Thanks Than!

From the phone of:
James W. Steele, MSW
Executive Director
Ohio Valley Residential Services
2261 Victory Parkway
Cincinnati,  Ohio. 45206
513-281-6800 x102
513-200-3695

> On May 29, 2019, at 11:18 AM, Than Johnson <TJohnson@crsi-oh.com> wrote:
>
> OPRA Senate Finance Committee testimony was provided yesterday.
> We were fortunate that Mike Toman had set up prior discussion with many of the members, including Chairperson Senator Dolan, prior to the committee hearing.
> The testimony was similar to that provided to the Senate Sub- Committee on Health and Medicaid chaired by Senator Hackett.
> I received questions on both NMT and on expansion of our healthcare workforce through potential hiring of 16/17 aged students under a cadet like program. There was no mention of issues with removing the GED requirement.
> The question on NMT centered around the need or lack there of a study committee. While we emphasized the priority was to keep the level of funding as in the current Governor/House approved state budget and we did acknowledge the length and results of a 2 year long study of the NMT issue.
> There was a discussion on where the field of employment is going( from sheltered workshop to community inclusion and competitive employment) and that the prior study group had well thought out recommendations.
> The final statement was to implement those results as quickly as possible even it meant accepting a short span study committee as indicated in the House version of NMT. The county board representative came up afterwards and thanked OPRA for its support on NMT recommendations.
> In meeting with Senator Antonio during the hearing, she moved from supporting a study committee(voiced in the sub- committee hearings) on the principled concept of ‘that study committee should include individuals with disabilities’ to not having a study committee but making sure input to the process from individuals with disabilities was included by Director Davis’s administration. A good suggestion.
> We are now in the final stages of Senate deliberations and will keep making the rounds to emphasize our requests and support for amendments carried by various Senators on issues such as franchise fee, summary judgement process at county level, NMT , $13.00 average wage with administrative components, increase in day services wage rate,  and support of Director Davis initiatives.
> The 7th inning of this process will be a Senate vote on their version of the state budget based on their assumptions of state revenue verses state budget funding . We hope to hold on to all our funding in both DODD and OOD budgets but are aware of the possibility of some spending cuts so *keep up your communication with your Senators.
> The 8th inning will the assignment of ‘conference committee’ participants from Governor, House and Senate to resolve differences in each’s budget proposals and then approve final state budget funding and initiatives.
> The 9th inning will be the Governor either signing the state budget  or vetoing some line items which will mean extra innings as House and Senate either agree or overturn those vetos.
> Stay tune, stay involved and stay connected.
> Than
>
>
> ________________________________
>
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>
> Than Johnson
> Chief Executive Officer, CRSI
> Phone: 937-653-1307
> Fax: 937-653-1321
> Mobile: 937-776-5515
> www.crsi-oh.com
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