The injunction was excellent news, but keep making those calls & writing those letters!

I could write a post on this, but I don't believe in re-inventing the wheel:

Click here to read the excellent post of Stacy's (local early intervention provider) about the need for families to continue to make noise even though the preliminary injunction was granted yesterday.

Good info for families re: finding out about restoration of services

Stacy, a local early intervention provider, has posted a great blog entry for parents and caregivers who are now anxiously waiting to learn more about their loved ones' services being reinstated. Click here to read Stacy's post.

Write Governor Brewer re: using Federal Stimulus funds to restore services!

I learned at a meeting this morning, that it is imperative that families, service providers and concerned citizens of Arizona should write to Governor Brewer directly (contact info & link below) to request that she allocates Federal Stimulus funds that will be coming her way to the restoration services in Fiscal Year (FY) 2009-2010 for children and adults with disabilities that have been swiped out from under them as a result of the recent DDD cuts!

The responsibility to decide how to use the Federal Stimulus funds will be solely Governor Brewer's, not DES's ... not DDD's ... not the State Legislature's ... only Governor Brewer's! These funds will be coming to Arizona very soon, so is vital that she receives letter after letter after letter urging her to use Fed. Stim. package funds to help restore services to the children and adults with disabilities who may very well suffer irreparable harm if their support and therapeutic services are not restored, and soon!

• Here is a nice fill-in-the-blank letter (which you can personalize!) via the Children's Action Alliance website: http://action.voiceshub.org/campaign/fedstimulus_DEScuts

• Here is the link to contact Governor Brewer via email (also includes snail mail address & phone numbers): http://azgovernor.gov/Contact.asp

What? You're still here?? Go! Start writing those letters and spread the word!! : )

2010 AZ State Budget ALERT!

THE ARC OF ARIZONA

FY 2010 STATE BUDGET ALERT

(click above for more info!)

February, 2009

To balance the FY 2009 state budget, devastating cuts were made to services for persons with developmental disabilities.

· Nearly 100 DDD employees have been terminated following a lengthy “freeze” on filling many job vacancies, and all remaining DDD employees have been furloughed so they will be working less. Caseloads will exceed the mandated 1:39.5 ratio. DDD will not be able to comply with case management, timeliness, monitoring, medical and quality management services.

· All state funding for early intervention services was eliminated, so that therapy and other services for 850 children will either be lost or reduced.

· All non-residential state-only services will be suspended in March. More than 4,000 individuals will lose their services, such as habilitation, therapies, employment supports, attendant care, respite and transportation.

· Provider rates are reduced across-the-board by 10%. Many expect this will result in the loss of already scarce providers and services in the rural communities.

· DES will NOT be able to investigate all reports of abuse and neglect of vulnerable adults and children.

We MUST let our Governor and legislators know how these cuts are affecting individuals and families and we MUST tell them that these types of cuts cannot be continued in FY 2010. They are working on the FY 2010 budget NOW. PLEASE tell our lawmakers your stories and tell them to preserve vital services for persons with developmental disabilities.

· Services for Arizonans with developmental disabilities and their families are life-sustaining necessities and a vital investment in our community.

· Persons with disabilities and their families are already facing economic stress and insecurity, with high rates of unemployment and rising transportation and food costs.

· All reasonable revenue generating options should be utilized to resolve the budget deficit, including bonding, and critical services for Arizonans with disabilities should be spared from cuts. Such cuts will severely burden these individuals and their families, and could result in greater costs associated with institutional and emergency room care.

PLEASE HELP US HELP

VULNERABLE INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIES

· Call the Governor Jan Brewer (602-542-4331 or 800-253-0883) and tell her to protect DES/DDD from further devastation.

· Contact Republican Leadership and tell them the same:

SENATE REPUBLICAN LEADERSHIP

Senate President – Bob Burns (Peoria), rburns@azleg.gov, 602-926-5993

Majority Leader – Chuck Gray (Mesa), cgray@azleg.gov, 602-926-5288

Majority Whip – Pamela Gorman (Anthem), pgorman@azleg.gov, 602-926-5248

HOUSE REPUBLICAN LEADERSHIP

Speaker of the House – Kirk Adams (Mesa), kadams@azleg.gov, 602-926-5495

Majority Leader – John McComish (Ahwatukee), jmccomish@azleg.gov, 602-926-5898

Majority Whip – Andy Tobin (Paulden), atobin@azleg.gov, 602-926-5172

· Contact your legislators and make sure you tell them if you live or work in their District. (To find out who your legislators are and how to reach them, contact the House of Representatives Information Desk at 602-926-4221 or 1-800-352-8404.)

Please Send your personal stories to...

The Arc of Arizona at thearcaz@gmail.com

5610 S. Central Avenue

Phoenix, AZ 85040

Phone: 602-234-2721

Fax: 602-234-5959

(Requests for Confidentiality will be Honored)

Concise info re: DDD cuts and how to contact government leaders!

http://www.swhd.org/documents/CutsinServicesforwebsite.pdf

CONTACT YOUR STATE LEADERS!

CONTACT YOUR STATE LEADERS!(posting on a parent support message board)29,000 DISABLED ARIZONANS ARE ABOUT TO LOSE THEIR FUNDING!

29,000 of Arizona's neediest, most vulnerable people - people with disabilities such as mental retardation, cerebral palsy, autism, and epilepsy - are about to become victims of state budget cuts.

These are people whose lives and welfare depend on services they can't begin to afford on their own. Services they get from agencies throughout Arizona that provide people with disabilities with housing, health maintenance services, personal care, training for jobs, and many, many other essential services that the state wants to cut!

The state of Arizona wants to take away funds from these vulnerable people - cutting 10 % from the funds used by service providers to help the disabled. This will put many service provider agencies at risk of closing down - and put people with disabilities at the severest risk.

We say NO! Many people with disabilities who depend on services can't speak for themselves, so we need to speak for them - and we need you to speak with us!

Call, write, email, or fax Governor Jan Brewer and tell her you don't want budget cuts for your neighbors and fellow citizens with disabilities.

PLEASE DON'T LET THIS HAPPEN! STAND UP FOR YOUR NEIGHBORS!

The Honorable Janice Brewer
Governor of Arizona
Office of the Governor
1700 West Washington Street
Capitol Executive Tower - 9th Floor
Phoenix, AZ 85007
Email: azgovernor.gov/Contact.asp
Telephone (602) 542-4331
Toll Free 1-(800) 253-0883
Fax (602) 542-1381

The Honorable John Kavanagh
Chair, Committee on Appropriations
Arizona House of Representatives
1700 West Washington Street - Room 114
Phoenix AZ 85007
Phone Number: (602) 926-5170
Fax Number: (602) 417-3108
Email: jkavanagh@azleg.gov

The Honorable Andy Biggs
Vice Chair, Committee on Appropriations
Arizona House of Representatives
1700 W. Washington - Room 312
Phoenix, AZ 85007
Phone Number: (602) 926-4371
Fax Number: (602) 417-3022
Email: abiggs@azleg.gov

The Honorable Rick Murphy
Chair, Committee on Ways and Means
Arizona House of Representatives
1700 W. Washington - Room 111
Phoenix, AZ 85007
Phone Number: (602) 926-3255
Fax Number: (602) 417-3009
Email: rmurphy@azleg.gov

The Honorable Debbie Lesko
Vice Chair, Committee on Ways and Means
Arizona House of Representatives
1700 W. Washington - Room 129
Phoenix, AZ 85007
Phone Number: (602) 926-5413
Fax Number: (602) 417-3109
Email: dlesko@azleg.gov

The Honorable Russell Pearce
Chair, Senate Appropriations Committee
Arizona Senate
1700 W. Washington - Room 110
Phoenix, AZ 85007
Phone Number: (602) 926-5760
Fax Number: (602) 417-3118
Email: rpearce@azleg.gov

The Honorable Al Melvin
Vice Chair, Senate Appropriations Committee
Arizona Senate
1700 W. Washington - Room 303
Phoenix, AZ 85007
Phone Number: (602) 926-4326
Fax Number: (602) 417-3259
Email: amelvin@azleg.gov

The Honorable Jim Waring
Chair, Senate Finance Committee
Arizona Senate
1700 W. Washington - Room 302
Phoenix, AZ 85007
Phone Number: (602) 926-4916
Fax Number: (602) 417-3250
Email: jwaring@azleg.gov

The Honorable Barbara Leff
Vice Chair, Senate Finance Committee
Arizona Senate1700 W. Washington - Room 302
Phoenix, AZ 85007
Phone Number: (602) 926-4486
Fax Number: (602) 417-3270(N.B.: Senator Leff is a professional clinical social worker.)

AZ DEPT OF ECONOMIC SECURITY
Linda Blessing
Interim DirectorDepartment of Economic Security
1717 West Jefferson Street
Phoenix AZ 85007
Phone 602-542-5678

ACTION ALERT: YOUR ACTION NEEDED!!! (Special Joint Budget Hearing)

Governor's Council on Developmental Disabilities

SERVICES FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES AND THEIR FAMILIES TOOK A BIG HIT DURING THE FY09 BUDGET FIX.

Legislators are still in the process of resolving an even greater budget deficit (estimated $3 billion) for FY 2010.

If protecting critical services from even worse cuts is important to you, then the time to ACT is now!!!

Next Thursday, Legislators will be meeting to facilitate hearings on the FY09-10 Budget for the Department of Economic Security (DES) and other agencies.

DES provides a number of critical services that people with disabilities and their families depend on!!!

Although we cannot guarantee you'll be afforded a chance to speak, it probably still makes sense to show up if you can since this could potentially affect you and those you care about!!!!

If you plan to attend, you'll need to sign up to request to speak at the hearing. You can do so by signing up for an account at any of the kiosks located in the lobby area of either the House or Senate buildings. If you have trouble, ask one of the staff to help you. You'll also need the Hearing Information so it's a good idea to print this email and take it with you.

If you already have an active account and want to submit your concerns to the Committee without attending in person, you can do so by logging in at, http://alistrack.azleg.gov/rts/aplogin.asp

Note: The username and password is the same information that you use to log in at the kiosk located in the State Senate lobby and House of Representatives' lobby.

If you cannot attend, AT THE VERY LEAST, please contact the legislators below who are assigned to this Committee and let them know that you're counting on them to PROTECT SERVICES PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES AND THEIR FAMILIES DEPEND ON, FROM ANY FURTHER CUTS!!!!!!

YOU MUST ACT NOW AND THROUGHOUT THIS PROCESS IF YOU HOPE TO INFLUENCE WHAT IS DECIDED ON YOUR BEHALF!!!!

PLEASE CONTACT YOUR FRIENDS AND FAMILIES AND HAVE THEM DO THE SAME!!!

YOU CANNOT ACT ONCE AND CALL IT A DAY. IF YOU HOPE TO INFLUENCE THE PROCESS YOU MUST KEEP ADVOCATING EACH AND EVERY DAY IN EVERY REASONABLE WAY YOU CAN. YOU SHOULD ALSO ENCOURAGE EVERYONE YOU KNOW TO DO SO.

IF YOU ABSOLUTELY ARE PRESSED FOR TIME AND CAN ONLY CALL A FEW, THEN CALL THE ONES HIGHLIGHTED IN YELLOW (THEY ARE THE CHAIRS OF THE APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEES AND/OR MEMBERS OF THE JOINT COMMITTEE).

Legislators to contact include:

Senate Appropriations Committee


Chairperson: Russell Pearce (R-18)

Phone Number: (602) 926-5760

Email Address:rpearce@azleg.gov


Vice-Chair: Al Melvin (R-26)

Phone Number: (602) 926-4326

Email Address: amelvin@azleg.gov


Member: Pamela Gorman (R-6)

Phone Number: (602) 926-5284

Email Address: pgorman@azleg.gov


Member: Ron Gould (R-3)

Phone Number: (602) 926-4138

Email Address:rgould@azleg.gov


Member: Sylvia Allen (R-5)

Phone Number: (602) 926-5219

Email Address:sallen@azleg.gov


Member: Paula Aboud (D-28)

Phone Number: (602) 926-5262

Email Address:paboud@azleg.gov


Member: Amanda Aguirre (D-24)

Phone Number: (602) 926-4139

Email Address: aaguirre@azleg.gov


Member: Rebecca Rios (D-23)

Phone Number: (602) 926-5685

Email Address: rrios@azleg.gov


Member: Albert Hale (D- 2)

Phone Number: (602) 926-4323

Email Address:ahale@azleg.gov


Member: Jack Harper (R-4)

Phone Number: (602) 926-4178

Email Address: jharper@azleg.gov


Member: Steve Pierce (R-1)

Phone Number: (602) 926-5584

Email Address: spierce@azleg.gov


House Appropriations Committee

Chairperson: John Kavanagh (R-8)

Phone Number: (602) 926-5170

Email Address:jkavanagh@azleg.gov


Vice-Chair: Andy Biggs (R-22)

Phone Number: (602) 926-4371

Email Address:abiggs@azleg.gov


Member: Steve Court (R-18)

Phone Number: (602) 926-4467

Email Address:scourt@azleg.gov


Member: Olivia Cajero Bedford (D-27)

Phone Number: (602) 926-5835

Email Address:ocajerobedford@azleg.gov


Member: Cloves C. Campbell, Jr. (D-16)

Phone Number: (602) 926-3042

Email Address:clcampbell@azleg.gov


Member: Russell Jones (R-24)

Phone Number: (602) 926-3002

Email Address: rjones@azleg.gov


Member: Rich Crandall (R-19)

Phone Number: (602) 926-3020

Email Address:rcrandall@azleg.gov


Member: Matt Heinz (D-29)

Phone Number: (602) 926-3424

Email Address:mheinz@azleg.gov


Member: Nancy McLain (R-3)

Phone Number: (602) 926-5051

Email Address: nmclain@azleg.gov


Member: Rick Murphy (R-9)

Phone Number: (602) 926-3255

Email Address: rmurphy@azleg.gov


Member: Kyrsten Sinema (D-15)

Phone Number: (602) 926-5058

Email Address: ksinema@azleg.gov


Member: David Schapira (D-17)

Phone Number: (602) 926-3028

Email Address: dschapira@azleg.gov


Member: Vic Williams (R-26)

Phone Number: (602) 926-5839

Email Address: vwilliams@azleg.gov