State resources expended on developmental disabilities in Connecticut

The State of Connecticut currently spends approximately $1.6 billion annually in programs that provide supports or services for developmental disabilities.

Representative budgets for salient line items in the Connecticut State Budget

Line Item

FY 20

FY 21

DDS Community Residential Services

622,412,127

638,014,602

DDS Employment Opportunities and Day Services

277,945,780

289,183,217

Community First Choice

131,156,441

149,521,143

DSS DMHAS-Disproportionate Share

108,935,000

108,935,000

Medicaid ICF/IID

66,317,176

66,765,226

DMHAS Grants for Mental Health Services

66,316,598

66,316,598

DSS Aid To The Disabled

59,713,700

59,683,700

DMHAS Managed Service System

55,924,095

56,333,880

DOT ADA Para-transit Program

43,303,827

44,819,461

DMHAS General Assistance Managed Care

40,377,409

40,722,054

Medicaid Birth to Three

30,212,000

30,814,000

DSS Autism Services

23,224,592

26,224,592

DMHAS Housing Supports and Services

22,966,163

22,966,163

DDS Behavioral Services Program

23,044,686

22,571,979

DMHAS Home and Community Based Services

20,980,076

22,220,669

DMHAS Employment Opportunities

8,791,514

8,791,514

ADS Vocational Rehabilitation - Disabled

7,279,075

7,279,075

DDS Rent Subsidy Program

4,782,312

4,782,312

DDS IDASH & ID Partnership

1,879,000

2,929,000

Medicaid Personal Care Assistance (PCA) Waiver

2,568,672

2,837,399

Medicaid Mental Health Waiver

1,444,000

1,494,000

ADS Employment Opportunities – Blind & Disabled

1,021,990

1,021,990

ADS Independent Living Centers

612,725

612,725

DSS Services for Persons With Disabilities

276,362

276,362

Total

1,621,485,320

1,675,116,661



Note these budgets do not include expenditures on state personnel which are not categorized according to the nature of the service provided by the personnel. Nor does the table include state funding for special education which is included in the Education Cost Sharing grants to municipalities.

Supports and services for intellectual disabilities receive about 61% of this funding. Mental health and addition services receive about 16%. Services for autism without co-occurring intellectual disability, i.e. diagnosis of autism with IQ > 69, receive only about 2% of the total funding for developmental disabilities. 

Total funding for developmental disabilities increases by about 3% per year. The largest recent percentage increases have been in the DDS IDASH & ID Partnership (56%), Community First Choice (14%), Autism Services (13%), the Medicaid Personal Care Assistance (PCA) Waiver (10%), and DMHAS Home and Community Based Services (6%). The largest dollar increases have been in Community First Choice, DDS Community Residential Services, DDS Employment Opportunities and Day Services, and DSS Autism Services.