Pam Matheson spoke at a community rally Thursday night from her wheelchair, her 39-year-old adopted son at her side in his wheelchair.

“Matthew has wanted all his life to be a regular guy,” she told several legislators and more than 250 people who had crammed into Ellicott City Assembly of God Church to protest state budget cuts to developmental disabilities programs.

Matthew, who doesn't speak and weighs only 53 pounds, sat placidly beside her.

“He hated being at Rosewood [Center] and they've closed it, but now they're decimating community services,” she said, referring to the $30 million in cuts made since July 1.
 
“His five nights out each week have been reduced to three and that means staying home, getting his diaper changed and being fed through his stomach tube.

“Matthew was given the right to life, liberty and pursuit of happiness,” she said directly to state legislators seated in the front row. “Look Matthew and his peers in the eye and tell them why you're taking their services away.”

The Howard County Town Hall Meeting was the second of eight forums planned across the state and was sponsored locally by The Arc of Howard County, eMerge, Howard County Autism Society, and Humanim.
 
Matheson was one of 17 speakers, some of them with development disabilities, to offer emotion-filled testimony about losing or not having programs they desperately need.
 
There are 19,000 people on a statewide waiting list for services that is managed by the Developmental Disabilities Administration, said Laura Howell, executive director of the Maryland Association of Community Services. About 800 adults and children from Howard County are among that number, she said.

Meanwhile, the 22,000 people who receive services have had their programs slashed since the start of fiscal year 2010, she said, adding that a third round of budget cuts is expected in early November.
 
A year-long effort by DDA workers to weed out names that might no longer belong on the waiting list -- because of changes in status, moving out of state, or death of applicant -- will culminate in January and should lower that figure, Howell said after the meeting.
“Cleaning up the list is a pretty big undertaking so it doesn't happen routinely,” she said.

'We are all gravely concerned'
 
“Over a 10-year period, just keeping pace with inflation, DDA has been underfunded by $100 million,” Howell told the audience, which included Maryland Department of Disabilities Secretary Cathy Raggio and Renata Henry, deputy secretary of behavioral health and disabilities for the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene.
 
“Support staff workers earn an average of $10 an hour here in the wealthiest county in the wealthiest state, forcing them to work two or three jobs” to make ends meet, or to seek employment elsewhere, she said. “But community service providers are only reimbursed at a rate of $9 an hour, so already we have a shortfall.”

Howell said money for service coordinators, who provide an important oversight service, was cut by 15 percent; $1 million was cut from the rolling-access fund that grants waiting-list families up to $3,000 year; and $1 million was cut from the respite care program, which provides breaks for caregivers.

“We are all gravely concerned,” she said.
 
Dorothy Plantz, co-chair of The Arc's governmental affairs committee, told the crowd that despite its wealth, Maryland is ranked 43rd for spending on developmental disabilities issues and devotes 21 percent less funding to that category than the average state.

Plantz, whose 27-year-old son Matthew has been on the waiting list for eight years, said, “It's time for our 'One Maryland' slogan to include all citizens.”

Pat and Dan Sullivan held up a photograph of their 21-year-old son Ryan, telling the audience that he has Down's syndrome, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and autism.

Dan Sullivan said he's blind in his left eye and losing his vision in his right, yet he might have to retire from his job and attempt to be Ryan's caregiver since his son has lost vital support services.

Legislators' response

As citizen testimony drew to a close, moderator Ed Wilson opened the floor to legislators.

“I would be angry and frustrated if I were in your position,” Sen. Edward J. Kasemeyer told the crowd. “We will make an effort to correct cuts that were inappropriately directed at you.”

Sen. James N. Robey said he “was not prepared to make any more cuts” to developmental disabilities services. “And I promise to vote for the [5 cent per drink] alcohol tax if the proceeds benefit DDA, and if it ever gets out of committee.”

Sen. Allan H. Kittleman said he wanted to apologize “because our government doesn't place a priority on you.”

“I'm not sure the alcohol tax is the answer, because they could give that money to you and then take it away again somewhere else,” he said.

The next forum is planned in Severna Park on Monday. More information on the DDA waiting list is available at endthewaitnow.com.

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