Below you will find the FY-10 annual report to the House and Senate Committees on Ways and Means on the projected use of funds encumbered or expended for account #5920-5000 (Turning 22). One of the most serious challenges the Department of Developmental Services has had, is to continually meet the needs of young people coming to DDS from Special Education when their school entitlement services end. This issue challenged the Department through the 90’s when funding was sporadic – including one year in which the program received no funding.  In the mid-90’s the House Committee on Ways and Means devised a set of numbers to meet the needs of the 450 Turning-22 cases that would be coming to DDS.  With an allocation of $6.9-million for new cases each year that would annualize to $13.69-million to continue their supports in succeeding fiscal years, the Legislature addressed the problem that kids could come out of Special Education with some skills only to see them erode in the adult system, without the adequate supports. It worked very well and the Department continued to make it work even as the number of cases coming to the Department has grown over the past few years.  

The census numbers continued to grow and in FY-06, it reached a critical stage when there were not enough resources available to close a funding shortfall to serve these young people. In FY07, our annualized appropriation increased to $17.6 million to continue their supports in the succeeding fiscal years. Going forward, the census numbers continued to grow.

FY98	FY99	FY00	FY01	FY02	FY03	FY04	FY05	FY06	FY07	FY08	FY09	FY10	
450	462	446	462	535	453	502	513	597	571	608	618	628	

For FY-10, DDS has identified 628 young people eligible for Turning 22 services.  In the approved FY10 budget, DDS received $5 million to serve the Turning 22 program. As opposed to previous appropriations, language is not included to annualize the amount needed to cover the funding going into FY11. With this revised downward budget, DDS is only able to serve the 172 young people identified as needing Community Based Residential Services with the 5920-5000 appropriation as they leave special education gradually over the course of the fiscal year. 

Community Based Residential Services – supports individuals in a wide range of living arrangements in the community. State and private vendors contracted with the Commonwealth manage the services. They range from small individual settings to group living situations. Appropriate vocational and transportation services are also arranged for this group. 

REGION	Central/West	Metro Boston	Northeast	Southeast	TOTAL	
#	65	40	31	36	172