Are you at risk of losing Residential, Day/Work or Family Support services?

Now, we must flood the Governor's office through the rest of the week with calls regarding three particular programs that are on the chopping block - Residential services, Day/Employment services and Family Supports.
 
If you, your family member or someone you love is getting....  
Community Residential supports
Day or Employment services
Family Support services
....then CALL the Governor's Office now at 617-725-4005.

Please share your personal story and let him know that his proposal to cut nearly $50 million of essential services (and causing approximately 4,000 individuals and families to lose those services) cannot be withstood.
 
The hundreds of emails the Governor got from us last week will have an impact, but now he needs to get dozens more phone calls from people who will be affected if these essential services are cut.
 
The Governor's House 2 budget proposal includes over $49 Million in reductions to a broad range of services ($103 million since FY09) within DDS and millions more to disability programs beyond DDS: 

•  1,000 more families will lose family support 
•   450 individuals will lose day or work programs and 600 will lose transportation
• 275 to 300 people will lose residential services

In addition:

• $9 million in savings from state facilities that could have absorbed some cuts are not going to DDS
•  1400 people at MRC will be hurt by homemaker cuts and 30 others will lose work support
•  Hundreds of children will be deemed ineligible for Early Intervention services
•  Low-wage Direct Support Professionals make far below a living wage and will enter a third year without a pay increase

 
Ask the Governor to use his budget authority to do the right thing. Otherwise, where will 4,000 people with disabilities and their families go if they lose services?
 
See The Arc of Massachusetts Main Budget page for more information on the Governor's budget proposal and the budget process.