Take Legislative Action Today: Support the Best Life Alliance Legislation!
As the MN 2022 Legislative Session unfolds, Minnesota is in the midst of an extreme shortage of workers available to provide the hands-on support necessary to support Minnesotans with disabilities to live full lives
In a highly competitive market, the wages and benefits we can pay are limited by our State set reimbursement rates. Service providers reported more than 3,500 people on our waiting lists to access services and group homes are closing, leaving individuals in a state of emergency.
We are asking you to reach out to your State Senator and State Representatives today, to let them know your story and the impact this workforce shortage is having on you while urging them to pass the Best Life Alliance legislation to address this.
It is simple to reach out to your State Senator and Representatives. Using the points below, tell your story:
Opening your email
Open the email by noting that you are reaching out as a constituent. Remind your legislator that our state is in the midst of an incredibly challenging disability services workforce shortage which means that many Minnesotans with disabilities are lacking access to the services needed to survive and thrive in community life.
How this impacts you or your family member
Share with your legislator how the lack of disability services staff has impacted you or your family member’s ability to access the disability services they are seeking. Try to be brief but specific: how has lack of staff limited the services you can access on a daily basis or resulted in a waiting list for you to access services, and how have those service access barriers impacted your daily life?
What needs to be done
Prompt your legislator to take the action necessary to show that the State values Minnesotans with disabilities living full and meaningful lives. Urge them to increase our State set reimbursement rates to a level that can pay for the staff supports necessary to make this possible. Ask them to support the Best Life Alliance proposal, House File 3100 and Senate File 2771, that proposes ongoing and regularly scheduled updates to the Disability Waiver Rate System aimed at increasing the wages and benefits of Direct Support Professionals working in waivered disability services. Ask them to support an increase that supports staff wages and benefits that can compete with local fast food and other entry-level retail work opportunities.
Your specific ask of your MN State Representative and MN State Senator/ Closing
Ask your legislator to consider adding their name as a co-author on The Best Life Alliance proposal, House File 3100/Senate File 2771, aimed at long-term reform of waivered disability services staff wages and benefits. Close your email by offering for your legislator to reach out with any questions, thanking them for their service, and including your name/city.
Thank you for considering this opportunity to make your voice heard!
If you receive a personal reply from one of your elected officials, feel free to forward it to info@partnershipresources.org