End the Waitlist Campaign for Disability Services
Here at Mountain Valley Developmental Services, we strive to provide the best possible care to people of all ages. Often times we are stifled in doing so due to the lack of state funding and regional resources.
Colorado currently has an urgent and extensive waitlist of nearly 3000 people who are waiting for support in their home and community. These supports are instrumental in enabling people with IDD (Intellectual or Developmental Disabilities) to live full and meaningful lives. Some of these supports include assisting with activities like bathing, getting dressed, finding and getting to work, and participating in community life.
Since Medicaid is the only funder of these services, providers such as MVDS receive nearly 98% of funding from Medicaid and the ability of Medicaid to fund these services is tied directly to economic factors such as the rising minimum wage and inflation. In 2008, the baseline rate structure for IDD (Intellectual or Developmental Disabilities) services was set at only 76% of the cost of doing business. Since then, rates have continued to lag far behind inflation and increasing costs.
For example, in the last five years, the Colorado minimum wage has increased by 34.7%, while IDD waiver rates have increased only 11.6%. Despite the unique budgetary reality that IDD providers face, Colorado currently sets one common policy rate increase for all Medicaid services, including IDD. Keeping IDD rates included in the common policy makes it difficult to remedy decades-long structural financing issues, placing a strain on the service system, and limiting access to services.
As a member of Alliance Colorado, MVDS is committed to helping solve this issue. Through the Alliance, we have committed to working with legislators to compose & pass a bill to end the waitlist for people with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (IDD). This waitlist has around 2800 Coloradoans on it who are waiting for funding in order to receive 24 hour support through the Home and Community Based Developmental Disabilities Medicaid Waiver (HCBS-DD).
MVDS is joining other Community Centered Boards and Program Approved Services Agencies to tell the stories of people who are on this waitlist. Additionally, we are working to share the successes of individuals whose lives have been positively changed because they received funding to obtain needed services.
MVDS will be sharing these stories on our social media accounts and ask that you like and share them on yours, too. We will also be writing letters to media outlets, sending out email blasts, and posting blogs on our website. Please check back frequently for more on these compelling stories.
The website dedicated to the End the Waitlist Campaign is: www.alliancecolorado.org.
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