Texas was within eight days of slashing the amount of money it pays therapists for poor and disabled children when a state district judge last month stepped in and blocked the move. It was the latest round in a high-profile legal and public relations battle that has ensued since lawmakers ordered a roughly 25 percent cut in Medicaid funding for pediatric therapy services. The conflict has mostly been cast as a battle between government budget ax wielders and helpless children, and the cuts are now in limbo at least until a January trial date.Meanwhile, the Texas Health and Human Services Commission must figure out a new plan to slash payments to therapists — which Texas officials say are more generous than payments in other states — without closing down the sometimes big businesses that have come to rely on that cash flow to provide care to vulnerable Texans.
Showing posts with label Texas budget cuts. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Texas budget cuts. Show all posts
Tuesday, October 13, 2015
Tuesday, July 26, 2011
Smaller Cuts Still Sting for Texas Center
AUSTIN, Texas -- The Texas Legislature has cut $15 billion out of its budget for the next two years, affecting virtually every state agency and almost all state services. Bluebonnet Trails, a mental health services provider based in Williamson County, has lost more than a quarter of its funding.
At the beginning of the legislative session, Andrea Richardson, Bluebonnet Trails' executive director, was pleasantly surprised when the budget reductions she thought would force Bluebonnet to cut services to 2,000-plus individuals never materialized. But she was soon unpleasantly surprised by the dramatic cuts to programs serving people with developmental disabilities.
“We’re looking at cutting about 470 persons from our services list,” Richardson says.
That's far fewer than 2,000, but it’s little consolation to those on the sharp end of the budget blade, like Joe Goode.
At the beginning of the legislative session, Andrea Richardson, Bluebonnet Trails' executive director, was pleasantly surprised when the budget reductions she thought would force Bluebonnet to cut services to 2,000-plus individuals never materialized. But she was soon unpleasantly surprised by the dramatic cuts to programs serving people with developmental disabilities.
“We’re looking at cutting about 470 persons from our services list,” Richardson says.
That's far fewer than 2,000, but it’s little consolation to those on the sharp end of the budget blade, like Joe Goode.
Wednesday, July 20, 2011
Texas Budget Brings Good and Bad News
AUSTIN -- The recently passed Texas budget dealt people with disabilities good news, bad news and a couple of wild cards, and because the cuts didn't land evenly across the board, advocates are unsure how things will play out.
Overall, funding for human services took a 17.6 percent cut. The five state agencies whose responsibilities include providing services to people with physical, mental and other disabilities will receive about $53 billion in 2012 and 2013, down from $64.7 billion in the previous two-year state budget.
But some programs, such as community mental health services, emerged intact. Others, such as early childhood intervention, took big hits. And then there are the wild cards, like how funding shifts will play out for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
Overall, funding for human services took a 17.6 percent cut. The five state agencies whose responsibilities include providing services to people with physical, mental and other disabilities will receive about $53 billion in 2012 and 2013, down from $64.7 billion in the previous two-year state budget.
But some programs, such as community mental health services, emerged intact. Others, such as early childhood intervention, took big hits. And then there are the wild cards, like how funding shifts will play out for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
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