Susan Senator

Here it is. The legislation that will help you, family members and self advocates in Massachusetts who either have children with developmental disabilities or are developmentally disabled themselves, particularly those aging into adulthood. If you live in Massachusetts, you must cut and paste this letter into an email to your your legislators. This is how it is done. You cannot sit by and let others do it for you, or do nothing. You have to be an advocate, even if you don’t want to. And Gary Blumenthal of the ADDP has made it so easy in this draft:

Open Letter to Massachusetts House Members

Dear Representative,

People with disabilities have greatly benefited from the compassion, leadership, and vision of Massachusetts elected officials.  Through the darkest days of the Great Recession, members of the General Court protected services and supports for people with disabilities.  Please know we are grateful to you.

As you meet with Representative Brian Dempsey and the leadership of the House Ways and Means Committee we ask you to include the following issues on your List of Priorities:

1.  Please support full funding of the DDS Employment Blueprint Initiative (Line Item 5920-2025). ADDP & The Arc of Massachusetts request an additional $5.6 million over the Governor’s House Two Budget to enable people to move into Employment and Community Based Day Supports.  This request will be matched 50% by the federal government and is needed to implement the state’s Employment First Agenda and the Disability Employment Blueprint.
2. Please Support the Governor’s Budget with regard to Chapter 257 DDS Residential Services and DDS Family Support.
3. Please support increased funding for Autism (Line Item 5920-3010) and Turning 22 Services and Supports (Line Item 5920-5000.
4. Please support increased funding for Brain Injury Programs with an additional $2.8 million, Line 4120-6000 to begin implementing the Brain Injury Commission Report.

Your support for these items will help change the lives of thousands of Commonwealth citizens with disabilities for the better and help people live fulfilled lives in the community.

Thank you.

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