Put a face on autism health insurance reform in N.C.

A bill to extend health insurance coverage to people with autism will be discussed at the Senate Health Care Committee on Wednesday, June 9 at 11 am in Room 544 of the Legislative Office Building ( LOB) in Raleigh. 

Please join us at this important meeting to show your support.

If you plan to attend the hearing, details and directions are listed at the end of this blog. 

If you are unable to join us, you can still help by contacting your legislators to support (Senate Bill (SB) 1265). Letters from families in the Senators’ districts listed below are especially important.

 Remember that you do not have to be an expert on autism insurance or this insurance bill. 

You are already an expert in knowing, more than anyone else, the struggles your family faces without insurance coverage and the impact autism coverage would have on the life of your child and your family.

Legislators respond to real people telling real stories.

Putting a face on the need for autism  insurance is something only families can do.

In your own words:

• Thank them for supporting people with autism and their families.
• Tell them where you live and your connection to autism.
• Briefly share your story of  issues you face every day and why autism insurance is important to your family. 
• Ask them to support SB 1265 to extend health insurance coverage to people with autism spectrum disorder.
• Keep your message brief, respectful, and honest
• Please click here and send us a copy of your email so we can follow up with your legislator.

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Details and Directions for Senate Committee meeting on autism insurance reform:

Date: June 9^th 

Time: 11am- 12 pm (ish) 

Sign in table:  3rd floor lobby of  Legislative Office Building (LOB)

Committee meeting: Room 544 of the Legislative Office Building ( LOB) 

 Click here for directions.  to the LOB and visitor parking. The street address is 300 N. Salisbury Street.

Parking can be difficult to find during this session. Click here for map of additional visitor parking near the LOB

Join us for lunch at the Autism Society of North Carolina (ASNC) office after the committee meeting. The ASNC office is located at 505 Oberlin Rd., Suite 230. Directions from the LOB to the ASNC office are listed below.

Please RSVP to autisminsurance@autismsociety-nc.org if you plan to attend the hearing and can join us for lunch.

Continue to email your Senators and ask them to support autism insurance reform in North Carolina. Not sure who represents you? Click here to find the name of your Senator .

If you live in the following Senators’ district, we especially need your emails:

• Co-Chairman Sen. Stan Bingham co-sponsor – Davidson, Guilford
• Co-Chairman Sen. William R. Purcell sponsor – Anson, Richmond, Scotland, Stanly
• Vice Chairman Sen. Tony Foriest – Alamance, Caswell
• Vice Chairman Sen. Katie G. Dorsett – Guilford
• Vice Chairman Sen. James Forrester – Gaston, Iredell, Lincoln
• Sen. Austin M. Allran – Catawba, Iredell
• Sen. Bob Atwater – Chatham, Durham, Lee
• Sen. Doug Berger – Franklin, Granville, Vance, Warren
• Sen. Charlie S. Dannelly – Mecklenburg
• Sen. David W. Hoyle – Gaston
• Sen. Eleanor Kinnaird – Orange, Person
• Sen. Joe Sam Queen – Avery, Haywood, Madison, McDowell, Mitchell, Yancey
• Sen. David Rouzer – Johnston, Wayne
• Sen. Harris Blake – Harnett, Moore
• Sen. Harry Brown – Jones, Onslow
• Sen. Peter S. Brunstetter – Forsyth
• Sen. Debbie A. Clary – Cleveland, Rutherford
• Sen. Don Davis – Greene, Pitt, Wayne
• Sen. W. Edward (Eddie) Goodall – Mecklenburg, Union
• Sen. Steve Goss – Alexander, Ashe, Watauga, Wilkes
• Sen. Malcolm Graham – Mecklenburg
• Sen. Fletcher L. Hartsell, Jr. – Cabarrus, Iredell
• Sen. Jim Jacumin – Burke, Caldwell
• Sen. Martin L. Nesbitt, Jr. – Buncombe
• Sen. Bob Rucho – Mecklenburg
• Sen. Josh Stein – Wake

For more information, the ASNC current autism insurance fact sheet is posted on our website along with general tips for contacting your legislators.

 Watch the Autism Society of North Carolina’s blog and subscribe to our email action alerts to stay up to date

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 Directions FROM Legislative Office Building TO ASNC: 505 Oberlin Rd. 919.743.0204

 If you are leaving from Deck #75 on North Salisbury:

•  Turn right out of the parking deck. 
• Go two quick lights and turn left on to Jones Street 
• Go one block and turn left and go til street ends at Peace Street 
• Turn left and follow Peace (becomes Clark) about 2 miles to Oberlin Rd. You will pass thru Cameron Village
•  Turn right at the light onto Oberlin Rd.
• Quick left on Stafford and right into the second driveway into ASNC parking lot
•  ASNC office is on the second floor Suite 230. ASNC staff will be in the parking lot to help direct you to lunch.

If you are leaving from the Jones Street parking lot:

• Turn right from the parking lot on to Jones Street.
• Go two blocks and turn left on to Person Street.
• Go several blocks and turn left on to Peace Street (in front of the Krispie Kreme).
•  Follow Peace (which becomes Clark) about 2 miles to Oberlin Rd. You will pass through part of Cameron Village
•  Turn right at the light on to Oberlin Rd. 
• Quick left on Stafford and right into the second driveway into ASNC parking lot 
• ASNC office is on the second floor Suite 230. ASNC staff will be in the parking lot to help direct you to lunch.

 If you are mapquesting or using GPS: The sign is down at the corner of Hillsborough and Oberlin Rd. Turn right at the light right after the BBT Bank and before David’s Dumpling and Noodle Bar Restaurant. If you get to the traffic circle in front of the NC State bell tower, you have missed the turn.

HAVE YOUR SAY!!!Town Hall Meetings on Developmental Disabilities, Mental Health, and Substance Abuse Services

COME JOIN US & HAVE YOUR SAY!!!

Town Hall Meetings on Developmental Disabilities, Mental Health, and Substance Abuse Services

THE COALITION represents individuals and 40 organizations statewide that advocate for persons needing services and supports for mental health, developmental disabilities, and addictive diseases.

This year, the Coalition is sponsoring regional town hall meetings ,instead of legislative breakfast meetings in Raleigh.

These town hall meetings will provide opportunities for people to comment on their need for services and how state budget cuts have affected their lives.

Legislators, elected officials, local management entity (LME) staff, organizations, providers, self advocates and families are all invited to attend.

These listening sessions will:

• Provide a brief program on current budget cuts and the future budget outlook

• Offer an opportunity to share your opinions about services and supports; in person, in writing, or online

• Update you on how to make a difference on these issues

TIME: All meetings are from 6:30 to 8:30 PM. Doors will open at 6:00 PM. Program begins at 6:30.

 DATES & LOCATIONS:

March 1 – Greenville. Pitt Community College ,Fulford Building , Rm. 153 Nursing Auditorium: Hwy 11 and Firetower Rd.

March 15 – Charlotte. McLeod Center : 515 Clanton Road

March 30 – Greensboro. Place TBA – please see http://www.thecoalitionnc.org for updates

April 13 – Fayetteville. Southern Regional Area Heath Education Center (SRAHEC): 1601 Owen Drive

April 19 – Asheville. Mountain Area Heath Education Center (MAHEC): 501 Biltmore Ave

Late April – Durham. TBA – please see www.thecoalitionnc.org for updates

Please try to attend the town hall meeting in your area.

Share this information with the legislators in your county and tell them you hope to see them at this event.

To find your legislators, click here.

ASNC staff will be attending each town hall meeting and hope to welcome you at the sign-in table.

For more information email mmorrell@autismsociety-nc.org

Help us collect a thousand stories on the effects of state budget cuts

We need your help! We need your stories!

Help us collect a thousand stories through this survey to share with your legislators, the Governor, Department of Health/Human Services staff and Local Management Entity (LME) Directors.

They need to know how budget cuts for developmental disabilities, mental health and substance abuse services affect the lives of individuals and families across the state.

Please take a few minutes and complete a survey to share your story. The survey will be active between December 1, 2009 and June 30, 2010.

There are three different surveys, please choose the appropriate one for your situation:

• For Individuals and family members who have lost some or all of their services within the MH/DD/SA system (including residential and vocational). If the individual or family member fears losing services but hasn’t yet, fill out the survey now and then again if and when the person does lose some or all of their services. Click here to complete the survey

• For Providers of the MH/DD/SA system who have cut services, employee salaries, benefits, hours, etc. Click here to complete the survey

• For Employees (current or former employees of MH/DD/SA providers) who have lost or experienced reductions in hours, salary, benefits etc. Click here to complete the survey

If you have problems with Internet access or need assistance with the survey, email Maureen Morrell or call her at 1-800-442-2762, ext 1107 and she will arrange for an ASNC advocate to assist you.

Thank You for completing the survey– Your story is important

Please forward information about these surveys to others who have been affected by state budget cuts.

Additional CAP MR/DD Waiver Slots Released

Important information  for families who are on the Cap MR/DD waiting list.

The new Cap MR/DD waiver slots that were funded by the General Assembly are being released  to the LMEs for immediate use.

The Division of Mental Health/Developmental Disabilities/ Substance Abuse Services ( Division of MH/DD/SAS) is allocating an additional 950 Supports Waiver slots and 225 Comprehensive Waiver slots.

The number of Cap MR/DD slots distributed to each LME  is based on a formula developed by the General Assembly to  equalize the distribution of slots across the state.

If you are on the Cap MR/DD waiting list:

1. Contact your case manger and LME Developmental Disabilities Coordinator  to make sure your Cap application is up-to-date.

2. Check that your application has a current psychological and any other important  information about your family member with autism and your family.

3. Ask if your LME is using the new prioritization tool

For more information about these new slots and to see the number of slots that will be given to your LME, click here

CAP-MR/DD Waiver Slots Update

One of the few pieces of good news from the last legislative session, is that some CAP-MR/DD waiver slots were included in this year’s budget.

The state is still working on when these slots will be allocated to the Local Management Entities (LME).

What we know at this point is that the Division of Mental Health/ Developmental Disabilities/ Substance Abuse Services (MH/DD/SAS) has posted a chart on their website that shows how many supports and comprehensive waiver slots will be given to your LME, if and when the state allocates these slots.

Click here to view this chart http://www.dhhs.state.nc.us/mhddsas/statspublications/reports/caprreportsection.pdf

Click here to read the formula http://www.dhhs.state.nc.us/mhddsas/statspublications/reports/capslotallocationformula.pdf

ASNC believes that providing CAP-MR/DD waiver slots must be a state priority. Slots need to be allocated as soon as possible so that people with autism and their families who are waiting for services receive the support that they need.

ASNC will continue to educate and advocate with our state leaders about the vital importance of CAP waiver services to people with autism and their families.

If you are on the CAP–MR/DD waiting list:

Keep your application for CAP-MR/DD services updated with the most current information about your family and your need for services. Stay in touch with your case manager and the Developmental Disabilities Coordinator at your LME. 

Let them know as soon as any family circumstances change that would highlight your need for CAP services. 

Document phone contacts with your LME by also sending a follow up letter. 

Check our ASNC blog regularly for the latest information about when and how these CAP- MR/DD slots will be allocated.