House Appropriations Subcommittee Recommendations

The House Appropriations subcommittees began unveiling their proposals today.  Links and brief summaries for Health and Human Services and Education, as they may relate to people with disabilities, are below.  More information on special provisions and other budget subcommittee proposals will be forthcoming.

Health and Human Services - budget documents here - 10% Reduction overall.  We have not seen the special provisions.

• Governor's Items not included in the House HHS proposals: Cuts that the subcommittee proposes NOT taking: school nurse funds; reduction of local health department funds; teen pregnancy prevention; modify optional and mandatory services for liver, lung, pancreas, small bowel transplants; More at Four swap for TANF; Increases the subcommittee declined to include: NC FAST, Project CARE, Adoption Assistance & Foster Care; and the Mental Health Trust Fund earmark.
• Proposed Reductions Highlights:

Division of Central Management and Support

• Reduce non-profit funding by $5 mil (2% reduction)
• Reduce Community Health Grants by $1.5 mil (23% reduction)
• Eliminate Migrant Fee for Service Program by $736K (25% reduction (leaves money in  grants))
• Eliminate NC Care-Line ($380,478)

Division of Aging and Adult Services

• "Prioritize" Senior Center funding - reduction of $660K, 47% reduction
• Reduce Home and Community Care Block grant by 12% - $4 mil reduction

Division of Child Development

• Reduce Smart Start by 20% ($37.6 mil reduction)
• More at Four transfer from DPI
• Swap TEACCH General Funds with block grant funds - savings of $3.8 mil.

Division of Social Services

• Eliminate Special Adoption vendor payments - $551K
• Eliminate Child and Family Team Pilot - $421K
• Eliminate Special Assistance Intervention Team - $104K, 2 positions
• "Prioritize" Adult Day Care funding - $1.1 mil reduction

Division of Medical Assistance (Medicaid)

• Medicaid Provider Assessments ($60 mil reduction)
• Targeted Rate adjustments ($6.2 mil), Adjust provider rates ($50 mil), eliminate inflationary increases ($63 mil)
• Enhanced Federal Funding for Health Homes (Save $16 mil in first year and $25 mil in second)
• Restructure/strengthen Program Integrity ($16 mil reduction and cut 30 positions)
• Modify Pharmacy Services ($16 mil)
• Modify optional and mandatory services - optical, durable medical equipment, specialized therapies, home health, and modifying a "variety of services" - we need to see the special provisions before we know exactly what is being proposed for each of these
• Implement the behavioral health 1915 b/c waiver ($3.2 mil savings in first year, $38 mil saving second year)
• $80 mil savings from CCNC
• Health Choice targeted rate adjustments ($225K), modify services ($650K) and care coordination ($4 mil)

Division of Services for the Blind, Deaf & Hard of Hearing

• Consolidate divisions with Vocational Rehabilitation

Division of MH/DD/SAS

• Eliminate Child and Family Support team funding ($523k)
• Reduce LME Administration funds by $10 mil in first year  and $20 mil in second year (17%)
• Eliminate 7 Advocacy positions ($158K, 5% reduction) - I assume this is the Internal Advocacy positions at the facilities
• Eliminate Community Funding spent for Medicaid recipients except for residential supports - $20 mil
• Swap Fund Balance w/ state service funds - $25 mil
• Reduce Division management flexibility funds by $7 mil

Division of Vocational Rehabilitation Services

• Reduce Indpendent Living program by $2.5 mil, 13%
• Reduce Basic Support Program by $2 mil, 10%

Education - budget documents here: $1.25 billion in proposed cuts to colleges and K-12, 8.8% cut to public schools, 10% cut to community colleges, 15.5% cut to universities

Public Schools

• Proposes funding teacher assistants only for K-1 ($259 mil.)
• Proposes $1 mil for an education reform study
• Reduce at-risk student services by $30 mil
• Reduce funding for noninstructional support personnel by $59 mil
• Reduce central office administration by $10.7 mil
• Reduce funding for principals and assistant principals by $25 mil
• Eliminate funding for staff development ($12.6 mil)
• More at Four - $16 mil cut with remaining general and lottery funds to Div of Child Development, HHS
• Many cuts to the Department of Public Instruction, including a $1.7 mil reduction to the Residential Schools for the Deaf and Blind