Posts Tagged ‘Gina Macris’
RI Developmental Disabilities providers wage increase may not address worker shortage – Gina Macris
By Gina Macris, Developmental Disabilities News Private agencies serving adults with developmental disabilities have asked for an additional $31 million in the next Rhode Island state budget to offer workers about $17.50 an hour – a bump of more than $4 on the current starting hourly pay. The $31 million in state revenue would generate…
Read MoreWomazetta Jones adds BHDDH to EOHHS responsibility, for now – Gina Macris
by Gina Macris, Developmental Disabilities News Photo: Womazetta Jones photo by Richard Asinof, ConvergenceRI Rhode Island’s chief health and human services executive, Womazetta Jones, will serve as interim director of the Department of Behavioral Healthcare, Developmental Disabilities and Hospitals (BHDDH) and conduct a “thorough review” of the agency, Governor Daniel McKee announced April 9. BHDDH…
Read MoreRI BHDDH Loses Leader At Critical Time on Two Fronts – Gina Macris
By Gina Macris, Developmental Disabilities News A. Kathryn Power Resigns as RI BHDDH Director A. Kathryn Power will leave the top post of the Rhode Island Department of Behavioral Healthcare, Developmental Disabilities and Hospitals (BHDDH) April 9, about thirteen months after she was tapped by former Governor Gina Raimondo to stabilize an agency mired in…
Read MoreJudge: RI Risking Noncompliance – Must expand DD budget
By Gina Macris, Developmental Disability News Rhode Island will not be able to meet a 2024 deadline for complying with a 7-year-old civil rights agreement unless it begins allocating money now to attract an adequately-paid, skilled workforce to serve adults with developmental disabilities in their communities. So says Chief Judge John J. McConnell, Jr. of…
Read MoreDeeper look at RI Budget: $15M for DD reform overshadowed by $10M cut
By Gina Macris, Developmental Disability News Thursday’s initial briefing on Governor Daniel McKee’s proposed budget for adults with developmental disabilities highlighted a $15-million set-aside to plan changes in the system, in response to a federal court order enforcing a 2014 civil rights consent decree. At the same time, the budget legislation submitted to the General…
Read More$15M for Developmental Disabilities Reform in proposed RI budget
By Gina Macris, Developmental Disabilities News Rhode Island Governor Daniel McKee unveiled a budget plan March 11 that includes $15 million for structural reforms to services for adults with developmental disabilities in the next fiscal year. Overall, McKee’s has proposed an $11.17 billion budget for Fiscal 2022 which promises to resolve a statewide $336 million…
Read MoreCourt-ordered overhaul of RI DD system critical in Gov. McKee/Assembly budget – Gina Macris
By Gina Macris, Developmental Disabilities News The pace of discussions for complying with a court-ordered overhaul of Rhode Island’s developmental disability system is expected to pick up as early as next week, when newly elevated Governor Daniel McKee rolls out his budget proposal for the fiscal year beginning July 1. McKee was sworn in March…
Read MoreThe Arc Rhode Island comes back into action – Gina Macris
By Gina Macris, Developmental Disabilities News, for RINewsToday The Arc Rhode Island, a once powerful advocacy organization for those with developmental disabilities, has come back into action during the last two years under the wing of The Arc of the United States. The state organization, which had been dormant for a decade, has grown into…
Read MoreRI House/Senate stop Consent Decree talks – Judge’s conference today – Gina Macris
By Gina Macris, Developmental Disabilities News – contributing writer Both the Rhode Island House and Senate have withdrawn from negotiations on a three-year budget plan to overhaul the state’s developmental disabilities system and comply with the Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA). The development of such a plan had been recommended by an independent federal court…
Read MoreAccessPoint RI, CVS, Offering Challenged Rhode Islanders Virtual Training, PPE
By Gina Macris, Developmental Disabilities News, contributing writer Photo: ACCESS Point Trainee, Pre-COVID, Practices Inventory Skills. Rhode Islanders facing challenges in employment, because of developmental disabilities or other struggles, may begin preparing for work in the retail sector sector as soon as next Friday in an eight-week training program offered by AccessPoint RI in collaboration…
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