Based on email and text messages, people are very excited about the #4%Photo Campaign. Legislators seem to be embracing it as well with over fifty signed on in the last ten days, bringing our total to close to ninety. What is driving this is the recognition that our mental health and human services sector continue to get underpaid for what they do. Our workforce and provider agencies are often the last line of defense before people end up in crisis.
The cuts to Medicaid will have a devastating impact to our sector, and it will mean that more and more people will rely on our services. We need to get the reimbursement necessary to continue to operate our programs and keep our staffs from leaving for higher paying jobs. A 4% increase to TII (formerly COLA) will go a long way to supporting the hard-working people in mental health, substance use, developmental disabilities, child welfare, homeless services, food insecurity services, domestic violence support and so much more.
We have no insight into when the budget will pass, but we are committed to being at the Capitol whenever the legislature is in session.
Please join us.
