From: Gary Edwards, ceo, United Cerebral Palsy of Greater Birmingham

TO: Early Intervention Providers
FROM: Gary Edwards, CEO, United Cerebral Palsy of Greater Birmingham

100 Oslo Circle, Birmingham, AL 35211

[e-mail]
RE: FOCUS 14
Let’s get funding restored to 2011 levels for Early Intervention adding $2.5 million back to the Governor’s proposed cuts for 2013.
The House and Senate are now developing the budget for 2013. It is important that all of us take an active role in advising the legislature of the importance of early intervention, and the significant return on investment demonstrated when early intervention programs are adequately funded. In the next few weeks, key legislators will be working on the budget. It is vital that we talk to these 14 legislators now. It will be difficult to get additional funding once the budget is presented. Below is a list of the 14 legislators on whom we are focusing.
If you have clients in the area, I would ask you to:
1. Be responsible for identifying families (present and former) who will contact their legislators

2. Get the families to personally contact (call, email, and/or visit) their legislator. The more parents making these contacts, the better.

3. Let me know when a contact has been made.
4. Make sure the legislator understands your program and how the funding cuts have made it difficult for you to continue.
I will update you on our progress. Again, it is critical that we collaborate to let the legislature know what the return on investment is for our children, communities and the state of Alabama.

FOCUS 14

House Counties

Barry Mask Coosa/Elmore

http://www.legislature.state.al.us/house/representatives/housebios/hd031.html Mask

Jay Love Montgomery

http://www.legislature.state.al.us/house/representatives/housebios/hd074.html Love

Mary Sue McClurkin Shelby and Jefferson

http://www.legislature.state.al.us/house/representatives/housebios/hd043.html McClurkin

Jamie Ison Mobile

http://www.legislature.state.al.us/house/representatives/housebios/hd101.html Ison

Phil Williams Madison

http://www.legislature.state.al.us/house/representatives/housebios/hd006.html Williams

Mike Hubbard Lee

http://www.legislature.state.al.us/house/representatives/housebios/hd079.html Hubbard

Laura Hall Madison

http://www.legislature.state.al.us/house/representatives/housebios/hd019.html

Senate Counties
Gerald Dial Chambers, Cherokee, Clay, Cleburne, Lee, Randolph

http://www.legislature.state.al.us/senate/senators/senatebios/sd013.html Dial

Del Marsh Calhoun, St. Clair

http://www.legislature.state.al.us/senate/senators/senatebios/sd012.html Marsh

Arthur Orr Limestone, Madison, Morgan

http://www.legislature.state.al.us/senate/senators/senatebios/sd003.html Orr

Brian Taylor Autauga, Butler, Crenshaw, Elmore, Lowndes, Pike

http://www.legislature.state.al.us/senate/senators/senatebios/sd030.html Taylor

Trip Pittman Baldwin

http://www.legislature.state.al.us/senate/senators/senatebios/sd032.html Pittmann

Vivian Figures Mobile

http://www.legislature.state.al.us/senate/senators/senatebios/sd033.html Figures

Jabo Waggoner Jefferson, Shelby

http://www.legislature.state.al.us/senate/senators/senatebios/sd016.html Waggoner

Children with Disabilities

Pinning Their Future On You

Invest in Alabama’s Most Precious Resource
Additional funding is urgently required for Alabama’s Early Intervention Program serving children with disabilities birth to age 3.
Early Intervention

• 
  Serves children birth to 3
  
• 
  Provides hope and support to families
  
• 
  Serves children in every county
  
• 
  Number of children served has increased every year – over 6,000
  
• 
  Provides therapeutic services that address the child’s special needs
  

Return on Investment

• 
  Every dollar invested $7 in future education expenses
  
• 
  85% of a child’s brain is developed by age 3
  
• 
  Prepares the child for academic success
  
• 
  Teaches parents how to care for a child with disabilities
  

Local Agencies

• 
  In 2011, funding to local agencies was reduced by $2 million – a 25% cut
  
• 
  Agencies have exhausted their resources and will be unable to meet the increased demand for services with decreased funding
  
• 
  Small programs will be unable to continue next year
  

Alabama Department of Rehabilitation Services is the Lead Agency.

An increase of $2.5 million is requested for the 2013 budget to restore funding to previous levels.

Pinning Their Future On You
Parents, please contact your local legislators

• 
  Make sure you contact YOUR Legislator. They want to hear from YOU.
  
• 
  Ask your service coordinator for help if you need assistance in writing or emailing your legislator.
  
• 
  Include a photo of your child(ren), or of the whole family.
  
• 
  Tell your story—you have something valuable to contribute.
  
• 
  Tell them why your life is better due to Early Intervention services.
  
• 
  Tell them we need funding restored to its 2011 levels.
  
• 
  Thank the legislator for his or her attention to the letter, email, or visit.
  
• 
  Include your name, address and signature on all correspondence.
  

Make a phone call

• 
  When you make a call, identify yourself, where you live and the reason for calling.
  
• 
  Always be brief.
  
• 
  Have your information written down to help you.
  
• 
  Always thank your elected official in advance and always be courteous.
  

Make a Visit
 See them in your county
If you were waiting for a good time or good reason, this is it. Please write THIS WEEK if you possibly can. We need these services to continue for our kids.

REPRESENTATIVE BARRY MASK (R) 31st District (Coosa, Elmore)

Committees:

State House:	Room 417-F 11 S. Union Street Montgomery, AL. 36130 [phone]	District:	41 Brookland Court Wetumpka , Al. 36093
Cell Phone:	[phone]	Email:	[e-mail]

REPRESENTATIVE JAY LOVE (R) 74th District (Montgomery)

Committees:

State House:	Room 514 11 South Union Street Montgomery, AL 36130 [phone]	Home: Work: District:	5611 Woodside Circle Montgomery, Al. 36117 1020 Monticell Court Suite 205 Montgomery, Al. 36117 P.O. Box 3221 Montgomery, AL 36109
Home Phone: Work Phone: Cell-Pager: Fax:	[phone] [phone] [phone] [phone]	Email:	[e-mail]

REPRESENTATIVE MARY SUE McCLURKIN (R) 43th District (Jefferson and Shelby)

Committees:

State House:	Room 421 11 S. Union Street Montgomery, AL 36130 [phone]	Home Address: District Office:	60 Indian Forest Trace Indian Springs, AL. 35124 1134 County Services Drive Pelham, AL 35124
District Phone: District Fax:	[phone] [phone]	Website:	www.marysuemcclurkin.com

REPRESENTATIVE JAMIE ISON (R) 101st District (Mobile)

Committees:

State House:	Room 413-B 11 South Union Street Montgomery, AL 36130 [phone]	Home: District:	57 Byrnes Boulevard Mobile, AL 36608 104 S. Lawrence Street Mobile, Al. 36602
Home Phone: District Phone: Cell-Pager Fax Delegation Phone:	[phone] [phone] [phone] [phone] [phone]	Email:	[e-mail]

REPRESENTATIVE PHIL WILLIAMS (R) 6th (Madison)

State House:	11 S. Union Street Room 401-G Montgomery, AL 36130 [phone]			District:	2185 Old Monrovia Road Huntsville, AL. 35806
Home Phone:	[phone]			Email:	[e-mail]

REPRESENTATIVE MIKE HUBBARD Speaker of the House (R) 79th District (Lee)

State House:	Room 519-A 11 S. Union Street Montgomery, AL 36130 [phone]	Home: District:	803 Annabrook Drive Auburn, Al. 36830 Post Office Box 950 Auburn, AL 36831-0950
Home Phone: Work Phone: District Phone: Fax:	[phone] [phone] [phone] [phone]	Email:	[e-mail]

REPRESENTATIVE LAURA HALL (D) 19th District (Madison)

State House:	Room 517-D 11 S. Union Street Montgomery, AL 36130 [phone]	Home: District:	P.O. Box 3367 Huntsville, AL 35810 726 Madison Street Huntsville, AL 35801
Work Phone: District Phone: FAX: Email:	[phone] [phone] [phone] [e-mail]	Home Phone:	[phone]

SENATOR GERALD DIAL (R) Majority Whip 13th District (Chambers, Cherokee, Clay, Cleburne, Lee, Randolph)

State House: Phone:	Room 732 State House 11 South Union Street Montgomery, Alabama 36130 [phone]	Business:	Post Office. Box 248 Lineville, Alabama 36266 [phone]
Home:	P.O. Box 248 Lineville, AL 36266 [phone]	Email:

SENATOR DEL MARSH (R) President Pro Tempore 12th District (Calhoun, St.Clair)

State House:	Room 722 11 South Union Street Montgomery, Alabama 36130 [phone]	Business:	Post Office Drawer 2365 Anniston, Alabama 36202 Phone: [phone] Fax: [phone]
Home:	546 Hillyer High Road Anniston, Alabama 36207 [phone]	Pro Tempore Website	www.alprotem.com

SENATOR ARTHUR ORR (R) 3rd District (Limestone, Madison, Morgan)

State House: Phone:	Room 730 State House 11 South Union Street Montgomery, Alabama 36130 [phone]	Business:	Post Office. Box 305 Decatur, Alabama 35602 [phone]
		Personal Website:	Senator Arthur Orr

SENATOR BRYAN TAYLOR (R) 30th District (Autauga, Butler, Crenshaw, Elmore, Lowndes, Pike)

State House:	Senator Bryan Taylor Alabama State House 11 South Union Street, Suite 733 Montgomery, AL 36130	Business:	150 South Perry Street Post Office Box 2069 Montgomery, Alabama 36102-2069
Home:	Post Office Box 680063 Prattville, Alabama 36068	Email:	Senator Bryan Taylor

SENATOR TRIP PITTMAN (R) 32nd District (Baldwin)

State House: Phone:	Room 730 11 South Union Street Montgomery Alabama 36130 [phone]	Business: Phone:	Pittman Tractor Company, Inc. Post Office Box 1812 Daphne, Alabama 36526 [phone]
Home:		E-mail:	[e-mail]

SENATOR VIVIAN DAVIS FIGURES (D) 33rd District (Mobile)

State House:	Room 736 11 South Union Street Montgomery, Alabama 36130 [phone]	Business:	104 South Lawrence Street Mobile, Alabama 36602 Phone: [phone] Fax: [phone]
Home:	2054 Clemente Court Mobile, Alabama 36617	Email:	[e-mail]

SENATOR J. T. "JABO" WAGGONER (R) Senate Majority Leader 16th District (Jefferson, Shelby)

State House: Phone: Fax:	Room 726 11 South Union Street Montgomery, Alabama 36130 [phone] [phone]	Business:	Post Office Box 660609 Vestavia Hills, Alabama 35266-0609 Phone: [phone] Fax: [phone]
Home:	1829 Mission Road Birmingham, Alabama 35216 [phone]	Email	Senator Jabo Waggoner