Mental Retardation Waiting List Call to Action

Talking Points

§ Involuntary commitments of people with mental retardation to State Centers must stop

§ The Emergency Waiting List must be funded

§ If state funds freed up by recent increases in the federal share of Medicaid (FMAP) are used to fund the emergency waiting list, additional federal Medicaid funds will automatically double the funding for the Emergency Waiting List

§ If the Emergency Waiting List is not funded, a large supplemental appropriation will be needed in FY04 to support the increased population in the state MR Centers to maintain federal certification

• According to the most recent data available from the DPW, there are 2,194 people on the ‘emergency’ waiting list who need immediate services.

· This is the most crucial issue for families of people with mental retardation. Thousands of elderly, single and ill caregivers constantly worry about what will happen to their loved ones should something happen to them. Some of these elderly caregivers will die or become disabled (for example, go into a nursing home) during the next year, leaving their family member without the care they need to survive.

§ In contrast to prior years, the 2003-2004 budget adopted in March provides no funding for the emergency waiting list.

· As a result, for the first time in decades, our loved ones are being placed into large institutions across the Commonwealth.

§ One county anticipates 406 procedures to commit 60 people to state facilities this year.

· A DPW official stated last week that he expects to see a 15% expansion in the population of its Mental Retardation Centers over the next three years. 

§ Young adults who are leaving school and others who are receiving EPSDT services, have no adequate community alternatives available, and are facing being committed to state centers.

§ Committing people with mental retardation to state facilities is not free to the Commonwealth. To maintain certification for federal funds, DPW will be forced to increase spending as a result of 406 commitments, requiring a supplemental appropriation during FY04. And the cost to keep a person in a State MR Center for a year is $150,000 to $170,000, compared to the average cost of community residential services of $60,000 to $70,000. The average cost to provide services for a person living at home is $28,500.

· For decades, families have cared for family members with mental retardation and have saved the Commonwealth billions of dollars.

· Families have not raised their children at home to eventually place them in expensive institutions because there are no services or supports in the community.

· It is time that community services be the rule and the entitlement rather than institutional placements.

· At an average annual cost of $50,000, the 2,194 people on the emergency waiting list will require funding of about $100 million. Federal Medicaid entitlement funding is available to pay for $60 million. Start-up funding to serve the emergency waiting list in FY04 will require $20 million in state funds.

Pennsylvania Waiting List Campaign sstasko@ptd.net.