Our society has agreed it will protect our most vulnerable residents. The commitment to this mission, one of society’s most important goals, goes without debate. Contract human service providers are proud to be part of the network of protection that the Commonwealth has created to serve almost 1 million people. This broad system of care provides safety, health care, community living, safety, education, protection from homelessness and abuse to thousands of children, individuals and families. The human service provider serves our friends and neighbors and builds stronger communities for all of us.

Senate 65 seeks to establish a fair system to ensure that Massachusetts human service providers receive adequate rates from the Commonwealth for the cost of delivering services to a million residents in need of care because of mental health issues, developmental disabilities and threats against their personal safety.

The state has not appropriated any money since 1987 to reflect the increased operating costs of providing care in community-bases settings. Because of this neglect, a majority of providers are struggling to maintain quality service as they have faced two decades of rising personnel costs, insurance premiums, utilities and transportation costs.

The legislation moves the responsibility of setting the rates from the Division of Purchased Services and the Operational Services Division (located within the Executive Office of Administration and Finance) to the Division of Health Care Finance and Policy (located within the Executive Office of Health and Human Services).

In practice, the legislation would create a fair playing field for hundreds of community-based providers. It would enable them to bid on contracts set by the state based upon the actual cost of providing such services. It would ensure transparency in the rate-setting system, and create a system of appeals. It would allow providers to more effectively budget, which would increase salaries for low paid workers, retain capable employees, and ultimately raise the level of care received by the most vulnerable residents in Massachusetts.

It would also allow one of the Commonwealth’s largest and fastest growing economic sectors to become financially viable. Human service providers employ over 185,000 workers, generate more than $112 million to Massachusetts local economies in state and local taxes.

Senate Bill 65 is sponsored by Sen. Gale Candaras. It was heard by the Joint Committee on Children, Families and Persons with Disabilities on November 28, 2007.