Successes

FY 2025 Budget

The legislature approved a $56.6 billion budget, prioritizing property tax relief, education, NJ Transit funding, and a full $7 billion state worker pension payment. Despite several business tax and fee hikes, NJACP successfully advocated for a 0.5% increase in funding for IDD services, securing $15 million, though short of the 6.5% requested. NJACP thanks its advocates for attending Advocacy Day and conducting over 30 legislative visits during a tough fiscal year.

 

NJACP also advocated and achieved a $1 million increase in funding to include in Governor Murphy’s FY 25 budget for the DSP Career Center to continue its progress in the next year to two years.

 

Other funding in the budget for IDD services included:

  • $5.25 million for DSP training to cover the new DSP mandatory training requirements
  • $32 million for the Workability program
  • $21 million for the remainder of the year for the FY 24 Fiscal Year DSP wage increase
  • There is also money for a START behavioral home.

Added by the legislature – all state dollars and receive federal matching funds:

  • .5% across the b-the-COLA
  • $36 million trend money to expand the number of individuals coming off the community services waiting list (provides for 400 people).

FY 2024 Budget

Governor Murphy included in the FY 24 budget a 3% across the board increase and the legislature approved another .5%.NJACP advocated for the inclusion of another 2.5% to combat high inflation for a total increase of 5.5%. Advocates thank you for your hard work in retaining the 3% and increasing that percentage in the final budget!

 

NJACP also advocated for the following increases in the budget that were included as part of Governor Murphy’s FY 24 budget proposal:

 

  • $41.7 million in state funding with a 50% federal match to raise DSP wages,
  • 10% increase in funding for housing vouchers (at a cost of $5 million state dollars) as the first increase since 2018.

FY 2023 Budget

$42 million in state funding, will also have a 50% federal match for a DSP, manager, and supervisor wage increase of $1.25/hour less employer taxes effective January 1, 2023.

 

  • While not the $8.5% requested, approval of a 1% residential rate increase for $7.5 million state dollars with federal match, funds will be added permanently to the rates.
  • 20% increase in day rates; $9 million in state funding to annualize day rate increase.

FY 2022 Budget

Day Program Permanent Rate Increase. $25,000,000 in State funding plus available federal matching dollars were appropriated to increase the fee-for-service rates for day habilitation, career planning, community inclusion services, prevocational training, and supported employment.

 

  • $42 million in state funding with a federal match to increase DSP wages by approximately $1.25.
  • Support Coordinator Rate Increase, ending in March 2024, to increase the salaries of all support coordinators. The increase amount is $123.08 per month raising the old rate from $239.81 to $362.89.

Advocating for agencies through the public health emergency (PHE)/COVID 19 Pandemic:

  • DSP Wage Supplemental: From 5/1-7/31/2020, and again from 10/1/20-3/31/21, providers received funding to pay DSP’s a temporary increase of $3/hour.
  • Self-Directed Overtime Permitted: Began in 4/2020 (Still in effect but requires prior authorization) self-directed employees are permitted to receive overtime to help families and individuals living in their own homes.
  • Residential Enhanced Rate: Residential service providers received a 20% enhanced residential rate from 3/17/2020 – 12/31/2021. The rate increase provided funding for additional residential staffing due to the closure of day programs.
    • Day Services Supplemental Payments:
    • Retainer payments for services 3/17-31/2020: funded at 100% of a provider’s previous claims based on the highest billing month from July to December 2019.
    • From 3/31/2020 – 7/19/2020: retainer payments at 75% of an agency’s previous claims based on the highest billing month from July to December 2019.
    • From 7/20/20 – 12/31/2021: supplemental payments funded at 50% of a provider’s previous claims based on the highest billing month from July to December 2019. The 50% funding is reduced by the state’s share of current billing.
    • From 1/1/2022 – 6/30/2022: supplemental payments funded at 25% of a providers previous claims based on highest billing month from July to December 2019. The 25% funding is reduced by the state share of current billing.
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