DARS
Conference Committee Report 022415

LTESS and EES

Restoration of EES and LTESS – FY 15-16 (beginning July 1, 2015)

Item 471.10#21c
Central Appropriations / FY 14-15 / FY 15-16 / /
Central Appropriations / $0 / $364,943 / / GF

Language:
Page 441, line 19, strike "($90,459,489)" and insert "($90,094,546)".

Page 449, line 23, strike "$364,943" and insert "$0".
Explanation:
(This amendment restores $364,943 from the general fund the second year that was reduced in the introduced budget for employment support services for people with disabilities.)

Increase LTESS Additional Funding – FY15-16

Item 325#5c
Health and Human Resources / FY 14-15 / FY 15-16 / /
Department For Aging And Rehabilitative Services / $0 / $500,000 / / GF

Language:
Page 295, line 36, strike "$97,340,241" and insert "$97,840,241".

Page 297, after line 24, insert:
"N. Out of this appropriation, $500,000 the second year from the general fund is provided as additional funding for the Long Term Employment Support Services (LTESS) program."
Explanation:
(This amendment provides $500,000 the second year from the general fund for the Long Term Employment Support Services (LTESS) program. LTESS provides support services to persons with significant disabilities who become employed through extraordinary supervision and other supports necessary for these individuals to maintain employment.)

Language – Report on Integrated Employment (With Stakeholders by November 1, 2015)

Item 325#6c
Health and Human Resources / / / /
Department For Aging And Rehabilitative Services / / / / Language

Language:

Page 297, after line 24, insert:
"N. The Department for Aging and Rehabilitative Services shall undertake a review of employment support services programs and make recommendations on options that would advance the Commonwealth’s progress toward facilitating the inclusion of people with the most significant disabilities in the workplace through community-based and integrated employment opportunities. As part of the review the department shall conduct stakeholder meetings and incorporate the feedback from those meetings into the process. The department shall report its recommendations to the Governor and the Chairmen of the House Appropriations and Senate Finance Committees by November 1, 2015."
Explanation:
(This amendment directs the Department for Aging and Rehabilitative Services to review employment support services programs and make recommendations on options that would increase integrated employment opportunities for individuals with the most significant disabilities.)

Expand VR Funding

Item 325#2c
Health and Human Resources / FY 14-15 / FY 15-16 / /
Department For Aging And Rehabilitative Services / $0 / $1,000,000 / / GF

Language:
Page 295, line 36, strike "$97,340,241" and insert "$98,340,241".

Page 295, line 48, strike the second "$7,984,358" and insert "$8,984,358".
Page 296, line 3, strike the second "$62,398,658" and insert "$66,093,494".
Page 296, line 5, strike the second "$16,888,074" and insert "$17,888,074".
Explanation:
(This amendment adds $1.0 million the second year from the general fund for the Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) program that will be used to match $3.7 million in additional federal funding. Language is modified to reflect the additional funding. The VR program assists individuals with disabilities get ready for, find, and keep jobs by providing training, placement, and job-coaching services along with workplace accommodations (i.e. assistive technology). As demand for services have exceeded available resources all service categories were closed on November 1, 2014, and waiting lists for services are growing.)

Expand Funding for Brain Injury Services

Item 325#1c
Health and Human Resources / FY 14-15 / FY 15-16 / /
Department For Aging And Rehabilitative Services / $0 / $750,000 / / GF

Language:
Page 295, line 36, strike "$97,340,241" and insert "$98,090,241".

Page 296, line 18, strike "$4,308,981" and insert "$5,058,981".
Explanation:
(This amendment adds $750,000 the second year from the general fund to increase support for programs providing brain injury services through the Department for Aging and Rehabilitative Services.)

Didlake – Restoration of Funding

Item 325#4c
Health and Human Resources / / / /
Department For Aging And Rehabilitative Services / / / / Language

Language:

Page 296, unstrike lines 44 through 46.
Explanation:
(This amendment restores the budget language directing $200,000 per year to Didlake Inc. which provides employment support services to people with disabilities. The introduced budget eliminated the funding, which is restored in a companion amendment in Item 471.10.)

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