Disability advocates are concerned about a proposed state cut.
A list of proposed budget cuts recently given to Gov. Beverly Perdue calls for cutting $9.5 million on a planned expansion of the Community Alternatives Program, which provides services to people with developmental disabilities.
Julia Leggett, policy coordinator for the Arc of North Carolina, said the move is pound-foolish because the federal government provides $3 in matching money for every dollar the state spends on those services.
"It doesn't make sense at a time when the federal government is increasing its Medicaid spending to cut the state out," she said.
Leggett noted that more than 10,000 North Carolinians receive services under the program and there are hundreds of people on waiting lists in each county. It pays for home services and employment aid so that people with diseases such as severe cerebral palsy and Down syndrome can continue to live in their community.
She said the only alternatives are expensive state institutions and home-care programs that do not have federal matching money.
"This is a way for people who need to stay in their community to be served more efficiently," she said.
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Re: Cut would hurt dev. disabled
I'm the head of one of those families Gov. Perdue intends to hurt. Just has my severely disabled son is old enough to qualify for these programs, Gov. Perdue pulls the rug out from under us. Someone should ask her if she wants the entire state to be filled with government dependent, illiterate citizens. That is exactly were her disability and education cuts are taking us!