was deposited into Mental Health Services Fund (MHSF) in 2018-2019 and $2,250.1 billion is estimated to be expended in FY 2019-2020.
California is the only state that provides services to individuals with develop- mental disabilities as an entitlement. 369,000 individuals are estimated to use this service in 2020-21
Behavioral health needs have grown by 48%, while those with an autism spectrum diagnosed have grown by 177%. the num- ber of consumers with autism have in- creased by 10.1%annually. Consumers with autism are now one of every three DDS consumers.
California’s policy goal of the 21st century government is to devel- op a “Money Follows the Individual” model to provide resources for individuals to live in the community rather than an institution. Services that support full integration in the community were born out of the Independent Living and Disability Rights movement. The key to integration is the availability of personal assistance to avoid the institutionalization of individuals who require assistance with activities of daily living. As a result of three or more decades of state legislative and budgetary actions, California has the largest consumer directed, personal care program in the country. Cali- fornia has been a leader in providing services to support the full integration of persons with disabilities in community life. The CA Governor’s $222.2 billion proposed budget in spending for fiscal year (FY) 2020-21 includes important and innovative solutions for disability services, primarily in the areas of health care expansion and affordability, behavioural health, increased developmental services funding, and housing.
Department of
Developmental services
The California Department of Developmental Services (DDS) is the agency through which the State of California provides services and supports to individuals with developmental disabilities. These individuals are diagnosed with mental retardation, autism, cerebral palsy, epilepsy and conditions closely related to mental retardation. These individuals are substantially disabled and require lifetime services. Services are provided through the state-operated devel- opmental centers and community facilities, and contracts with 21 non-profit regional centers. The Regional Centers serve as a local resource to help find and access the services and supports availa- ble to individuals with developmental disabilities and their fami- lies. From its inception, the Regional Center of community-based services has served as a cost-effective alternative to state operated institutional care.
Currently, the Governor’s proposed budget for 2020-21 includes $9.2 billion ($5.7 general fund (GF)) to fund DDS services (up more than $1 billion from the previous FY). DDS estimates ap- proximately 369,000 individuals will receive developmental ser- vices by the end of 2020-21, up from 333,000 in 2019-20, and is growing rapidly, at an average of 4.7 percent over the past five years. The current budget also includes $78 million ($60 million GF) to establish a Performance Incentive Program for Develop- mental Services administered through the Regional Center system. The program will provide incentive payments to Regional Centers to increase the quality of services. The goals of the program are 1) focusing on a quality system that values personal outcome goals for people, such as an improved life or meaningful activities; 2) developing service options to better meet the. needs of individu- als and families in a person-centered way; 3) promoting the most integrated community settings; and 4) increasing the number of individuals who are competitively employed.