Spring 2019 Legislative Update

30 Apr Spring 2019 Legislative Update

The Indiana General Assembly ended last Wednesday, April 24, 2019, without a waiver rate increase which New Hope had been strongly advocating. This is very unfortunate because the increase would have largely gone to increase DSP wages which is so important to the wonderful DSPs working at New Hope. The legislative session’s priorities were funding for Department of Child Services (DCS) and schools and that is where the bulk of the new money went. First Steps did get an increase, because it was closely tied to the opioid crisis and DCS funding.

Even though there was no new funding, there were some victories this session.

HEA 1488 contained several of the recommendations of the 1102 Task Force, this enrolled act contains the following:

• Reestablishes the 1102 Task Force under the name “Services for Individuals with Intellectual and Other Developmental Disabilities Task Force”
• Requires a crisis intervention plan be developed by July 1, 2020 and a program be established by July 2021
• Requires a plan to end Order of Selection in Vocational Services by 2024 through a step down approach beginning in January 2020.
• Requires that before July 1, 2021 in collaboration with the 1102 Task Force, BDDS shall establish new priority categories for those seeking emergency placement priority for the CIH waiver.

SEA 380 allows for Supported Decision Making as an alternative or addition to guardianship in Indiana beginning July 1, 2019. Please look in future editions of the Heartbeat for a more extensive analysis of this new law. As a reminder, New Hope’s partner, Indiana Legal Services, provides free legal work for guardianships and, beginning in July, Supported Decision Making for any clients of New Hope of Indiana.

Learn more about these updates at inarf.org.