June 10, 2011
Linsky sponsors bill to change CORI laws
BOSTON — State Rep. David Linsky, D-Natick, is sponsoring a bill to make changes to the criminal background checks law aimed at providing higher security for special needs students.
To read more from MetroWest Daily News click here
May 25, 2011
Mental health advocates back new bill
BOSTON — Mental health advocates say 1 in 10 people in Massachusetts have mental illness; anything from depression to schizophrenia. Yet there is a social stigma on people suffering from mental disease, so victims often don't come forward.
To read more from WWLP click here
May 10, 2011
Ensuring coverage for youngsters
Advocates begin effort to enroll all Mass. children
BOSTON — Thousands of Massachusetts children remain without health care coverage despite the state’s universal insurance law, a chasm that is prompting the launch today of a campaign by state leaders and consumer advocates to get all youngsters enrolled.
To read more from The Boston Globe, click here
May 4, 2011
Patrick says differences with Mass. Legislature over municipal health care will be worked out
BOSTON — Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick says he and legislative leaders are in fundamental agreement over what should be included in a municipal health care bill, even while there remains disagreement on the specifics.
To read more from The Associated Press, click here
April 29, 2011
Melrose's Mayor Dolan: No changes to city health insurance
MELROSE - The state House of Representatives is considering a budget proposal that would give municipal leaders the power to sidestep collective bargaining to change co-payments, deductibles, and other aspects of health insurance for municipal employees who are union members. However, even if the change is adopted, Melrose’s public employees aren’t likely to see any changes to their health insurance plans for the next three years, Mayor Robert Dolan told the Free Press last week.
To read more from Melrose Free Press, click here
April 19, 2011
Massachusetts Senate agrees to reduce state aid to cities and towns
BOSTON – The Massachusetts Senate Thursday agreed to cut a major account of state aid by 7 percent for the next fiscal year and to slightly reduce general education aid, ensuring that communities will face a fourth consecutive year of reductions in state assistance.
To read more, click here
April 13, 2011
Mass. House set to unveil budget proposal Wednesday
BOSTON (AP) — The state budget process moves forward this week as House leaders unveil their version of the spending plan for the fiscal year starting on July 1.
To read more, click here
April 5, 2011
For the third year, we will be co-sponsoring a bicycle recycling event at RMLD. People are encouraged to donate their neglected or outgrown bicycles, in good working condition, on Friday, April 8th from 11-1:00pm and on Saturday, April 9th from 9-11:00am.
We will clean up and check out the bikes to prepare them for adoption.
Donors may return on April 9th at 12:00noon if they wish to look for a "new" bike from the donations. The event will be open for the general public to adopt bikes from 12:30 to 2:00pm.
If you would like to help at the event, please Contact info@readingcares.org
March 30, 2011
“Take Control-Bullying, Obesity and Managing Family Stress”
Date: APRIL 2, 2010
Time: 8:00am-2:00pm- Vendors may arrive at 7am to be set up by 8:15am.
Location: Everett High School, 100 Elm Street, Everett, MA 02149
Mission-The Joint Committee is a not-for-profit organization, which is dedicated to advocating for universal access to quality, comprehensive health care for all the children in Everett and its surrounding communities, and in promoting their optimal health and well being. The committee works in partnership with parents, educators, healthcare professionals, members of civic and community organizations and other public initiatives.
March 29, 2011
Bill would hike signatures needed for Mass. ballot
A leader of the group that brought the property tax-cutting Proposition 2 1/2 to the ballot three decades ago joined other citizens groups Wednesday in denouncing a proposal that would make it more difficult to place future initiatives before Massachusetts voters.
The proposed constitutional amendment, sponsored by state Rep. Denise Provost (D-Somerville), would more than double the number of signatures petitioners would need to collect before a ballot imitative could move forward.
To read more click here
March 16, 2011
UMASS STEM CELL BANKS SIGNS ACCORD WITH UK COUNTERPART
In one of the few tangible agreements disclosed so far during Gov. Deval Patrick's ongoing trade trip to Israel and the United Kingdom, administration officials on Tuesday touted the signing of a memorandum of understanding aimed at sharing best practices for stem cell banking. The agreement between the University of Massachusetts Human Stem Cell Bank and Registry and the United Kingdom Stem Cell Bank calls for collaboration on standards for stem cell line characterization, production and distribution in the United States and the United Kingdom, according to the Patrick administration.
To read more click here
March 5, 2011
Learning and Lobbying
Saad Farhed and Hiba Fareed had never visited the Massachusetts Statehouse before, but they were determined to make their first visit count. On March 1, the two Northeastern University students crisscrossed the capitol, meeting with state representatives and senators to push for continued support of need-based financial aid programs. With the legislature expected to face tough budgetary decisions this year, the students hoped to make their case for preserving this funding.
To read more click here
In the face of budget cuts, we all need to become our own lobbyists. It's take one person to make a difference. If you have any thoughts or ideas about how we can lobby together to show our politicians the importance of day programs and services for individuals with developmental disabilities.
February 23, 2011
Legislative Forum: "Invest in the Future: The DDS Funding Crisis - Let's Work Together!"
Monday, March 7, 2011 from 5:30-7:30PM at 27 Maple Street, Arlington, MA
Advocates, self-advocates, family members, citizens! Please join the Citizen's Advisory Board (CAB) for the Central Middlesex Region of the Department of Developmental Services (DDS) for their annual Legislative Forum. Monday, March 7, 2011 from 5:30-7:30PM at 27 Maple Street, Arlington, MA. Come meet area legislators, hear about current budget issues and strategize solutions. Representative Jay Kaufman of Lexington will be honored as Legislator of 2010. Light refreshments will be available. The Central Middlesex CAB serves Acton, Arlington, Bedford, Boxboro, Burlington, Carlisle, Concord, Lexington, Lincoln, Littleton, Maynard, Stow, Wilmington, Winchester and Woburn.
February 20, 2011
DISABILITY BILL SHARING SESSION RESCHEDULED TO TUESDAY, February 22, 2011
Please join us at the Omni Parker House, 60 School Street, Boston on Tuesday, February 22nd for our Disability Bill Sharing Session from 11:00am to 1:00pm. If you have a bill to share and have not yet done so, please send copies of the bills, along with fact sheets and any other explanatory information to Kristin Britton, Disability Policy Specialist, at Kristin.Britton@state.ma.us If you have any questions, please contact Kristin by e-mail or at 617-770-7676, ext. 103.
February 19, 2011
CAREGIVERS FOR DISABLED SAY PAYLESS SNOW DAYS EXACERBATED BY CUTS
By Kyle Cheney
STATE HOUSE NEWS SERVICE
STATE HOUSE, BOSTON, FEB. 16, 2011….Citing lost wages due to snow days, caregivers for Massachusetts residents with severe developmental disabilities are asking the Patrick administration to delay a cut to programs that could take effect next month.
The Patrick administration has proposed reducing rates paid to programs that offer daily care, support and training to individuals with disabilities by $1.3 million over the next four months, and $5 million a year beginning July 1, as the administration seeks to trim spending from it $10 billion MassHealth budget.
But disabilities providers say the cuts would come on top of $2.1 million they were never paid by the state as a result of snow days, a loss they say should at least take the short-term cut off the table.
"It's like a double whammy," said Bonnie Keefe-Layden, CEO of Rehabilitative Resources Inc., a Leominster-based day habilitation program.
EMARC has also suffered from financial loses due to the snowstorms. Many of our day program folks were kept home on snow days while our buildings were staffed. We were unable to bill funding sources for our day program and had to pay staff for their regular hours. In addition our group homes required additional staffing hours, had to be staffed and transportation still had to be paid. When you take those loses that were accrued because of the storm and add the above budget cuts, organizations and the people we serve suffer the most.
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