Mark R. Warner                                                                                                       FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
     Governor                                                                                                                     October 18, 2005

Contact:    Kevin Hall
Phone:    (804) 225-4260
Cell Phone:    (804) 393-9406
Internet:     www.governor.virginia.gov


RICHMOND - Governor Mark R. Warner today announced the release of the Second Annual Report of the Community Integration Oversight Advisory Committee, established by Executive Order 61 in response to the landmark U.S. Supreme Court ruling in Olmstead v. L.C., which directed the states to promote community integration for people with disabilities.

    The Committee, consisting of people with disabilities, family members, providers and advocates, advises Governor Warner and works with representatives from 18 state agencies involved in the delivery of support and services to people with disabilities.

    "I appreciate the hard work performed by members of the Committee on behalf of people with disabilities in the Commonwealth," said Governor Warner.  "We will review these latest recommendations as we prepare our budget proposals for the 2006 General Assembly, and we will make sure legislative leaders are made aware of the priorities of the disability community."

    The annual report highlights 14 priorities, and emphasizes that affordable, accessible housing for people with disabilities is vital to community integration.  Among the top priorities:

· Continuing to increase Medicaid reimbursement rates to ensure availability and quality of service providers;
· Increasing the Personal Maintenance Allowance to 300% of the monthly Supplemental Security Income payment limit in all waivers to allow more people to stay in the community rather than living in institutions;
· Continuing to increase the availability of funded Medicaid waiver slots for people in the community as well as those wanting to leave institutions;
· Continuing to fund and develop community services to eliminate the state mental health facility discharge waiting lists;
· Developing and fully funding incentives to attract and retain qualified candidates to disability fields of care; and
· Increasing Medicaid financial eligibility to 100% of the Federal Poverty Level.

    A 70-member Olmstead Task Force was appointed in 2002, and it included people with disabilities, advocates, providers, family members, and state and local government representatives.  In 2003, the Task Force released a report including recommendations to improve services in areas including access to and choice of services, housing, transportation, and employment. Many of the Task Force's recommendations have already been implemented, and the Commonwealth has made substantial progress implementing many others:

· Added 860 Mental Retardation Medicaid Waiver slots and 105 Developmental Disabilities Medicaid Waiver slots;
· Created an Alzheimer's and Dementia and a day support Medicaid Waiver;
· Increased provider rates;
· Awarded $350,000 to the Assistive Loan Technology Fund Authority for housing accessibility improvements in Southwest Virginia;
· Launched www.accessva.org, an online housing registry to assist people in locating accessible housing;
· Introduced a Universal Design CD-ROM to encourage the incorporation of more accessible features in the design and construction of homes and buildings;
· Announced Granting Freedom, a new program to make housing accessibility improvements for soldiers disabled during current conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan;
· Funded additional discharge plans for people in state mental health facilities and crisis stabilization services for people with mental illness;
· Created two additional mental retardation regional community support centers;
· Strengthened both adult protective services and oversight of assisted living facilities. 

    Several grants awarded by the Virginia Board for People with Disabilities have complemented the Olmstead Initiative in the areas of housing, transportation, employment, and nursing facility transition.