Helping people with disabilities live outside nursing homes helps maintain dignity, advocate tells lawmakers

Cara Ruff says $18 million is mere “decimal dust” in the multi-billion-dollar biennial state budget now under consideration.

Ruff supports a bill that would appropriate that amount for grants to help people with disabilities live their lives as independently as possible – and out of expensive nursing homes that the state often pays for through Medicaid.

“We can restore dignity and choice and save millions of dollars for taxpayers,” said Ruff, executive director of Independent Lifestyles, a center for independent living in Sauk Rapids.

Rep. Dan Wolgamott (DFL-St. Cloud) agrees.

“It is a great investment in people that has a fantastic return in both measurable and immeasurable ways,” Wolgamott told the House Workforce and Business Development Finance and Policy Committee Wednesday.

Wolgamott sponsors HF264, which would appropriate $18 million in the 2022-23 biennium for grants to the eight nonprofit centers for independent living in the state, which provide vocational rehabilitation services to people with disabilities.

It was held over for possible omnibus bill inclusion. The companion, SF207, sponsored by Sen. Karin Housley (R-St. Marys Point), awaits action by the Senate Jobs and Economic Growth Finance and Policy Committee.

Ruff said that in 2017 and 2018, the eight centers for independent living in the state provided all necessary services and support for 32 people with disabilities living in a nursing home to relocate to an independent living situation. That led to savings in state Medicaid costs of $3.45 million.

In that same time period, Ruff said these centers prevented the placement of 2,017 people with disabilities in a nursing home or other skilled facility by providing instrumental services and support to allow them to live independently in their homes.

Ruff said the savings resulting from just 25% of those diversions represent a $54.5 million savings in state Medicaid costs.