Family Hearing Day Friday, February 7th, 11 a.m.-1 p.m. Legislative Office Building Hearing Room 2D (300 Capitol Ave., Hartford) note: bring 20 copies of your testimony
This past year, Connecticut DDS families, organized under the guidance of the Union and the ARC of CT, invited their elected officials into their homes to share with them the many issues they have in accessing adequate DDS support for their I/DD loved ones.
Their personal stories touched the emotions of these legislators, leading to the formation of an I/DD legislative caucus committed to protecting and improving DDS services for the I/DD population in Connecticut.
To help raise awareness and gain support among their constituency for expanding DDS services, the I/DD Caucus is sponsoring a Family Hearing Day at the state capitol on January 22 from 11 am to 1 pm to give I/DD families the opportunity to share their stories with a broader audience of lawmakers.
Family Hearing Day is an unprecedented invitation to advocate for a fully funded DDS system that can provide a wider range of supports for I/DD individuals.
We strongly urge STS guardians to come to Hartford for Family Hearing Day. There is power in numbers, and this is a powerful opportunity for as many of us as possible to not only show our support of the I/DD Caucus but to also express our concerns and raise awareness about the future of those I/DD individuals on the DDS waiting list who are aging or have extreme physical and intellectual disabilities and are in need of the long-term quality care solutions that currently exist for our loved ones at STS.
If you wish to tell your STS story at the hearing, your testimony must be no longer than three minutes in length. Sign-up begins at 9 am in Hearing Room 2D and you must bring 20 copies of your testimony with you.
If you can’t make it to Hartford, please take action:
:: Spread the word to other I/DD families you know about Family Hearing Day.
:: Write, e-mail or call your elected officials urging them to support or join their constituents on the I/DD Caucus
:: Contact your legislators and invite them to STS as your guest so that theycan see for themselves why you choose STS for your loved one and whySTS is not an institution but a solution to the I/DD waiting list crisisin Connecticut.
Though Family Hearing Day is focused on expanding DDS services for I/DD individuals who need these supports, this is an excellent opportunity for us as advocates for our loved ones at STS to change perceptions and gain support for STS as a long-term care solution for our most vulnerable citizens.
Senator Beth Bye, who is also head of the Appropriations Committee, chairs the I/DD Caucus. Current caucus members are: Rep. John Hampton (Simsbury); Rep. Jay Case (Winsted, Torrington, Colebrook, Goshen); Sen. Paul Doyle (Cromwell, Middletown, Newington, Rocky Hill, Wethersfield); Rep. Mike Demicco (Farmington); Rep. Jason Rojas (East Hartford, Manchester); Rep. Ed Vargas (Hartford). Every legislator in the House and Senate will be invited to attend Family Hearing Day.
If you have any questions about Family Hearing Day, please contact us at 855-200-0490 or e-mail us at [email protected].
