abstract graphic of person on mountaintop 2002 Mid-Year Meeting
Great Divide Lodge
Breckenridge, Colorado

May 8 - 10, 2002

Maintaining the Momentum:
Protecting Individual Community Supports
When Budgets Are Cut

Program Theme

One of the major challenges of managing the change process during a period of static or declining state budgets is that choices have to be made among competing expenditure priorities. One central question that will have to be addressed is: what steps can be taken to minimize the negative effects of state belt tightening on the shift toward individualized, person-centered support networks, either by rallying opposition to reductions in critical areas of the MR/DD budget and/or by distributing the cuts that do occur in ways that preserve essential, forward-looking initiatives.

Periods of fiscal stringency sometimes open up opportunities to advance policy agendas that would be politically unacceptable in a more favorable budget climate. The late 1980s and early 1990s offer examples of this phenomenon. A number of states during this period were able to reduce the census of state institutions dramatically and turn the corner toward community-centered service delivery systems in large part because agency budgets were insufficient to maintain both the then existing institutional capacity and also expand access to home and community-based services. The systemic trade-offs are different today than they were ten to fifteen years ago. But, the principle of improving the alignment between system reform goals and spending priorities remains the same.

Meeting Objectives

The overarching aims of the meeting will be:

To offer state directors and other key state agency personnel an opportunity to exchange information regarding the strategies they are using to deflect crippling budget cuts and/or absorb the spending reductions that do occur in ways that minimize the long range impacts on the evolution of the state's MR/DD service delivery system;

To explore potential federal revenue maximization strategies; and

To identify strategies for preserving the thrust toward individualized, person-centered support networks within a slow/no growth budget environment.

Organizational Format

The first day of the meeting will be devoted to membership discussions. The featured event will be the semiannual Directors' Forum, where state directors and key members of their staff will have a opportunity to exchange views on some of the critical issues of the day. In addition to discussing the impact of current and proposed budget cuts, the Association's staff will lead a discussion concerning recent and impending developments in federal policy, including the latest information on the Bush Administration's “New Freedom” initiatives and CMS' plans to modify its policies governing Medicaid-funded home and community-based services.

The program sessions will take place on days two and three of the meeting. The agenda will be built around a series of small breakout sessions where presenters from eight to ten states which have experienced recent budget cuts will discuss the strategies they have employed to minimize the impact of such cuts on the services and supports made available to people with developmental disabilities. Among the topics that will be covered during these small group sessions are:

Establishing an agenda (If you are not in active pursuit of your own agenda, someone will give you theirs to work on.);
Developing alliances with other stakeholders, both inside and outside of state government, including providers, people receiving services, families, advocates, etc., to achieve their agendas as you strive to reach your own;
Preserving the mission, values and fundamental goals of the state's service delivery system (e.g., pinpointing features of the system that should not change (i.e., the non-negotiables/bottom lines);
Identifying and seizing opportunities that arise as a result of budget cutbacks (e.g., capitalizing on the impact cutbacks may have on existing power bases to increase individual flexibility and control);
Ensuring that any budget-driven changes are consistent with the needs and desires of people receiving the services; Developing a broad consensus in support of positive change and involving all stakeholders in the process of reducing service costs;
Using data to demonstrate the impact of service cuts in terms of the numbers of people who would lose services, the perverse long-term impacts of budget reductions on future care needs, and the increased number of people in crisis or at risk of abuse and neglect. Also, identifying the number of people affected by proposed spending reductions in each legislative district;
Effective approaches to enlisting the support of other organizations and agencies, developing alliances and getting the message out;
Forging strong communication links among all interested parties - people receiving publicly-funded supports, family members, providers, advocacy groups, etc.;
Developing and utilizing effective means of soliciting and receiving feedback from self-advocates, families, providers and other stakeholders;
Maintaining the "safety net" - assuring that vulnerable individuals are shielded from harm as budget cuts are formulated and implemented.

A keynote speaker will offer a board perspective on the budget challenges currently facing the states and how state policymakers will attempt to bring spending into line with sagging revenue estimates. Finally, we are planning a wrap-up session where the principal budget management strategies discussed during the meeting will be synthesized and their implications explored.

Preliminary Schedule

Wednesday	May 8	Registration	11:00 PM — 6:00 PM
		Directors’ Forum	1:00 PM — 4:00 PM
		Business Meeting	4:00 PM — 4:30 PM
		Welcome Reception	5:30 PM — 7:00 PM
Thursday	May 9	Registration	8:00 AM — 4:15 PM
		Continental Breakfast	8:00 AM — 9:00 AM
		Welcome & Introductions	9:00 AM — 9:15 AM
		Keynote Address	9:15 AM — 10:15 AM
		Morning Break	10:15 AM — 10:30 PM
		Keynote Reactor Panel	10:30 AM — 11:30 AM
		Luncheon & Censoni Presentation	11:30 AM — 1:00 PM
		Breakout Sessions I	1:00 PM — 2:30 PM
		Afternoon Break	2:30 PM — 2:45 PM
		Breakout Sessions II	2:45 PM — 4:15 PM
Friday	May 10	Registration	8:00 AM — 12:30 PM
		Continental Breakfast	8:00 AM — 9:00 AM
		BreakfastRoundtables	8:00 AM — 9:00 AM
		Breakout Sessions III	9:00 AM — 10:30 AM
		Morning Break	10:30 AM — 10:45 AM
		Closing Plenary Session	10:45 AM — 12:30 PM

Hotel Information

NASDDDS has reserved a block of rooms at The Great Divide Lodge, 550 Village Road, Breckenridge, CO 80424. The special sleeping room rate for meeting participants is $95 a night, excluding local taxes. To make reservations, call the Lodge at 1-888-525-1787. Be sure to mention that you are attending the NASDDDS 2002 Mid-Year Meeting so that you receive the special, reduced room rate. The cutoff date for reservations is April 7, 2002. Additional information about the lodge can be obtained via their Web site at http://www.greatdividelodge.com.

Breckenridge offers one of the loveliest natural settings in the United States for a meeting. Those of you who have not yet had an opportunity to visit the central Rockies are in for a real treat. Regularly scheduled shuttle service is available between Denver International Airport and Breckenridge and, of course, all of the major rental car companies operate out of the airport.

Getting to Breckenridge, Colorado

From Denver International Airport (DEN)
Breckenridge is located 104 miles (166km) from Denver International Airport. Take Interstate 70 west to exit 203. Continue south on HWY 9 to Breckenridge.

From Vail/Eagle County Regional Airport (EGE)
Breckenridge is also only 70 miles from Vail/Eagle County Regional Airport. Take Interstate 70 east to Frisco (exit 203). Turn right onto Highway 9, and take Highway 9 south 9 miles to Breckenridge.

From Colorado Springs Airport
Take Highway 24 west. At Hartsel, take Highway 9 north approximately 40 miles over Hoosier Pass to Breckenridge.

Shuttle Services To And From The Airport

Resort Express: 1-800-334-7433 or http://www.resort-express.com.(Departs every 90 minutes from Denver International Airport to Breckenridge between 9:30 AM and 9:30 PM. Departs every 90 minutes from Breckenridge to Denver International Airport between 5:30 AM and 5:30 PM.)

Colorado Mountain Express: 1-800-525-6363 or http://www.cmex.com.

Denver Bus Transportation

Take Advantage of $15 Round Trip Transportation from Denver to Breckenridge! Let Colorado Adventure Mobile transport you on select dates throughout the season for just $15 round trip. You get carefree transportation, food and beverages, lift ticket specials, rental discounts, movies, and more without having to deal with driving yourself. For schedule information and reservations, call (303) 805-0046.

Car Rental

Hertz- 1-800-654-3131 or http://www.hertz.com
Alamo- 1-800-327-9633 or http://www.alamo.com
Thrifty- 1-800-FOR-CARS or http://www.thrifty.com
Dollar- 1-800-800-4000 or http://www.dollar.com

Registration Information

The registration fee is $250 for state directors, state agency program staff, and local developmental disability authority managers and $350 for all other registrants.

If you are unable to access the appropriate registration form or if you need additional information, please contact the NASDDDS staff at 703-683-4202.

* Requires Adobe Acrobat Reader.
Click the Adobe button to obtain a free copy of the Reader.

This page is Bobby approved.

Maintaining the Momentum: Protecting Individual Community Supports When Budgets Are Cut

Maintaining the Momentum:
Protecting Individual Community Supports
When Budgets Are Cut