Groups advocating on behalf of Connecticut's developmentally disabled adults and children took to the Capitol to criticize Gov. Dannel Malloy's rescissions from more than ten days ago. One Democrat in the Connecticut House even took the governor's administration to task and backed GOP calls for a Special Session to address funding deficiencies.
More than $7 million of the cuts were aimed at the Department of Developmental Services that handles adult home and day services for adults living with mental struggles.
"We had a plan" said Dr. Michelle Rivelli, a Shelton pediatrician who's speaking of her daughter Jesse, a 20 year old with developmental disabilities and autism.
Rivelli said her daughter is on waiting lists for both a day program and a home where she could live with her peers. She says Jesse is being denied human rights.
“Now with these new recsissions we’re unsure if an when our daughter will be able to attend a day program or receive any funding at all.”
The overall reductions over the past year to DDS amount to about .0069% of more than $1 billion of funding but to families who see the cuts, any downward revision is unwanted.
“It’s mind boggling how his administration could not even consider how this could affect these individuals and their families" Rivelli said.
Rep. Cathy Abercrombie from Berlin said she wasn't elected to sit idly by and not say anything cuts that hurt people in her district. She backs the idea of a Special Session that's been posed by Republicans, and rebuffed by her own Democratic House leadership.
She even said she knows where money could be found to help people with disabilities.
“Are you going to put transportation before families? I’m not and I don’t feel comfortable" she said.
Devon Puglia, Gov. Malloy's Director of Communications responded to today's news conference with a statement saying, "Our hearts of course go out to the affected families. However, while we understand there is continued demand for service, it's important to note that we spend about
$1,100,000,000 per year. We have to make difficult decisions and do the fiscally responsible thing while planning for our long-term economic future."Dr. Rivelli says she voted for Gov. Malloy and supported him. She even cited his struggles with his own personal disabilities growing up.
Her opinion has changed with the budget situation.
“I’ve lost a lot of respect for him I would say is where I am right now because I really can’t understand what the thought process is.”
