As the world changes, so does our progress toward a hopeful, inclusive community. Read about recent updates to issues affecting caregivers, disability rights, early care and education, healthcare, and veterans and military families. You are our biggest advocate for change, and we need your help today!
Lend Your Voice: Contact Your Representative!
Don’t Cut Funds for Students’ Mental Health
The Maryland House of Delegates recently passed HB504, the Excellence in Maryland Public Schools Act, which includes the Coordinated Community Supports Partnership Fund for students’ mental health and wraparound services – but cut the amount from $130M to $40M. This Fund has resulted in significant improvements in behavioral outcomes and is crucial to addressing the mental health crisis. Students’ mental health has worsened dramatically over the last decade, especially since the pandemic. In this uncertain environment, we cannot afford to cut mental health services for vulnerable youths.
Contact your Maryland Senators now and urge them to reject HB504 for its devastating cut to mental healthcare for school-aged youths.
Medicaid Coverage and Vouchers for Medical Adult Day Services in Maryland
Many of the clients who attend adult medical day care are recipients of Medicaid coverage. The State of Maryland has one of the lowest reimbursement rates for adult medical day care in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast. Adult medical day care remains the State’s most cost-effective solution for keeping people out of institutions and living in their homes. Easterseals DC MD VA supports Medicaid reimbursement rate increases that cover the increasing fixed costs of delivering these services and ensures the viability of this industry.
Help seniors and people with disabilities receive the services they need to live longer and healthier in their homes by contacting Governor Moore and your Maryland representatives. Ask them to include sufficient Medicaid funding for medical adult day service providers in the final stage budget.
Pay Equity for DC Teachers
The Early Childhood Educator Pay Equity Fund (PEF) was created in 2021 by the Washington, DC Council to bring the wages of child care and early education teachers (CCEE) in line with similarly trained and certified educators employed by DC Public Schools. Easterseals DC MD VA supports full funding of the PEF in the DC budget to supplement the wages of CCEE teachers and help in the recruitment and retention of a stable and qualified CCEE workforce.
Help support high quality, affordable child care by contacting Mayor Bowser and DC Councilmembers. Urge them to support full funding of the Pay Equity Fund for teachers in the FY26 budget.
To learn more about all the issues Easterseals DC MD VA cares about, contact Dennis Alexander, Director of Government Relations and Advocacy, dalexander@eseal.org.
