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Read a Los Angeles Times Op-Ed by Jamie Simons About Early StartSouthern California writer Jamie Simons recently wrote an op-ed piece that appeared in the Los Angeles Times about the enormous impact that the Early Start program had on her daughter and the importance of making Early Start available to more children not less. Read her op-ed "Special needs children deserve the chance to be extraordinary" And then be sure to share your story and lend your voice to the efforts to resotre Early Start funding to pre-2009 levels. |
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Be the First to Know – Subscribe to Lanterman’s E-mail BulletinsIt’s easy to subscribe to Lanterman’s e-mail bulletins. Simply visit lanterman.org and click on “Subscribe” to provide us with your e-mail address. You will automatically be signed up to receive e-mail bulletins about information related to Lanterman Regional Center’s general activities and events. You can also sign up for bulletins about a specific topic, such as legislative issues, or bulletins specific to a certain age, disability or area, by providing us with additional information. No information collected will be given to anyone outside of Lanterman; it’s just for the purpose of sending targeted e-mails to the Lanterman community. There are many events, including valuable trainings and workshops, we at the Center hear about, but due to limited financial resources, we cannot mail flyers for each of these events. By subscribing to the e-mail bulletins, you too will be able to hear about them and be informed about what’s going on in the Lanterman community. |
Make Your Voices Heard - Help Get Early Start Restored Of all of the cuts imposed on the regional center system in the 2009 budget meltdown, the worst was the elimination of Early Start services for at-risk babies and toddlers. There is now a chance that those Early Start cuts implemented four years ago can be restored this year because of the State's improved budget situation. Early intervention can save children from a lifetime of disabilities, and is the best investment that California can make in its at-risk children. So make your voices heard, share how Early Start benefited your at-risk child and do your part to get Early Start restored to pre-2009 levels. Next week, on Monday, May 20 and Wednesday, May 22, two Budget Subcommittees in the Legislature will be finishing their hearings. Thanks to calls, letters and e-mails, the visibility of the Early Start restoration effort has been raised, but our work is not done. In the upcoming Budget hearings, this critical goal can be accomplished, but only with additional support from you. The interest is there, but resources are limited. We need to convince the Legislature and the Governor that restoration of Early Start has to be the number one priority. By acting now, you can help ensure that all children at risk of developmental delays receive the medically appropriate and developmentally necessary treatments and interventions to help them on the path to normal development. The Governor and the leaders of the Senate and Assembly need to see first-hand that restoring Early Start funding matters deeply. The Association of Regional Center Agencies has issued an Action Alert with the e-mails of the legislators included in roster format at the bottom, as well as the Governor, Senator Steinberg, Speaker Pérez, and their staff.
View the ARCA Action Alert and roster and share your story of why Early Start matters. The Senate Subcommittee meets on Monday, and its Assembly counterpart meets on Wednesday, so don't delay. They will not be taking spoken testimony at the hearings, so writing (or calling) is the best way to make your voice heard. And when you're done, spread the word. Forward this on to your friends, colleagues and fellow advocates. |
