Advocacy Season Begins: Your Voice Matters
It is that time of year when New England’s unpredictable weather rears its challenging head. On behalf of Lifeworks, we hope that all of you — the persons we serve, their families, and our staff — are staying safe and warm.
While winter may still be with us, the political advocacy season is heating up.
The essence of every Arc chapter, and the essential history of Lifeworks, is rooted in advocacy. Each year, the Governor releases the proposed state budget for the next fiscal year on the last Wednesday in January, marking the kickoff of advocacy season. From that point forward, the process continues until the Legislature presents its final budget document back to the Governor, typically in mid-to-late summer.
Now begins the time when Lifeworks and our many supporters gear up to play a strong role in advocating for the needs of the people we serve, the supports their families rely on, and fair and equitable wages and quality benefits for our professional staff, who provide services with dedication and care.
On Wednesday, January 28, the Governor released her FY2027 budget proposal. The overall $63 billion spending plan reflects a modest projected revenue growth of 2.9%. However, this budget is being developed against the backdrop of anticipated federal funding reductions. As Year 2 of the federal spending plan, often referred to as the “Big Beautiful Bill,” rolls out, further cuts could significantly impact Medicaid reimbursements and MassHealth funding in Massachusetts.
Our advocacy efforts generally focus on two key areas of the state budget: Medicaid (MassHealth) and the Department of Developmental Services (DDS).
The MassHealth budget totals $22.7 billion, representing a $600 million increase. However, many of the services that most directly impact those we serve, including Day Habilitation, Adult Family Care (AFC), Adult Day Health, and Personal Care Attendant (PCA) services, saw either a freeze in current rates or proposed rate reductions.
In addition, MassHealth continues to conduct member re-qualifications on average every six to eight months, creating confusion and concern for many individuals and families. As we have previously shared, it is essential that you open all mail from MassHealth and Social Security, respond promptly to requests, and, if you are uncertain how to manage the process, contact the Lifeworks program that supports your family member. We will work with you to resolve your concerns.
The DDS budget proposal includes a $91.4 million increase. Encouragingly, funding for the Autism Omnibus program increases by 31%, reflecting the significant and growing need in this area. Other proposed increases include 9% for Community Work Supports, 6% for Family Support, and 2% for Community Residential programs.
Perhaps most importantly, the Governor has once again demonstrated support for our Direct Support Professionals by continuing the commitment to fund wages at 53% of the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) benchmark. The budget includes a $260 million commitment to the Chapter 257 Salary Reserve account. This funding, consistently supported over the past decade by both the Legislature and the Governor, provides critical resources as we continue working toward achieving competitive and sustainable wages for our staff.
However, while these DDS increases align with the priorities of The Arc of Massachusetts and Lifeworks, there is still significant work to be done.
Although the Chapter 257 reserve calls for a $260 million increase, only $175 million is directly funded in the current proposal. The remaining $85 million is expected to come from savings or structural adjustments within state government. Funding mechanisms that rely on supplemental budgets or secondary sources place our services at risk. When programs are not fully funded in accordance with the established rate-setting process, the stability of those services is jeopardized.
Additionally, proposed financial studies of AFC and PCA programs aim to identify nearly $60 million in “efficiencies,” which could result in downsizing or reductions to these critical supports.
All of this leads to our annual Call to Action.
We need every voice. Call your legislators. Join us at rallies at the State House. Attend local events, such as our shared Legislative Breakfast with the Charles River Center.
Over the coming months, advocacy opportunities include:
- ADDP Legislative Forum at the State House – February 25
- The Arc of Massachusetts Advocacy Day at the State House – March 10
- The Arc of the U.S. Disability Policy Day on Capitol Hill, Washington, D.C. – March 25
- AFAM Autism Advocacy Day at the State house – April 8
The heart and soul of Lifeworks — and what distinguishes us and our fellow Arc chapters — is our unwavering focus on advocacy. It is the first word in our mission. It led to the formation of our agency, the closure of state institutions, the development of integrated education programs in Massachusetts, and the Boulet lawsuit that eliminated formal waitlists in our state.
Every year brings new challenges, new legislators who must better understand the needs of those we serve, and leaders who must be reminded not to take our community for granted.
I invite you to join me and the Lifeworks team on one or more of these important days.
And in closing — let’s hope Punxsutawney Phil was wrong and that an early spring is on its way!
Thank you,
Dan Burke
