8/17/08 Action Alert

[Guest guest]

Dear Families and Friends:

Please see information below in regards to a training opportunity for families and a very important Unlock the Waiting List Action Alert.

Thank you,Heidi Ferandez

1. As part of the continued focus on developing person-centered organizations to serve and support individuals with developmental disabilities, the Division of MHDDAD Office of Developmental Disabilities is very pleased to announce the second component of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) Training Series. The training is titled Determining Family and Caregiver Needs and will be offered in early September.

Space is limited and registration deadlines are soon! This announcement will be posted on the Division's training website at www.mhddad.dhr.georgia.gov - from the menu on the left, select Training - where it can be downloaded or printed. Registration is quick and easy online at www.cviog.uga.edu/training/dhr

2. Right now, the Board of the Department of Human Resources is reviewing the budget.

We need your help to ensure that they do not make cuts to supports for people with disabilities.

To help, go to: http://www.unlockthewaitinglists.com/advocate.html

On Monday, the news wasn’t good for Georgia’s state revenues. Governor Sonny Perdue, struggling to deal with an expected $1.6 billion budget shortfall, has ordered agencies to cut their budgets by 6 percent for this year and has told them to offer budget proposals for midyear adjustments in January and for the year that begins next July 1 that show how they could achieve cuts of 6, 8 and 10 percent if necessary.

We must be unified in saying simply, “No Cuts to Services for People with Disabilities”

By going to http://www.unlockthewaitinglists.com/advocate.html, please let the Governor and the DHR Board know how critical these supports are for people with disabilities. Ask them to do no harm!

Georgia has over 6,160 people with developmental disabilities currently on community waiting lists. The waiting lists grow every year by 1,000 people because individuals and families fall into crisis, or caregivers pass away. Over 700 students age out of the school system every year needing supports. The multi-year funding plan called for 2,500 services last year, and we received only 500. This year the plan also calls for 2,500, and the current budget proposal includes only the 150 MRWP services we need to meet the requirement of the Money Follows Person initiative.

Unlock Mission StatementThe mission of this campaign is to reduce and/or eliminate waiting lists for the over six thousand people with disabilities and their families who need home and community-based services. To learn more, go to www.unlockthewaitinglists.com

Please forward this email on to your friends and family.

Dave BlanchardUnlock the Waiting Lists! Campaignhttp://www.unlockthewaitinglists.com/