In the near future, I will reintroduce HB 2555 from the 2023-24 Session.

Over the past several decades, the Commonwealth has been closing the one-size-fits-all state centers for individuals with intellectual disabilities and re-integrating those former residents into the community. This helps provide these individuals with the services that best fit their needs while keeping them closer to their families and loved ones.

In Act 54 of 2022, the General Assembly established the Home and Community-Based Services for Individuals with Intellectual Disabilities Augmentation Account. Under that law, the proceeds of the sale of a former state center for individuals with intellectual disabilities and the annual reductions in the appropriation for state centers would be redirected to fund reductions in the waiting list for home and community-based services.

In the 2023-2024 fiscal year, this funding stream generated $10,783,000 for waitlist reductions, which supplemented the amounts appropriated in the annual budget. However, at a time when the waiting list for home and community-based services reaches nearly 13,000 individuals, more progress needs to be made. 

This legislation would strengthen that dedicated stream of funding by recognizing the whole breadth of savings from closing the state centers, including avoided maintenance costs, upkeep, and operational costs that would otherwise have been expended for the state center. Further, the total savings to the appropriation for state centers from the highest fiscal year would be redirected to the waitlist.

I ask that you join me as we take the next step toward keeping our commitment to those with intellectual disabilities.