COALITION OF FAMILIES FOR DIRECT SUPPORT WORKERS
in services for people with developmental disabilities
c/o Margaret Puddington, 562 West End Avenue, 2A, New York, N.Y. 10024, (212) 799-2042
Please share with your groups & programs!
FAMILIES and STAFF:
CONTACT THE GOVERNOR & KEY
LEGISLATORS IMMEDIATELY!
As you know, Governor Cuomo is proposing an enormous cut to OPWDD. His $120 million cut in state funding actually results in a 6%/$240 million loss. Most OPWDD services are funded through Medicaid so that every state dollar is matched by a federal dollar. Thus, any state cut is doubled by the loss of matching federal dollars.
This cut is unconscionable. Providers are already down to bare bones from the cuts of the last three years. There is nothing left to cut—except staffing and services. There will be layoffs, staff shortages, cutbacks or elimination of services, and some agencies will be forced to close.
PLEASE FAX OR CALL TODAY!
Contact the legislators listed below. Tell them:
As a family member of a person with developmental disabilities, I urge you to eliminate the 6% cut to OPWDD. This catastrophic cut will endanger the health, safety, and well-being of our vulnerable population. There will be layoffs and critical staff shortages; health and safety risks; difficulty complying with key health and safety regulations; service cutbacks or elimination; hardships to families.
BE SURE TO INCLUDE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS IN THE FAX.
SEE SAMPLE ATTACHED: Alert call fax re 6% sample letter fax
FAX if you can. CALL if you cannot fax.
1. Governor Cuomo: FAX 518-474-1513. PHONE 518-474-8390.
2. Assemblywoman Aileen Gunther, Chair, Assembly Committee on Mental Health: FAX 518-455-5239. PHONE 518-455-5355.
3. Senator David Carlucci, Chair, Senate Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities Committee: FAX 518-426-6737. PHONE 518-455-2991.
4. Your Senator at Senate switchboard 518-455-2800. Call to get fax number.
5. Your Assembly Member at Assembly switchboard 518-455-4100. Call to get fax number.
Ask all your family members to fax or call.
Please spread the word to friends, other families and ask them to fax or call, too.
Thank you!