by Dave Reynolds, Inclusion Daily Express
January 24, 2001
This article is reproduced here under special arrangement with Inclusion
Daily Express Email News Service.
RICHMOND, VIRGINIA--When a person with a disability lives in his or her own
home or with family members, it costs the state a lot less than if the
person lives in an institution or nursing home.
Last year, the state government decided to allocate $1 million in new money
to help families of people with disabilities in their homes. The idea was
that a cash grant of $500 would be given to families that applied and were
qualified. Most would agree it's not much, but every little bit helps. When
you do the math, that comes to 2,000 families.
But more than 4,000 applied. And over 2,900 of those qualified.
So, the state decided to reduce the amount given to each family that
qualified. This meant that each received a little over $300 -- and a letter
telling them that the remainder would come . . . if the state General
Assembly budgets for it. So far, it looks like that money might not be
coming.
Sen. Walter A. Stosch, who pushed for the grants in 1999, said he will do
everything he can to get the state to pay those families the remaining
amount for which they had applied, and to fund the program this year.
"These grants help prevent people from going to nursing homes, so they end
up saving money," Stosch said.
Back to home page
