IMPORTANT NOTICE – PLEASE TAKE ACTION !!!!
Please take action and encourage your friends and family to also.
It is critical for our continued success !!!!!
To: Opportunity Works Community
Date: June 25th 2020
From: Jane Harris-Fale, Executive Director
Urgent: From the Arc of Massachusetts: The campaign #DontCutUsOut is to ensure that needed funding for our safety net continues.
Individuals served by Opportunity Works with Autism, Down Syndrome, Cerebral Palsy, or other intellectual and developmental disabilities funded by the Department of Developmental Services (DDS) will lose services if funding and policies don’t meet the requirements of the re-opening period and thereafter.
It is close to the end of June and we have no idea of the additional funding available for day and employment programs across the state. Opportunity Works can ONLY be paid by the Commonwealth for services they deliver each day. However, re-opening after this COVID-19 pandemic requires partial attendance, more space between people, smaller groups in vehicles and buildings, significant cleaning supplies, etc. And partial attendance means partial funding.
None of these costs have been allocated. Some agencies have begun laying off staff to afford the new costs. Without new funds, either people could lose services (including delays for those Turning 22) or services will be significantly reduced.
More importantly, some agencies or day programs will close as a result.
The network of services will not recover if decisions for additional funds and flexible policies are delayed. Please respond to #DontCutUsOut and send an email to the Governor with copies to Speaker DeLeo and Senate President Spilka.
Please use this link to the Arc of Massachusetts https://thearcofmass.org/post/dontcutusout-act-now-to-ensure-funding-for-services-for-adults-with-i-dd-during-re-opening as soon as possible to fill out a template to contact Governor Baker, Speaker DeLeo, and Senate President Spilka regarding the urgent need for funding.
Thank You