ADVOCACY NEWS FROM NAMI NEW JERSEY:
DHS Commissioner Previews Governor’s Budget
In a conference call this morning, Department of Human Services (DHS) Commissioner Jennifer Valez briefed members of the human services community on Governor Christie’s upcoming budget proposal.
The proposed DHS budget will call for a 9.4% increase in the coming fiscal year which the Commissioner described as “outstanding”.
She characterized the DHS portion of the budget as “containing reasonable reductions and opportunities for reform, while protecting the most vulnerable”.
The Division of Mental Health and Addiction Services (DMHAS) budget will propose several new and continuing initiatives. In order to preserve the community system there will be “no across the board reductions”.
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$10 million is proposed for new and continuing Olmstead funding in FY ’12.
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Funding will be proposed to implement the phase-in of involuntary outpatient commitment (IOC).
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$1 million savings (reduction) will be proposed for community contracts. The Commissioner stated that this would not come from direct services but rather from such areas as training.
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The budget will propose a savings of $9 million from the closure of a state psychiatric hospital still to be determined. The department will engage in a discussion with the Governor who is studying the recommendations of the State Psychiatric Facilities Task Force.
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There will be no service reductions in Addiction Services other than a $125 thousand reduction for detox beds.
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The Department of Developmental Disabilities budget proposal will also include funding to create community placements for individuals with a development disability who are currently residing in state psychiatric hospitals.
Commissioner Valez outlined several proposed changes in the state Medicaid program that may affect individuals with a mental illness. The details of these proposals will emerge as the budget process moves forward.
The budget will propose that individuals who receive Medicaid as a result of having a disability (ABD), who do not also receive Medicare (dual eligible) will be moved into managed care plans. This will also include pharmacy services.
Persons who receive both Medicaid and Medicare will be strongly encouraged to enroll in Medicare Special Needs Plans.
New Jersey will no longer cover the $3 co-pay for medication imposed by the Federal Government under the Medicare Part D medication program for those who receive both Medicaid and Medicare.
For Medicaid recipients it appears that the only other co-payment proposed in the Governor’s budget will be a $3 a day co-pay for adult medical daycare to a maximum of $25 a month.
New Jersey will join with New York and Pennsylvania to study a “Medicaid redesign” over the course of the next year with the expectation that this will result in a “large umbrella waiver” application to the Federal government. There are no other details on this proposal at this time.
NAMI NEW JERSEY will be providing more details on Governor Christie’s proposed FY 2012 state budget as more information becomes available.
