From time to time, we will reach out to inform our employees of potential issues with funding. Currently, the Minnesota House of Representatives is proposing a significant cut to our waivered services. Proposed rate cuts in Minnesota would deeply impact the services we provide and the lives of the people we support. If these cuts go through, it could mean fewer staff, higher turnover, reduced quality of care, and fewer opportunities for the people we serve.
This isn’t a political issue—it’s a human issue, and it has support and concern on both sides of the aisle. Legislators from all political backgrounds need to hear directly from those who do this work every day.
We are encouraging advocacy from all our employees, and it only takes a few minutes! Your stories and experiences have the power to influence real decisions at the State and National level.
Here are the steps we are asking you to take:
NHS Northstar is a member of ARRM (The Association of Residential Resources in Minnesota). The following link will direct you to their Advocacy Center website: https://www.arrm.org/advocacy?utm_source=Google&utm_medium=Website&utm_campaign=ARRM&_zs=2enSm1&_zl=NkSCA.
Go to the Active Action Alerts section and you will see “Oppose cuts to Residential Disability Waiver Services“, click TAKE ACTION.
It will ask that you type in your address and will automatically draft an email to your state representative and will send after you complete the form:
- There are two boxes that you will need to type a response.
- The first box is self-explanatory. You simply need to write your title and let them know you work with people with disabilities. For example:
- “I am a Direct Support Professional. I support four people with disabilities in a licensed home in St. Louis County” or “I am a Community Support Supervisor, and I work with direct support professionals who provide care to over 20 people with disabilities who receive unit-based support in the community”.
- The second box asks for how these cuts specifically impact our organization. Below is an option. Feel free to write your own message or copy and paste this:
- As a (fill in your role here), I provide essential care and support to people with disabilities—helping them live independently, stay safe, and participate in their communities. The proposed budget cuts in Minnesota would directly reduce funding for the services we provide, which will have serious consequences. First, it will make it harder to recruit and retain qualified staff in a field that’s already facing a workforce crisis. Many DSPs and supervisors, including myself, work for wages that don’t necessarily reflect the important work we do. If funding is cut, more workers will leave, and the people we support will face inconsistent care or go without services altogether. Second, the cuts could jeopardize safety for individuals with disabilities as there could be fewer resources that could lead to more isolation, mental health issues, more serious incidents and even hospitalization—all of which are more costly in the long run.
- The first box is self-explanatory. You simply need to write your title and let them know you work with people with disabilities. For example:
- Hit send!
If you have any questions or concerns, please don’t hesitate to reach out to executiveteam@nhs-nss.com. Thank you in advance for advocating for services that we collectively care deeply about.
