There’s good news and bad news, so we need your help NOW to encourage legislators to work out the best final legislation possible.

Read this short summary of where each proposal stands and follow instructions below to send customized messages to your elected officials TODAY!

• The House budget proposal contains the Best Life Alliance legislation restoring the upcoming 7% cut, thanks to all the messages from constituents like you!
• The Senate budget proposal delays the cut but does not stop it.
• The Governor’s budget proposal does not stop the 7% cut.

Our goal is to have all three bodies adopt the House proposal, but they need to see support from you. Because of the difference across the three groups, we have customized three different actions depending on who represents you.

Take 5 minutes TODAY to follow these steps and TAKE ACTION:

1. Confirm your Representative and Senator, and which party they are from (use this link if you don’t already know
2. Based on your Representative and Senator’s party affiliation, send the following message via email or phone call:

If your legislator is a GOP/Republican Senator, please contact them with this message:

“Sen. Abeler’s current omnibus bill delays the 7% cut to disability services but does not stop the 7% cut. This upcoming 7% cut to Home and Community-Based Services would be devastating to Minnesotans with disabilities who access services, as well as their staff who provide critical supports to help them live their best lives. Disability services are in critical need of long term rate sustainability, please speak with your caucus leadership about the need to not just delay, but STOP the 7% cut.”

If your legislator is a GOP/Republican Representative, please contact them with this message:

“Thank you for recognizing the critical need to stop the 7% cut to disability services and for prioritizing stopping the 7% cut in the House Health and Human Services Omnibus bill. Your support on this issue will truly impact the lives of those who access and provide disability services across the state.”

If your legislator is a DFL legislator, please contact them with this message:

“Representative Halverson and Senator Eken have drafted a letter asking the Governor to support restoring the 7% cut to disability services. This upcoming 7% cut to Home and Community-Based Services would be devastating to Minnesotans with disabilities who access services, as well as their staff who provide critical supports to help them live their best lives. Please show your support for stopping the cut by signing your name to this letter.”

3. Forward this message to your friends and family and ask them to help Stop The 7% Cut today!

Thank you!

P.S. If possible, please email Sara Grafstrom at sgrafstrom@arrm.org with any response you receive.

The post Stop the 7% Cut! appeared first on Pinnacle Services.

5 Reasons to Support the Best Life Alliance

1.  Minnesotans believe people with disabilities and older adults should live in and contribute to their communities. Community-based services provide greater opportunity to build strong connections with neighbors and the community. A 5% rate increase supports this belief.
2.  Direct Support Professionals (DSPs) and Caregivers support your family; shouldn’t they be able to support their own?
3.  A 5% increase will help to recruit and retain consistent staff; this is crucial to quality care. Low wages lead to higher staff turnover, creating more stress, less stability and lower quality care.
4.  DSPs and caregivers who support people with disabilities and older Minnesotans have demanding, highly-skilled jobs. A 5% increase shows we value these employees and their commitment to this field.
5.  Community-based services are some of the largest employers in rural Minnesota. A 5% rate increase will support dedicated staff who will put dollars to work in their local communities.

Get Involved!

Best Life Alliance. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.arrm.org/ARRM/Advocacy/Best_Life_Alliance.aspx

The post Support the Best Life Alliance appeared first on Pinnacle Services.