Public Policy Updates

Stay tuned throughout the next few months as the Providers' Council gives members periodic updates on the budget process and critical action steps. 

On May 12, the Providers' Council gave testimony on both the administration's decision to close Fernald and three other institutions and on new data encryption regulations that would affect providers. You can read the testimony below.

• Fernald testimony
• Data Encryption Regulations testimony

On January 28th the Governor released the Patrick-Murray Administration Emergency Recover Plan - a multi-pronged strategy, including a FY 2009 "budget solve", the FY 2010 budget, and a number of cost-saving reforms and proposals.  Click here for complete information.  The budget will move on to the House and Senate for subsequent iterations of the budget.   Information will be available to members on our strategy and request to the House and Senate soon.

On January 16, the Council delivered the following testimony to the Office of Consumer Affairs and Business Regulation regarding: 201 CMR 17.00 - Standards for the Protection of Personal Information of Residents of the Commonwealth.  The Council is pursing an exemption from these regulations for contract human service providers.

The Providers' Council, as it encourages civic engagement for all members, their staff, and the people they serve runs an active voter registration and get-out-the-vote effort know as CareVote.  Click here for more information.