Dear Friends and Families of Ability Beyond,

We are all living through a time we never could have anticipated.

For Ability Beyond, managing the complexities of providing daily services during COVID-19, implementing extensive precaution procedures, safely taking care of individuals in our residential programs, creatively providing virtual Day program activities and finding new ways of supporting all people we serve, as well as those we employ has been unprecedented.

But today, there’s only one more step to take and that is to ensure people with disabilities and people who support them are protected during the coronavirus outbreak.  We are asking you to personally reach out to Congress telling them how COVID-19 is affecting you and your loved ones.

This week the Health and Human Services committee (HHS) is expected to share plans for how it will distribute the remaining $20 billion in the $100 billion in emergency funds Congress designated for health providers through the cares act. HHS has not included Medicaid-funded disability supports in any previous funding allocations, choosing instead to focus on Medicare services. Distribution of Federal support is currently left up to the specific state to determine how much and when to fund services. 

Please reach out to your Senators and House Representatives asking them to demand that HHS no longer overlooks Medicaid disability supports as it distributes emergency health funding.  

Click Here to Find Your U.S. Senator

Click Here to Find Your U.S. Representatives

Attached on this link are a few sample prompts to download to help you get your letter started:  CLICK to Download Writing Prompts.  Although letters should be brief and to the point, please do share your personal story and explain why this issue has important impact to your community and state. If you prefer to call and leave a message for the senators and representatives, please do so. Either communication effort will help all to secure emergency funding.

On behalf of everyone we serve today and anticipate providing services to in our future, we thank you.