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The Honorable Tim Kaine
Office of the Governor
Patrick Henry Building, 3rd Floor
1111 East Broad Street
Richmond, VA 23319
September 25, 2008
Dear Governor Kaine,
First of all, I would like to take this
opportunity to thank you for your continued support of the
entire disability community over your years in office. You
certainly have “been there” in many instances for so many of our
vulnerable citizens. I am also aware that this will be a very
difficult year for the Commonwealth to balance the budget due to
the “downturn” in the economy. With this in mind, I am
personally asking that you spare the brain injury community from
any cuts this year in their funding. I AM one of those
individuals that can be affected by decreased funding to Brain
Injury Services, Inc.
INSERT PERSONAL
STORY
In the brain injury community, there
already exists a huge disparity between the extensive need for
services and the small amount of funding that exists Statewide.
I know first hand of the lack of appropriate housing resulting
in placements of young adults in nursing homes or other
institutions. There is no Medicaid brain injury waiver after
many years of advocacy efforts. There are large areas of
Virginia with no services available and in my area of the State,
there exists a wait list that runs about two years before you
will receive even basic services.
As I previously stated, I am aware as a
Virginian taxpayer of the impact of present economic conditions
on Virginia’s economy and the difficulty you are faced with in
balancing the budget. I just ask that you again look very
closely at “core services” that can result in loss of
“lifelines” and devastate families like mine. The loss of
services only adds to the already devastating effects as a
result of my brain injury. Having a two year wait for services
or no available services has impacted my community for too long,
losing more funds will only make it worse.
Thank you for your consideration in this
matter.
Sincerely,
Cc: Secretary Marylin Tavenner |
