Urgent Call to Action from the
Lanterman Coalition

Our Supports Are Being Dismantled!
Please Act Today

June 17, 2009

Governor Schwarzenegger has proposed even more reductions to the supports for people with developmental disabilities and their families, making it a combined cut of over a half billion dollars with even larger cuts to our overall disability community.  The Legislature will act any day now on cuts that could have these results:

• 400,000 people, including thousands with developmental disabilities, could lose their IHSS services
• The entire Medi-Cal program will eliminate major important health services and supports.
• 900,000 children would lose all of their Healthy Families coverage.
• Regional center services could be closed and not replaced, and your IPP options could be limited.

Action Needed Now

Tell the Legislators and Governor in your own words:

• Additional cuts to community services for people with developmental disabilities will cause unacceptable harm and threaten health and safety. Our community has given enough!

• Support alternatives to bring in more federal funds, seek savings in state-run developmental centers, and generate revenues to pay for the supports our children and families need.

Call, email, or fax (don’t mail) short letters on your group’s letterhead to all of the following key decision-makers. All their numbers are in the 916 area code:

• Your own local state senator and Assembly representative. Be sure to give them your address so they know you live in their districts. If emailing them, please use the web form at www.ArcCalifornia.org, “Write Your Legislators.”

• Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, 445-2841, 558-3160 (fax), email using the web form at www.ArcCalifornia.org, “Write Your Legislators.”

• Senate President pro Tempore Darrell Steinberg, 651-4006, 323-2263 (fax), senator.steinberg@sen.ca.gov

• Assembly Speaker Karen Bass, 319-2047, 319-2147 (fax), assemblymember.bass@assembly.ca.gov

• Senator Dennis Hollingsworth, 651-4036, 447-9008 (fax), senator.hollingsworth@sen.ca.gov

• Assemblyman Sam Blakeslee, 319-2033, 319-2133 (fax), assemblymember.blakeslee@assembly.ca.gov

• Assemblywoman Noreen Evans, 319-2007, 319-2107 (fax), assemblymember.evans@assembly.ca.gov

• Senator Denise Ducheny, 651-4040, 327-3522 (fax), senator.ducheny@sen.ca.gov

• Assemblyman Jim Nielsen, 319-2002, 319-2102 (fax), assemblymember.nielsen@assembly.ca.gov

• Senator Robert Dutton, 651-4031, 327-2272 (fax), senator.dutton@sen.ca.gov

• Senator Mark Leno, 651-4003, 445-4722 (fax), senator.leno@sen.ca.gov

• Senator Alan Lowenthal, 651-4027, 327-9113 (fax), senator.lowenthal@sen.ca.gov

• Senator Mimi Walters, 651-4033, 445-9754 (fax), senator.walters@sen.ca.gov

• Assemblyman Roger Niello, 916-319-2005, 319-2105 (fax), assemblymember.niello@assembly.ca.gov

• Assemblyman Kevin de Leon, 319-2045, 319-2145 (fax),  assemblymember.deleon@assembly.ca.gov

• Assemblyman Bob Blumenfield, 319-2040, 319-2140 (fax), assemblymember.blumenfield@assembly.ca.gov

• Distribute this Urgent Call to Action to everyone in our community.

 

Action Needed in the Coming Weeks

Stay in touch with at least one of the Lanterman Coalition groups. Win or lose this week, the state budget fight will continue for months.

The Lanterman Coalition is: The Arc of California, Association of Regional Center Agencies, Autism Society of California, California Alliance for Inclusive Communities, California Disability Services Association, California Supported Living Network, Cal-TASH, Disability Rights California, Easter Seals, Family Resource Center Network of California, People First of California, and Service Employees International Union.