CASE ATTENDS ARC LEGISLATIVE ADVOCACY EVENT

HATFROD – State Representative Jay Case (R-63) attended a legislative luncheon sponsored by the ARC of Connecticut. Several ARC chapters were also in attendance, including The ARC of Litchfield County (LARC).

Pictured (from left to right): State Rep. Jay Case, LARC Executive Director Larry Cassella, LARC Director of Vocational Support Tom Stanton

“Large cuts are being made to the state budget, however state funding must be preserved for the services administered to the intellectual and developmental disabilities population,” said Rep. Case, who is a co-founder of the state legislature’s Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (I/DD) caucus. “For all of the local ARC chapters to collaborate and come to the Capitol today really sends a message to legislators, putting a face in front of a budget line-item.”

According to Case, the state legislature approved a budget last week that cuts $30 million to the Department of Developmental Services (DDS) operating budget. DDS administers several transitional services. As a result of the cut, any child aging out of their current coverage will have no state support.

“I voted against these cuts last week and I will continue to advocate for the restoration of that funding to DDS,” noted Case. “Additionally, there are people in need of services that are on a growing waiting list. With these cuts these residents will never have an opportunity to gain access to DDS services.”

The ARC reports that more than 2,000 residents across the state are on the growing waiting list.

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