Budget Proposals – We need your help!

Key leaders in the Legislature announced a Budget deal that includes many important funding changes that will help our service system! Their proposal would end family fees, reform the way regional centers are funded, and speed up rate reform for service providers! We are as close as we have ever been to realizing an update in the core staffing formula. We need this update in an effort to meet the staffing ratio requirements. Having the money that matches what regional centers spend to bring on a service coordinator will assist regional center in attracting and maintaining the workforce necessary to support the individuals we support. Supporting the vendors in our system to be able to keep their direct service workforce so that the clients are able to access needed services. We are in support of ending the family fee program. Getting rid of these fees will open the door for full access to service provisions without the requirement to be financially assessed for an annual payment.  

The Association of Regional Center Agencies and other advocates are already in ongoing communication with the Legislature and the Administration. And your legislators need to hear from you! Will you let them know you support the way their Budget proposal helps our community?

Support The Budget Agreement! Here is what you can do:

1) Find out who your legislators are. When you know your legislators, click on their websites. Find the “Capitol Office” phone number. It may be at the bottom of the page, or in a “Contact” section. Senators have phone numbers that start with 916-651-40…. Assemblymembers’ numbers start with 916-319-20….

2) Call them! Introduce yourself, say you are a constituent (a voting person of your legislature’s community), and say:
“I support the Budget agreement, especially the way it helps people with developmental disabilities. It will end fees on families, modernize regional center funding, and get money to service providers.
Thank you for supporting our community!”

3) If you have a Twitter, you can tweet your support! Here is an example of a Twitter post:
Thank you @CASenDems @AsmDems for a Budget supporting the developmental disabilities community! We ❤ ending family fees, reforming the Core Staffing Formula, and accelerating the service provider rate increase! @CALanterman @AsmPhilTing @NancySkinnerCA @Rendon63rd @toniatkins