ACTION NEEDED!!! Please Vote

Help Bring the Waiting List Crisis to the Attention of the Obama Administration	More Info
Your Vote is Needed by December 31!
Background Ideas for Change in America is a citizen-driven project that aims to identify and create momentum around the best ideas for how the Obama Administration and 111th Congress can turn the broad call for "change" across the country into specific policies. The Arc is using this wonderful resource to bring attention to the waiting list crisis for Medicaid home and community based services. We ask that you vote for the "change" below: Fully Fund Medicaid Waivers for the Developmentally Disabled I propose that if the Medicaid waiver program were fully funded that theaction would not only end decades-long waiting lists for people with developmental disabilities, but would also create small businesses and jobs because more service providers would be needed. Funding must be available in all states, portable across and within states and promote self-determination for the individual with the disability, their families and legal guardians. Furthermore, parents who have had to stay home to be caregivers could go back to work, and people with developmental disabilities would also be able to go to work because they would have employment supports to do so. Portability of services across states and counties also should be mandated so that families can, during these difficult times, move to another state and continue to receive services if they had them before. Right now, if a family moves, they placed at the bottom of the new state's waiting list and can wait many years for services Status of this "change" The Medicaid waiver question has made it to the top 3 ideas in Health care, which is needed in order to make it to the next round. However, our position is tenuous as other ideas also continue to gain votes. The top 10 rated ideas will be presented to the Obama Administration on Inauguration Day, January 20, 2009 as the "Top 10 Ideas for America." A national campaign behind each idea will then be launched. For more information see: http://www.change.org/ideas/faq Take Action 1) Please vote on the waiting list crisis at: http://www.change.org/ideas/view/fully_fund_medicaid_waivers_for_the_developmentally_disabled Click on the "vote" button. You will then need to create an account (or sign in if you already have one) for your vote to be registered. 2) Feel free to post a comment on this change, noting what state you live in so that people can see how far-reaching this important issue is. 3) Please ask your family and friends to do the same. Every vote matters!