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Ed. Note: 706 copies of this letter were signed by 194 Berkshire County residents in just a few hours on April 30, 2003, and hand-delivered on May 1 to Speaker of the House Thomas Finneran, Senator Nuciforo, and Representatives John H. Rogers, Daniel Bosley, Shaun Kelly, William "Smitty" Pignatelli and Peter Larkin.
May 1, 2003
Dear (Name of Legislator)
I believe in the right of each elder to live with dignity, independence, and autonomy, and in the need for community based services. I am writing to urge you to support the following:
1. A strong free-standing Executive Office of Elder Affairs, which will remain at the cabinet level, and which will be strengthened to provide greater coordination of services and advocacy for elders.
2. House Amendments 1007A and 1008, which will ensure the continued successful collaboration between Home Care services and Medicaid, and that home and community based services are coordinated through a one stop shopping approach. This coordination of the range of available services will enable every elder who has the potential to remain at home to be able to do so, and will save the state money.
3. House Amendment 1007, which will return the budget for the Home Care program from its proposed placement within Medicaid back to the Executive Office of Elder Affairs, which is the principal agency designated by law to oversee home care services.
4. House Amendment 218, which will ensure that Money Management services will continue to be available for elders by placing Money Management as a service which can be provided by the Home Care Program.
5. Restoration of funding for the Prescription Advantage Plan.
6. Restoration of funding for the SHINE (Serving Health Information Needs of Elders) program.
7. Restoration of funding to the Councils on Aging.
Thank you for your support.
Sincerely,
______________________