Newly minted governor of Missouri, Matt Blunt, has been towing the GOP party line in laying out his proposed budget cuts. One of the biggest changes was cutting social outreach programs including Missouri's First Steps program for children with developmental disabilities. Luckily, the people have made a difference because today in Chesterfield, he said that he would try to pay for the program in several ways.
Blunt's earlier statements that the program was going to end drew strong criticism from families that have used the program. In the face of that opposition, he has retreated somewhat from his plan.
From the St. Louis Post-Dispatch:
First, he said, he would seek a bill to require insurance companies to cover four different kinds of therapy for children -- physical, occupational, speech and assistive technology.
He also said he would ask parents who have the ability to pay to put in money fro the program, which he said would bring in $2 million a year. Finally, he said he expects he could fund the program with $14.5 million the state will save from changes in Medicaid.
Parents and providers in the program said Blunt's statements today represent a turnaround from his earlier position, but the governor said he had intended all along to keep First Steps.
Full story here.
Granted, Blunt is a relative newcomer to politics and more easily led to bow to pressure than a seasoned pro, but certainly looks like a win! If it can happen in Missouri where the government is controlled by GOP majority, it can happen anywhere.