Office of Mental Retardation and Developmental Disabilities

The 21 day amendments to the Executive Budget make the following changes (analysis as of February 14, 2008):

·          Adds $35 million to the Nonpersonal Services, Supplies and Materials appropriations for the following programs:

o   Central Coordination (+$4.1 million)

o   Community Service (+$20.6 million)

o   Institutional Services (+$10.6 million)

This results in an overall agency appropriation of $2.0 billion which is an increase of $546.9 million from the enacted SFY 2007-08 budget.

The Executive Budget recommends (analysis as of January 31, 2008):

A SFY 2008-09 workforce of between 22,640 and 23,703(unlike most other agencies, OMR is given a range of possible fills, it is likely that the lower fill level will prevail).  This is an increase of between 152 and 183 FTEs from the adjusted FTE level for FY 2007-08.  The following chart identifies adjustments in current fiscal year FTEs along with the recommended differences in FY 2008-09 FTEs by program (if the FTE’s are the same the program is not listed):

• The total appropriation for Personal Service is $1.1 billion, an increase of $8.4 million, or .8%.  The increase is attributed to efforts to reduce overtime spending and enhance quality of care, new statutory requirements and the opening of new State-operated community homes.
• An All Funds increase of $511.6 million, or 34.9%. General Fund appropriations have been shifted to Special Revenue-Other funds in a restructuring of Medicaid resources.  This includes the appropriation of $503 million for employee fringe benefits which previously were not included in the OMR budget.  This accounts for most of the OMRDD program increases.
• OMR will rationalize and reform Medicaid funding of services through a series of rate/price setting restructurings beginning with under 31 bed ICG services, HCBS Waiver day habilitation services and Article 16 clinic services, as well as administrative reimbursement levels.  The effect of this initiative on state operated services should be explored in statewide labor management.
• OMR employed an estimated 365 FTE employees under consultant contracts in SFY 2007-08 at an estimated cost of $16.6 million or an average of $45,562 per FTE consultant contract employee.  It is estimated that $17.8 million will be spent for 377 FTE consultant contract employees in 2008-09, at an average cost of $47,130 per FTE consultant contract employee.
• According to the Assembly, $4.2 million is added for services related to 48 additional beds for difficult to service populations, $1,560,000 is added for the Self Advocacy Internship Program, and $1.4 million is added to implement Jonathan’s Law and to support workplace violence initiatives.
• Provides preliminary capital support (OMRDD indicates there is $14.5 million for this purpose, this should be clarified at Labor/Management) for:

ü  Development, over a three-year period, of a total of 141 state operated community residential opportunities for development center rundown (a total of 225 not for profit community residential opportunities will be developed in the same time frame).

ü  OMRDD will close all developmental centers – a transition of 500 people to integrated community living over the next several years.  Western NY DDSO is planned to close in SFY 2010-11.

ü  Development of a total of 24 state operated community residential opportunities for special unit individuals each year, for a total of 72 over three years

ü  Development of a total of 12 state operated community residential opportunities for nursing home rundown each year, for a total of 36 beds over three years. OMRDD seeks to transition skilled nursing home residents with developmental disabilities whose needs can be met in the community to a more integrated setting.

• Article VII legislation includes a provision in the Transportation, Economic Development and Environmental Conservation bill which provides that proceeds from the sale of the Manhattan Developmental Center, owned by the Office of Mental Retardation and Developmental Disabilities, will be used to fund the Upstate Regional Blueprint Account.  We have confirmed that the property in question is the Metro DDSO office on Morton St.  OMRDD has told PEF that the office relocation will not occur in SFY 2008-09.
• $39.0 million for increased borrowing relating to relocation of the Bernard Fineson DDSO is included in capital funding.