04/18/2000 01:50 PM Senate HES

              HB 346-SERVICES FOR DISABLED PERSONS                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
MS. CHRISTINE HESS,  staff to Representative Joule,  co-sponsor of                                                              
HB  346,  made  the  following comments.    For  some  time,  more                                                              
individuals with  developmental disabilities have  been requesting                                                              
services from the Department of Health  and Social Services (DHSS)                                                              
than are available,  thus a wait list was created.   The wait list                                                              
is  DHSS's way  of  prioritizing individual  requests  and is  the                                                              
gateway to services.   HB 346 provides a tool to  improve the wait                                                              
list process.   The bill requires evaluation of  existing services                                                              
and accountability through annual  reporting and periodic reviews.                                                              
It   requires  constant   internal  monitoring   to  ensure   that                                                              
individuals  are receiving  the best  services  for the  available                                                              
resources in the timeliest manner  possible.  It helps ensure that                                                              
the money is  being spent in the  most effective way for  the most                                                              
clients.   The bill fits  in well with  the missions  and measures                                                              
budgeting  process  currently used  by  the  Legislature.   As  of                                                              
December  1999, 786 people  were on  the developmental  disability                                                              
wait  list  and 333  were  on  the  ILP wait  list.  Recent  brain                                                              
development  research  strongly   indicates  that  young  children                                                              
should not wait  for services as it is cheaper  and more effective                                                              
to  intervene while  a  child is  young.   Testimony  in  previous                                                              
committees has  been compelling; many  people have had to  wait up                                                              
to 10 years to  get services.  The sponsors hope  that HB 346 will                                                              
help  individuals   with  developmental  disabilities   and  their                                                              
families receive better  services more quickly and  that a greater                                                              
number  of  individuals  will  be served.    She  asked  committee                                                              
members to support HB 346.                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
There  being no  further testimony  or  questions, SENATOR  WILKEN                                                              
moved HB  346 from committee  with individual recommendations  and                                                              
its attached zero  fiscal note.  There being no  objection, it was                                                              
so ordered.