Changes to disabilities waiver could devastate workforce

As seen in New Mexico Business Weekly by Kathleen Cates, Guest Opinion

Date: Friday, August 3, 2012

Kathleen Cates

On October 1, if nothing is done to prevent it, proposed changes to the developmental disabilities waiver will go into effect in New Mexico.

These proposed changes and cuts to the DD waiver will significantly and negatively impact the many individuals with disabilities in our community who have made tremendous strides in reaching their full potential through programs that have helped them enhance their quality of life and enabled them to become active, productive members of the community and workforce.

For months, controversy surrounding these proposed cuts to the DD waiver has spurred health care providers and consumers to voice concern and outrage about the negative impact these cuts will have on a vulnerable population.

Through public forums and public comments, those of us concerned about the issue have worked diligently to try to stop these changes from going into effect on October 1. Final opportunities to voice opposition to these proposed DD waiver changes are coming in August. A public hearing is scheduled for 9 a.m. August 6 at the Toney Anaya Building, 2550 Cerrillos Road, Santa Fe.

Proposed changes to the DD waiver will have a far-reaching effect that will extend not only to the many families in our area caring for those with disabilities, but also will impact our entire community and local workforce. Families forced to deal with reduced services and cuts in therapy for their children will be searching for ways to continue to help their loved ones thrive through the specialized care that has assisted so many disabled individuals throughout New Mexico.

Cuts to the DD waiver, and a reduction in services for their children, will leave many of today’s working parents scrambling to find the funding and time to supplement this reduction in state services, while still trying desperately to balance the daily demands of caring for a family member with a disability and holding down their jobs in today’s tumultuous economy.


Proposed cuts to the DD waiver will impact our local workforce in other ways as well. We have made tremendous strides in helping the disabled find meaningful, productive jobs within our community, but cuts to the waiver could change all of the progress made in recent years.

Providers and consumers in the state fear that with the proposed cuts to the DD waiver, no one will provide employment services for the disabled where they can earn good pay and gain that all-important sense of independence and accomplishment. This will mean individuals with disabilities will only be able to earn money in sheltered workshops at subminimum wages, rather than being trained for and working in the many jobs within our community where people with disabilities can be found today.

To see what impact these cuts might have on our community, we can take a look at what has happened in Oregon — and how that state is still in turmoil surrounding cuts in services for those with disabilities.
Oregon did go through with its proposed cuts, leaving disabled individuals with only one employment source. The Justice Department has threatened to sue the state of Oregon for breaking the federal ADA law of accessibility and choice.

According to a nine-month investigation, the Justice Department found that “the majority of Oregon’s workers who are intellectually or developmentally disabled are employed in highly repetitive, manual tasks, such as folding, sorting and bagging in shared spaces occupied only by other persons with disabilities” in settings that are “institutional in nature.”

This is a far cry from the many people with disabilities in our community who are working and thriving while holding down good-paying jobs at businesses throughout the region. Given appropriate support, our disabled individuals are able to hold good-paying jobs, contribute taxes and participate in their community. The proposed New Mexico cuts will potentially remove support for these individuals and decrease placement fees by 75 percent.

Changes to the DD waiver call for disability employment networks to bill for current services for a maximum amount of $144 per month, which will not cover even a quarter of the costs. Under the proposed cuts, the disability employment networks will not be able to provide these services. This will create a situation similar to the one Oregon faces.

Cuts to the DD waiver can and will be devastating, not only to those with disabilities, but also to their families struggling to provide the best level of care. These cuts will impact our local workforce for decades to come.
Let’s not allow what’s happening in Oregon to happen in New Mexico. July 26 was the 22nd anniversary of the ADA, and we still need a strong voice to ensure accessibility and integration. Let’s continue to advocate for those with disabilities in our community, providing a strong, united voice to support some of our most vulnerable citizens.