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House Co-Sponsorship Memoranda
House of Representatives
Session of 2023 - 2024
Regular Session
MEMORANDUM
| Posted: | June 25, 2024 09:34 AM |
|---|---|
| From: | Representative Melissa Cerrato and Rep. Marla Brown, Rep. Joseph C. Hohenstein, Rep. Dan L. Miller, Rep. Tarik Khan |
| To: | All House members |
| Subject: | Improving Accessibility of Home and Community-Based Services Waivers |
| Home and Community-Based Services Waivers are an essential part of delivering health care for people across Pennsylvania, including persons with physical disabilities, intellectual and other developmental disabilities, and mental health disability. These waivers help people in our communities access care in ways that support their independence. However, people with disabilities have unique needs that are not always at the forefront of care and policy, especially in large programs like Medical Assistance waivers. Too often, access barriers for people with disabilities go unnoticed and unaddressed. Resources to assist persons with disabilities are also not always administered equitably under the home and community-based service waiver. Current data indicates, for example, that direct care workers for individuals with certain disabilities covered by the Office of Long-Term Living (OLTL) receive significantly less pay than their counterparts working for programs that serve people with intellectual disabilities and autism under the Office of Developmental Programs (ODP)— regardless of the individual’s level of need. We plan to introduce a resolution directing the Joint State Government Commission to study how to improve home and community-based waiver programs to meet the diverse needs of people with disabilities. As part of the study, the Joint State Government Commission would convene an advisory committee to recommend ways to update the administrative process to remove access barriers and improve services and supports to meet the medical needs of people with disabilities better. The study will also thoroughly assess and compare the service delivery mechanisms within the Office of Long-Term Living with those within the Office of Developmental Programs— focusing on the services offered, the compensation structures for frontline workers within participants’ residences, and the pay rates of employment support providers. Programs like the Home and Community-Based Services Waivers are essential to building an equitable Pennsylvania and ensuring the supports serve those who need them. Please join us in co-sponsoring this resolution and supporting healthcare access for people with disabilities in the Commonwealth. |