Staten Island Developmental Disabilities Council

Dear Council Member:

The Executive Committee of the Staten Island Developmental Disabilities Council is requesting that family members and self-advocates submit letters to the Council explaining how the current services you receive have impacted your family. In essence, we are hoping to convey to local politicians and those in the New York State Legislature, as well as the Governor, that our services are essential.

Our hope is that through efforts such as these, we can help those making decisions about our lives see how current services help to develop better quality of lives for those with developmental disabilities and their families. These decisions must not be made from purely monetary considerations but need to be made after a careful review of the services currently provided and received, as well as their impact on the lives of our loved ones.

It is our belief that each letter needs to be a personal account of how your life has been impacted by caring for a loved one with a developmental disability while also clearly detailing how you and your family member(s) have been effected by the services we now depend on (and hope will remain in the future). We also ask that you look forward and consider what services you  and your family member will need in the future to maintain his/her quality of life.

 We are hoping to collect at least 500 letters to be delivered to those noted above to express our concern and dismay over current trends and the risks that come with the looming 1115 Waiver. While there is no clear information out there regarding what this will look like in New York, there is enough to cause alarm over the number of services that can be in jeopardy.

Please complete your letters and e-mail them to the council office by Thursday, July 21^st contactsiddc@siddc.org. If you have any questions, please call Angela Edwards at (718) 983-5276.

Thank you for your quick response to our advocacy efforts.