Members of Congress will be back home next week for the President’s Day recess. This recess, please urge your Members of Congress to support community living funding through the Money Follows the Person (MFP) program. This vital program has provided federal funds to states to transition individuals with disabilities and the aging population out of institutional settings and back into their communities. The program expired in late 2016 and the programs are being dismantled across the country, we must act now to extend this program!
Below are tools and resources to support your advocacy:
- Promote the Action Alert. Share this action alert with your networks to direct calls to Members of Congress to sponsor and support the bill (you can also learn more about MFP in the alert). Note: when you share it, please link directly to the alert, as opposed to posting legislators phone numbers, so we can track the number of calls made. Here is a sample social media post to promote the alert:
There’s no place like home! Take five minutes to call your Members of Congress and urge them to support funding for the Money Follows the Person program, that helps people with disabilities and seniors move out of nursing homes and institutions. http://bit.ly/2sulU6d #FundMFP [use graphic attached]
- Share Stories about Community Living. Stories about community living strengthen The Arc’s advocacy! Ask activists to share their stories about what community living means to them and their families. They can share their stories here. Here is a sample social media post for story gathering:
What does living in your community mean to you? Programs like Medicaid-funded Home and Community Based Services and Money Follows the Person (MFP) support people with disabilities to live and thrive in their communities. Advocate for these important programs by sharing your story (http://bit.ly/2h8i6yI)!
- Go to Town Hall Events & Ask Questions. Getting a group of advocates together to attend a Town Hall event hosted by a Member of Congress can be a strong way to show community support for an issue. Find Town Hall events near you at townhallproject.com and invite your networks to join you! Print the attached sign and fill it in with your own message, or “Support Community Living.” Here are sample questions to ask during the Town Hall:
- What legislation are you supporting that would increase access to community living for people with disabilities?
- Will you support the extension on the Money Follows the Person program, that helps people with disabilities live in their communities – and saves Medicaid dollars?
Please don’t hesitate to reach out to me or Nicole Jorwic know if you have any questions. Please tell us about your recess advocacy by filling out this short form. Thank you for your advocacy!
Thanks,
Claire Manning | manning@thearc.org
Director, Advocacy & Mobilization, The Arc
1825 K Street NW, Suite 1200, Washington, D.C. 20006
T 202.534.3716 | T 800.433.5255 | F 202.534.3731
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