Nothing About Us Without Us

Our Gateways Family Advocacy Network (G-FAN) is made up of clients and family members like you who want to learn how to help ensure they and their loved ones receive life-enhancing services. Only through advocacy have individuals with disabilities gained protections and opportunities to live meaningful lives. Many of NH’s strongest advocates were first impassioned by the grave conditions of the past, including at the Laconia State School. Now, we need you and your collective support to maintain best practices and improve and expand upon services.

NH State House

Please Join Gateways-Family Advocacy Network (G-FAN)

As a priority to Gateways Community Services, G-FAN is a group of family members and clients, which includes some of our Board Members, Family Support Council members, and staff too. We share advocacy opportunities and information so you're in the know on state actions that could affect your services. You'll receive our legislative emails through which you'll learn more about what's going on at the State House and opportunities to advocate for yourself. Email wwalker@gatewayscs.org for more info. or to signup!

Online Submission Form    English Form       Spanish Form       Past Communications

WHY? Legislators and government agency employees make decisions that determine the availability and quality of DD (development disability) and ABD (acquired brain disorder) services. Most funding for services comes from state dollars. Without our input, these officials will not understand how deeply their votes/laws and regulations/policies impact our lives.

You're the expert. There's approx. 33% turnover in the legislature every two years. That's 130 of the 400 House Representatives & 8 of the 24 Senators. These are people from all walks of life, some of whom have not had any experience with the developmental disability system. They're also tasked with considering upwards of 1,000 bills introduced each legislative session. Therefore, our legislators need individuals who can inform them of the challenges and opportunities associated with their acts of introducing and voting on legislation.

We have shared in life-enhancing successes! Thank you to our legislators, officials, state department staff, clients and  family members for advocating at budget hearings and other important hearings!

Individuals With Governor

Stay Connected

Let’s stay informed and advocate for better DD and ABD services. Please contact William Walker, Gateways Community Services’ Legislative Liaison, via wwalker@gatewayscs.org to learn more.

Note: the standard email for legislators is firstname.lastname@leg.state.nh.us

WHO ARE YOUR STATE LEGISLATORS?
State Senators
State Representatives

Certain towns have more than one District or Ward, you can find out which you're in via the Polling Place Search.

Find more information via the following:

Email wwalker@gatewayscs.org for assistance.

Issues To Watch - What Our Legislators Need To Know

Group photo with Governor Sununu for Developmental Disability Month

Dear Legislators and State Officials:

Please address the following:

Ensure the next state budget builds upon the state’s support for developmental services. We're dealing with serious issues.

Fund the Wait List. People can’t wait. Many states deal with individuals on exhaustive wait lists as we have had in NH's past. It creates dire circumstances and situations leaving individuals and their families struggling to lead meaningful lives. We can't leave individuals and their families in the perilous position of being waitlisted for services. Please continue to fully fund the Developmental Disability/Acquired Brain Disorder waitlists.

Address the Workforce Crisis. It is vital for a Medicaid Rate increase to support DSP Living wage. Many developmental disability community members - staff and other family members - are forced to quit their jobs to care for their family members because they can’t find qualified caregivers. Let's make sure we're creating incentives and career pathways for DSPs as we work to understand the problems and implement solutions.

Ensure the BDS System Change helps families.  Change done right. Our biggest concerns are: 1) the speed of decisions being made and timeline of implementation; 2) inadequate attention being paid to operational changes causing confusion and poor service; 3) ensuring new rates don’t decrease services or destabilize the system; 4) bringing in an additional Supports waiver to control utilization; and 5) creating a cap and limiting service options.

Increase Transportation Supports and Affordable Housing/Creative Living Options. Our individuals and families are struggling with lack of transportation, lack of affordable housing, and lack of creating housing options. We have created committees and special projects to help address these issues and we need more support and initiatives to confront these issues at every angle we can.

Key Legislative Bills for 2023 - Bills Impacting Our Space

See the following document from CSNI that shows the bills that impact our space as well as their scheduled hearing dates. This will be updated as new hearing dates are scheduled: CSNI January 23, 2023.

A short list of the critical issues is as follows:

    • SB86 - relative to health care workforce development and making appropriations therefor. Primary Sponsor: Senator Cindy Rosenwald.
    • HB238 - relative to the role of quality control and the developmental disability service system. Primary Sponsor: Representative Charles McMahon.
    • HB317 - establishing a commission to study transitioning to a 2-tier waiver system for individuals eligible for disability services. Primary Sponsor: Representative Jerry Stringham.
    • HB608 - establishing a pilot program to support the bureau of developmental services redesign. Primary Sponsor: Representative Jess Edwards (R).
    • HB642 - relative to prohibiting the department of health and human services from enforcing salary caps for direct care workers. Primary Sponsor: Representative Jerry Stringham (D).