Shortly after our trip to the nation's capital, many Massachusetts federal lawmakers signed onto the critical federal legislation that promises to allow people with disabilities to maintain greater control of their savings. (Read more about the ABLE Act here.)

 

Now, late last week, Massachusetts senior Senator Elizabeth Warren announced that she as well is signing onto the ABLE Act. The ABLE Act now has 36 Senate co-sponsors and 172 House co-sponsors. Thank you Senator Warren for joining the cause of supporting people with Down syndrome and other disabilities! 

 

We want to congratulate Massachusetts' newest Senator, Ed Markey, on his election victory yesterday over newcomer Gabriel Gomez. Both candidates engaged in a hard-fought campaign. 

 

It may only be the day after the election, but we need  to be sure that Massachusetts' junior Senator makes disability policy a top priority in Washington. (Read about the MDSC's national priorities here.)

 

Please reach out to Senator-elect Markey and ask him to support the ABLE Act. As a longtime Congressman, Rep. Markey signed onto a previous version of this important bill and was a primary sponsor of other good disability legislation. We expect Senator-elect Markey will do the same in his seat in the upper chamber, but he needs to hear from our community to put the ABLE Act on his radar. 

 

Please call Senator-elect Markey at 202-225-2836. Congratulate him on his victory and ask him to sign on to the ABLE Act.

 

Also, if you live in the Western-most part of Massachusetts, help us reach out to the only remaining member of Congress from Massachusetts who has yet to sign the ABLE Act - Richard Neal. Click the map below to see his recently reconfigured district. If you're in it, please call him at (202) 225-5601 to ask him to get on board. 

 

 

 

If you haven't already, please pick up the phone and call your Representative and Senator in the State House to help secure state funding for the MDSC's essential programs that serve and benefit your loved ones with Down syndrome. 

 

We are simply asking that the state's Conference Committee renews its support of the MDSC through a $100,000 appropriation in Line Item 5911-1003. This funding was provided for the first time last year. Wherever you live, we hope you will act, but this is especially critical if you are a constituent of one of the 8 Conference Committee members: 

 

Senator Stephen Brewer (Co-Chairman of Conference Committee), Representative Brian Dempsey (Co-Chairman of Conference Committee), Senator Michael Knapik, Senator Bruce Tarr, Senator Jennifer Flanagan, Representative Viriato (Vinny) deMacedo, Representative Bradley Jones, Representative Stephen Kulik. 

 

This money is critical to the continuation of the MDSC educational outreach programs that help the 5,000 families who are a part of the MDSC network. 

 

 

Last week, MDSC Executive Director Maureen Gallagher and Government Affairs Consultant Jane Lane pulled together in one room an amazing collection of officials across several agencies and disability advocates from many organizations to continue discussions around crafting and passing a comprehensive National Background Record Check Bill. 

 

The National Background Check Bill has been an MDSC priority for many years, but has never made it out of the House Ways & Means Committee. This session, it has a better chance than ever. When it was re-introduced in January, it garnered 64 co-sponsors, but the language still requires a great deal of work because of the complexities of the regulations.

 

The bill would close a gaping loophole so that employees who work with people with disabilities undergo a federal background check (currently only a state check is required). The bill now has the support of a broad coalition launched by the MDSC this year that includes DPS, DDS, EOHHS, DPPC, MDDC, MASS, DLC and The Arc. We were also joined at the meeting by a representative from ADDP.

 

The goal of this undertaking is to once and for all guarantee that those hired to work with people with disabilities in Mass. have not only a statewide CORI check on them but also a federal background record check. It is a long road ahead, but we are off to a great start with a group of energized and motivated collaborators. 

 

 

 

The Real Lives Bill, which would change the way developmental services are delivered by shifting the balance of power away from the legislature and into the hands of those actually using the services, is still in play in the state legislature. 

 

Now, there's an easy, fun way to support 'Real Lives.' With a few quick steps on your smartphone, you can send a strong message to your state legislators to pass this critical piece of legislation that will make a "Real" difference in the lives of people with Down syndrome. For you tech-savvy folks out there, the image above says it all. Just text REAL or real to the number 9 10 11, or use your QR Reader to scan the code above! 

 

Under Real Lives, individuals or their legally designated representatives - with oversight from the state - could design their own "person-centered plans" to determine how to best use the taxpayer money they are qualified to receive. Unlike anything on the books right now, Real Lives recognizes the rights of people with disabilities to make choices about how and where they live, ensuring that you or your loved ones do not have arbitrary limits imposed. The bill also addresses the sometimes long delays that individuals experience when they are not happy or satisfied in a certain setting. 

 

The Real Lives Bill, sponsored by Rep. Tom Sannicandro, was the centerpiece of our Annual Conference in March. For more information on the Real Lives Bill,  see a Fact Sheet here.

  

The MDSC's Legislative Advocacy Task Force, our primary vehicle for public policy initiatives, needs you! Whether you have past experience advocating on Beacon Hill or not, we want people with a passion for changing things to help the MDSC make a real difference in the state.  

 

The Task Force works with the MDSC Executive Director, Management Team, and our membership to advocate for legislation and policies that will help us achieve our mission. With broad statewide representation, the Task Force's primary objective is to mobilize the MDSC membership to advocate on behalf of the entire Down syndrome community.

 

Please join us! Help us outreach to members, testify at public hearing for important bills, and create templates for use in our advocacy efforts and participate in meetings with policy makers both in the Legislature and the Administration.

 

If interested, contact us at timetospeakout@mdsc.org.