Autism, developmental disabilities get big budget recommendations from Nixon

From St. Louis Post-Dispatch, Jan. 20, 2016

COLUMBIA – Gov. Jay Nixon’s final budget recommendations as the head of the state’s executive branch will include significant investments in developmental disabilities.

Nixon, a Democrat, announced Friday he is recommending lawmakers drop $131 million of state and federal funds into the Department of Mental Health’s Division of Developmental Disabilities for the 2017 budget year that begins July 1.

On Wednesday, the governor will present his budget recommendations to the Legislature at the annual State of the State. It will be Nixon’s eighth and final time recommending a state budget because he is termed out as governor.

This increase includes $5 million to expand the University of Missouri’s Thompson Center to allow for 2,000 more visits each year and the training of 100 more providers over the next five years.

“Here in Missouri, we believe that all children — including those with autism — deserve the opportunity to live up to their God-given potential,” Nixon said Friday at the center.

His recommendations also include $1 million to launch an autism clinic at Truman State University and $500,000 to expand services at the Mercy Kids Autism Center in the St. Louis region.

It also includes $14 million to keep the waiting list for in-home Medicaid services for developmentally disabled individuals at zero.

Nixon already has proposed a $55.7 million increase for colleges and universities across the state.

Lawmakers will have to sign off on all of Nixon’s budget recommendations for them to become a reality.