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Arkansas Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders Addresses Medicaid Waiver Waitlist Concerns

Arkansas Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders Addresses Medicaid Waiver Waitlist Concerns

Arkansas Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders has announced a framework to provide in-home supportive living services for approximately 2,500 disabled Arkansans currently on a waitlist for the Medicaid-funded Community and Employment Support (CES) Waiver program. This announcement comes amidst calls from families and advocates for a special legislative session to address the backlog. The governor's proposal, estimated to cost $17 million, aims to begin providing these services by January 2027 at the latest. The CES Waiver program is designed to help individuals with disabilities live at home rather than in institutional settings, but its enrollment is limited, leading to significant waitlists. Families, including those with children requiring extensive care due to conditions like Rett syndrome, have expressed frustration over the delays and the financial strain of providing care without state support. While Governor Sanders plans to seek legislative action for both short-term and long-term funding in the upcomi...

Arkansas Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders Bolsters Services for Children with Disabilities Amidst Public Outcry

Arkansas Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders Bolsters Services for Children with Disabilities Amidst Public Outcry

Arkansas Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders announced that the Department of Human Services (DHS) will provide supportive living services to families on the waiting list for the Community and Employment Services (CES) Medicaid waiver. This decision comes in response to growing demands from families and public outcry for a special legislative session to address the long waitlist, which includes over 2,400 Arkansas families seeking health insurance coverage for their children's complex medical and non-medical needs. While families on the waitlist can receive most waiver services, supportive living services—affordable in-home care for people with disabilities—were a notable exception and highly requested. The DHS will also work on additional long-term solutions. The changes are expected to cost $17 million, and Governor Sanders plans to meet with lawmakers to discuss short-term and long-term funding.

Governor Sanders Proposes Supportive Living Aid for Arkansas Disability Waiver Waitlist

Governor Sanders Proposes Supportive Living Aid for Arkansas Disability Waiver Waitlist

Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders has announced a plan to provide supportive living services to families on Arkansas' Community and Employment Support (CES) Waiver waitlist. This initiative, set to begin in January, aims to offer in-home care for individuals with disabilities. The CES Waiver is a Medicaid program designed to help Arkansans with intellectual or developmental disabilities live and work within their communities. Currently, over 2,400 families are on the waitlist for these services. While families on the waitlist can access 25 of the 29 services available through the CES Waiver, supportive living is one of the four services previously unavailable and is the most frequently requested. The administration estimates the cost of providing these services to be $17 million and will engage in discussions with state lawmakers regarding funding. This proposal comes after significant public outcry and advocacy from families struggling to access disability services, with many sharing their experiences on so...

Arkansas Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders Approves $8.2 Million for State Water Projects

Arkansas Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders Approves $8.2 Million for State Water Projects

Arkansas Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders announced the approval of $8.2 million in financial assistance for water and wastewater projects across the state. This funding addresses the significant water infrastructure needs in Arkansas, which are estimated to exceed $20 billion over the next two decades due to aging systems and insufficient capacity. Three specific projects received approval: a $100,000 emergency loan from the Water Development Fund for the City of Black Rock in Lawrence County to improve a sewer lift station, serving 590 customers; another $100,000 emergency loan for the City of Stamps in Lafayette County for wastewater treatment plant repair, serving 1,258 customers; and an $8 million loan from the General Obligation Bond Program for the White River Regional Irrigation District in Prairie County. The latter will support the Grand Prairie Demonstration Project, aiming to provide surface water irrigation to over 362,000 acres in critical groundwater areas. Governor Sanders emphasized that re...

Arkansas Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders Allocates $8.2 Million for Water Infrastructure Projects

Arkansas Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders Allocates $8.2 Million for Water Infrastructure Projects

Arkansas Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders has announced the allocation of $8.2 million in financial assistance for water and wastewater projects across the state. This funding will support three specific projects: an $8 million loan from the General Obligation Bond Program for the White River Regional Irrigation District in Prairie County, a $100,000 emergency loan from the Water Development Fund for the City of Black Rock in Lawrence County, and another $100,000 emergency loan from the Water Development Fund for the City of Stamps in Lafayette County. The irrigation project aims to provide surface water irrigation to over 362,000 acres within critical groundwater areas, while the two city projects will address sewer lift station improvements and wastewater treatment plant repair, directly benefiting over 1,848 residents. Governor Sanders emphasized that reliable water infrastructure is crucial for Arkansas's growth, supporting farms, businesses, families, and communities.

U.S. Representative Rick Crawford Gains Support for Sultana Disaster Commemorative Coins

U.S. Representative Rick Crawford Gains Support for Sultana Disaster Commemorative Coins

U.S. Representative Rick Crawford is leading an initiative to create commemorative coins honoring the victims of the Sultana steamboat disaster. Actor Sean Astin, executive producer and narrator of the documentary 'Remember the Sultana,' has publicly supported Crawford's efforts, viewing the coins as a crucial 'touchpoint' to acknowledge the tragedy. The proposed legislation, H.R. 7801, introduced in 2024, suggests issuing $5 gold coins, $1 silver coins, and half-dollar coins in 2027. These coins would include surcharges of $35, $10, and $5, respectively, with the proceeds benefiting the Sultana Historical Preservation Society. The funds are intended to support the construction, exhibits, artifact preservation, and operational reserves of the Sultana Disaster Museum. The measure also stipulates that the U.S. Treasury must recover the program's costs before distributing funds, ensuring no net cost to the federal government. The Sultana steamboat disaster, which occurred on April 27, 1865, near the Arkansas ...

Governor Sanders Announces Plan to Provide Supportive Living Services for Arkansans on CES Waiver Waitlist

Governor Sanders Announces Plan to Provide Supportive Living Services for Arkansans on CES Waiver Waitlist

Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders, alongside Secretary of the Department of Human Services (DHS) Janet Mann, has announced a new framework to provide supportive living services to families on Arkansas's Community and Employment Support (CES) Waiver waitlist. This initiative aims to address the long-standing concerns of families seeking in-home care for individuals with disabilities. Currently, the CES waiver program has a maximum enrollment of 8,233 individuals, with 2,464 people on the waitlist. While those on the waitlist can access 25 out of 29 available services, supportive living services, which help individuals with disabilities live at home by covering in-home care costs, were previously unavailable. The DHS will begin working with the Provider-Led Arkansas Shared Savings Entity (PASSE) system to make these services accessible to eligible individuals on the waitlist, all of whom are automatically enrolled in PASSE. The estimated cost for providing these services to individuals on the waitlist is $17 m...

Governor Sanders Announces Plan to Provide Supportive Living Services to Families on CES Waiver Waitlist

Governor Sanders Announces Plan to Provide Supportive Living Services to Families on CES Waiver Waitlist

Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders has announced a new initiative to provide supportive living services to families currently on the Community and Employment Support (CES) Waiver waitlist in Arkansas. This plan, unveiled on September 15, aims to address the most frequently requested service by these families: in-home care for individuals with disabilities. The Department of Human Services (DHS) will begin working on implementing these services, with an estimated cost of $17 million. The CES Waiver program, which helps individuals with disabilities live at home, currently has a maximum enrollment of 8,233 and a waitlist of 2,464. Families on the waitlist can already access 25 out of 29 available services, but supportive living services were previously unavailable. Governor Sanders emphasized that this plan will provide these critical services to every eligible Arkansan, regardless of their enrollment status in the CES waiver.

Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders Campaigns on 'Normal Versus Crazy' Platform, Emphasizing Stance on Women's Sports

Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders Campaigns on 'Normal Versus Crazy' Platform, Emphasizing Stance on Women's Sports

Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders (R., Ark.) is centering her reelection campaign on a platform of "normal versus crazy," as highlighted in her latest ad, "Not Comply," obtained exclusively by the Washington Reporter. The ad depicts a scenario where a male athlete joins a female cross-country team, with a D.C. bureaucrat stating it's necessary for federal funding. Sanders asserts that in 2024, the Biden administration mandated allowing men to participate in women's sports or states would lose federal funding, a directive she claims Arkansas did not comply with. She states, "I won the fight to keep men out of women’s sports, locker rooms, and restrooms, and I will always stand for what’s right against the out of control left." Sanders further emphasized to the Reporter that the political dividing line is now "normal versus crazy," and she is proud of Arkansas's stance on this issue. She is widely expected to win against Democratic state Senator Fredrick Love in the upcoming November election.

New DHS director plans to build on Allegheny County's data-driven approach

New DHS director plans to build on Allegheny County's data-driven approach

Alex Jutca has been selected as the next director of Allegheny County's Department of Human Services after a national search. County leaders say the former analytics chief will continue the agency's data-driven approach to addressing homelessness, behavioral health, child welfare and other services

Trump faces tight timeline to appoint judges as midterms loom

Trump faces tight timeline to appoint judges as midterms loom

By Nate Raymond Sept 16 (Reuters) - With Republican control of the U.S. Senate in doubt, President Donald Trump's White House is pushing to confirm a raft of new federal judges before the year's end.

Heat Dome Keeps South-Central US Sizzling This Week

Heat Dome Keeps South-Central US Sizzling This Week

A new heat dome is set to bring several days of above-average temperatures across the south-central and southeastern US in mid-September. More than a dozen states could see highs in the upper 80s to upper 90s, with parts of Texas, Oklahoma, Louisiana and Arkansas reaching 100°F or higher. Humidity, sunshine and light winds could push RealFeel temperatures 5–10°F above actual readings and worsen air quality. Severe storms and downpours may develop around the heat dome, while cooler weather and early frost affect parts of the Northeast.