Human services sector, disability advocates to rally on Tuesday to restore critical funding and support new revenues

Join the Providers' Council, human service organizations, disability advocates, and other associations for a rally on the State House steps on Tuesday, May 19 at 11 a.m. to restore funding to human service programs in the FY 2010 state budget and to tell the legislature and governor that “increased revenue saves lives.”

The event will feature disability providers and human services advocates calling for increased funding in next year’s state budget so the cuts to essential human services programs can be restored. Peter and Paul from Peter, Paul & Mary will also attend and lend their music to the rally.

To see our flyer on the rally, please click here.  For more information, contact Bill Yelenak byelenak@providers.org or 617-428-3637 x122.

The Senate’s budget proposal, released this week, includes some of the deepest cuts to programs that provide important services to our state’s most vulnerable population. More than $343 million is missing from the state budget, leaving thousands of individuals and families who depend on the state for vital human services – and those who provide care to them – with no safety net and no one to help them.

Some of the biggest cuts to the budget included:

• About 11,000 families across the state will lose Family Support & Respite services
• An elimination of a $23 million fund – the Salary Reserve – which gives a small salary adjustment to direct care workers, many of whom make less than $12 an hour
• Approximately 8,000 individuals with disabilities will lose Day Habilitation services, while another 2,600 will lose Day Employment services
• An elimination of $10 million from the House’s proposed budget in emergency aid to elders, individuals with disabilities and children
• Tens of thousands of adults will see their Dental Health services eliminated
• An 11 percent cut from estimated maintenance levels for shelters and support services for people at risk of domestic violence
• About 625 students will lose Turning 22 services.

The Arc of Massachusetts, the Association of Developmental Disabilities Providers and the Providers’ Council are sponsoring this event, with support from many more organizations including MFOFC, AFAM, MASS, MDSC, DPC, MDDC, SILC, BCIL, MCIL, ILCNSCA, CLW, Stavros.