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The Maryland Works Monthly NewsletterVolume 28, Issue 3 | March 3, 2025 | |
Letter to Readers from Mary Manzoni | |
Dear Members & Friends of Maryland Works,
As we welcome the arrival of spring, and hopefully warmer days, we also recognize a very important observance: Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month. This month provides us with a valuable opportunity to celebrate the incredible contributions of individuals with developmental disabilities, raise awareness, advocate for adequate funding and services and full inclusion in our communities. | | | |
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Federal Legislative Update | |
What budget did Congress just pass? Budget Reconciliation Primer - Budget Reconciliation is a process that essentially allows a more detailed budget to be crafted by key committees of jurisdiction instead of just the budget committee.
- Budget Reconciliation is optional and often skipped because in split Congresses – there is no path to agreement between the House and Senate.
- Step 1: Congress passes a “budget” which is a high-level bill that provides instructions to committees to spend at a certain level (or cut at a certain level). Congress has completed this phase.
- Step 2: Each committee with instructions completes consideration of spending under their jurisdiction and passes their portion of the bill. Committees who do not receive instructions do not participate. Committees cannot consider provisions that are outside of their area of jurisdiction. Congress is here.
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Helpful Links to Stay Up to Date on Federal Legislation | |
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Maryland Legislative Update | |
With six weeks remaining in this year’s 90-Day legislative session, attention remains focused on how Governor Moore and legislative leaders will resolve the state’s massive budget shortfall. | | | |
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Helpful Links During the Maryland Legislative Session | |
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Maryland Developmental Disabilities Coalition Fact Sheets | |
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Maryland Developmental Disabilities Coalition Commends Maryland's FY25 DDA Funding Restoration | |
We sincerely appreciate Governor Wes Moore, Senator Guy Guzzone, Delegate Ben Barnes, and the budget leaders in the Maryland General Assembly for acknowledging the profound effects that the proposed $197 million reduction in the FY25 Developmental Disabilities Administration (DDA) budget would have had on individuals with disabilities, their families, and service providers. Your dedication to restoring these funds and standing with this community is truly valued.
Read the statement from the MD Developmental Disabilities Coalition. | | | |
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Trainings to Catch in January | |
Supervisory Boot Camp March 10th, 11th, 14th, 17th, 18th & 21st 9:00 AM - 12:00 PM
(Virtual) | Mandt Training March 25th - Relational Training
March 26th - Technical Training
9:00 AM - 4:00 PM
(In Person) | | CPR / First Aid / AED Training March 12, 2025
10:00 AM - 1:00 PM
(In Person)
| ACRE: Earn Your ACRE Certificate of Achievement
March 18th, 19th, 20th
April 15th and 18th 8:30 AM - 4:30 PM
(In Person) | | | |
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Maryland Works' 2024 At A Glance Report
This report provides a glimpse into the year we had as an organization. Included are training highlights, board appointments, the 15th Annual Awards Luncheon, CEO Roundtables, Grants, and the EWP economic impact study from the Towson University Regional Economic Studies Institute. | | | |
Maryland Works Staff Highlight | |
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Luke Dongarra, Contract Coordinator, is our Maryland Works featured staff member for March. Luke earned his bachelor’s degree in economics from UMBC, demonstrating his dedication to learning and professional growth. A favorite quote of Luke’s is "Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world" spoken by Nelson Mandela. Outside of work, Luke enjoys fishing at his local state park, & embracing the outdoors as a way to relax and recharge. | |
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Getting Involved: How Disability Bills Become Law | |
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National Events to Celebrate in March | |
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National Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month | |
Ways to Celebrate:
- Reach out to Your Legislators
- Share Posts on Social Media
- Learn about the rights of people with disabilities
- Volunteer
- Help non-profits raise funds
| | Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month (sometimes referred to as DDAM) is a month to recognize individuals with developmental disabilities while promoting inclusion, understanding, and equity.
Established through a Presidential Proclamation in 1987, this month aims to increase awareness of the barriers people with developmental disabilities face, as well as highlight their achievements and potential. Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month is an opportunity to celebrate progress toward inclusivity and advocate for continued action in communities, workplaces, and schools. | | | |
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On March 21st, the 14th World Down Syndrome Day Conference will be held at the United Nations headquarters in New York. Self-advocates and other experts will speak up about support systems and what needs to be improved.
Leaders will be asked to make changes so people with Down syndrome and other disabilities are included in the community.
You can register to attend! | | World Down Syndrome Day, on March 21st, is a global awareness day which has been officially observed by the United Nations since 2023.
For World Down Syndrome Day 2025, all Governments are being called to Improve Support Systems. | Share your message on social media using the hashtag #ImproveOurSupportSystems | | | |
Join the World Down Syndrome Day Celebration in Annapolis, MD | |
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Join the Maryland Down Syndrome Advocacy Coalition (MDAC) on March 21st in Annapolis for a day of advocacy, dancing, and community as we come together to celebrate World Down Syndrome Day! | |
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Provider & Workforce Resources | |
Advocacy Alert: Write Your Legislators About Restoring DDA's FY26 Budget | | | |
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If you have not already done so, please write to your legislators in Annapolis asking them to restore the DDA budget cuts in the proposed FY26 budget. Governor Moore’s FY 26 budget includes significant cuts that will negatively impact people with developmental disabilities and community providers. The total fiscal cut for FY 26 is projected to be $457 million, representing a 22% overall cut to DD community supports.
Key Proposed Cuts Include: - Cut to residential funding: This budget cut reduces funding for residential supports in homes where people need “dedicated hours” (e.g., 1:1 staffing).
- Cut in funding to five counties: Eliminates the higher rates in Montgomery, Prince George’s, Calvert, Charles, and Frederick Counties, reducing provider capacity and significantly lowering funding in those areas.
- Suspension of the Low Intensity Support Services (LISS) Program: Cuts all funding for small grants that assist families who otherwise do not receive any other DDA services.
What You Can Do: - Find and contact your legislators in Annapolis, tell them you oppose these cuts, and urge them to restore this critically important funding!
- Share your personal story about how these services impact you or your loved ones. This part is critical – make clear how personal this is to you.
- Please share this alert with your network.
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Penn-Mar Human Services Advocacy
Penn-Mar Human Services showed a strong presence in Annapolis to advocate for the protection of developmental disability service funding.
Read Gregory Miller's letter about the proposed FY26 $200 million in cuts and cost containment measures for the Developmental Disabilities Administration. | | Penn-Mar Human Services showed a strong presence in Annapolis to advocate for the protection of developmental disability service funding.
| Penn-Mar legislative letter writing.
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Autism Society of America 2025 Advocacy Updates | | | |
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Save our DD Services RallyDate: Monday, February 3, 2025 Time: 7:00 pm to 8:15 pm Location: Lawyers Mall, Annapolis, MD, directly in front of the State House (100 Circle) Information: If you have questions, please contact Chris Leacock, Government Affairs Specialist. | | | |
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Urge Congress to Protect Medicaid and Mental Health | | | |
Congress is searching for ways to cut $1.5 trillion in federal spending – with cuts to federal Medicaid funding expected to likely to be roughly half of the total amount. If these cuts are allowed to occur, it would be more difficult, or impossible, for countless individuals to access the mental health care they rely on through Medicaid.
Big cuts to federal funding for Medicaid wouldn’t save money; it would just shift the costs to the entire community and delay or stop people from getting necessary mental health and substance use care. When people lose access to health care coverage and mental health care, the costs shift to our communities by pushing people with mental illness into emergency rooms, hospitals, and jails – instead of connecting people to the lifesaving care they need and deserve. | |
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National Federation of the Blind Advocacy Resources | | | |
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Maryland Association of the Deaf | | | |
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The Importance of Accessible PDFs and Documents for Businesses in 2025 | |
With major accessibility regulations coming into effect—such as the European Accessibility Act (EAA) in 2025 and the Department of Justice's new rules for Title II entities in 2026—it’s more critical than ever for businesses to ensure their digital documents are inclusive and compliant. Whether it’s a restaurant menu, medical form, user manual or many other examples, inaccessible documents can alienate customers, tarnish a business's reputation and expose it to significant legal risks. | |
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Trump Signs Healthcare Price Transparency Executive Order
The “Making America Healthy Again by Empowering Patients with Clear, Accurate, and Actionable Healthcare Pricing Information” executive order 13877, signed on February 25, 2025, focuses on making healthcare pricing more transparent. It builds on previous efforts from the President’s first term, which required hospitals to display prices for common services and health plans to share their negotiated rates and drug costs. The new order aims to strengthen these rules by ensuring actual prices are disclosed, not just estimates, and that pricing information is standardized for easy comparison across providers.
This could mean being able to look up and compare prices for medical procedures or tests before deciding where to go, potentially saving money. Health plans will also need to be clearer about what they pay, helping you understand your out-of-pocket costs better. | |
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Expanding Agency Partnerships to Improve Reporting and Participant Studies: A State Case Study and Resources
Multiple agencies and organizations serve participants under the federal Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA). To serve these participants effectively, agencies and organizations need to coordinate effectively—and one of the keys to doing so is collecting data regarding common customers.
This case study provides state and local workforce staff with resources to improve collaboration with key partners and to improve reporting to funders and among partners, which in turn can improve provision of service overall. The case study also showcases a collaborative effort implemented in Wisconsin that exemplifies the power of partnership to improve outcomes for job seekers with disabilities. | |
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MDDC State Plan Survey
Every 5 years, the Council develops a new State Plan. This State Plan is a roadmap the Council follows to help us reach our goals. It guides us to take action, create change, and improve lives.
As we develop our next 5-Year State Plan, we want to know which issues are most important to people with developmental disabilities and their families. We created a survey to help us understand which issues to focus on.
Click below to fill out the survey. It will be available until July 1, 2025. The survey will take no more than 15 minutes to complete. | | Join the Howard County Chamber for their 11th Annual Women’s Leadership Conference!
Kick off Women’s History Month by stepping out of the office and into a day of inspiration, connection, and professional growth at the Howard County Chamber’s 11th Annual Women’s Leadership Conference! This empowering event brings together women from all industries to learn from top speakers, expand their networks, and leave with practical tools to take their careers to the next level.
FRIDAY, March 7, 2025 | 8 AM – 4 PM | | | |
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Want to Include Something in the Newsletter?
Perhaps you have an event coming up, job openings, or a success story you'd like to share with a wider network. Please submit your material to Jen Spiker by the 20th of each month.
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