Minnesotans with disabilities need access to critical day supports now and after COVID-19
Dear Friend of PRI,

Thank you for your continued support of Partnership Resources and for the services we provide to people with disabilities. Today, we are asking you to reach out to your State Legislators. The legislature is resuming its work and it is urgent that we communicate the need for emergency funding for organizations like PRI. Remote Senate hearings begin today on a bipartisan effort sponsored by Sens. John Hoffman and Jim Abeler that would provide limited reimbursement to day programs during the pandemic to help meet fixed costs. It is crucial that your representatives hear you support this effort.

Your Voice Matters!

Ask Minnesota to do what many other states have done and provide partial payments that help to cover fixed costs while PRI and other disability service providers must remain closed. These payments will help keep the entire disability service structure intact and ready to reopen when it is safe to do so. Without this financial support from the state, there will be far-reaching implications for providers and devastating to the progress made for individuals with disabilities. Programs like PRI are counting on the action of supporters like you to ensure that opportunities for people with disabilities are there when this crisis is over.

The Pioneer Press has published an article explaining the issues facing providers who provide day and employment supports to people with disabilities.

“Without any funding, we don’t get paid when people aren’t there,” said Julie Johnson, president of the Minnesota Organization for Habilitation and Rehabilitation. “This could be devastating for the industry if they (legislators) don’t stand up and pay attention to it. If we wait too long, we’ll lose providers. People will lose options and opportunities.”

Please contact your representatives and senators today. Below is a sample letter you can use as the base for your communication to your legislators. If you have a personal story to share, we encourage you to include it.
Sample Letter
EMAIL SUBJECT LINE:  HELP ENSURE MINNESOTANS WITH DISABILITIES HAVE ACCESS TO NEEDED DAY SERVICES


Dear Rep. ___/ Sen. ___,

Thank you for all that you are doing to help steer our state forward through this current COVID-19 outbreak, we appreciate all of your efforts.

Today, I am asking you to support services to people with disabilities by pushing to pass a Disability Day and Employment Services Fixed Cost Relief legislative proposal as soon as possible. This will help ensure that Minnesotans with disabilities have access to needed day and employment services.

As you know, disability day and employment services are being hit hard by the effects of the COVID-19 outbreak. Most services are temporarily suspended. Without emergency relief during the suspension, many providers have no revenue coming in and will find it difficult to reopen when it is safe to do so.

Emergency funding is urgently needed to help day and employment service providers to address fixed costs that continue during these closures. Limited reserves are quickly being depleted to cover rent, utilities, and essential expenses. Partial funding through emergency relief will cover these fixed costs and sustain the critical day and employment support services infrastructure so these critical services are available to Minnesotans with disabilities when it is safe to resume services.

With emergency funding, we can avoid coming back from this pandemic with a decimated infrastructure for these crucial disability community services. We can avoid a tomorrow where people with disabilities will not have access to innovative, individualized supports during the day. But action is needed now, acting when the pandemic passes will be too late.

I am asking you to please push to pass a Disability Day and Employment Services Fixed Cost Relief legislative proposal as soon as possible. For a copy of a current draft legislative proposal, please contact MOHR (the statewide association of disability day and employment service providers).

Julie Johnson, MOHR President:  jjohnson@mssmn.org
Lynn Noren, MOHR Government Affairs Committee Chair:  lnoren@rise.org
Kevin Goodno, MOHR Government Relations Support:  KGoodno@fredlaw.com
Anni Simons, MOHR Government Relations Support:  asimons@fredlaw.com

Thank you for your partnership on this critical issue.

Sincerely,
If you receive a personal reply from one of your elected officials, feel free to forward it to info@partnershipresources.org
Your financial support is appreciated now more than ever
Check our website for COVID-19 information and updates
Please watch Julie's video message and share with your social networks.
Thank you!

Thank you for supporting people with disabilities in Minnesota