Advocacy can mean many things both in regard to what and the how. The what for us is—working toward policies, funding, laws, regulations and other types of outcomes which advance the lives of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities and their families. On a simple level, the “how” means encouraging, pleading, urging, and providing justification. But it gets more complex when you apply the “how” to “where”. There is the administration of the state or federal government, the legislature, the courts, school committees, etc.
A VARIETY OF KEY ISSUES
Policy issues cover changes within government at state or regional levels which impact the ways services are delivered or rights are enforced. MassHealth covers several important community living services in addition to health care.
Go to www.MA21Alliance.org to join the advocacy efforts of MA21 to make sure DDS Self-Direction follows the Real Lives Law. The Massachusetts Alliance for 21st Century Disability Policy (MA21) was formed in 2007 to protect the right of people with disabilities to self-direct, and through its efforts helped pass the Real Lives Law in 2014.
TRACKING OUR BUDGET PROCESS
Each January the Governor releases his version of the state budget for the upcoming fiscal year that begins on July 1st. Each branch of the legislature (House and Senate) in turn develops a budget on which they ultimately agree and send to the Governor for his signature prior to July 1st.
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