It has been a whirlwind of a day with federal Executive Orders and little information as to how they may affect TRE, our staff, and the people we serve. So, I wanted to send out a message to provide you with as much information as we have currently.
First, we received messages early in the day that providers attempting to bill Medicaid were unable due to the system being down. This system is now back up and running and providers have told us they have been able to successfully bill. In addition, the federal Office of Management and Budget released information stating that “any program that provides direct benefits to Americans is explicitly excluded from the pause in federal funding for some federal assistance programs and foreign aid. This means that Medicaid programs are exempted from this pause, as well as Social Security, Medicare, and SNAP.
In addition, the federal Executive Orders regarding federal DEI jobs and initiatives and immigration will not have any effect on how TRE continues to support individuals who are eligible for services under Colorado’s system. We will continue to accept all individuals seeking to access services. We are not changing any of our policies and will continue to focus on putting people first, which is at the core of who we are. Our policies for staff also remain the same. We support the diversity our staff bring to our work and continue to see that as an asset.
I want to thank all of our staff for fielding the many very concerned calls from families today. I know it has been stressful, and I will continue to seek information and clarification on any of this information moving forward so that we can all stay informed and supportive of the people we serve. TRE is closely connected to Alliance Colorado and ANCOR, a national advocacy and lobbying organization for people with IDD. Both of these organizations are providing information to keep us all informed and as policies come forward, they will also provide us with ways people can get involved in providing feedback. We will share that information with you as well.
Great assurance, Colleen, perfect, calming message from a caring and thoughtful leader. Today, POTUS rescinded yesterday’s EO. I assume you’ve seen it. Happy to send it to you, just lemme know!
I so very much appreciate TRE. Everyone I’ve worked with has been so kind and helpful to me. You’re always there for me. I don’t know what I’d do without you. We all have to stay strong and do our best to stay positive during this dark time. Diversity is the strength and brilliance of our country. I love you guys. Take care. This newsletter idea is great![❤️](https://s.w.org/images/core/emoji/15.0.3/svg/2764.svg)
Thanks so much for keeping us informed. This was helpful.
Julia