Tag: Action Alert

ACTION ALERT! Tell Congress Medicaid is a Lifeline for People with Disabilities

In case you missed it, The Arc of the United States hosted an informative webinar last week on “Medicaid Advocacy in 2025”, and is now available to watch! The webinar included the basics about Medicaid and the programs it funds, as well as the growing concern of potential cuts to Medicaid and what you can do NOW to protect it.  Click HERE to watch.

This week, the Congress is discussing a proposed plan to cut Medicaid by $2.3 Trillion. Medicaid funds about 70% of California’s Medi-Cal programs. Medi-Cal is the state’s name for Medicaid. This is a VERY SERIOUS CONCERN! Should these cuts get passed by Congress, 505,000 Californians with developmental disabilities, their families, and those who provide their vital services and supports will be severely impacted.  In Home Support Services (IHSS), Home and Community Based Services (HCBS), the Self-Determination Program (SDP), Early Intervention, employment programs, independent living services, heath care services, and so much more, are all funded by Medicaid.

We need EVERY person in the disability community to CONTACT THEIR MEMBERS OF CONGRESS NOW!  Emailing your members takes two minutes and is only one click away! Click HERE to ACT NOW!

Record a Video Message to Share with Governor Newsom Rejecting His Proposed $1 Billion in Budget Cuts

The clock is ticking! Legislators and the Governor are negotiating the final 2024-25 State Budget in the next several days. The Governor has proposed a $1 billion delay/cut to funding vital disability services that will have devastating consequences for Californians with developmental disabilities and their families, and worsen the existing staffing crisis of direct support professional. It is one of the LARGEST delays/cuts to funding in the Governor’s budget, and it sends a message that the disability community is not a priority.

Please take 5 mins of your day to record a short video letting the Governor and legislators know that any delays in funding will be detrimental to the quality of life for people with disabilities and their access to a lifeline of services. Tell them: “Do NOT delay or cut critically-needed funding for disability services from this year’s budget. It’s unacceptable and it can’t wait!”

Record your video message at mystory.thelantermancoalition.org

Your videos will be shared with the Governor and elected officials by email and social media channels.

DON’T FORGET TO SPREAD THE WORD!

Thousand to Protest the Governor’s Proposed Budget Cuts on May 31 at Rallies Across the State

Disability community leaders are calling for participation at rallies in Los Angeles, West Covina, Orange County, and San Diego on Friday, May 31, 2024 to reject the Governor’s proposal to delay/cut $1 billion in funding for the development disability services system. With an ever-increasing shortage of direct care staff, this delay threatens to destabilize the support system that people with developmental disabilities rely on to live safely and successfully in their communities.

In 2024-2025, more than 465,000 Californians with developmental disabilities will rely on state services – an increase of more than 35,000 individuals served. The Department of Developmental Services contracts with 21 Regional Centers throughout the state to coordinate services and provide the support that people with disabilities and their families need to thrive. Due to years of chronic underfunding, the system is failing. The direct support workforce is leaving the field due to low wages, essential programs are closing throughout the state, and individuals are struggling with inadequate supports or going without supports altogether.

This is one of the largest proposed delays or cuts in the Governor’s 2024-25 state budget.

Please try to join one of the following rallies planned on Friday, May 31 at 10:00 a.m.:

We encourage everyone in the disability community to attend, including individuals with disabilities, families, friends, direct support professionals, regional center and service provider staff, and all disability rights advocates.

Tell Your U.S. Senators: Include Support for People With Disabilities in COVID-19 Relief Bill

TAKE ACTION

California’s support system for children and adults with developmental disabilities is being threatened. Without financial support from Congress, their safety net of support services will face major cuts, leaving individuals with disabilities and their families without needed support during and after the COVID-19 public health crisis.

The next few weeks are critical as Congress negotiates the next coronavirus relief bill—people with disabilities, their families, and the workforce that supports them can’t be left behind!

 

The U.S. House of Representatives passed legislation in May that includes many of our top asks. Now the U.S. Senate must act!

Your Senators need to hear from you so that the following provisions are seen as a priority and remain in the bill that ultimately passes both houses of Congress:

  • Dedicated funding for Medicaid home and community-based services (HCBS). These funds are necessary to serve people with disabilities in their homes and communities and will provide better wages and support for the direct support professional (DSP) workforce. Access to HCBS will limit the risk of people with disabilities being put in institutions.
  • Personal protective equipment (PPE) for direct support professionals. This is urgently needed to protect the health and safety of this critical workforce. DSPs must be designated as essential workers so that they can get access to the PPE and medical supplies they need.
  • Paid leave for all caregivers. As more people with disabilities lose their usual sources of care, family caregivers are scrambling and need access to paid leave and sick days to help their loved ones. All family caregivers should be included in the emergency paid leave provisions.
  • Economic impact payments for all people with disabilities. Stimulus payments should be available to everyone, including adults with disabilities who are claimed as dependents.

TAKE ACTION

Email, call, or tweet your Senators NOW, then forward this to three friends! We need your support in this critical moment!
#WeAreEssential

Tell Congress / Dile al congreso #WeAreEssential

URGENT! Call, Email or Tweet in ONE CLICK at: / ¡Urgente! Llama, escribe un correo o tuitea EN UN CLIC a:

TheArcCA.Org/TakeAction

 

Individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD), their families, and their support network need your help NOW!

California Governor Newsom proposed more than $300 million in cuts to developmental disabilities services in his revised 2020-21 budget. The impact of these deep cuts will be devastating to our community. But if the next stimulus bill from Congress includes funding for disability services then the cuts won’t happen.

Please CONTACT YOUR MEMBERS OF CONGRESS urging them to invest in protecting the health and safety of one of the most vulnerable populations during this Coronavirus pandemic by including the disability community in the HEROES Act and similar pandemic relief bills. Without federal support to offset these cuts, vital support service to children, youth and adults with disabilities will be significantly diminished.

Call, Email or Tweet in ONE CLICK at: TheArcCA.Org/TakeAction

Let Congress know #WeAreEssential

The time to act is NOW!

_____________________________

¡Los individuos con discapacidad intelectual y del desarrollo (I/DD, por sus siglas en inglés), sus familias y red de apoyo necesitan tu ayuda AHORA!

El Governador Newsom de California propuso un recorte de más de $300 millones para los servicios de discapacidades en su presupuesto revisado para 2020-21. El impacto de este siginificativo recorte sería devastador para nuestra comunidad. Este recorte puede no suceder si el siguiente estímulo del Congreso a la economía incluye financiamiento para los servicios de discapacidad.

Por favor, CONTACTA A TUS REPRESENTANTES EN EL CONGRESO para urgirles sobre la inversión en la protección de la salud y seguridad de una de las poblaciones más vulnerables durante esta pandemia del Coronavirus al incluir a la comunidad con discapacidad en el Acta HEROES y leyes similares de protección contra la pandemia. Sin el apoyo federal para compensar estos recortes, reducirán los servicios vitales para el apoyo de niños, jóvenes y adultos con discapacidades.

Llama, esribe un correo o tuitea en UN CLIC a:
TheArcCA.Org/TakeAction

Hazle saber al Congreso que #WeAreEssential

¡El momento para actuar es AHORA!

Action Alert to Include Disabled People in COVID-19 Relief

Call your Representatives

Email your Representatives

Congress has passed two bills to respond to the coronavirus pandemic – but more must still be done to support people with disabilities, their families, and the direct support professionals (DSP) workforce.

The entire country is facing the health and economic impacts of COVID-19, but people with disabilities are particularly vulnerable. People with disabilities are more likely to have underlying health conditions and live in poverty – this means that they will be disproportionately impacted and need ongoing support.

The second Coronavirus Relief Bill was an important step in getting people the support they need. It included increased funding for state Medicaid programs, and it expanded sick leave for workers, including for some workers who support people with disabilities to live independently.

We must ask Members of Congress to pass a new bill to address the ongoing needs of people with disabilities during this crisis, including:

  • Additional funding to create a Medicaid grant program to support access to home and community-based services (to combat institutionalization) and to support the DSP workforce.
  • A permanent reauthorization of the Money Follows the Person (MFP) program. MFP funds states to move people with disabilities and seniors back into the community, after time in a nursing home or hospital setting.
  • Inclusive economic stimulus and raising asset limits. Congress should ensure that any economic stimulus goes to people with disabilities, including those receiving Social Security or Supplemental Security Income (SSI) and/or Medicaid who are subject to strict asset limits which should be raised to ensure that this stimulus does not put crucial benefits at risk.
  • Paid leave for caregivers for people with disabilities. In the last bill, Congress covered sick days for many workers, but did not include caregivers for people with disabilities who have lost or will lose usual sources of care.
  • No limitations on civil rights protections provided by the Americans with Disabilities Act, the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, and the Affordable Care Act can be included in the legislation.

Click here to call, or click here to email and urge Congress to ensure that the rights and needs of people with disabilities continue to be center to coronavirus relief legislation!

ACTION ALERT: Support AB911 Emergency Communications System

AB 911 Emergency Communication System is bill that if passed would provide for a state-wide voluntary opt-in system that would enable older adults, individuals with disabilities and other at-risk persons to voluntarily provide vital health and safety information to enable first responders to better assist them in emergency situations.

You can support this bill by sending a letter of support to The Honorable Miguel Santiago, Chair of the Assembly Communications and Conveyance Committee. To do so, download the letter of support, add your organization and name, and submit it to the position letter portal listed at the top of the letter.

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