WCDC pushing back against federal cut of work program

Worcester County Developmental Center in Newark is fighting new federal regulations that threaten to compromise the ability of the center, and similar ones statewide, to assist people with disabilities with vocational training.

While the state is developing a plan to comply with the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services’ rule on Home and Community Based Services [CMS], the developmental center is requesting letters of support during the public comment period that ends Feb. 15.

“CMS provides approximately half of the funding for services to people with disabilities across the country,” Jack Ferry, the center’s executive director said in a statement. “States do not want to take any chances with this large amount of money. CMS wants people with disabilities to be more integrated into the community and so do we. However, all people with a disability are being painted with a broad stroke, which could jeopardize individual choice.”
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