Advocates for people with severe disabilities have launched a campaign to reverse $29 million in recent state budget cuts that they contend are hurting an already underfunded, vulnerable community.
Supporters are organizing a series of nine public meetings around Maryland and are taking their case to top officials.
Gov. Martin O'Malley, who met with advocates for the developmentally disabled this week, has repeatedly pared spending for state agencies and services to keep the budget balanced, and he must close another $2 billion shortfall next year. The process has spurred criticism from affected groups.
A round of budget-cutting in August reduced funding for emergency care for disabled children when a parent is hospitalized and wages for workers who help homebound disabled people feed, dress and clean themselves. The advocates say more than 20,000 Maryland residents and their families are affected. They hope O'Malley will restore some funding in next year's budget.
"In good times, we don't get our share. In bad times, we shouldn't have to give back," said Carol Beatty, executive director of the ARC of Howard County.
The state spends about $425 million yearly on community services for the developmentally disabled.
The group organized a meeting at an Ellicott City church Thursday night that featured personal hardship stories and drew more than 200 people, including state Senate Majority Leader Edward J. Kasemeyer, a Howard County Democrat, and Sen. Allan H. Kittleman, the minority leader. Another meeting is scheduled Monday in Anne Arundel County, and more are planned in Baltimore, Harford, Frederick and Montgomery counties, as well as in Southern Maryland.
O'Malley, who declared October Disability Employment Awareness Month, said he's hoping for more federal help, and warned that deep state budget cuts nationwide could negate economic gains in these early stages of recovery.
"I know how painful these cuts are," O'Malley said. "We're not doing these things because we think no one will be affected adversely. At this point, anything we cut is core mission."
John Dumas, director of Frederick-based Service Coordinators, which provides workers who help the disabled, said his agency eliminated 74 of 335 positions this month, including 40 layoffs. Remaining workers are seeing cuts to their $10-an-hour wages, as well as reduced mileage expenses and less training.
