Urgent Action Alert - Preserve the Autism Programs in the state

[Guest guest]

I understand that you have been getting a huge amount of mail asking you to contact legislators and you will be receiving more today. This one is to save CARD services in Florida. Please read the message below and contact the legislators at the end of this email TODAY! Instead of sitting in front of the TV at lunch or going to Kohl's shopping make some calls and emails. There is a sample letter attached if you choose to write, but you need to fax the letter instead of mailing it, because it will be too late if you mail it.

Regards,

Ven Sequenzia

President

Autism Society of America

State of Florida Chapter

Fwd: FW: Urgent Action Alert - Preserve the Autism Programs in the state

We Urgently need your HELP!

The Autism Programs are still being SEVERLY UNDERFUNDED!

There has been no change from the proposed cuts to the CARD centers

(10.2% in the Senate and 25% in the House)

Conferees for Education Appropriations Joint Committee are meeting this week to finalize budget.

We need to pump up the volume!

Please help!!!

Contact the legislators listed below via email and phone and continue with our message!

Start now!!!

Indicate your support for CARD.

Cuts now means COSTS later!!!

A 10% cut will mean loss of clinicians and personnel. A 25% cut would be devastating!

What a 25 percent cut would mean to CARD...

· Significant cuts in personnel

· Waiting lists for families needing CARD services.

· Discontinuation of all local travel resulting in (a) no home visits and ( no school visits

· Reduction in parent and professional trainings.

· Discontinuation of most social activity groups (e.g., Teen Time, Together You and Me, Surf Camp, etc).

Detrimental effects on OUR FAMILIES resulting from inadequate funding include:

• Reduced community and home-based assistance, where families need it most

• Reduced outreach to newly-diagnosed families in need of autism support

• Reduced behavioral support for family preservation

• Reduced screening and early intervention support

• Increased Baker Acts, arrests and involuntary hospitalization of individuals with autism

• Lowest employment outcomes of any disability group tracked by FL DOE

• Decreased rates of self-sufficiency, resulting in increased costs of subsidization in adulthood

WE need CARD Services appropriately funded to:

• Preserve families and avoid costly residential placements

• Provide training and support to schools, childcare and adult service providers to increase the number of highly effective professionals

• Train educators and early interventionists in evidence-based practices that improve high school graduation rates

• Improve early identification and early intervention that minimizes long-term disability impact and associated costs to taxpayers

• Prepare adults with autism and related disabilities to be contributing members of their community through sustainable employment

• Increase the ability of individuals with autism and their families to access and fully participate in community life

Please help!!!

Contact the legislators listed below via email (see attached sample letter) and phone and continue with our message!

No other organization does so much for so little.

Ask them to maintain the integrity of the Autism Program in our state. Ask them to appropriately fund this program.

Tell them that a 10% cut would hurt our families, but a 25% cut would be devastating.

Tell them that for a little over what it costs to run an elementary school they can maintain cost-effective services for 24,000 clients in the state.

Cuts now means COSTS later!!!

Then Please Help More…SEND AND EMAIL AND MAKE A CALL EVERYDAY THIS WEEK!!!!!

Please enlist your family and friends to help!

With your support we can help maintain a working Autism program in the state!

Thank you!

Carmen L. Zaldivar

UM-NSU CARD Constituency Board

“I love someone with Autismâ€

5zs@...

Conferees for Education Appropriations Joint Committee

First Name

Last Name

District City

District Phone

Tallahassee Phone

Email Address

Rep.

Janet

Adkins

Fernandina Beach

janet.adkins@...;

Rep.

Bileca

West Miami

michael.bileca@...;

Sen.

Larcenia J.

Bullard (L)

Miami

bullard.larcenia.web@...;

Rep.

Marti

Coley

nna

marti.coley@...;

Sen.

Detert

Venice

detert.nancy.web@...;

Sen.

a

Dockery

Lakeland

dockery.paula.web@...;

Rep.

Fresen

Miami

erik.fresen@...;

Rep

Kiar

Parkland - Broward

martin.kiar@...;

Sen.

Bill

Montford

Tallahassee

montford.bill.web@...;

Rep.

Plakon

Longwood

scott.plakon@...;

Sen.

Altamonte Springs

simmons.david.web@...;

Rep.

Jimmie T.

(J)

Lecanto

jimmie.smith@...;

Rep.

Kelli

Stargel

Lakeland

kelli.stargel@...;

Sen.

R.

Wise

ville

wise.stephen.web@...;

1 of 1 File(s)

Urgent Alert 4-28-11.doc