The election is behind us and now we look to 2019 with focus and commitment to our mission of supporting individuals with disabilities. We have an opportunity to build new relationships and strengthen longstanding ties with lawmakers and other leaders at the state, and we offer our congratulations to the candidates who prevailed.
It goes without saying that this year had its ups and downs for the disability service industry, but I hope you share my optimism that our efforts will ultimately prevail. The workforce crisis continued, and new employment service options were implemented. There were rate cuts and changes made for regulatory compliance. We were fortunate to have bipartisan support at the State Legislature for a plan to restore funds lost due to the 7 percent cut to our reimbursement rates, but the overall bill was vetoed. We look forward to finding a way to restore these funds and continue to drive services forward.
Despite the challenges we face, let’s make sure and not lose sight of the impact our work has on so many people each day. It is imperative that we preserve the past investments that have been made to help attract and retain quality staff. They are the lifeblood of our work to provide the services and supports that people need.
I’d like to wish everyone the best over the holiday season. Let’s relish our time with family and look forward to interacting early and often with the new Minnesota Legislature and the governor. Building positive relationships is key to our mission to create long-term sustainable funding for disability services.
