We are now inching toward the third week of the government shutdown. So far, the effects on Minnesotans have run the gamut—from those who (at this point) are just marginally inconvenienced to those who were not deemed critical and therefore, are now unemployed.

Care Providers of Minnesota prepared its members for the shutdown by filing an amicus brief on June 20, asking that the courts designate care for seniors as a critical state priority that must be funded. The judge agreed, which has made the shutdown a little more palatable for long-term care providers. And last week, Care Providers of Minnesota petitioned the court again—and was successful at getting background studies deemed as essential in order that providers can hire staff as the shutdown continues. (We also petitioned for the nursing registry and are still waiting on that decision.)

What remains critical, however, is how long-term care will fare once a budget agreement is reached. And because of this, our advocacy work continues—and hopefully, yours does, too.

Care Providers of Minnesota needs you to continue to keep the importance of funding for long-term care front and center. We know it’s been seven long months of advocacy and grassroots efforts, so our requests are simple.

 Here are easy grassroots steps that will help:

1. Forward this link: http://bit.ly/LTCvideo. Please send the link to 10 friends and family and ask them to watch and do the same. (The greater the exposure of the video, the greater its impact.)

2. Place an ad. You can insert the ad asking the governor and legislators to protect seniors in your organization’s newsletter. Better yet, join together with several providers in your area to place the ad in a local paper. Either way, it draws attention to the overall issue: the state budget needs to protect seniors.

3. Invite someone over. Inviting a legislator to your facility or establishment is like any other tour. Show the representative or senator who it is that you serve and those providing their care. The importance of what goes on speaks for itself.

4. Send an email.  Here is the Minnesota Legislature’s website: http://www.gis.leg.mn/OpenLayers/districts/. Just type in your address and your legislator’s contact information will pop up. You don’t need to tell them how to end the shutdown or how to balance the health and human services bill—just tell them about the services you provide and the need to prioritize funding for seniors and those who provide their care.

5. Attend a town hall meeting. This week, the Governor conducted a handful of town hall meetings throughout the state. As a result, legislators will most likely start hosting meetings in their own communities to tell their side—so be on the lookout for these. If you can attend, remember to voice this simple message: as the budget is finalized, prioritize funding for seniors and their caregivers.

If you need any assistance or have questions on grassroots efforts, please contact Heidi Holste, government affairs director, at 952-851-2482.

Lisa Foss Olson
952.851.2483
lolson@careproviders.org

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