Advocating for and with People with Intellectual Disabilities

Advocacy is important. Even if your side loses, it still matters.

Last week, I spent time with other advocates at Nebraska’s state capitol, working to override the governor’s veto of valuable funding for people with disabilities.

Mosaic and its advocacy partners worked diligently this session to ensure funding for people with disabilities and their providers would be sufficient to continue providing quality community-based services.

We scored an early legislative victory by recouping some lost habilitation funds. Through the ups and downs of the budget process, advocates were sent on a roller coaster. First the governor recommended Medicaid cuts. Then the Appropriations Committee recommended a one percent increase in Medicaid rates. Lower revenue forecasts led the Legislature to holding Medicaid rates flat. Finally, the governor line-item reduced (vetoing) funding available for Medicaid provider rates by 2.2 percent.

The legislative day was called to order at 9 a.m. starting with a motion to override the governor’s veto of Medicaid funding. By 11:30 am the first motion failed 27-21-1, just three votes short.

Since the Legislature failed to override the governor’s veto, the state budget becomes law with a 2.2 percent reduction in funding available for Medicaid provider rates. This impacts thousands of Nebraskans and reduces Medicaid funding by $32.5 million in the state.

This not what disability advocates wanted. This is not what Mosaic wanted. This is not what 27 senators of the Nebraska Legislature wanted. It’s not what’s best for the people Mosaic supports and their communities.

This year we’ve advocated for higher wages for direct support professionals in Arizona, Delaware, Indiana and Illinois. Last month, we encouraged elected officials in Connecticut to transfer more services to the nonprofit sector, so people with disabilities can get better support and the state can manage the system more efficiently.

We don’t always achieve our advocacy goals, but we will always work to ensure that people with disabilities have access to quality services and supports.

During the past week there were numerous news stories promoting people with disabilities and highlighting the importance of quality community-based services. While the budget cuts don’t serve people with disabilities well and don’t support their communities well, more people in Nebraska now understand how people with disabilities rely on state and community resources.

Advocacy at the state and federal level is important, especially as Mosaic and other services providers prepare for more challenges to Medicaid funding. It helps educate people about public policy initiatives and government. Even if we don’t get enough votes, people will continue caring deeply about issues.

It’s not always about votes or victory. In the end it’s about people – the people Mosaic supports, elected officials and citizens who hold them accountable.

Continue your advocacy. Engage your government.