Advocate Newsletter Links
Additional information from the June 2007 edition of The Advocate
Legislative Updates
The Governor's Budget
Governor Rendell's proposed budget for 2008 contains funding to address the
needs of more than 2,500 people on the emergency waiting list of MR services
and another 800 individuals transitioning from school to adult life.
The budget also includes a three percent increase for cost of living
allowances (COLA) to community providers in the MR system. This budget
must pass the Legislature to take effect.
Adult Protective Service
Individuals with mental retardation and other disabilities receive
protection from abuse from government agencies during childhood and after
they become senior citizens. Current laws do no protect vulnerable
individuals between the ages of 18 and 59. If enacted, House Bill 361
would address this gap in protection.
Death Penalty Law
Under U.S. law, individuals with mental retardation are ineligible for
capital punishment when convicted of a crime. There is no legislation
stating when the diagnosis of mental retardation comes into effect.
The Arc supports Senate Bill 751, which would require disclosure of the
diagnosis before the trial to prevent capital trials for individuals with
mental retardation.
For information on how to contact your legislators in support of these
issues, contact The Arc at 717-920-2727.
Resources
The following resources are free and available to everyone:
Statewide Family Network
PA Families Inc. maintains a listing of parent support groups in
Pennsylvania. Groups are available for a variety of topics both broad
and specific and are grouped by county. Call or email for the current
list. 1-800-947-4941, or
pafamilies@alltel.net
Drug Digest
http://www.drugdigest.org/DD/CheckForSavings
Drug Digest provides one of the most comprehensive sources of noncommercial,
evidence-based, consumer-oriented drug information on the Internet. In
addition to a wealth of information on drugs, it has a money-saving feature
that enable to you search for generic equivalents.
Help in PA
http://www.helpinpa.state.pa.us/
Help in PA contains a comprehensive list of health and human service
agencies in Pennsylvania. The searchable database groups results based
on type of service, age group, and county.
Autism Support
www.manitasporautismo.com
This site offers information and support to Spanish-speaking families with
children who are on the autism spectrum. The interactive site allows
communication between parents, doctors, and advocates.
Web links from the September 2006 edition of The Advocate:
All on-line issues of The Advocate
Last Update:Wednesday May 09, 2007 |
