Unlock the Waiting Lists! Action Alert

Right now, the Board of the Department of Human Resources is reviewing the budget.

We need your help to ensure that they do not make cuts to supports for people with disabilities.

To help, go to: http://www.unlockthewaitinglists.com/advocate.html

On Monday, the news wasn’t good for Georgia’s state revenues. Governor Sonny Perdue, struggling to deal with an expected $1.6 billion budget shortfall, has ordered agencies to cut their budgets by 6 percent for this year and has told them to offer budget proposals for midyear adjustments in January and for the year that begins next July 1 that show how they could achieve cuts of 6, 8 and 10 percent if necessary.

We must be unified in saying simply, “No Cuts to Services for People with Disabilities”

By going to http://www.unlockthewaitinglists.com/advocate.html, please let the Governor and the DHR Board know how critical these supports are for people with disabilities. Ask them to do no harm!

Georgia has over 6,160 people with developmental disabilities currently on community waiting lists. The waiting lists grow every year by 1,000 people because individuals and families fall into crisis, or caregivers pass away. Over 700 students age out of the school system every year needing supports. The multi-year funding plan called for 2,500 services last year, and we received only 500. This year the plan also calls for 2,500, and the current budget proposal includes only the 150 MRWP services we need to meet the requirement of the Money Follows Person initiative.

Unlock Mission Statement
The mission of this campaign is to reduce and/or eliminate waiting lists for the over six thousand people with disabilities and their families who need home and community-based services. To learn more, go to www.unlockthewaitinglists.com

Please forward this link on to your friends and family.