Announcements
A Big Thank You to House and Senate Conferees and Leadership!

June 25, 2010

The Arc relays a Big thank you to House and Senate conferees Charlie Murphy, Steven Panagiotakos, Barbara L’Italien (special thanks!), Steve Brewer, Robert Hargreaves and

Michael Knapik for the positive conference budget released last night.  Yes, there are still cuts in residential, employment and DDS operations but the conferees provided the best possible budget given the two versions!  Conference Budget Doc Here.

But we’re not done yet.  If FMAP doesn’t get extended, $19.7 Million more will be reduced (see our chart version 1 here).  ADDP and The Arc kicked off a vigil at Sen. Brown’s today and we were joined by Mass. Families Organizing for Change and Mass Advocates Standing Strong.  We are pleased to announce that Advocates for Autism joined “Vigil for the Vote” today.  We also are pleased that members of DDS citizen advisory boards.

We need Sen. Brown’s to allow the vote. We appreciate the courtesy shown by the Senator’s staff during the vigil today.  But it’s critical that he allow the “job extenders” act with FMAP to be voted on.  Blocking the vote will do untold damage to thousands.  For example between 350 and 400 additional people will lose day/employment services without FMAP.

But that is only one example!

After FMAP, we’re still not done as we kick off our post-conference advocacy in the summer.  We will be in touch on how we can work together to maintain the safety net.

Link on vigil article at boston.com

Op-ed on conference budget and need for DD funding

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