Best States for Disability Services Ranked

An annual ranking of states offering the best services for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities reveals a familiar but evolving landscape.The analysis of disability services in all 50 states and the District of Columbia being released Thursday by United Cerebral Palsy finds top performers spanning the map. In previous years, the best services were largely clustered in the Northeast and West.Arizona claimed the number one slot in the ranking for the third year in a row. Also rounding out the 10 best on this year’s list are Michigan, Hawaii, Georgia, New York, South Carolina, Maine, Massachusetts, Ohio and Missouri.

Penn. Social Services Cuts Draw Criticsm

HARRISBURG, Pa. -- The administration of Gov. Tom Corbett is piling up a string of changes it ordered to social and human services before seeking outside input, according to advocates for the poor and disabled who have protested that the changes are both damaging and counterproductive.

At least four such orders were pulled back after an outcry. But advocates for those who use the services, such as people trying to re-enter the work force or live independently, say the record stirs deep concerns, especially given the broader authority that state lawmakers just gave the Corbett administration to cut programs without public review first.

Editorial: A Pretty Good Budget?

It's disgraceful that the Providence Journal does not speak out about the many citizens impacted by the proposed budget--cuts to services for individuals with disabilities are not "sad but necessary," as many protesting the state capitol today will attest.

PROVIDENCE, R.I. - It has been another brutal year to do a state budget, but the plan likely to be approved today by the Rhode Island House is a pretty reasonable piece of hard work.

First, while the package would extend the state sales tax to a few items and services, the House tax package looks little like Governor Chafee’s proposed two-tier system, to be applied to many items and services, and whose costs and time-consuming complexity would hurt job creation as the state struggles to get out of its long slump.

Meanwhile, to avoid big tax increases, there are sad but necessary cuts to social-service, housing, mass transit (perhaps a false economy) and some other programs in the House budget. We hope that at least some of those funds can be restored in coming years, assuming that the budgets that do so are fiscally prudent.

Gaining Confidence and New Position

CLEONA, Pa. -- Volunteer, artist, worker-there are many words to describe Robert Boltz. The 39-year-old man born with Down syndrome is determined to keep moving forward in these areas.
The North Cornwall man's biggest success story comes from being an employee at Giant Food in Cleona. Seven years ago, Developmental and Disability Services job coach Melissa Vardzik found him an available cart-pushing position. Boltz became bored with the menial task, though Giant believed it was the only job for which he was fit, Vardzik said.
Finally, about a year ago, he was promoted to the produce department.
"He really did work his way up there," Vardzik said. "Robert is a totally different person now that he's in produce. He is so much more confident now, and it really opened him up."