Disabled Need Assistance Too

Carroll County Times Letter to the Editor
8/30/2009

Editor:

As Maryland tries to balance its budget, I feel compelled to advocate for the citizens of Maryland who struggle with communicating how a funding cut can affect their lives. I am speaking about people with cognitive and developmental disabilities.

Several years ago when times were good, organizations that supported people with disabilities received meager increases. Consider that between 2002 and 2009, food costs increased 30 percent, utilities rose by 63 percent and gasoline cost increased 149 percent, and yet increases to funding rates for programs that support people with cognitive and developmental disabilities grew by only 7 percent in total during that eight-year period. Many state-funded programs receive automatically indexed cost of living adjustments, but not programs that support people with cognitive and developmental disabilities.

Hopefully, people in this community have experienced first-hand the benefits of having dedicated organizations such as Flying Colors of Success, Change, Inc., Target and The Arc be a part of this community and the ways we have supported people with disabilities live meaningful and productive lives. Many people have indicated to me that they truly appreciate the work these organizations perform, along with the other non-profit organizations that fill vital roles in our community in caring for people who face daily challenges in caring for themselves.

Undoubtedly, the non-profit organizations affected by the recent budget cuts will find a way to continue providing services. We may have some difficult decisions to make, but we understand that cutting our 0.9 percent cost of living allowance in July and our most recent 2 percent cut, we are helping Maryland get back on its feet. We are all feeling the pain, and people with cognitive and developmental disabilities are being included.

My only hope is people with disabilities and the agencies that support them are included when the good times return and Maryland is back on its feet.

Donald Rowe

Westminster

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