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The Arc Responds to Three-Month Extension of Money Follows the Person Passing Congress

/in , , , , , /by The Arc

Last week, the Medicaid Extenders Act of 2019 was signed by President Trump. A three-month funding extension for Money Follows the Person (MFP) was included in this bill. This program moves people with disabilities from institutions into the community by paying for programs not normally covered by Medicaid such as employment and housing services.

“Passage of this bill means individuals with disabilities who have been waiting to transition while funding for the MFP program was in danger, have the opportunity to move out of institutional settings and into the community. If the funding bill did not pass, MFP funds would have run out across the country. This is not only an investment in community-based services, but in the civil rights of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

“It is a powerful testament to the value of this program that this legislation was passed so early this Congress, especially after the unsuccessful attempts to cut Medicaid by billions of dollars last Congress. This victory belongs to advocates nationwide who have been actively working to support people with disabilities to live in their communities. We look forward to working with leaders in Congress who supported this legislation on a strategy for longer or permanent extension of MFP.” said Peter Berns, CEO of The Arc.

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Serving Others Has Never Been So Healthy (or Tasty)!

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Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service is a day to celebrate compassion for everyone in our community, and to take action to address social problems and build stronger communities. This MLK Day and throughout 2019, several chapters of The Arc and other community organizations will be developing inclusive volunteering projects that seek to address a critical issue that impacts many Americans, including 13 million children: hunger resulting from food insecurity. Here’s what some of our 2019 grantees are up to:

Volunteers from The Arc Midland stand in front of their organization's sign, one wearing an MLK day of service orange shirt. All are smiling. In Michigan, The Arc of Midland and partner Hidden Harvest will not only be feeding people in need but helping people eat healthily. At their January kick-off event, volunteers with and without disabilities not only provided packaged food to people in need but also taught people how to create easy and nutritious meals from the donated food. This spring and summer, volunteers will be working in The Arc of Midland’s community garden to plant, grow, and harvest fresh food that will be donated to people in need.

 

For the past three years, The Arc of South Carolina has been celebrating compassion with every kid’s favorite meal through its annual Peanut Butter and Jelly Sandwich-making Competition. The competition is held at the University of South Carolina, where volunteers from the university, the Best Buddies program, and the Columbia community face-off to make tasty sandwiches for people in need on MLK Day. This year, 4,630 sandwiches were made to provide to people who may not otherwise have a meal that day! Throughout the rest of their MLK Day grant, The Arc of South Carolina will be focusing on feeding people and teaching people about how to cook healthy meals. Through the Cooking EdVentures program, volunteers with disabilities will learn how to make healthy and nutritious meals, and then will donate this food to local partners like the 153 Project, who feed people in need in the Columbia community.

Want to know more about our MLK Day of Service project and other volunteer efforts around the country? Contact Abby Owusu at Owusu@thearc.org.

And – stay tuned for updates from our other 10 grantees this year as they implement their own unique volunteer projects:

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Exciting Staff News from The Arc’s National Office!

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Marty Ford appointed Senior Advisor, Julie Ward appointed Senior Executive Officer for Public Policy

After more than 34 years with The Arc’s public policy team (and a total of 40 years in The Arc network), Marty Ford is transitioning from Senior Executive Officer for Public Policy, a position she has held for 8 years, to a new part-time position of Senior Advisor. Marty is a well respected nationwide expert on many public policy issues, including Social Security and Supplemental Security Income, Long Term Supports and Services, and trusts and financial planning approaches. During her tenure as the Senior Executive Officer, Marty led the policy team through a rigorous defense of the Medicaid program, implementation and defense of the Affordable Care Act, enactment of the ABLE Act, and many other significant advances. Marty served three years as Chairperson of the Consortium for Citizens with Disabilities (CCD), a coalition of over 100 national organizations. The Arc deeply appreciates Marty’s work and leadership in these areas and is fortunate that she will continue in her new staff role to support the Policy and Positions Committee of the Board of Directors, advise the Federal Policy Advocacy team, continue to represent The Arc in various external leadership positions, and work closely with the Chief Executive Officer on special projects.

The Arc is also pleased to announce that Julie Ward, the Deputy Executive Officer for Public Policy, has been promoted to the position of Senior Executive Officer for Public Policy. In addition to her new responsibilities, Julie will continue her leadership positions related to health care policy and planning the Disability Policy Seminar. Julie has over 30 years of experience representing people with intellectual and/or developmental disabilities before Congress, the federal agencies, and state legislatures. Prior to holding the deputy executive officer position, she was the Director of Health Policy. She has extensive knowledge and expertise in policies related to the Affordable Care Act, Medicaid, Medicare, private health insurance, medical research, drug development, and public health issues. Previously, Julie represented The Arc and United Cerebral Palsy for seven years as part of the Disability Policy Collaboration (DPC). In that role, she had primary responsibility for budget and appropriations,
employment, TANF, Medicare Part D, and transportation issues. She spent 18 years with the Epilepsy Foundation, the last ten years as the Senior Director of Government Affairs, overseeing the Foundation’s federal and state advocacy program.

Trudy Jacobson appointed Senior Advisor, Casey Nitsch and Laura Rahman to Lead Fundraising Programs

After nearly 10 years with The Arc’s development team, Trudy Jacobson is transitioning from the Senior Executive Officer for Development & Partnerships to a new part-time position of Senior Advisor. Trudy is a well-respected professional in the areas of development and marketing and during her tenure as SEO she led the organization through its rebranding and the growth of its individual, corporate, and foundation support programs including the development of several major corporate partnerships and a national partnership with Comcast NBCUniversal. Trudy has contributed significantly to the growth of The Arc’s overall revenue, and the development of its fundraising program for the future, since joining the staff. The Arc deeply appreciates Trudy’s work and leadership in these areas and is pleased that she will continue in her new staff role to advise the organization in areas of her expertise. She will continue working closely with members of The Arc’s Board of Directors and its Resource Development Committee, represent The Arc to a portfolio of funders, and work with the Chief Executive Officer on other projects.

The Arc is also pleased to announce that Laura Rahman, Director of Individual Philanthropy, and Casey Nitsch, Director of Corporate, Foundation, and Government Support will be taking on additional leadership responsibility at The Arc as part of this transition. Laura joined The Arc in 2011 as a Development Associate and has been promoted twice, assuming her current position during June 2016. She is taking on responsibility for leading The Arc’s fundraising from individuals. Casey joined The Arc in 2011 as a Research Associate and has been promoted twice, assuming her current position during 2016. She is taking on responsibility for leading The Arc’s fundraising from foundations, corporations, and government.

 

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The Arc Files Amicus Brief Before NY Supreme Court

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In late December 2018, The Arc filed an amicus brief before the New York Supreme Court in support of Darius McCollum, an adult with autism charged with unauthorized driving of city trains and buses. In an unprecedented decision, the lower court found that, based on his autism diagnosis, Darius met the criteria for a “dangerous mental disorder” and committed him to a psychiatric institution for the most violent offenders despite him never having committed a violent crime. The brief argues that this placement is wholly inappropriate for someone like Darius, who could thrive in the community with appropriate supports and services.

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Bring Wings to your Community!

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Wings for Autism® is an airport rehearsal program, created by the Charles River Center, an affiliated chapter of The Arc, for people with disabilities that are concerned about their comfort with air travel. Since 2014, when The Arc took the program nationwide, 130 events have been held at 57 airports with 66 chapters helping 18,000 individuals with disabilities and their families.

This program receives accolades from families, airlines and airport personnel and has garnered much media coverage television, newspaper and trade magazines. This year the program won the prestigious Zero Project award for Independence in Public Places.

Contact Kerry Mauger to learn about bringing this rewarding program to your community.

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New Partnership with Wealth Engine Can Raise Your Chapter More Money!

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Do you want to get the most from your fundraising and find bigger-dollar donors? Are you striving to be strategic and cost-effective with prospect research, secure higher net worth donors, and grow fundraising results? Then you need a WealthEngine subscription!

WealthEngine is a fundraising tool that has been discounted by nearly 66% because YOU are a chapter of The Arc. This year, we have improved our partnership with WealthEngine, which means you will have more records per subscription, more training, and great customer service at the same low price.

Sign-on before January 30, 2019, and you will be able to use this valuable fundraising tool for only $825! Don’t miss out on this opportunity to grow your fundraising results, save time on donor research, and secure higher net worth donors – all while saving money!

If you are interested in learning about how a WealthEngine subscription can help your Chapter’s fundraising and prospect research in 2019, please e-mail Johanna Wezwick at jwezwick@wealthengine.com before January 30th!

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The Arc Responds to Department of Education Announcement on Restraint and Seclusion

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Today, in response to the U.S. Department of Education’s announcement of an initiative to address the inappropriate use of restraint and seclusion on students with disabilities, Julie Ward, The Arc’s Senior Executive Officer for Public Policy, issued the following statement:

“The Arc appreciates the Department’s new effort to protect students with disabilities from the harmful practices of restraint and seclusion. We believe this is a step in the right direction to move away from outdated and ineffective practices that are all too frequently used on students with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD). We are hopeful that shining a light on what is happening in our schools, reinforcing the requirements of federal laws, and providing assistance to public schools will benefit all students, including those with I/DD. However, more needs to be done by Congress to strengthen the federal protections and end these harmful practices. The Arc looks forward to working with the Administration and Congress to move aggressively in that direction.”

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Two of The Arc’s Programs to Receive Prestigious Zero Project Awards

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The Arc of the United States is pleased to announce two of its programs, Wings for Autism®/Wings for All® and the National Center on Criminal Justice and Disability (NCCJD)’s Pathways to Justice®, have been named 2019 Zero Project Awardees. The Zero Project is an initiative of the Essl Foundation that recognizes and provides a platform for the world’s most innovative and effective solutions to problems faced by people with disabilities around the world. The Arc’s programs are being recognized this year for outstanding contributions towards promoting independent living and political participation, the 2019 Zero Project Awards’ themes.

“The Arc of the United States has long fought to ensure that people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD) are included in all aspects of society, and that the civil rights of people with I/DD are respected in every context,” said Peter Berns, CEO of The Arc, “We are proud that Wings for Autism/Wings for All and NCCJD’s Pathways to Justice will be recognized as Zero Project awardees this year.”

Pathways to Justice and Wings for Autism are among 76 policies and practices selected by an international group of 3,000 experts who take part in a multi-round voting and selection process. The Arc’s CEO Peter Berns as well as leadership from the two recognized programs will accept the award in Vienna, Austria in February.

Since 2013, NCCJD has endeavored to improve the criminal justice system’s response to victims, witnesses, suspects, defendants, and prisoners with I/DD. The Center’s signature program, Pathways to Justice, offers specialized training and support to develop local, multidisciplinary Disability Response Teams composed of criminal justice and disability leaders, including self-advocates, to improve local justice systems. NCCJD has trained over 5,000 justice professionals in 12 different states since 2015.

“Societies can’t be inclusive without equal access to justice for ALL, including people with disabilities. Pathways to Justice is revolutionizing the way the criminal justice system sees and interacts with people with developmental disabilities, laying the groundwork for inclusive justice to take root and flourish across the country,” said Leigh Ann Davis, Director of NCCJD.

Originated by the Charles River Center, a local chapter of The Arc in Massachusetts, and the Massachusetts Port Authority, Wings for Autism/Wings for All is an airport “rehearsal” program created to alleviate some of the stress that individuals with I/DD and their families experience when traveling by air. The program also provides vital training and educational resources on disability competency to airport, airline, and Transportation Security Administration (TSA) staff and volunteers.

From 2014 to 2018, Wings for Autism has held over 130 trainings in almost 60 airports throughout the United States and has supported more than 18,000 people with autism and other disabilities, as well as their families. Additionally, the program has trained more than 1,800 aviation professionals in disability competency and inclusion.

“The Wings for Autism/Wings for All program has successfully helped thousands of individuals with disabilities and their families enjoy the basic right to travel and live independently. Simultaneously, we’ve supported aviation professionals across the country to create safe and inclusive spaces in airports to better accommodate travelers with disabilities. We are honored to be in the company of so many other great organizations who are also addressing independent living issues on an individual and systemic level as well,” said Kerry Mauger, Program Manager of Wings for Autism.

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Join the National Siblings Council or National Council of Self-Advocates as an Officer!

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Start your year with exciting new opportunities for involvement in our work! As an officer on the National Siblings Council and the National Council of Self-Advocates for 2019-2020, you will have an invaluable seat at the table helping shape the work of the National Office throughout the year.

National Council of Self-Advocates

The NCSA was developed to foster the active involvement of individuals with I/DD in the work of The Arc. Its primary purpose is to encourage people with I/DD to provide feedback to The Arc on how its advocacy, programs, and services can better empower people with to live the life they want to live in the community. Members of the NCSA provide regular feedback on work that The Arc national office is doing and provide guidance about important issues that matter to people with disabilities in community around the nation. NCSA members also seek to promote education around advocacy issues that are critical to people in the disability movement through our annual convention session, and they seek to be active members and leaders in The Arc’s Disability Advocacy Network and the larger disability movement.

Being an NCSA Officer has several rules and responsibilities, including:

  • Officers must attend the 4 Officer meetings each year. These often happen in March, May, August, and November.
  • Officers must attend the 4 All-Council meetings each year. These often happen in March, June, September, and December.
  • Officers must help plan The Arc’s self-advocate convention session.
  • Officers must be willing to help make big decisions about what the Council should do in the future.
  • Officers must help think of steps to take to achieve the goals that the NCSA wants to achieve.
  • Officers must help take action to carry out these goals.
  • Officers must help encourage people to join the Council and give feedback.
  • Officers must share what the Council is doing with others.
  • Officers must give feedback to The Arc on how to improve its work.

Apply to be an officer of NCSA.

Deadline: February 15

National Siblings Council

Are you a sibling looking to get more involved in disability rights activism but are not sure where to turn? The Arc’s National Sibling Council seeks to foster the active involvement of siblings of individuals with I/DD in The Arc movement in order to strengthen and grow The Arc’s grassroots advocacy efforts nationwide and formally connect siblings—an important and unique segment of the disability rights movement—to help promote and protect the rights of individuals with I/DD throughout the country. The Arc seeks applications from those who are eager to take a leadership role in learning more about how to engage in disability rights activism as a new mode of providing support to their siblings and the broader disability community.

Officers participate in four quarterly conference calls each year, carry out advocacy action steps assigned in each call, and encourage other siblings to join our movement.

Apply to be an officer of the Sibling Council.

Deadline: February 15
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Chapter Benefit Spotlight: Don’t Reinvent the Wheel!

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Are you beginning the new year by creating or updating a policy for your chapter? Looking for examples from other chapters so you don’t have to reinvent the wheel? Why not post a message in your National Council of Executives (NCE) Google Group? State Chapter Executive Directors are invited to use nce-state-executives@groups.thearc.org and Local Chapter Executive Directors are welcome to use nce-local-executives@groups.thearc.org. Join colleagues that have posted questions and received valuable resources. Collegial support is a hallmark of The Arc network.