Did my advocacy do any good?

The 2009 legislative session was an extremely difficult one. The legislature had to decide what programs and services to cut throughout the state budget. The Arc of Washington State sponsors Advocacy Day every Wednesday during the legislative session. Individuals with developmental disabilities (self advocates), their family and friends, service providers, other advocacy organizations and community members from all around our state converge on the state capitol in Olympia each week to educate their legislators about DD programs and services they use and the importance of funding them.

Over 700 people were on the capitol steps for the Independent Living Day rally during one Advocacy Day. They carried signs expressing the importance of not making huge cuts to community services and passionately shared their personal stories with legislators. With the impact of the cuts now being felt in services for developmental disabilities, some are now starting to ask “Did my advocacy do any good?”. The answer is a resounding “YES!”

Although DD services did take about a 3% cut in the budget, other services, such as mental health, took even deeper cuts. Advocacy organizations knew as we went into this legislative session that it was a difficult year because the economy had tanked and the state’s revenue was drastically reduced. We knew we had to expect some reductions, we knew your advocacy was needed to keep the cuts to a minimum. Remember, it was just two years ago that your advocacy helped bring about the greatest budget increase for developmental disabilities that we had in 30 years!

If you look at the state of Illinois and compare what their legislature did with ours, you will see that we fared much better. The Illinois Division of Developmental Disabilities will no longer fund 14 grant programs that provide family support, respite care, employment and other services. In contrast, the DDD Individual and Family Services program in our state, which funds respite care, therapies and other necessary services, managed to remain intact because of your advocacy. Illinois is also looking at 20 - 30% additional cuts in community living services, developmental training, and Intermediate Care Facilities.

Although Governor Gregoire, the Senate and most of the House of Representative members knew it was time to begin consolidating and closing state institutions for people with DD, a few key House members were able to block it, at least for now. Many legislators understand that having community residential options for people with DD are not only less expensive, but self advocates tell them they never again want to live in institutions (see the You Tube videos to your right). They value the freedom and independence that so many have fought for. Although no DD institutions were closed this session, the funding was reduced for them, so that DD community services did not take all the cuts. The legislature also ordered a commission to look at state institutions and bring a recommendation to them in November of this year to close 250 beds in DD institutions.

Your advocacy is needed now more than ever. Revenue forecasts show continuing declining revenue for the state, which means legislators will need to look for more places to cut. Call your legislators now, invite them to your home, show them where you work, help them to understand how important it is that you or your family have services that allow you to live in the community, just as they do. Whether you see your legislator in person, make phone calls, send emails or write letters, change is made by those who show up!

See you in Olympia-
Diana Stadden