SACRAMENTO, CA – Assemblymember Jim Frazier (D-Fairfield), chair of the Select Committee on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities, receives a momentous win for the intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) community.
Year after year, the Assemblymember has witnessed the IDD community being left behind in the State Budgets. Three years ago, the Department of Developmental Services commissioned a rate study to exam if the IDD community service providers were being compensated appropriately for services. The Rate Study found that IDD service providers were woefully underfunded to the tune of $1.2 billion. To that end, Mr. Frazier aggressively pursued additional funding for the IDD community in the 2020-21 State Budget. Frazier stated, “If there was ever a time to get additional funding for the IDD Community, this would be the year.”
“I’ve made eight trips for special hearings this year from San Diego to Redding, listening to the people and have them tell me what they need,” Frazier said. “We’ve seen case management ratios with 100 consumers to one case manager. They are not getting the quality care they need,” said Frazier. “They have no fancy lobbyists and no money backing them. We as the state are the guardian of these folks and they have been so underrepresented.”
However this year, the 2020-21 budget approved by the Legislature and sent to the Governor, will finally include a phasing in of $1.2 billion to fund increased provider rates within the developmental services system with a five-year implementation plan. This will ensure providers receive fairer compensation and that families will continue to have access to the vital services provided.
“Over the last 9 years, I have advocated for those with intellectual and developmental disabilities to ensure that they get the funding and support they so desperately need. “We will continue advocating for the IDD community and ensuring their funding needs are met as well as our responsibilities to them under the Lanterman Act.
Assemblymember Frazier represents the 11th Assembly District, which includes the communities of Antioch, Bethel Island, Birds Landing, Brentwood, Byron, Collinsville, Discovery Bay, Fairfield, Isleton, Knightsen, Locke, Oakley, Pittsburg (partial), Rio Vista, Suisun City, Travis AFB, Vacaville and Walnut Grove.
