PRIOR PRINTER'S NO. 1008 PRINTER'S NO. 1531
No. 159 Session of 2007
INTRODUCED BY KENNEY, OLIVER, TRUE, MACKERETH, WATSON, KAUFFMAN,
REICHLEY, GINGRICH, SONNEY, McILHATTAN, ROSS, BISHOP,
KIRKLAND, MYERS, MANDERINO, McILVAINE SMITH, CURRY, CAPPELLI,
NAILOR, SANTONI, CALTAGIRONE, PETRONE, FAIRCHILD, MANN,
YUDICHAK, HERSHEY, HARHAI, SCAVELLO, GODSHALL, RAYMOND,
R. STEVENSON, PYLE, EVERETT, RUBLEY, HARHART, J. EVANS,
HUTCHINSON, W. KELLER, BELFANTI, M. SMITH, YOUNGBLOOD, KOTIK,
PICKETT, PEIFER, SAYLOR, SOLOBAY, FABRIZIO, O'NEILL,
LEVDANSKY, DALLY, PETRI, KULA, BOBACK, PETRARCA, GOODMAN,
GRELL, MARKOSEK, HESS, GEIST, KORTZ, BOYD, MICOZZIE,
HENNESSEY, JAMES, FREEMAN, PRESTON, THOMAS, MURT, FRANKEL,
GILLESPIE, VULAKOVICH, BEYER, COHEN AND LONGIETTI,
MARCH 22, 2007
AS REPORTED FROM COMMITTEE ON HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES, HOUSE
OF REPRESENTATIVES, AS AMENDED, MAY 8, 2007
A RESOLUTION
1 Directing the Joint State Government Commission to conduct a
2 comprehensive study on the waiting list for community-based
3 mental retardation services.
4 WHEREAS, Approximately 23,000 Pennsylvania citizens with
5 mental retardation are on the waiting list for community-based
6 mental retardation services; and
7 WHEREAS, Many of the individuals on the waiting list for
8 community-based mental retardation services live with caregivers
9 who are unable to continue to provide them with necessary care
10 due to age, infirmity or other obligations; and
11 WHEREAS, Approximately 3,800 individuals are listed in the
12 emergency category of the waiting list and need services
1 immediately; and
2 WHEREAS, Approximately 9,100 individuals are listed in the
3 critical category of the waiting list and will need services
4 within one year; and
5 WHEREAS, Every month, 150 to 200 individuals are added to the
6 waiting list; and
7 WHEREAS, Since 1999, Pennsylvania has enacted various funding
8 initiatives to expand community-based mental retardation
9 services to reduce the waiting list, but funding falls short of
10 the amount needed to provide the necessary services for all
11 individuals in the emergency and critical categories; and
12 WHEREAS, Upon reaching age 21, many young adults with mental
13 retardation have aged out of the education system only to find
14 there is no funding available for community-based services and
15 to find themselves without support or services; therefore be it
16 RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives direct the Joint
17 State Government Commission to establish an advisory committee
18 to study the extent of the waiting list for community-based
19 mental retardation services in Pennsylvania, including the
20 underlying causes of the waiting list, strategies undertaken by
21 other states to eliminate the waiting list and recommendations
22 and actions of Federal, State and county governments to
23 eliminate the waiting list; and be it further
24 RESOLVED, That the advisory committee be composed of
25 approximately 12 15 members representing the Office of <--
26 Developmental Programs of the Department of Public Welfare, the
27 Pennsylvania Developmental Disabilities Council, the Disability
28 Rights Network of Pennsylvania, the Pennsylvania Waiting List
29 Campaign, Vision for Equality, Speaking for Ourselves, the Arc
30 of Pennsylvania, the Pennsylvania Association of Resources for <--
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1 People with Mental Retardation, Temple University's Institute on
2 Disabilities, ORGANIZED LABOR OR THEIR DESIGNEE, the <--
3 Pennsylvania Association of Rehabilitation Facilities, the
4 County Commissioners Association of Pennsylvania and, the Mental <--
5 Health/Mental Retardation Program Administrators Association of
6 Pennsylvania, THE PENNSYLVANIA COMMUNITY PROVIDERS ASSOCIATION <--
7 AND THE UNITED CEREBRAL PALSY OF PENNSYLVANIA; and be it further
8 RESOLVED, That the advisory committee may include
9 representatives from other community and government agencies
10 involved in issues with community-based mental retardation
11 services; and be it further
12 RESOLVED, That the Joint State Government Commission report
13 its findings to the House of Representatives six months after
14 the date of adoption of this resolution.
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