FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Friday, April 27, 2012
CONTACT: Terry Edelstein, President/CEO, (860) 257-7909
Gary Steck, Chairman, CCPA Board of Directors, (203) 574-9000
CONNECTICUT COMMUNITY PROVIDERS ASSOCIATION ANNOUNCEMENT
Rocky Hill - Terry Edelstein has announced today that she will be stepping down as President/CEO of the Connecticut Community Providers Association (CCPA) effective December 31, 2012. CCPA is a statewide trade association, representing 110 community-based organizations that provide services and supports for people with disabilities and significant challenges including children and adults with substance use disorders, mental illness, developmental, and physical disabilities. Ms Edelstein indicated that “In my thirty years at CCPA I have seen the organization grow and thrive and I have been pleased to be a part of that process.”
Recent CCPA efforts have focused on the modernization of the safety net – the cost effective and efficient health and human services delivery system that assists people with mental and physical disabilities in leading meaningful and productive lives. The Association has long sought a Cost of Living Adjustment for private providers so that community-based organizations can continue to serve individuals with disabilities and significant challenges and has been very pleased at the support of the administration and the legislature in recommending a COLA for FY13. CCPA is heavily engaged in the implementation of healthcare reform and is committed to ensuring that every resident in Connecticut has access to healthcare.
The Board of Directors, in a statement issued by the Chairman Gary Steck, CEO of Wellmore Behavioral Health, said that “Terry has been a lifelong and passionate leader and advocate for people on the margins of our society, particularly people with disabilities. She has positively influenced virtually every aspect of human services in Connecticut. The entire state owes her a debt of gratitude for her tireless efforts to help those in need over the past 30 years.”
The Board of Directors will be initiating a search process over the coming months.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Friday, February 17, 2012
Contact: Liza Andrews, CT Nonprofits; (860) 919-9707
Terry Edelstein, CCPA; (860) 573-8188
Nonprofit Community-Based Providers Comment on Impact of Five Years of No Cost of Service Increases
Hartford - The Connecticut Community Providers Association (CCPA) and Connecticut Association of Nonprofits (CT Nonprofits) today expressed their thanks to Governor Malloy for proposing a 1% cost of living adjustment (COLA) for FY2013.
Nonprofit community-based providers have faced long-term underfunding that has neither kept pace with inflation nor the true cost of service. These organizations provide health and human services on behalf of the state under Purchase-of-Service (POS) contracts and/or on a fee-for-service basis and have not received a COLA since July 2008.
From 1986 to 2010, the compounded Consumer Price Index (CPI), which is the measure of the average change over time in the prices paid by consumers for goods and services, increased 98.5% while the compounded Medical CPI rose by 209.1%. Meanwhile, during the same time period the state’s COLA for nonprofit community-based providers increased by only 33.2%.
According to Terry Edelstein, President/CEO of the Connecticut Community Providers Association, “we are grateful to the Governor for recognizing, through recommending a COLA, that nonprofit community-based providers have had to be creative in how to provide services in challenging times. As the gap between the CPI and private provider reimbursement continues to widen, we need to look at structural changes for addressing this growing problem.”
To further gauge the impact of no COLAs on providers, CT Nonprofits and CCPA recently conducted a joint survey of their members that hold POS contracts with the state. The survey, which had a 33% response rate with 106 respondents, asked members what types of cost-savings mechanisms they implemented during FY11 in response to 3 years of 0% cost of service increases. The majority of respondents reported that their three main methods of coping with underfunding were a reduction to employee benefits, keeping positions vacant and delaying hiring. Nearly half of the respondents also reported reducing staff hours and cutting staff positions.
“While we are grateful for the Governor’s continued support of nonprofit community-based providers and those we serve, it is unfortunate that providers have had to employ mechanisms that negatively impact Connecticut’s economy in order to continue serving clients effectively,” said Ron Cretaro, Executive Director of Connecticut Association of Nonprofits. “Cuts to the safety net and deferring much needed COLAs not only result in fewer jobs, but also increases to what staff must pay for their health insurance. This added expense reduces the disposable income of a group that would typically spend it all within their local economy.”
Despite having to implement cost-saving strategies that harm the state’s economy, respondents also reported several innovative strategies for dealing with underfunding, such as entering into collaborations with other providers, employing green technologies, and engaging cost-efficient web-based solutions and billing systems that maximize revenue. Nonprofit community-based providers continue to think of creative, cost-efficient ways to meet the needs of their communities.
CCPA and CT Nonprofits both reiterated their thanks to Governor Malloy for proposing a 1% COLA for FY13, which would be effective January 1st. As this difficult economic climate persists, nonprofit community-based providers appreciate his continued commitment to the safety net. Both Associations called on the Appropriations Committee to maintain the Governor’s 1% COLA proposal but instead make it effective July 1, 2012 citing the acute need to address long-term underfunding. The provider community hopes that the Governor’s proposal is the first of several steps to be taken during the next biennial budget cycle that will correct chronic underfunding.
“Nonprofit community-based providers are a life line to our constituents. I thank them for all their hard work and am happy that the Governor has included a 1% increase to our providers,” said State Representative Catherine Abercrombie, Assistant Majority Whip (D-Berlin, Meriden). “Our providers deserve a much bigger increase, but in these economic times an increase of any amount I am sure is appreciated.”
CT Nonprofits and CCPA represent nonprofit community-based providers of health and human services under contract with and/or on a fee-for-service basis with DDS, DMHAS, DCF, DSS, DPH, SDE, DOC, CSSD, OPM, DOL, DECD and other state agencies. These providers deliver quality health and human services to 500,000 of Connecticut’s residents each year. They represent the state’s safety net.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 8, 2012
CONTACT: Terry Edelstein, President/CEO, (860) 573-8188 (cell)
FIRST COLA IN FIVE YEARS - Community Provider Statement on Governor’s FY13 Midterm Budget Adjustments
For the first time in 5 years, community based nonprofit organizations will receive a cost of living increase which will help us continue to serve some of Connecticut’s most vulnerable populations. A 1% adjustment over a half year is a great first step. We are pleased Governor Malloy has taken this first step at modernizing the safety net in order for us to deliver high quality services in a cost efficient way. We look forward to working together with the Governor and the legislature as we continue to preserve and modernize the safety net.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
MONDAY, JANUARY 30, 2012
CONTACT: Terry Edelstein, President/CEO, (860) 573-8188 (cell)
CONNECTICUT COMMUNITY PROVIDERS ASSOCIATION ANNOUNCES 2012 LEGISLATIVE AGENDA
Urges Governor, General Assembly to modernize safety net services
Hartford - The Connecticut Community Providers Association (CCPA) today released its 2012 legislative agenda, calling for the modernization of the safety net – the cost effective and efficient health and human services delivery system that assists people with mental and physical disabilities in leading meaningful and productive lives.
“Connecticut’s community providers are proud to have been serving the needs of over 500,000 state residents with disabilities and significant challenges in a cost-effective and high quality manner,” said Terry Edelstein, President and CEO of CCPA. “However, years of flat funding and increased costs have meant the deferral of vital improvements to the delivery system infrastructure that our clients rely on. Now the safety net is frayed. Our legislative policy agenda outlines important ways that we can partner with the state to modernize and revitalize that safety net.”
The 2011 CCPA Legislative Agenda calls for (see attached Legislative Agenda):
“Community providers have worked consistently over the years to find necessary savings while continuing to provide excellent care for the consumers we serve. Now we face a moment where we run the risk of destabilizing the network that has proven it can deliver efficient care that makes a difference in their lives,” said Gary Steck, CEO of Wellmore Behavioral Health and Chairman of the Board of Directors of CCPA. “We look forward to working with the Governor and legislature this session to find solutions to help us meet the challenges of the future.”
CCPA represents community-based providers across Connecticut that provide safety net services that allow people to live in the least restrictive settings possible, engage in and contribute to their communities and realize opportunities for well-being and productivity.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 18, 2012
Contact: Terry Edelstein, President/CEO, (860) 573-8188 (cell)
Connecticut Community Providers Association Expresses Appreciation to Governor Malloy
Hartford CT - Connecticut Community Providers Association expresses its appreciation to Governor Malloy for announcing a new initiative to streamline the Nonprofit Contracting Process. We welcome the opportunity of working with Deb Heinrich the Nonprofit Liaison to the Governor and the project team to modernize a process that will allow community providers to better meet the needs of the vulnerable individuals that they serve.
The contracting process is a critical infrastructure component that must be modernized and revitalized to meet the challenges of current demands while maintaining efficiency and high standards of care. We applaud the Governor for taking this critical step which will assist all nonprofit community providers.
The Connecticut Community Providers Association (CCPA) represents organizations that provide services and supports for people with disabilities and significant challenges including children and adults with substance use disorders, mental illness, developmental, and physical disabilities. Community providers deliver quality health and human services to 500,000 of Connecticut’s residents each year. We are the safety net.
All press inquiries should be directed to Terry Edelstein, President/CEO, CCPA. Please call the CCPA office: (860) 257-7909.
The Connecticut Community Providers Association (CCPA) represents organizations that provide services and supports for people with disabilities including people with addictions, mental illness, developmental, and physical disabilities. CCPA operates three divisions, developmental disabilities, behavioral health, and children's mental health & substance abuse, and is the lead advocate for rehabilitation and behavioral health service providers, supporting services for people with disabilities at the state legislature and with state agencies.
See the calendar to register!
New! 6/19/12 Seminar: Got Audits? Preparing for DSS Medicaid Audits under the final Child Rehabilitation Regulation & the proposed Clinic Regulation
5/30/12 - Essentials for Integrated Healthcare Entities (part of CCPA's Healthcare Reform Series)
5/31/12 - Federal Wage & Hour for Agencies Supporting Workers with Disabilities
6/6/12 & 6/7/12 - 2-day workshop on Supported Employment - Job Development: Creating Effective Parnterships.
