Contact: Erika Martinez
(505)986-4819
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 7, 2014
Senator Soules Proposes Bill to Assist Those Waiting to Receive Developmental Disability Services
Santa Fe — Senator Bill Soules (D-37-Dona Ana) pre-filed a Senate Bill 55 for the upcoming 30-day legislative session that would allocate $25 million to assist in funding thousands of New Mexicans waiting to receive services for developmental disabilities.
According to Sen. Soules, the current list of those waiting for services has more than 6000 people on it and takes longer than 10 years before an individual’s name comes up. Last year Sen. Soules sponsored Senate Memorial 20 to set up a task force to, which studied how to reduce the waiting list and the time an individual spent on that list.
“Each year more people are added to the waiting list and it just keeps getting longer,” said Sen. Soules. “Slots only open up through attrition, which is when someone receiving services either moves or dies. A task force studied the problem during the interim and recommended a 5-year increase in funding to bring the list and waiting time to reasonable levels. It is unconscionable that we have allowed this situation to occur. We have a responsibility to provide services for these New Mexicans and this funding will begin that process.”
Sen. Soules currently sits on the Legislative Health and Human Services Committee.
To view the Senate Bill 55, click here.
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