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H 8339Funding & Budget

Making an Appropriation of $500,000 to the Rhode Island Parent Information Network

This resolution appropriates $500,000 to the Rhode Island Parent Information Network (RIPIN) to support special education and healthcare navigation.

Held for study
Population
Affected
35
Email Legislator
Introduced Mar 20, 2026Committee House Finance

Plain-English Summary

This resolution authorizes a $500,000 appropriation from the Rhode Island state treasury to the Rhode Island Parent Information Network (RIPIN) for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2027. RIPIN is a statewide nonprofit organization dedicated to assisting Rhode Islanders of all ages and abilities in navigating complex systems such as special education, healthcare, and healthy aging services.

The legislative text highlights RIPIN's extensive reach and community impact, noting that it is a peer-led organization primarily staffed by parents and caregivers of individuals with disabilities or special healthcare needs. As the state's federally-designated parent training and information center under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), RIPIN provides individualized support, live workshops, and online educational content to thousands of families. Furthermore, the organization actively participates in hundreds of individualized education program (IEP) meetings alongside families to ensure children receive appropriate educational accommodations.

Beyond special education, the funding will support RIPIN's broader community initiatives. These include a health insurance consumer assistance call center that has reportedly saved residents over $10 million since 2018 by resolving coverage disputes and preventing avoidable medical costs. The organization also provides essential peer support for families caring for vulnerable older adults and partners with state agencies on programs like Early Intervention and Maternal Child Health. This appropriation aims to sustain and bolster these critical support services for Rhode Island families.

For younger readers

This bill gives $500,000 to a local nonprofit group called the Rhode Island Parent Information Network (RIPIN). RIPIN helps families who have children with disabilities get the right education and healthcare. The money will allow them to keep helping people understand complicated health and school systems.

Who & Where It Applies

Impacted groups
Families of children with disabilitiesOlder adults and their caregiversRhode Islanders needing health insurance assistanceRIPIN staff and board members

Constitutional & Fiscal Check

Low. This is a standard legislative appropriation to a recognized nonprofit organization providing public services.

Estimated cost
$500,000
Estimated revenue
Not specified

Bill Analysis

Both viewpoints
For Progressives
  • Supports a nonprofit that directly aids vulnerable populations, including children with disabilities and older adults.
  • Funds healthcare navigation services that help consumers fight insurance denials and access necessary medical care.
  • Strengthens special education advocacy and parent engagement in the public school system.
  • Relies on a one-time legislative appropriation rather than permanent, structural funding for these essential services.
  • Progressives might prefer these navigation services to be fully integrated and funded within state agencies rather than outsourced to a nonprofit.
For Conservatives
  • Supports an organization with a proven track record of saving taxpayers and consumers money (e.g., $10 million saved since 2018).
  • Empowers parents to navigate the education system and advocate for their children's individual needs.
  • Leverages a community-based, peer-led nonprofit model rather than expanding the size of the state government bureaucracy.
  • Increases state spending by $500,000 outside of the standard agency budget process.
  • Directs taxpayer funds to a private nonprofit organization, which some fiscal conservatives may oppose on principle.

Votes

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Full Bill Text

WHEREAS, The Rhode Island Parent Information Network (RIPIN) is a statewide nonprofit of peer professionals on a mission to help Rhode Islanders of all abilities, ages, and background get the support they need to thrive; and

WHEREAS, RIPIN helps Rhode Islanders navigate special education, health care, and healthy aging; and

WHEREAS, RIPIN is a peer-led organization founded 35 years ago by parents of children with disabilities, and most of RIPIN’s board and staff are parents or caregivers of a loved one with a disability or special healthcare need; and

WHEREAS, RIPIN delivers large-scale, front-line impact, with more than 115,000 client encounters in 2025; and

WHEREAS, RIPIN is Rhode Island’s federally-designated parent training and information center for special education under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), and in 20 RIPIN’s special education team provided individualized support to a record number of more than 2,000 families; reached 3,000 families with live workshops and 20,000 families with pre-recorded online content; and attended 650 individualized education program meetings with families; and

WHEREAS, RIPIN’s health insurance consumer assistance call center serves 3,0 Rhode Islanders annually and has saved Rhode Islanders more than $10,000,000 since 2018 by resolving coverage problems and preventing avoidable costs; and

WHEREAS, RIPIN also provides peer support to families caring for vulnerable older adults, helping more older adults get the support they need to live healthy and independent lives in the community; and

WHEREAS, RIPIN is a key systems partner for state agencies, under contract to provide peer support and parent engagement for priority initiatives such as Early Intervention and Maternal Child Health; now, therefore be it

RESOLVED, That there is hereby appropriated, out of money in the treasury not otherwise appropriated for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2027, the sum of five hundred thousand dollars ($500,000) to the Rhode Island Parent Information Network; and the state controller is hereby authorized and directed to draw their orders upon the general treasurer for the payment of said sum, or so much thereof as may be from time to time required, upon receipt of properly authenticated vouchers. EXPLANATION BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL OF JOINTRESOLUTION MAKING AN APPROPRIATION OF $500,0 TO THE RHODE ISLAND PARENT INFORMATION NETWORK *** This resolution would authorize the appropriation of the sum of $500,000 to RIPIN.