On Feb. 22 and 23, MIH Executive Director Tim Wiens and Director of Housing Sharonda Huffman submitted oral and written testimony concerning the FY24 Budget of the Maryland Department of Health, Developmental Disabilities Administration (DDA). The testimony was submitted to the Health and Human Services Subcommittee of the Senate Budget and Taxation Committee and the Health and Social Services Subcommittee of the House Appropriations Committee.
Wiens thanked the committees for including $250,000 in FY24 budget and encouraged the legislature to support the appropriation. He also urged the legislature and DDA to include funding for 100 additional Marylanders in the DDA’s Rent Subsidy Program in FY24, which enables eligible Marylanders with intellectual and developmental disabilities, to rent a home and pay just 30% of their total household income for rent ant basic utilities. His full testimony can be viewed here.
“As a mother of an adult with a developmental disability, I believe that every Marylander, including those with disabilities, should have a place to call home,” said Huffman in her delivery. The full testimony can be viewed here.
Our team was able to attend Developmental Disabilities Day at the Legislature and listen to dignitaries such as Gov. Wes Moore, Lt. Gov. Aruna Miller, Maryland Secretary of Disabilities Carol Beatty and State Sen. Cory McCray speak. We also had the opportunity to meet with partners such as Maryland Department of Health Secretary Laura Herrara Scott, Maryland Developmental Disabilities Council Executive Director Rachel London and Arc Maryland Executive Director Ande Kolp.
To view the photo gallery from our testimony and Disabilities Day at the Legislature click here!