Thank you for your interest in helping Villa with our advocacy efforts! For more information about our current advocacy campaign, how to advocate, or to find please scroll down or click on the links in the blue navigation bar above.
Villa clients from the Adult Day Program (ADP) and Villa staff get ready to attend a rally in Van Nuys.
Current Advocacy Campaign
ACTION ALERT! Urge Legislators to Reject $1 billion in Delayed Funding for Disability Services & Supports
January 2024
Governor Gavin Newsom has proposed to delay a $1 billion investment in critical supports and services for Californians with developmental disabilities. Our community has endured underfunding for decades. It weakened the direct support workforce, making it harder for people with disabilities and their families to access reliable services. State leaders know how urgent it is to stabilize the disability services system. That’s why they planned a funding increase this year. The impact of delaying this desperately needed funding will be nothing short of a cut to services.
In fact, it is one of the LARGEST proposed delays or cuts in the Governor’s 2024-25 state budget. This is unacceptable and will be tragic to safety net services! This setback sends a message that the promise of the Lanterman Act – made to 458,000 Californians with disabilities and their families – is not a priority to the state.
Your heroic advocacy efforts in 2022 resulted in overwhelming bi-partisan support from our Senators and Assemblymembers to ensure services through regional centers are more adequately funded by July 1, 2024. Now, the Governor wants to delay that funding!
Click the TAKE ACTION button below to urge your legislators to REJECT the Governor’s proposal to delay $1 billion for the disability community and make the investment on July 1, 2024, AS PROMISED. It can’t wait!
Spread the Word!
Get the word out to your family, friends and colleagues! Click the link below to access a social media outreach toolkit with sample communications and social media graphics. Special thanks to the Lanterman Coalition for this outreach toolkit.
Why Is This Important?
Keeping the promised funding implemented THIS YEAR would:
Address an acute workforce crisis by offering competitive wages to attract and retain direct support professionals who deliver vital, hands-on services and support to people with disabilities
Improve access to housing, transportation, individualized programs, and desperately needed respite services for parents, families, and most importantly, the people benefitting from support
Individuals with developmental disabilities and their families are receiving only a fraction of their authorized services or going without services altogether due to critical staffing shortages. Waitlists for housing and other programs continue to grow.
Let’s ensure the 458,000 Californians and their families are protected and not living in a state of crisis.
Together, we can put people with disabilities on a path to thrive THIS YEAR! Californians with disabilities and the professionals who serve them deserve a chance to live full and equitable lives. Taking this action NOW can ensure access to the quality services that individuals with disabilities and their families rely on and deserve.
California must commit to these investments THIS YEAR to address the workforce crisis and ensure that Californians with disabilities can THRIVE and not just survive.
General Advocacy Information
Villa has a desire to advocate for and protect those that cannot speak for themselves in the intellectual/developmental disabilities (I/DD) community. As part of a coalition of 16 Southern California non-profits dedicated to increasing awareness and educating both local and state legislators, friends and families on the importance of continued funding, Villa works tirelessly with these and other local service providers to make our voice heard. We have been extremely active in our advocacy efforts - we contact legislators through emails, phone calls, faxes, and handwritten letters; we arrange meetings with legislators locally and in Sacramento; and we attend hearings and rallies in Sacramento. Villa's goal is to help protect services for children and adults with intellecual/developmental disabilites including autism, Down syndrome and cerebral palsy.
As issues which affect our community come to light, we often request specific support from our base to help us with email or letter writing campaigns.
Otherwise, please reference the list of current southern California legislators below which cover both areas that Villa serves - the greater Pasadena area and the San Fernando Valley area, which includes Thousand Oaks and Westlake Village.
Capitol Office
State Capitol
P.O. Box 942849
Sacramento, CA 94249-0048
Phone: (916) 319-2048
Fax: (916) 319-2148
District Office
100 North Barranca Street, Suite 895
West Covina, CA 91791
Phone: (626) 960-4457
Fax: (626) 960-1310
Senator Henry Stern - District 27
Includes all or parts of the cities/communities of Calabasas, Century City, Oxnard, Pacific Palisades, Santa Monica, Sherman Oaks, Studio City, Tarzana, West Hollywood, Westlake Village, and Woodland Hills
Capitol Office
State Capitol
P.O. Box 942849, Room 5119
Sacramento, CA 94249
Phone: (916) 319-2044
Fax: (916) 319-2144
District Office
2301 E. Daily Drive, Suite 200
Camarillo, CA 93010
Phone: (805) 482-1904
Fax: (805) 482-1274
Assemblymember Jesse Gabriel - 45th District
Includes all or part of the cities of Agoura Hills, Calabasas, Encino, Hidden Hills, Malibu, Oak Park, Oxnard, Pacific Palisades, Santa Monica, Tarzana, Topanga, Westlake Village, and Woodland Hills
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