If you listen to the fernald league you’d think the dmr vendors were awash in gravy. Below is a press release from the dmr vendors trade association. The ceos of the vendor companies seem to feel under attack. Are they cutting back on their exorbitant pay packages? Probably not.
BUDGET CUTS WILL END SAFETY NET FOR STATE’S MOST VULNERABLE RESIDENTS (1-28-09)
Melwood Global
CONTACT: Jon Tapper(617) 314-7804 (O) www.addp.org (617) 272-6610 (C)
JANUARY 28, 2009
BUDGET CUTS WILL END SAFETY NET FOR STATE’S MOST VULNERABLE RESIDENTS
The Department of Mental Retardation is slated for a nearly $70 million cut in the next fiscal year, a reduction which would decimate the state’s safety net for Massachusetts’ most vulnerable citizens, a leading human services association said today.
Gary Blumenthal, executive director of the Association of Developmental Disabilities Providers, said the cuts will eliminate support services for nearly 11,000 individuals with developmental disabilities and their families. “Family support programs, day services and employment programs and transportation services for are at risk of thousands of people with disabilities who are the least among us who can afford to lose jobs, transportation or family support.”
“I regret that the Commonwealth’s declining economic situation has forced the Governor to recommend a budget based on current revenues with such deep human service cuts that will eliminate the safety net for many of our state’s most vulnerable citizens.”
ADDP calls upon the Governor and the Legislature to work carefully with the Obama Administration and support the efforts of the President in fashioning an enhanced Medicaid assistance program.
The current proposal before the Senate Finance Committee calls upon the Federal Government to provide over $550 million to state Medicaid programs in FY 09 and an additional $1.2 Billion in FY 2010, and additional dollars into FY 11.
Blumenthal called upon the Patrick Administration to “assure our state’s human services community that these dollars will be used to protect essential supports and services for the thousands of Commonwealth citizens who would otherwise be cut from service by the FY 2010 budget as currently constructed.”
Blumenthal further stated: “We will also call upon the Legislature to target enhanced Medicaid dollars coming derived from the Economic Recovery Plan to restore DDS/DMR programs cut by today’s House One budget.
“We need a Commonwealth Recovery Plan to make sure that our most vulnerable citizens aren’t harmed in today’s tough economic times,” he continued.
If you know the organizations that pay dues to the trade association you named here “The Association of Developmental Disability Providers” it may be possible to look up CEO pay on the Herald website. It is possible to see what the Association pays its lobbyist at Sec. Galvin’s site.
I know there is a site that will tell you what state employees make. Is there one for providers who work in the private sector agencies that get money from DMR and DMH?