NYSACRA Action Alert

NYSACRA Action Alert

PLEASE consider reaching out to your assemblyman and senator to express your concern over the cuts proposed below. Springbrook provides invaluable support to people with developmental disabilities. The proposed 6% cut equates to $1.2 million for this organization.The proposed 6% cut equates to $1.2 million for this organization. The phone calls take less than a minute each. PLEASE PLEASE call.

As you are well aware, the proposed 2013-14 Executive Budget proposes a 6% across the board cut to all voluntary not-for-profit providers throughout the State of New York, effective April 1, 2013.  If this cut is enacted, the developmental disabilities system of supports and services will be negatively impacted, dramatically.  NYSACRA has received information from members as to how the reductions will be absorbed if a restoration is not successful.  Agencies will be forced to: reduce services and supports, eliminate entire programs, layoff all levels of staff including direct support professionals.  We all know how this will translate if the cuts are to be taken: the great strides we've made as a sector will quickly erode and the quality of life for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD) will be negatively impacted.

Both houses of the State Legislature are in the process of negotiating and getting ready to release the respective one-house budget measures.  While we understand the 6% across the board cut to the not-for-profit developmental disabilities sector is gaining great attention in the State Legislature, we need to continue advocacy efforts and therefore we are asking agencies, parents and family members, agency staff and direct support professionals, self advocates to make two telephone calls this week.

WHO TO CALL:

Please make two telephone calls, one to your State Assemblymember and the other to your State Senator in their Albany Offices

WHEN:

This week (the week of March 4^th)

WHAT'S MY MESSAGE:

"I'm a constituent and I am concerned the proposed 6% across the board cut to the not-for-profit developmental disabilities providers will negatively impact supports, services and programs.  I wish to thank my Assemblymember/Senator for his/her support of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities and ask him/her to support restoration of the 6% proposed cut in the one-house budget bill."

HOW:

Contact the Assembly Operator at 518-455-4100 and ask to be transferred to your Assemblymember's Office. (if you do not know who your Member of the Assembly is, go towww.assembly.state.ny.us to identify your Member.  You may also obtain his/her direct Albany Office telephone number, rather than going through the Assembly Operator).

Contact the Senate Operator at 518-455-2800 and ask to be transferred to your Senator's Office (if you do not know who your Member of the Senate is, go to www.nysenate.gov to identify your Senator. You may also obtain his/her Albany Office telephone number on the website, rather than going through the Senate Operator).

THANK YOU FOR YOUR ONGOING ADVOCACY AND EFFORTS!

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THROUGHOUT THIS WEEK AND NEXT WEEK