SECTION: CAPITOL HILL HEARING TESTIMONY

LENGTH: 3307 words

COMMITTEE: HOUSE APPROPRIATIONS

SUBCOMMITTEE: LABOR, HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES, AND EDUCATION

HEADLINE: TESTIMONY LABOR HHS APPROPRIATIONS

TESTIMONY-BY: CARL SUTER , DIRECTOR

AFFILIATION: COUNCIL OF STATE ADMINISTRATORS OF VOCATIONAL REHABILITATION

BODY:
Testimony on behalf of the COUNCIL OF STATE ADMINISTRATORS OF VOCATIONAL REHABILITATION before the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education and Related Agencies of the Committee on Appropriations of the United States House of Representatives on Thursday, March 22, 2001 at 9:30 a.m. As presented by: Carl Suter Director Vocational Rehabilitation Program Dept./ Human Services/ORS Springfield, 111. Mr. Chairman, and members of the Committee, I am the Director of the Vocational Rehabilitation Program for the State of Illinois and a Member of the Council of State Administrators of Vocational Rehabilitation (the CSAVR). On behalf of the CSAVR, I appreciate having the opportunity to appear before this committee today to share with you our deep concerns regarding the funding of the State Grant Program of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended. First, let me explain who we are so that you will better appreciate why I am here with you today. The Council of State Administrators of Vocational Rehabilitation is comprised of the chief administrative officers of the State Rehabilitation Agencies in the states, the territories, and the District. These agencies provide services to eligible persons with mental and/or physical disabilities in order that they can take their place in competitive employment. You in Congress created the Public Vocational Rehabilitation Program nearly 80 years ago this year. Indeed, this is truly one of your success stories in which I hope all of you take pride. While the Rehabilitation Act is the cornerstone of our Nation's commitment to assisting eligible people with disabilities to obtain competitive employment and to live independent and productive lives, it is severely under funded. Indeed, nearly 30 % of the States received less than a cost of living this present fiscal year. While Congress may have thought it was funding each of the States at least at the cost-of-living rate, this was not the case. I cannot believe that Congress meant this to happen, but it did! And I might add that more and more States are being added to that group every year. When one considers that a Louis Harris and Associates study estimates that two out of every three adults with a disability are unemployed, and that the Rehabilitation Program has the resources to provide services to render persons with disabilities employable to only one in twenty eligible people, this under funding constitutes an unacceptable tragedy for the millions of people with disabilities who need services in order to become employed, yet are unable to receive them. The arguments that it is better to put people to work and make them taxpayers as opposed to living off the taxpayers on welfare, in Institutions, or worse, have often been made. Common sense tells us these arguments are true. Instead, we are told that we are considered an entitlement or mandatory spending and, therefore, under a so-called "cap". This may well be. But the problem that is growing needs to be addressed. As you know, the authorizing law provides that each state is to receive an allotment based on whatever Congress appropriates if that State can provide the matching resources. The law also provides that at least a cost of living be added to the total appropriations each year and is to be considered a minimum, not a "cap". As you know, the past few years, Congress has authorized considerable additional resources for Special Education. Now those young men and women who have been in special education are turning to vocational rehabilitation for services as adults. This "transition" is demanding increased resources to serve these individuals. We believe that if we in fact can serve individuals with disabilities leaving school, that will deflect them from having to get on SSI and can help them get into the world of work and toward self- sufficiency. To illustrate this point, in my home state of Illinois we have adopted a world class service initiative. Part of this initiative deals with serving youth in Special Education as they "transition" to life after school. Rick is a young man of 20 with mental retardation who we began working with when he was in Special Education in high school. As a result of receiving Vocational Rehabilitation services, Rick has been able to move from a world of SSI into a world of competitive employment. Instead of receiving approximately $550 per month on SSI and working in a sheltered workshop, he is now employed at a local hospital making almost $9 per hour with benefits. Rick's story is typical and one we could replicate many times over if we had the additional funding. With the success that many of our states are having with Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), it is important to understand that vocational rehabilitation is also a key player in needing to serve some of this population. Individuals with disabilities who have been on the TANF caseloads are also knocking on our doors in search of assistance to help them secure education and training that can lead them to employment. As you may also be aware, many states are now focused on implementing the Olmstead decision. Vocational rehabilitation will have a major role in helping individuals with disabilities get jobs so as to help them be integrated more fully into society. Through Illinois Governor Ryan's community reintegration program, we are helping people with disabilities move from nursing homes into the community. As we do that, one of the important pillars in a person's life that needs to be established is employment. Elizabeth is a 50-year-old woman from Robbins, Illinois who has struggled with mental illness for years and has been living in a nursing home. Each month, Elizabeth received only $30 of her Social Security benefits - the rest went directly to the nursing home. Although she had not worked for over eight years, the Illinois Vocational Rehabilitation program helped her get the training she needed so she could go to work. Today, Elizabeth has accomplished two of her goals in life: she has moved out of the nursing home into independent living and is working in competitive employment. As you are also aware, Congress placed even greater responsibility upon the State Vocational Rehabilitation Program, with the passage and promises of the "Americans with Disabilities Act" (ADA). The ADA promises to expand opportunities for all Americans with disabilities. If Congress in its wisdom really meant to do just that, does it not also need to provide the means to accomplish this mission? It is our belief that it is vital that the State Vocational Rehabilitation Program have the resources available to assist people with disabilities to fully realize the promise of this landmark legislation. Basic State Service Grants are the lifeblood of the Vocational Rehabilitation Program, financing the provision of vocational rehabilitation services to eligible individuals with mental and physical disabilities for placement in competitive employment. Illinois, as most states, has been able to get sufficient state funding in order to fully match the Federal appropriation. Together, these funds pen-nit State Rehabilitation Agencies to provide, or to contract with private organizations and agencies to provide, individualized, comprehensive services to eligible persons with mental and/or physical disabilities, for the purpose of rendering these individuals employed and independent. Such services may include evaluation; comprehensive diagnostic services; counseling; physical restoration; rehabilitation engineering; the provision of various kinds of training and training supplies, tools and equipment; prosthetic devices; placement; transportation; post-employment services; and "any other service" necessary to rehabilitate an individual into employment. For Fiscal Year 1999, the latest year for which the Federal Government has statistics, the Rehabilitation Services Administration advises that the $2,247,000,000 appropriated for Basic State Vocational Rehabilitation provided services designed to lead to gainful employment for over 1.2 million people with disabilities. Of this number, 230,000 were placed in competitive employment. Despite this expenditure, there still are not sufficient funds to serve all those eligible, disabled people who have the potential and desire to work and who need rehabilitation and training services to obtain employment and self-sufficiency. In carrying out the Congressional mandate to give priority of service to the rehabilitation of individuals who are severely disabled, State Agencies have found that the costs -- in time, effort, and money for services -- are much greater than the cost of rehabilitating people less severely disabled. At the same time, it is alarming to note that the purchasing power of the resources available has remained virtually stagnant since 1980. With these statistics in mind, the CSAVR strongly urges that the Congress assist us in facing this challenge by providing Federal appropriations for Basic State Vocational Rehabilitation Services with a 10% (including the CPI, or approximately $240 million) increase over the FY2001 appropriation. The CSAVR estimates that nearly 125,000 more persons will receive services and over 25,000 more will be placed in competitive employment. The justification for higher funding levels stems from the purpose for which the money is spent--the prevention of an incalculable waste of human potential, a purpose on which no price tag can be placed. Over the decades, Vocational Rehabilitation has more than paid for itself by helping persons with disabilities become gainfully employed; by increasing their earning capacity; by freeing family members to work; and/or by decreasing the amount of welfare payments, health services, and social services they might need; as well as by assisting them to become taxpayers. Appropriating additional monies for Vocational Rehabilitation Services has helped reduce the Federal Deficit. Indeed, the Congressional Budget Office has stated that "a reduction of funds for rehabilitation ... would generate increases in other parts of the federal and state budgets." Funds appropriated for Vocational Rehabilitation are a sound investment of the Public's money. OTHER PROGRAMS AUTHORIZED BY THE REHABILITATION ACT The Rehabilitation Act is recognized as the most complete and well-balanced piece of legislation in the human services field. In addition to the Basic State Vocational Rehabilitation Services Program, the Act contains provisions for (1) an innovation and expansion program; (2) a training program; (3) a research program; (4) a comprehensive services for independent living program; (5) a supported employment program; and, among others, (6) special projects and demonstration efforts. The Council strongly supports adequate funding for all Sections of the Act. I appreciate the opportunity to appear before this important Subcommittee today and am available to answer any questions about this Program and our recommendations.

LOAD-DATE: March 23, 2001, Friday