The meeting focused on advocacy strategies for individuals with developmental disabilities, emphasizing the importance of building relationships with legislators and sharing personal stories to counter budget cuts and policy changes. Participants discussed the challenges faced by self-directed services, including potential reductions in funding and services, and the need for a united front among providers and families. The group also reviewed plans for Developmental Disability Day and offered support for creating one-pagers and scheduling meetings with legislators to effectively communicate their concerns.
Ginger Houston-Ludlam led a meeting about advocacy and self-advocacy, emphasizing the importance of building relationships with legislators and their staff. She encouraged participants to attend the Developmental Disability (DD) Day event on February 13th and to schedule meetings with their legislators. Ginger also stressed the need for a one-page story about how self-direction has impacted the individual’s life and how budget cuts would affect them. She suggested coordinating group meetings with other constituents to make a stronger statement. Patti added that the current budget cuts would significantly impact both service delivery models, and the strategy should pivot to focus on the impact of these cuts. Marla suggested coordinating group visits to legislators as an effective strategy. Ginger ended the conversation by encouraging participants to make appointments with their legislators and to sign up for one-on-one sessions to help write their stories.
To watch the Video Recording of the Meeting, Click HERE.