1-1 By: Madla S.C.R. No. 80
1-2 (In the Senate - Filed April 29, 1993; April 30, 1993, read
1-3 first time and referred to Committee on Health and Human Services;
1-4 May 11, 1993, reported favorably by the following vote: Yeas 9,
1-5 Nays 0; May 11, 1993, sent to printer.)
1-6 COMMITTEE VOTE
1-7 Yea Nay PNV Absent
1-8 Zaffirini x
1-9 Ellis x
1-10 Madla x
1-11 Moncrief x
1-12 Nelson x
1-13 Patterson x
1-14 Shelley x
1-15 Truan x
1-16 Wentworth x
1-17 SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
1-18 WHEREAS, The recent implementation of the federal Americans
1-19 With Disabilities Act (ADA) has focused greater attention on the
1-20 unique needs of persons with physically, mentally, or emotionally
1-21 handicapping conditions; and
1-22 WHEREAS, Such individuals can live productive and fulfilling
1-23 lives when given technical assistance, therapy, training, and
1-24 support, and the State of Texas offers a wide array of such
1-25 services under the auspices of several different health and human
1-26 services agencies; and
1-27 WHEREAS, Simply having these services available, however, is
1-28 not enough; those citizens in need of assistance must be able to
1-29 locate and use the programs that are most beneficial to them, and
1-30 that process is complicated by the current, uncoordinated system
1-31 that houses services in several different state agencies while
1-32 failing to provide a cohesive picture of all available services;
1-33 and
1-34 WHEREAS, Deaf-blind individuals are particularly at risk
1-35 because services for them are offered through as many as five
1-36 different state agencies, each of which has different criteria for
1-37 evaluating persons applying for aid; many of these agencies work
1-38 within certain age limits, and as individuals grow older and age
1-39 out of one program, they often remain unaware that other programs
1-40 exist at different agencies to serve their changing needs; and
1-41 WHEREAS, Moreover, many individuals who are deaf-blind also
1-42 have additional disabilities that qualify them for a variety of
1-43 other services, but persons with multiple disabilities are rarely
1-44 encouraged to pursue all the forms of aid that exist for them and
1-45 often they are unaware that they qualify for additional programs;
1-46 and
1-47 WHEREAS, Even when individuals in need of help are aware of
1-48 the opportunities available to them, they are often impeded in
1-49 their attempts to obtain services by the very disabilities that
1-50 qualify them for the aid; if these individuals are unable to apply
1-51 for services to which they are entitled because they cannot
1-52 communicate with the provider or because they cannot arrange
1-53 transportation to an agency office, then the existing programs are
1-54 not meeting the needs of those whom they are intended to serve; and
1-55 WHEREAS, Service providers must employ more workers, such as
1-56 communication and mobility specialists, who are familiar with the
1-57 specific needs of their clients if they hope to address this
1-58 serious problem, and the provisions of the ADA require that they do
1-59 so in a timely fashion; and
1-60 WHEREAS, State agencies can vastly improve the quality and
1-61 efficiency of current health and human services programs by
1-62 streamlining their operations, by informing their clients of all
1-63 available programs, and by ensuring that all Texans have equal
1-64 access to state services, and in doing so they will bring the
1-65 State of Texas into greater compliance with the tenets of the ADA;
1-66 now, therefore, be it
1-67 RESOLVED, That the 73rd Legislature of the State of Texas
1-68 hereby direct all state agencies that are involved in the provision
2-1 of health and human services to people with disabilities to develop
2-2 and implement policies to improve access to state services by
2-3 persons with disabilities and to monitor compliance with these
2-4 policies by their contracted service providers.
2-5 * * * * *
2-6 Austin,
2-7 Texas
2-8 May 11, 1993
2-9 Hon. Bob Bullock
2-10 President of the Senate
2-11 Sir:
2-12 We, your Committee on Health and Human Services to which was
2-13 referred S.C.R. No. 80, have had the same under consideration, and
2-14 I am instructed to report it back to the Senate with the
2-15 recommendation that it do pass and be printed.
2-16 Zaffirini,
2-17 Chair
2-18 * * * * *
2-19 WITNESSES
2-20 FOR AGAINST ON
2-21 ___________________________________________________________________
2-22 Name: Deborah Berndt x
2-23 Representing: Mental Health Association, TX
2-24 City: Austin
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