Support Coordinator Letters
Sample Letters to Address the Proposal To Eliminate Support Coordination
Sample letter 1:
Dear _______:
As a taxpayer and concerned citizen I am writing with regards to the proposal submitted by the Agency for Persons with Disabilities (APD) to eliminate independent support coordination. I have friends who participate in this program and have seen first hand what having an independent advocate has done for their entire family. When they had a state case worker years ago they never saw the worker and didn’t even know who to contact in case of an emergency. Why would anyone reinstate a system that never worked? As a tax payer I am appalled that the State would consider increasing the size of State government by adding 650 positions. I have no idea who did the math, but even an average citizen can tell you that start up costs, training, salary, benefits and a retirement programs will end up costing a lot more in the long run. The Republicans have always preached smaller government. Please don’t abandon those principals now. Please send that agency back to the drawing board and reject this ridiculous and potentially dangerous plan now.
Thank you for your consideration.
Sincerely,
Sample letter 2:
Dear _______:
My son, Brian is 21 years old and lives at home with us. He is severely disabled and requires almost total care for daily activities. He has been on the state’s Medicaid waiver for the last 13 years and receives independent support coordination. Prior to that time we had a state worker. The difference has been night and day. I never had any idea who my state worker was and was lucky if I saw the person once a year. My coordinator, on the other hand, is there any time I need her. I can call her any time day or night. You certainly can’t say that for the State workers! I find it disheartening that the Agency that is charged with the responsibility to protect people with disabilities is doing their best to take away the best support we have ever had. Without the support of my independent support coordinator I may have to make the difficult decision to move my son to a group home. That of course would double the amount of money the State spends on my son.
As a taxpayer I am totally opposed to any plan that would increase the size of State Government. This never saves money. I am surprised that this proposal would even be considered. Please don’t abandoned people with disabilities. We need independent advocates now more than ever.
Thank you in advance for considering my situation.
Sincerely,
Sample letter 3:
Dear _____________:
I am writing in opposition to the recent proposal by the agency for persons with disabilities to eliminate support coordination and turn those responsibilities over to the State. Are they truly serious? One only has to look as far as the Department of Children and families to find miserable failures with State operated case management. I for one have no interest in funding the lawsuits that will certainly follow such a dangerous and ill thought out plan. How can anyone believe that adding 650 State positions will save money? No wonder this agency is in trouble if that is the best plan they can come up with. As a taxpayer I have to wonder why these agencies never recommend the reduction of their salaries or possibly the elimination of useless bureaucratic positions. It seems as if every few years a new director is appointed to lead the agency representing persons with disabilities, but things never get better. Maybe the State should follow the example of private industry and clean out all upper management of that department. A new director is only as good as the senior staff advising her.
Sample letter 4:
Dear ______:
I am writing with regards to the proposed plan to take away independent advocacy (support coordination) from persons with developmental disabilities. Too often these vulnerable members of our society are exploited. Many have no family or friends who can act on their behalf. The support coordinator is the only person in that system that has no agenda but to advocate on behalf of the individual. They oversee the supports and services they receive and help integrate them into their communities.
Although I have no children with disabilities, I am an active member of my community and have seen first hand what independent support coordination has done for those members of our community that are often forgotten. Surely the Agency for Persons with Disabilities can come up with better ways to solve their financial problems. People with disabilities should not be made to suffer because of the lack of fiscal responsibility that Agency has demonstrated. Please put a stop to this plan immediately.
Sincerely,
Sample letter 5:
Dear _______:
I am writing to voice my concern regarding the proposed plan to eliminate independent support coordination from the array of services provided to persons with developmental disabilities. I am a professional in the field of human services and have been involved with persons with developmental disabilities for over 30 years. Persons with severe developmental disabilities have often been labeled “the most vulnerable” of our citizens and require our protection and support. During my tenure I have seen, first hand, how significant changes in service delivery impact those individuals.
During the early 70s most persons with disabilities lived in state operated institutions and during the 80s and 90s many were moved to Intermediate Care facilities and large group homes without having a choice. In 1992-93, when the Medicaid Waiver and support coordination was initiated, I have seen, with support from coordinators, persons who have moved from these state-run facilities, save money and move into their own condominiums. I have also witnessed the transition as people leave segregated sheltered workshops, obtain jobs and maintain stable employment as productive citizens. Both of these changes have resulted in an enhanced quality of life and less financial dependence on the State. This did not occur when state workers were in charge of coordinating services! Support Coordinators are charged with the responsibility to assist persons with becoming involved in their communities, and persons with disabilities have thrived as a result. I find it incomprehensible that such a valued service would be eliminated in favor of increased government growth! It would appear that rather than save the state money it would cost more in the long run, given start-up costs, training, and the state’s benefit and retirement packages. Since these “Independents” have been in business for 14 years and those costs absorbed by their companies without state funds, it appears as if this plan is inconsistent with the state’s philosophy to downsize government.
Please assure that persons with disabilities have a voice, and vote to eliminate this ill-planned proposal. Thanking you in advance for your consideration, I remain
Sincerely,
Sample letter 6:
Dear ______:
I am writing to express my strong opposition to the elimination of support coordination services. The proposal from the agency for persons with disabilities is almost unbelievable to those of us who have children with developmental disabilities. My son, Thomas, is a teenager and considered severely disabled. My husband and I, I believe, truly represent the American family. I am a nurse and my husband is a paramedic. We work long hours to make ends meet and to support our son, so that he may have the best life possible. We in no way take advantage of state services, and only ask for assistance when it is absolutely necessary.
We have received support coordination services from Community Support Network (CSN) for 7 years. In that time, I have found this service to be invaluable. My support coordinator is available to me 24 hours a day. If I had an emergency in the middle of the night and would have to find someone to be responsible for Thomas, all I would have to do is pick up the phone and someone from CSN would assist me. As I am sure you are aware, the state system does not work this way. It would take days, not weeks to get a response when I had a state case worker.
My coordinator assists us in navigating a very complex system. Contrary to popular belief, she always attempts to assist us in using community resources and other natural supports prior to using state funded services. I feel that my support coordinator is a good steward of our taxpayer dollars. In addition, she is knowledgeable of a wide variety of services available to everyone in the community. There is no way that my husband and I could possibly possess the knowledge that she and her company have to offer. I have heard that APD has stated that there are support coordinators out there that are not doing their job and using this as an excuse to eliminate this valuable program. To that I would like to say it is the state’s responsibility to eliminate those providers who are not doing their jobs. The beauty of an independent system if that parents or people with disabilities, who are unhappy with their services, can simply choose a new support coordination agency at any time. With a state operated social work system you are stuck with whoever is assigned, whether they do their job or not. To eliminate this choice would place many people at risk.
After the last session, my son was taken to “limited support coordination.” My coordinator’s rate was cut in half and she was essentially told by APD that because Thomas is under 21 he does not require as much support as an adult. I worried about how we would weather this cut as we greatly depend on our support coordinator. We even began to discuss the possibility of Thomas living in a group home. To the company’s credit, I have seen no change in my service, even though their rate was drastically cut. This is the type and level of dedication we receive from independent support coordination.
To be frank, I worry less about Thomas because he will always have us. What I can’t stop thinking about are the thousands of disabled adults and children in the state of Florida who have no family or friends. To them, independent support coordination is a life line.
I ask that you immediately put a stop to this proposal to eliminate support coordination. I think you will find that without independent coordination many families like mine will turn to the alternative of out of home options for our children. Thus, increasing state costs.
Sincerely,