Regional Center Update

Here's the uniform closure schedule. I'd love to hear from those of you who will have to staff at times you haven't had to in the past. I'm trying to figure out the real impact of the budget - which is significantly more than the 3% "discount" for residential.

For me, the issue that keeps getting swept under the rug is that there is only one place in the developmental services system that didn't take a cut (4 budget areas - DDS headquarters, State Developmental Centers, Regional Center Operations, and Purchase services). I'll give you a hint - DDS HQ and State DCs are staffed by state employees who have to take furlough days. So what's wrong with this picture? The "stakeholder" meetings where information was gathered about how to best approach budget cuts didn't seem to take the information from all of the "stakeholders." The question I kept posing to legislators was to consider the importance of specific services to the people with developmental disabilities - Choice: roof over head or case manager? Choice: Early intervention services or 21 accounting departments? I may have oversimplified the choices here, but I think the message is clear.

Please let me know what your thoughts are. You can send messages on this blog and no one has to know who you are - for those who fear retaliation should you have an opinion that is counter to those who sign the payment authorization forms and make referrals.

Uniform closure schedule:

1. January 1

2. The third Monday in January

3. The third Monday in February

4. March 31

5. The last Monday in May

6. July 4

7. The first Monday in September

8. November 11

9. Thanksgiving Day

10. The day after Thanksgiving Day

11. December 24

12. December 25

13. December 26 (for 2009 this Holiday is observed on Monday, December 28, 2009)

14. For 2010 ONLY, April 5, 2010

15. Effective 2010 and on, the second Monday in October (due to the 60 day notice requirement this is NOT a FY 2009-10 Holiday)