A big thank you to everyone who went the extra mile for Imagine in the Human Race!!! We are so grateful for your extra effort in support of Imagine!!

It’s time for the Human Race again on Saturday, May 12th! With employee feedback at the All Staff meeting and the help of an Imagine planning committee, the race is shaping up to be quite an event. Imagine has participated almost every year since 2007 and has raised over $16,000! Each year we raise this money with YOUR help. If you’d like to get involved there are many ways you can help.

1. Talk it up, inspire others.

Let people know that Imagine is participating in the race and that they can help by donating or being in the race itself. Share our human race page through your Facebook, Twitter, Google +, or other social media.

2.  Walk, run, wheel, move through the race with us.

The walkathon is set on picturesque Westcliff and spans from Natural Bridges to the lighthouse. Our canine friends are welcome on leashes and there’s even a shuttle if you get tired. At the end of the walk there will be a barbecue party and participants who raise $35 or more get a free t-shirt. Come breathe the sea air and spend time with friends – what better way could you spend a sunny Saturday?

Join our team and fundraise online or download/print the pledge form. Packets with sample scripts, receipts, and how to fill out a pledge form are available at the Imagine office front desk or you can click the links to download and print the pages.

3. Help others fundraise.

Even if you don’t want to participate in the race itself you can still help Imagine by supporting someone who wants to run or walk. Perhaps a friend needs encouragement to ask for donations or just company while they fundraise. There are no limits on how you can help a friend help Imagine! Ask your friends if they could use any help in fundraising.

4. Contribute your ideas.

Most employees said they would like to dress up, do you have any great ideas? What would you like to see at this year’s event? Email or call Tatiana with your ideas for making this year’s race a memorable one! Tatiana@imaginesls.org, (831) 464-8355 x 7.

The Details:

Saturday, May 12th

The walkathon and fun run begins and ends at the UC property on the corner of Natural Bridges Drive and Delaware Avenue.

Rain or shine

Registration is at 7am (make sure to be there on time if you want a t-shirt, the lines can get long).

Run is at 8am, the walk immediately follows the run.

Parking your car or bike: follow the signs to designated parking along Delaware Ave and Natural Bridges Dr.

Please try to carpool.

The race/run/walk path is about two miles long.

Look for an Imagine sign near the registration table to meet up with the group so we can walk together.

One of the many ways services are reduced, restricted or eliminated is by reducing the rates paid by the state to providers of services like Imagine. The cuts of the last several years have been extremely difficult for local service providers, especially coming after years of flat (frozen) funding and other cuts, while costs to provide those services continue to climb.

Imagine is joining with other advocates of our service system to make the “sunsetting” (or ending) of the 4.25% reduction in rates that has been imposed by the state a high priority for this legislative season.

This is where we need your help. Would you consider writing a letter to our State Senator Joe Simitian and our Assemblyman Bill Monning to express your thoughts about the need for this rate reduction to sunset as planned on June 30^th of this year? If you send your letter to Imagine, a group of individuals we serve and employ will deliver this to both legislators in May. Every person who brings us a letter will receive “a beautiful sunset” button designed by several artists at Futures Explored that graphically represents our desire for this rate reduction to sunset as planned.  Our goal is to receive 100 letters from family members, employees, and the people we serve. Please email, mail, fax or bring in your letter on or before May 1^st. Do you need a sample letter? We have a PDF for Joe Simitian and a PDF for Bill Monning if you just want to print and sign. If you’d like to insert your own paragraph, use these Google Docs (Simitian, Monning) and write why this matters to you.

KTLP’s report, “In Danger of Collapse“, documented the difficulties experienced by providers of day services for individuals of all ages and in all settings. The survey showed that 10% of these agencies are within a year of closing their doors entirely if present trends continue, and another 33% will be forced to consolidate or close one or more services.

We know this goal is possible because the legislature has already placed this sunset provision in law. The law currently states that the 4.25% reduction will end on June 30 of this year. However, in previous years, the legislature has chosen to continue the cuts in this portion of the Department of Developmental Services budget. This reduction has already been extended by the Legislature three different times. We, along with most advocacy groups, are calling for reductions to be made in different ways and further away from direct services. This time the sunset must be allowed to happen.

Annual Report 2011

Do you want to know how Imagine is doing? Click to read this comprehensive report on Imagine’s activities throughout 2011!

STATE CAPITOL UPDATE from Marty Omoto at CDCAN

LEGISLATIVE ANALYST OFFICE RELEASES BUDGET UPDATE ON IN-HOME SUPPORTIVE SERVICES

Recommends That Legislature Consider Other Alternatives to Governor’s Reduction Proposals – Proposes Extension of 3.6% Cut In Service Hours Scheduled to Expire June 30, 2012 and Reduction In State Participation in IHSS Worker Wages After A Study Determines Impact of IHSS Recipient Access

SACRAMENTO, CA (CDCAN)  [Last updated 03/19/2012 10:30 AM]  - The Legislative Analyst Office (LAO) released this morning a brief 12 page update on the In-Home Supportive Services (IHSS) program that finds that the Governor’s proposed reductions “…presents significant legal and implementation challenges” and instead recommends that the Legislature consider two other ways alternatives to save State general funding, including extension of the existing 3.6%  across-the-board reduction in service hours that is set to expire at the end of the current year, and consider re-enacting a reduction in state participation in IHSS provider wages to a level, determined by a study, that does not impact recipient access to services.

The 12 page report, saved as a document pdf file, is attached to this CDCAN Report titled “20120319 – Legislative Analyst Office 9LAO) IHSS Budget Update (12 Pages).pdf”.  It can also be viewed or downloaded from the LAO website at:  http://lao.ca.gov/analysis/2012/ss/supportive-services-031912.pdf   HTML version can be viewed or downloaded at:  http://lao.ca.gov/analysis/2012/ss/supportive-services-031912.aspx

The Legislative Analyst Office is a non-partisan office of the Legislature that reviews and analyzes budget issues for the Legislature.

The In-Home Supportive Services (IHSS) program—administered at the state level by the Department of Social Services (DSS)—provides in-home care for over 460,000 persons who cannot safely remain in their own homes without such assistance.

As part of the 2012-2013 budget, the Governor proposes significant changes to the IHSS program, including a proposal to transition IHSS from a Medi-Cal fee-for-service benefit to a Medi-Cal care benefit. In addition, the Governor proposes to eliminate domestic and related care services for most IHSS recipients who live with another person to resulting in a reduction of  $164 million in State general fund spending (that number has been estimated at over $200 million by legislative budget committee analysis).

A 20% across-the-board reduction in hours for many IHSS recipients that was implemented as part of the 2011-2012 State Budget “trigger cuts” pulled in December, was supposed to go into effect January 1, 2012 but has since been blocked by a federal district court order.  That order is being appealed by the State to the US 9^th Circuit Court of Appeals.  The Governor’s proposed budget assumes that the State will prevail in the court case – and that the 20% reduction will continue into the 2012-2013 State Budget year.

by Mac Taylor, Legislative Analyst March 1, 2012.

Summary

Over the three-year period from 2009-10 to 2011-12, the Department of Developmental Services’ (DDS) General Fund spending has remained relatively flat. (This is in contrast to earlier in the decade when spending grew rapidly.) This has been the case in spite of rapidly growing caseloads and other cost pressures. For example, during this time Regional Centers (RCs)—by far the largest DDS program—saw an average annual caseload growth rate of 3.4 percent. In this brief, we discuss the measures adopted by the Legislature over these three years to reduce General Fund costs in both Developmental Centers (DCs) and RCs. In 2009-10, the Legislature reduced the DDS General Fund budget by drawing down more federal funds, reducing RC and DC operations, and by changing the standards as to how RCs authorize services for consumers. The Legislature also imposed provider payment rate reductions on RC providers in order to achieve savings. While the provider payment reduction was implemented initially for one year, it has been renewed by the Legislature for each of the subsequent years. In 2010-11, additional reductions to the DDS General Fund budget were made, including obtaining additional federal funds and using First Five Commission funds in lieu of General Fund. During 2011-12, the DDS General Fund budget was automatically reduced by $100 million due to the operation of a budget trigger mechanism that came into play when the state’s revenues came in under budget projections. Also in 2011-12, the Legislature adopted RC best practices and accountability measures, creating additional savings. During this three-year period, the Legislature adopted mostly ongoing savings, making long-term changes to DDS programs. For more information, here is the 20120301 – Legislative Analyst Office – Developmental Services Budget Update March 1 2012.

Imagine is dedicated to helping community members have access where they otherwise might not, so we created a Resource Library to ensure this goal. Filled with things like books about living with disabilities, adaptive equipment (to use or to just test out before making a purchase), and DVDs. Check out is simple and can be done Monday through Friday 8a-4p at our offices at 1395 41st Ave., Suite A.

Featured Item: Weighted Blanket – perfect for these chilly Winter nights!

Weighted blankets are often used as part of sensory integration therapy to provide proprioceptive feedback and a calming effect. Many people with Autism and other disabilities find these blankets very helpful in clearing their mind and calming them down.

Weighted blankets are often made from high grade plastic beads for durability and comfort

Our resource library was built on donations from community members like you. Think you have something that others would enjoy to check out? Donations are tax deductible and will go towards our mission of empowering people with disabilities through service and advocacy.

Why wait? Come see what the Resource Library can do for you today!

What: Imagine All-Staff Meeting

When: February 22 from 3:00p to 5:00p

Where: Community Foundation, 7807 Soqeul Drive, Aptos, CA 95003 (click for google map)

Who: All Imagine employees

Our training this quarter will be “Habits: How We Form and Change Them”, presented by the facilitator team. We’ll also get a chance to hear some updates about upcoming events, our resource library, and the economic state of affairs in California and how it impacts our work. As always, this meeting is mandatory for all Imagine employees, make sure to plan ahead with your team and lead staffer so that all shifts are covered. We look forward to seeing you all there!

Swanton Berry Farms has generously offered to donate 10% of their proceeds on February 11th, 2012 to Imagine.

Nestled just 10 miles out of Santa Cruz on scenic Highway 1, Swanton Berry Farms is easy to get to and well worth the drive.
Stock up on jam, buy some berries, or find a gift for your loved one just in time for Valentine’s Day and help Imagine at the same time!

It’s our way of wishing you “Happy Valentine’s”–see you there!

Thank you all for joining us at our wreath making party!! What amazing works of art you all created!! I will post more pictures soon, or feel free to visit us on facebook to see the entire album!