This morning, Governor Brown signed the Budget into law. The great news?

Early Start eligibility and federally-required services funding has been restored to pre-2009 levels! This will take effect starting January 1st, 2015.

And the other good news? The call for a review of the way service providers are funded, and an examination of how Regional Center budgets are determined and funded, has been been heard! While the Governor vetoed the Budget language creating that as a stand-alone project, he has instead rolled it into the work of the next task force to review the issues identified in the Developmental Center Task Force report!

In his message, Governor Brown said:
“I am directing the Health and Human Services Agency to convene a task force to review both of these and other community issues that were identified in the Plan for the Future of Developmental Centers in California.”

He has not yet signed the trailer bill (SB 865), which contains the legal authority needed to renew Early Start – among many other issues. He is expected to sign it before the end of the month.

Now, much work needs to be done to educate our community about the restoration of Early Start. We need to spread the word in the community that starting January 1, 2015, infants at risk of a developmental disability, and toddlers between 2 and 3 years of age with delays of 33% in one developmental area, are once again eligible for Early Start’s life-changing services.

And we will also be bringing our advocacy to the work of the upcoming task force to ensure that the cost-based budget needs of service providers and regional centers are heard! In coming months, we’ll be back in touch.