Thousands of Disabled Texans Face Service Cuts
For Milla Powell, a 12-year-old from Austin with cerebral palsy, the little things make all the difference. Massage therapy to increase flexibility and ease her tightened muscles. Recreational programs, in which therapists take her into the community to help her build her social skills. Music therapy to help Milla, who is nonverbal, connect without words.
Services like these are on the chopping block for thousands of Texans with disabilities — yet another casualty of the significant budget cuts state lawmakers passed in May.
Directed to find $31 million in savings, Texas’ Department of Aging and Disability Services will by Dec. 1 ...
Comments (16)
gypsy314 ne
I say this is were the money used for illegal aliens should be used. Oh I forgot illegal aliens are first and protected by perry and obama.
Jill Meredith Bergene via Texas Tribune on Facebook
So sad.
Donald Dickson via Texas Tribune on Facebook
I had the pleasure of meeting Mark McKittrick a few months ago and we talked about the budget crisis and the concomitant political debate. One thing we agreed about was that the Texas Democratic Party had done a miserable job of putting a human face on the Republicans' proposed budget. Instead of this little girl, or thousands more like her, the Democrats traipsed out a multimillionaire trial lawyer and the former chairman of GM as the TV-commercial faces of the opposition. And here's the result. I hope the party learned from its horrific mistake.
Vicki Hill Riedel via Texas Tribune on Facebook
A bigger problem is that there are tens of thousands of eligible, disabled Texns on the waiting lists for 5 to 12 YEARS and receiving zero services.
Cheryl Fries via Texas Tribune on Facebook
Thank you for this story.
WUSRPH
Of course, we know that this can not be happening...Our Beloved Governor has told us many, many times that Texas takes care of those in need...I guess the folks you write about don't have the kind of "need" he thinks qualifies for aid from the government. Go get it from the Churches!
Lawrence L Thornton via Texas Tribune on Facebook
....brought to you by Rick Perry & the Texas GOP Mafia !!
jpt51
If the State of Texas is do darn broke it laid off 100,000 teachers, can you explain why TAMU has money to pay for a full two page ad in the September 5 edition of Newsweek? No doubt, funds likely came from the end of the year money Rick Perry transferred,( $50 million) for 'research.'
It really irks me to see my state taxes used for publicity or to fund Formula 1 racing when teachers, the poor and disabled are taking the brunt of the pain this biennium. Is there anyone who gives a hoot about how our limited resources are spent?
patty soul
I am going to be the realist here and state the obvious - states are having to make very tough choices about where to send the money. Cutting out horse and aquatic therapy seems very reasonable. More money should be cut from these services so there is more money for education. We need to funnel our resources into educating the children who are capable and have the potential to hold down a job and pay taxes. They will be the ones supporting Milla and other like her as they age. Additionally, am I supposed to feel some sort of obligation to help pay for respite services so the mom can focus on her other children? Maybe she should have thought about that before having another baby with such a profoundly handicapped child in the house.
Otto Olivera
There's an old John Lennon song, with the chorus "One thing you can't hide is when you're crippled inside"... Rick Perry & the Texas GOP are all definitely crippled inside!!
Barbara Boyden Walters via Texas Tribune on Facebook
Took my uninsured daughter to urgent care clinic and they said I had to pay full amount because Collin County Indigent Care was out of money.
Clay Boatright
Hi Patty Soul (great name, by the way). You bring up some interesting points. Aquatic and horse therapy often come across as indugent luxuries, until you hear stories like the one about a teenager with developmental disabilities who was severely stressed by a change in schools. He stopped eating...anything...and started regressing in school. His parents took him to a special needs horse stable where he quickly bonded with a horse and immediately started eating again and progressing academically. That horse literally saved the young man's life.
Don't ask me how something like that works, but God can do amazing things. He's the same God who created all of us in his own image...you, me, AND Milla. You're right that we do need to put more money into education, because stronger education for people with disabilities improves their skills, enabling them to find jobs and not need government assistance. For those who may not develop employment skills, stronger life skills mean less expensive care is needed at home, thus lowering the burden on taxpayers.
Respite is a tough one as well. After all, my parents raised three children without any help. What makes special needs families different is the constant, active, engagement which is required for their unique kids. Traditional kids can play by themselves or with friends, with a parent watching passively. Many special needs children are either unable to entertain themselves or their medical needs require constant attention. That wears parents out. Currently, you and I (Texas taxpayers) are hosting almost 4,000 people in our large state institutions at $170,000 per year per person because their families got worn out. Personally, I'd rather spend a fraction of that money to help Milla's mom keep her at home, thus enabling us to serve more people or perhaps put some of that money back in the Rainy Day Fund.
As far as us feeling obligated to help those who can not help themselves. That's something each of us need to decide in a discussion with God...assuming we seek His advice.
Frances Demps via Texas Tribune on Facebook
I don't understand why more people aren't upset, not only about this, but cuts to education also. Why do we keep letting our state "leaders" get away with this? Come next election, they'll all be re-elected. Puzzling.
TrueTexan
To Clay Boatright-how does your God feel about the lies you tell, your greed, the fact that you and your organization (THE ARC) want to get your hands on the money, all of the money, and to hell with the people who live in the centers.
Clay Boatright
Hi TrueTexan. That's a great question. Last year I was blessed to volunteer for six months at the Denton SSLC chapel and meet quite a few residents and staff. It was exciting to see the honest worship and love for God in those services, as opposed to the somewhat superficial worship often practiced in traditional churches. You mentioned that some may say "to hell with the people with the people who live in the centers". Anyone who thinks that needs to buy a new bible because folks living in the centers have some of the strongest relationships with God that you'll ever find.
I mentioned the institutions in my earlier note to encourage support for parents like Milla's. When someone's home-based services are eliminated and they have no choice but to move to an SSLC, the cost goes up a lot.
On The Arc of Texas, the bulk of our funding comes from helping manage a special needs trust, a recycling program for used household goods, and a few grants for some conferences. Since we're not a service provider, we receive very little money from the state. Feel free to email me directly through The Arc's website for more info.
Lee Vanderloop
Children and youth with cerebral palsy and their families have the most stake in the United States debate on cutting Medicaid funding. Many families rely on Medicaid to supplement their private insurance to cover expensive health care costs. To read more about this important issue, go to: http://www.cpfamilynetwork.org/cerebral-palsy-articles/cerebral-palsy-news-cerebral-palsy-families-have-big-stake-in-budget-talks