It’s Now or Never!
Go to the Town Square and Scream!
[E-mail the Key Players]
The Squeaky Wheel Gets the Grease.
Be Squeaky!
[Post of Facebook, Insta and Twitter & Tag General Assembly Members]
Shout from the Roof Tops!
[Call the Key Players]
(Designed in collaboration with the Arc of VA)
ACTION 1: EMAIL LEGISLATORS:
Email them directly in one group and copy The Arc of VA.
APPROACH: QUANTITY COUNTS
Because these key Legislators are very familiar with our request, we want the messaging to be short and simple. They know what we want…this outreach is about letting them know HOW MANY PEOPLE….VOTERS….CARE ABOUT THE DD COMMUNITY. So that means volume is what counts. So after you email, get 5 of your friends, family or neighbors to email too!
MESSAGE: GOING SIMPLE
Simply Copy & Paste the message below. Feel free to add your own personal message as well, or just send as is. Remember this campaign is about VOLUME.
“Don’t Forget About Us : Fulfill the Commonwealth’s Promise of a Robust Community Based System for People with Developmental DisabilitiesThe Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) defines a person with a disability as a person who has a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activity. This includes people who have a record of such an impairment, even if they do not currently have a disability. It also includes people who do not have a disability but are regarded as having a disability. The ADA also makes it unlawful to discriminate against a person based on that person’s association with a person with a disability. More.
- FUND Viable Rate Increases for DD WaiverIn Virginia, a collective term for the three types of Medicaid waivers that provide a bundle of support services available to someone with a disability needing assistance with activities of daily living. More Services
- INVEST in Innovation
- FUND 1200 DD Waiver SlotsJargon for a DD Waiver that has been (or is expected to be) funded by the state, but not yet awarded to a person on the waiver wait list. More in FY 24
- SUPPORT Parents as Paid Caregivers”
CONTACT INFO for EMAILING:
– Send as one email to all members at once, and COPY The Arc (we need to be able to track response for discussion with legislators!)
– Subject Line: “Fund the DD System Rescue Plan”
– Address to “Dear/To/Attention Budget Conferees”
– Sign with your name and address
SEND TO: (should easily select all to cut & paste)
district32@senate.virginia.gov, district39@senate.virginia.gov, district18@senate.virginia.gov, district02@senate.virginia.gov, district03@senate.virginia.gov, district24@senate.virginia.gov, district35@senate.virginia.gov, district23@senate.virginia.gov, DelBKnight@house.virginia.gov, DelTAustin@house.virginia.gov, DelRBloxom@house.virginia.gov, DelEBrewer@house.virginia.gov, DelLTorian@house.virginia.gov, DelMSickles@house.virginia.gov
COPY:
ACTION 2: SOCIAL MEDIA
Flood Social Media
- Post a photo (sample above, OR better yet, a photo of you and your family)
- Type a short phrase like:
- “Fund DD Services & Innovation”
- “Fulfill the Commonwealth’s Promise for a Robust Community Based DD System”
- “Virginia Ranks 6th highest per capita income yet Ranks 39th for serving people with disabilities – Fix This!”
- TAG Budget Conferees – To TAG someone on Twitter and Facebook, use the list below. You can’t cut and paste, you will have to type in as listed below (first 6 are most important contacts to make)
FACEBOOK:
@marksicklesva
@brewerforva
@emmetthanger
@senatorbarker
@barryknight81
@senatorhowell
@llouise.lucas.9
@dicksaslaw
@senatorstevenewman
@terry.austin.73113
@electbloxomfordelegate
@luke.torian
TWITTER:
@brewerforva
@marksicklesva
@emmett_hanger
@terryaustin4hod
@senlouiselucas
@dicksaslaw
@senatornewman
@senatorlocke
Others you can tag:
@vahousedems
@vahousegop
@vasenategop
@vasenatedems
ACTION 3: Call Your Legislators
Share Your Story, Your Need
For Instance, I spoke with a caregiver who told me:
“My twenty-something year old brother is doing ok. We get him out into the community as much as we can. But he’s bored and really misses his day support program. He hasn’t been able to go since COVID began because they cannot staff the program.”
– That’s powerful. That’s the true impact this voting will have, rescuing the DD program or leaving it in ruins.
This is the opportunity to ask Delegates and Senators to support amendments to the State Budget to Rescue the DD System to:
- Provide Rate increases for Waiver Services across the entire system (enables providers to provide the services families are supposed to be able to access)
- Permanently allow for parents of minor children on waivers to be their attendants.
- Permanently allow telehealth as an option for services including Service Facilitation!
As always, we are here to support you and your family and will continue to provide information as changes occur and as information is announced throughout this emergency.