A Look Back - History of The 317 Plan

In 1997, Governor Frank O'Bannon signed Senate Enrolled Act 317 into law. This law called for the development of a task force made up of consumers, advocates and state officials to study services for people with developmental disabilities. This came to be known as the 317 Task Force.

In July 1998, the 317 Task Force released the Comprehensive Plan for the Design of Services for People with Developmental Disabilities  -- more commonly known as the 317 Plan. The report identified over 6,000 people as waiting for home and community based services, and called for a new direction in the delivery of services for people with developmental disabilities in Indiana.

The 317 Plan made the following recommendations, to achieve the goal of designing and implementing a system for providing persons with developmental disabilities in Indiana with individualized choices and supports to live, learn, work, and play in typical community settings.

Implement and improve person centered planning and person centered funding designs for all persons with developmental disabilities served by FSSA.

Redirect funding away from congregate settings to integrated residential, day services, and employment settings based on choices of individuals and families and principles of person centered planning.

Assure and improve the quality of services delivered to individuals with developmental disabilities.

Build the community capacity to provide individualized and person centered services in typical community settings across Indiana.

Secure financial resources to respond to the demand for services of persons with developmental disabilities and their families.

Priority needs identified by the plan included:

Support children aging out of residential services funded by sources other than the Bureau of Developmental and Disability Services (BDDS).

Fund emergency cases when caregivers are no longer able to provide care.

Provide services to over 1,300 Hoosiers on long waiting lists for services.

Prevent crisis situations by providing support services to keep families together.

Respond to crisis cases that need immediate attention and long-term supports.

Maintain existing services to keep people at home and at work.

The biennial budget bill passed by the 1999 Indiana General Assembly included $39.3 million for services for people with developmental disabilities -- full funding for the 317 Plan -- for State Fiscal Years 2000 - 2001. Governor Frank O=Bannon signed the budget bill, and July 1, 1999, marked the day that funds began impacting the lives of individuals with developmental disabilities.

The biennial budget bill passed by the 2001 Indiana General Assembly included $43.6 million to implement the second phase of the 317 Plan. Money from the federal Tobacco Settlement was used as the source of the funding. Due to the state’s fiscal crisis, approximately $26 million of this appropriation was never allowed to be spent. However, efforts to maximize the use of federal dollars by moving eligible persons receiving services from 100% state funded services to Medicaid waiver funding, which is approximately 62% federal funding and 38% state funding, not only helped to offset this loss, but also provided an additional $25 million that went toward the state budget crisis.

Due to the state’s fiscal situation, no new funds were included in the biennial budget bill approved in the 2003 session of the Indiana General Assembly.

Finally, in September, 2006, families were once again targeted for Medicaid Waivers; allowing families who have waited as long as fourteen years to finally receive long needed supports.  Letters were sent by certified mail on Friday, September 1, 2006 to families waiting for the Developmental Disability, Autism or Support Services Waiver.   53 families targeted for the Autism Waiver, 127 for the Developmental Disabilities Waiver, and 600 for the Support Services Waiver. 

Implementation of the 317 Plan has made a difference; however, there are still long waiting lists for home and community based services, and crises occur every day. Continued vigilance is needed to address the critical issue of  people waiting for quality home and community based services.