SAMPLE LETTER - DRAFT

Please personalize to your agency and community

February 28, 2002

The Honorable John Doe
State Senator
State House
Springfield, IL.  62701

Dear Senator Doe:

As you know, the Mental Health Center and the Rehabilitation Agency have provided services to persons with mental illness and developmental disabilities in Chicago for thirty plus years.  Our agencies have appreciated your support during your tenure in office. I am writing because I was not sure if you were aware of the disastrous impact Governor Ryan’s proposed budget cuts will have on consumers and their families that depend on our agencies for services.

This week the Department of Human Services informed the Mental Health Center and the Rehabilitation Agency that we can expect to receive approximately $675,000 in cuts to our programs that serve persons with mental illness and developmental disabilities – see attached copy of letter.

Our agencies cannot withstand these cuts without negative consequences for the people we serve and our communities.  For example, our agency will no longer be able to serve ________(number) of people in our out-patient program; we will be forced to close our early intervention program that has served infants/toddlers in Springfield for the past thirty years; families will be put at greater stress in caring for their child without the necessary support services – give local examples here.

The consumers we serve and their families are relying on you to speak out against these proposed cuts.  I will be calling you within the next week to further discuss these cuts and any efforts that we can do at the local level to stop these cuts from occurring. Thank you for your continued support.

Sincerely,

Jane Smith
Executive Director

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