Vermont Business Magazine The Developmental Disabilities Housing Initiative (DDHI), is hosting legislators, the governor, lieutenant governor, treasurer and Agency of Human Services administrators for an Ice Cream Social on Thursday, April 17, 2025.
Parents who are members of DDHI, and their family members with I/DD, will meet in the State House cafeteria from 3:30 - 6:00 pm on Thursday, April 17th, 2025, with the invitees, and share ice cream and their personal experience of the need for permanent housing and staff.
DDHI is a statewide, Vermont parent-run volunteer advocacy group of over 120 parents.
"We are aging parents (avg 67 yrs) caring for our adult children (avg 28 yrs), who have an intellectual and/or developmental disability diagnosis (I/DD), many with significant support needs. Our I/DD community desperately needs affordable housing options that address the range of needs and provide choices in permanent service-supported housing. We are asking for three immediate actions:
1. Establish a State Housing and Residential Services Planning Committee to create a State Plan to develop housing for adults with I/DD in S.127
This Committee will create an actionable plan by Nov 2025, to develop housing options for adults with I/DD, including those with high-support needs. Plan will include proposed legislative language, funding and regulatory changes. Vermont Developmental Disability Council report 2023 shows 600 residential units needed immediately, the Act 186 planning grants have created several innovative housing models which need to be completed to demonstrate results. Because Legislators dont want to fund one project every year, a pipeline for long-term funding is needed. The Legislature prioritized individuals with ID/D in housing funding programs such as VHCB, VDHCD in FY2025, recognizing the needs of this population.
2. $2.8 million in funding to complete construction of the Act 186 housing pilot in Burlington that will provide a new housing option for adults with Intellectual/Development Disabilities and demonstrate the results of proposed new technologies.
3. Support Annualized Home and Community Based Service (HCBS) Medicaid Rate Reviews in H.13. The HCBS Service sector does not get annual rate reviews or increases, unlike other healthcare sectors that receive automatic annual rate increases. Due to inflation and uncertainty in federal actions the governor proposed level funded budget for 2025-26 for Human Services. This equates to a loss. This bill will allow rate decisions to be made without yearly requests to the Legislature.
In the present staffing crisis, individuals eligible for HCBS waiver services are facing a crisis that profoundly impacts the daily lives of both aging parents and their adult sons and daughters with I/DD (see attached survey results)."
The Ice Cream Social is generously supported by Vermont Developmental Disabilities Council. For further Information contact - [email protected].
To support vital journalism, access our archives and get unique features like our award-winning profiles, Book of Lists & Business-to-Business Directory, subscribe HERE!
