The Department of Health submitted a funding request to the Governor last fall. Governor Herbert included $2.7 million dollars for Baby Watch Early Intervention Programs additional funding in his recommended budget. This money would allow the 15 early intervention programs in Utah to continue to provide home visits to children from birth to three and their families in their homes. During the last meeting of the Social Services Appropriations Committee last week, our request for funding was voted down several times and finally ended up just above the "cut line" as $1.5 million one-time funds. The list of recommended budget items now goes to the Executive Appropriations Committee for a final decision. The $1.5 million will keep Utah early intervention programs flat funded for the upcoming year. If we are not in the budget for this legislative session, services for infants and toddlers with disabilities and developmental delays will be affected.
Please contact your Senator and/or Representative on the Executive Appropriations Committee. Below is a link to access their contact information. Please be respectful, but let them know that without at least $1.5 million, services will be cut.
Davis County Legislators on this committee include Senator Jerry Stevenson, Senator Stuart Adams, and Representative Brad Wilson. Here is the link:
http://le.utah.gov/asp/interim/Commit.asp?Year=2017&Com=APPEXE
No comments:
Post a Comment