Calling all influencers! Are you looking for easy-to-repurpose content for your chapter’s social media accounts? Look no further than The Arc’s Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and blog. Whether you like, follow, retweet, share, post or re-purpose, The Arc’s content is fresh, informative, inspiring, and thought-provoking. Take advantage of it today!
Google has reached out to The Arc to recruit persons with I/DD to help develop speech recognition technology. If you or someone you know has slurred or hard-to-understand speech, fill out this short form to volunteer and record a set of phrases.
The more speech samples the system hears, the more potential Google has to make progress and apply these tools to better support everyone, no matter how they communicate.
Watch this short video to learn about the exciting work that Google is doing to improve speech recognition technology.
Access to healthcare continues to be a huge concern for adults with I/DD who need qualified doctors to provide primary and specialty care. Operation House Call (OHC) uses a hands-on approach to address these issues by flipping the script and making families the instructor. Medical students experience an in-home visit to a family with a loved one with I/DD to gain a unique perspective into their lives and gain essential sensitivity and disability competency skills to help build their confidence in working with the I/DD population. Join our informational webinar on May 29th at 12pm EST learn more about how to bring this program to your chapter using the OHC Toolkit!
Washington, DC – This week, reports have surfaced documenting that thousands of immigrants have been trapped in solitary confinement in immigration detention centers, often based solely on their disability status or their gender identity.
“These atrocious reports of cruel confinement in isolation, without necessary services, in circumstances that are traumatizing and dangerous to the people involved, are unacceptable.
“Non-citizens with any type of disability should have a fair opportunity to enter and reside legally in the United States and to become citizens, without unnecessary or discriminatory restrictions based on their disability, gender identity or expression, or sexual orientation. We must also ensure that individuals with disabilities who are facing deportation or other legal action are provided with appropriate representation, due process protections, and reasonable accommodations and that they are not unnecessarily segregated in immigration facilities.
“We have already seen proposals like the public charge rule that would discriminate against immigrants with disabilities, making it harder to legally enter or remain in the country. We continue to condemn these policies and practices and call on Members of Congress, as they have done in the past, to stand up for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities and their families as they seek inclusion in America. We will continue to promote and protect equal rights of children and adults with disabilities in all parts of the world, and call on our government to ensure that, at minimum, people should not be subject to harm while they are held under the care and authority of this country,” said Peter Berns, CEO, The Arc.
The Arc advocates for and serves people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD), including Down syndrome, autism, Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders, cerebral palsy and other diagnoses. The Arc has a network of over 600 chapters across the country promoting and protecting the human rights of people with I/DD and actively supporting their full inclusion and participation in the community throughout their lifetimes and without regard to diagnosis.
Editor’s Note: The Arc is not an acronym; always refer to us as The Arc, not The ARC and never ARC. The Arc should be considered as a title or a phrase.
Washington, DC – This week, President Trump sent to Congress an amended budget proposal which included money for Special Olympics, reversing an attempt to cut the funding. However, many other cuts that could impact the lives of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD) are still in the President’s budget request.
“Funding for the important work of Special Olympics has broad support in Congress and amongst the public. But so does funding for a host of other programs that support people with intellectual and developmental disabilities to thrive in the community.
“It’s not too late for the President to go further and reverse course on his proposal to cut Medicaid, the core program providing access to health care and home and community-based services for people with disabilities. Or his plan to impose work requirements to be eligible for the program. Or any of the other cuts proposed that could impact access to job training, maternal and child health, or caregiver support, to name a few.
“What we invest in reflects our values as a society. There’s a lot at stake for people with disabilities in the budget process in Washington, and there’s still time to make the right investments that keep up the progress we’ve made in access to services and supports across the lifespan, “said Peter Berns, CEO, The Arc.
The Arc is particularly concerned about the proposed cuts to Medicaid, which come in the same form as those included in the 2017 proposals to repeal the Affordable Care Act (ACA) and cut and cap the Medicaid program. Congress rejected this in 2017, but the Administration proposed budget includes replacing both the Medicaid expansion and ACA subsidies with a block grant, and converting the rest of Medicaid into a per capita cap which would deeply cut the program and cap the amount of funding available. The end result of these proposals being put in place would be less money for states, restrictions on eligibility, cuts to services, and growing waiting lists.
The Arc has compiled information about the Administration’s budget request as it pertains to programs that provide services and supports for people with I/DD and their families.
The Arc advocates for and serves people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD), including Down syndrome, autism, Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders, cerebral palsy and other diagnoses. The Arc has a network of over 600 chapters across the country promoting and protecting the human rights of people with I/DD and actively supporting their full inclusion and participation in the community throughout their lifetimes and without regard to diagnosis.
Editor’s Note: The Arc is not an acronym; always refer to us as The Arc, not The ARC and never ARC. The Arc should be considered as a title or a phrase.
The Arc was concerned to read the Notice Statement on the reorganization of the Administration for Community Living (ACL) published in the federal register. As the “the principal agency in the department designated to lead aging and disability programs,” ACL must have sufficient resources, support and clarity in its goals to be successful in this role. ACL has been a leader and key partner on a range of essential issues, including protecting the rights of people with disabilities and older adults, preventing abuse and neglect, supporting needed systems change activities, promoting promising practices in home and community-based services, implementing person-centered planning, and providing a range of technical assistance to states and other stakeholders, among many others.
ACL must continue to support programs and policies that advance community living for older adults and people with disabilities of all ages and facilitate full participation in their communities. Achieving this goal requires a robust and well-informed staff, including, for example, leadership with substantial knowledge of independent living services directing the Independent Living program, as required in the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act. The current proposal divides programs that have traditionally worked collaboratively, such as the programs authorized under the Developmental Disabilities Assistance and Bill of Rights Act.
We strongly encourage the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to prioritize ACL’s work toward its stated mission, to maximize the independence, well-being, and health of older adults, people with disabilities and their families and caregivers. ACL must avoid unnecessary disruption and ensure that any changes will not undermine the agency’s effectiveness. We call on ACL leadership to work with stakeholders to safeguard necessary supports and services for older adults and people with disabilities and advance community living.
Capital City Club Gala Benefiting The Arc of Alabama, November 2018
Cultivating the next generation of leaders and advocates in the I/DD community is key to the continued success of The Arc and its mission. This is especially true in chapters across the country, where strong community connections can make all the difference in the health and future of a chapter.
Through her junior board, Gena Richardson at The Arc of Alabama is setting an example for what this can look like – and showing how bringing younger members of the community into the movement is both a smart short- AND long-term strategy.
What was your motivation for developing a Junior Board? What is the ultimate goal of the Junior Board?
Junior Boards are known to be an effective and creative way for nonprofit organizations to raise money. It has been my experience they also provide support for the strategic plan, offset some costs related to consulting services, and help build a stronger network.
Tell us how you went about finding the Junior Board members. Where did you find them in the community?
After determining the vision for our Junior Board, I attended community events and networked until I found our core group. It was important for me to look within established groups known to set high expectations for volunteers, and promote leadership development. The majority of our Junior Board members are involved in Rotary, Montgomery Chamber Ambassador Program, or Junior League. I am actively involved with these groups. The Junior Board members knew me, first and foremost, as a fellow volunteer. Once I approached a potential member and extended an offer, they were ready to join our group.
What activities do you engage the Junior Board in to build involvement and engagement in the mission?
I always encourage everyone to have fun. As we added new members each person was assigned duties based on their area of interest and expertise. This will continue to be our protocol. During the first nine months, we participated in a number of events including, but not limited to, a legislative prayer breakfast, Autism and Disability Friendly Day during a Minor League Baseball game, and our upscale fundraiser. 50% of ticket sales were given back to The Arc of Alabama. 100% of the overhead was covered by Capital City Club (a social and business club). Additionally, 100% of silent auction proceeds came back to us.
Has the Junior Board’s presence strengthened your organization’s work, and how so?
The Arc of Alabama’s profile has increased in our local community. When our Bylaws were initially drafted, we felt as though expanding opportunity for membership beyond the Montgomery metropolitan area gave more opportunities for donations, speaking engagements, and increased impact across the state. We have 30 local chapters in Alabama, the majority in underserved rural counties. Soon after our Junior Board was created, we had our foot in the door to speak with representatives from two counties that did not have a local chapter. During the last year, our Junior Board has obtained donations, provided pro bono services and consultations, and helped with regular volunteer activities. The professional backgrounds of our founding group range from behavioral health and disability services, marketing, legal services, accounting, nonprofit management, public policy, and political consulting. While recruiting Junior Board members, our intent was to connect with go-getters of diverse professional backgrounds.
What do you envision as the future of the Junior Board?
If the past is any indicator of what the future holds, it is incredibly bright for the Junior Board. They will continue to do excellent work. Everyone put in considerable time during the first nine months to make sure the Junior Board had a successful start. It was not uncommon for us to meet during nights and weekends. When a dedicated group of go-getters invests that much time, great things happen.
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