State Senator Jonathan A. Harris
March 6, 2008
Harris, Non-profits Push For Passage of Community Provider Rescue Fund
Led by state Sen. Jonathan A. Harris (D-West Hartford), co-chairman of the legislature's Human Services Committee, a bipartisan coalition of legislators joined today in support of Senate Bill 143, "An Act Establishing a Community Provider Rescue Fund," as a means to addressing the historic under-funding of Connecticut's non-profit community service providers.
The Community Provider Rescue Fund would stabilize Connecticut's system of non-profit community providers--those who serve approximately 500,000 state residents with mental retardation, behavioral health problems, developmental disabilities, and the like--by providing $135 million for operating expenses, $65 million for capital improvements, and which would create a commission to establish a long-term funding solution.
"Community providers are the backbone of Connecticut's human service system, but state funding hasn't kept pace with the ever-rising cost of services," Sen. Harris said. "This year we have a chance to correct recent budget shortfalls and create a long-term solution to consistently fund what should be considered essential services. In the long run, that will help our citizens and save taxpayer dollars."
"We've been talking about a mortgage crisis in Connecticut for several months now," Sen. Harris added. "Unfortunately, for year after year after year, there has been another growing crisis in the state, and that is with our community providers. Enough is enough. The time is now to right this system and make a cash infusion that will bring our providers back to a baseline level."
In her most recent budget proposal, Gov. Rell provides no increase in Fiscal Year 2009 for Connecticut's community service providers. That continues a 20-year pattern of under-funding human service programs in the state.
"The current budget proposal represents an abdication of responsibility to thousands of Connecticut's most vulnerable citizens. For too long state government has failed to provide the resources we need to meet the cost of providing services to hundreds of thousands of Connecticut residents," said Barry Simon, Chair of the Board of the Connecticut Community Providers Association and Executive Director of Gilead Community Services.
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