Picture of a rally in front of the U.S. Capitol with someone holding a "Protect Medicaid" sign

California and Minnesota Medicaid Deferrals: What’s at Stake for People With Disabilities

/in /by The Arc

The Arc responds to more than $1 billion in federal Medicaid payment deferrals and calls for fraud oversight that protects continuity of care, disability services, and community living.

On July 21, 2026, HHS and CMS paused more than $1 billion in Medicaid payments to California and Minnesota citing the existence of fraud but without providing specific evidence of alleged fraud. This action threatens access to healthcare and community support needed by people with disabilities. The Arc of the United States is concerned that broad payment actions and sweeping fraud narratives are taking too broad an approach. The federal government’s actions limit Medicaid services for people with disabilities and their families and demonstrate a lack of understanding of what people with disabilities want: a life in the community, with as much independence as possible.

People with disabilities must be at the center of decisions about Medicaid, not treated as collateral damage in efforts to strengthen program integrity.

Katy Neas, CEO of The Arc of the United States, responds:

“The federal government’s actions are troubling because the goal should be to stop fraud while protecting continuity of care for those who need it. We hear from people every day who are scared and uncertain because they don’t know if their healthcare and services will continue. When conversations begin and end with fraud allegations, people lose sight of what Medicaid actually does and who depends on it. Medicaid helps people with disabilities get out of bed in the morning, attend school, get into the workforce, and be a part of their community. It helps families balance the need to care for their loved one with daily, intense support needs, while they work to put food on the table and care for the whole family. And it provides millions of people access to health insurance. Strong oversight to weed out fraudulent activities and a strong service delivery program are not competing goals. We can and must do both.”

For Reporters

Katy Neas is available for interviews about Medicaid, home and community-based services (HCBS), and how federal and state Medicaid policy affects people with disabilities and their families. For media inquiries or to request an interview, contact dilworth@thearc.org.

A diverse classroom with a teacher sitting on the floor next to two students, who are looking at a workbook.

The Ultimate Back-To-School Guide for Families of Children With Disabilities

/in /by The Arc

Written by: Robyn Linscott, Director of Education & Family Policy and Katy Neas, CEO of The Arc of the United States

The start of a new school year can bring excitement, but for parents and caregivers of children with disabilities, back-to-school preparation often includes much more than supply lists and first-day nerves. You may be reviewing an IEP or 504 plan, making sure services and accommodations are ready, preparing your child for a change in routine, and figuring out how to work with a new team at school.

Recent changes to how the U.S. Department of Education oversees special education and civil rights protections have also left many families wondering what, if anything, will be different for their child this year. We break down what those changes actually mean, and don’t mean, for your family’s rights in our explainer on moving special education oversight out of the Department of Education.

The short version: the laws that protect your child, including the right to a free appropriate public education, haven’t changed. But given the shifting federal landscape, it’s more important than ever to start conversations with your child’s school early and keep having them all year long.

Most back-to-school checklists assume a fairly uniform experience: the same supply list, the same first-day jitters. Families of children with disabilities are often left to figure out the rest on their own. This guide is for you.

Before the School Year Starts

How Can I Prepare My Child With a Disability for a New School Year?

Have a real conversation with your child about what’s coming. What are they excited about? What’s making them nervous? Use it to set clear, honest expectations. A visual calendar you build together to mark the first day, picture day, breaks, and other milestones can make the transition feel more predictable and less abstract, especially for kids who rely on routine and visual supports.

How Can I Help My Child With a Disability Adjust to a New School Routine?

Don’t flip the switch overnight. Start rebuilding a consistent before- and after-school routine a couple of weeks out, whatever that looks like for your child: a calm morning routine, dedicated homework space, predictable bedtime wind-down, etc. Keep weekend plans light for the first few weeks so your child has room to decompress instead of starting each week already worn out.

Should I Review My Child’s IEP or 504 Plan Before School Starts?

Before the first bell rings, sit down with your child’s IEP or 504 plan and read it thoroughly. Know every goal, every accommodation, every related service, and every deadline in it. If anything has changed since the last meeting (i.e. new needs, a new diagnosis, assistive technology that could help) request an IEP or 504 review meeting now, before small issues turn into bigger ones once the year is underway.

If you’re not sure which document applies to your child, or why, you’re not alone. It’s one of the most common points of confusion for families, and most back-to-school advice skips it entirely. In short: an Individualized Education Program (IEP) is a legal document under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) that provides specialized instruction and services for children who qualify. A 504 plan, under Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, provides accommodations for children who don’t need specialized instruction but do need a level playing field.

We break down IEPs in detail in our IEP rights guide, and Parents.com has a helpful explainer on 504 plans that includes input from The Arc’s policy team: Everything Parents Need to Know About 504 Plans.

Keep a running record of everything: your child’s progress, setbacks, and any communication with the school. It becomes invaluable at the next meeting and for tracking growth over time.

How Can I Build a Strong Relationship With My Child’s Special Education Team?

Reach out to your child’s teachers and service providers before school starts. Share what you know: your child’s strengths, interests, and what you’re hoping for this year. Agree on a communication plan that works for all of you, whether that’s a weekly email, shared log, or something else that keeps everyone on the same page.

It’s also okay to be direct. If the federal changes to special education oversight have you uneasy, say so. Ask your child’s school outright: what is your plan to make sure nothing changes for my child this year? A good school will have an answer. If your child is starting at a new school, ask for a tour ahead of time and start planning the transition with both schools early. If they’re in a before- or after-care program, build a relationship with that staff too. They’re part of your child’s day even when they’re not in the classroom.

Once School Starts

How Can I Help My Child With a Disability Build Self-Advocacy Skills?

Teach your child developmentally appropriate ways to advocate for themselves: asking for a break when they’re overwhelmed, asking a teacher to repeat instructions, sharing what they need in the moment. These are skills they’ll use well beyond this school year.

What Should I Do If My Child With a Disability Isn’t Getting the Support They Need at School?

The first few weeks are rarely smooth for anyone. Give your child and their teachers room to find their groove. But keep watching closely, and if something isn’t working, don’t wait it out. A quick, respectful conversation in week two is a lot easier than a crisis meeting in month three.

Recognize Your Child’s Progress, Not Just the Problems

Notice the effort, not just the outcome, such as a good week, new friendship, proactive or creative school work, or hard morning handled well. Naming it out loud builds the kind of confidence that carries a child through a harder day later on.

Finding Support and Understanding Your Rights

Where Can Families of Children With Disabilities Find Support and Help with School Issues?

You don’t have to figure this out solo. Your state’s Developmental Disabilities Council, your local chapter of The Arc, and inclusive extracurricular activities in your community can connect you with other families living the same challenges right now, people who’ve likely already found the workaround you’re looking for.

What Special Education Rights Should Parents Know at the Start of the School Year?

Under IDEA, your child has a federal legal right to a free appropriate public education, tailored to their needs. That right doesn’t depend on which federal agency is overseeing it, and it doesn’t disappear because of policy changes in Washington, DC. If you’re ever unsure whether your child is getting what they’re legally entitled to, The Arc@School was built exactly for this: plain-language guidance on your rights and real support finding your footing when something feels off. Knowing your rights here is the foundation everything else on this list depends on.

Your well-being is part of this, too. A quiet hour with a book, call with a friend, or even five minutes of scrolling isn’t indulgent. It’s what keeps you steady enough to show up for your child the other 23 hours of the day.

You’re not doing this alone. We’re here for every step of it. Here’s to a strong start to the year.

More Back-to-School and Special Education Resources for Families of Children With Disabilities

Common Back-to-School Questions Families of Children With Disabilities

What should I check before my child with a disability starts school?

Confirm transportation, health needs, accessibility, and who to contact if something goes wrong. If your child has an IEP or 504 plan, review the supports that should be ready on day one.

What should I tell my child’s teacher about their disability?

Share what helps your child learn, communicate, manage sensory needs, and feel supported. Focus on useful information about your child as a person, not just their diagnosis.

How can I ease the school transition for my child with a disability?

Make the new routine as predictable as possible. Practice key parts ahead of time, use visual or communication supports that work for your child, and leave space to decompress after school.

What if my child’s disability supports aren’t ready?

Contact the school team early and be specific about what is missing. Keep a written record, and use our IEP rights guide if you need more information about your child’s legal rights and next steps.

A man in a wheelchair sits at a desk at home, reviewing paperwork next to an open laptop.

New Medicaid Work Rules: What People With Disabilities and Families Should Know

/in /by The Arc

What is happening with Medicaid right now?

Last year, Congress passed a new Medicaid law.

The law created new community engagement rules (often called work requirements) for some adults who get Medicaid.

It impacts all but 7 states: Alabama, Florida, Kansas, Mississippi, South Carolina, Texas, and Wyoming.

Work requirements say some adults may have to work, go to school, volunteer, or do another approved activity to keep Medicaid.

For most states, the work requirements will begin on January 1, 2027.

Why does federal changes to Medicaid matter?

Medicaid helps people with disabilities get healthcare and daily support.

Medicaid can pay for:

  • Doctor visits
  • Medicine
  • Therapy
  • Mental health care
  • Personal care services
  • Help at home
  • Support to live in the community
  • Help finding and keeping a job

Losing Medicaid for even a short time can mean losing important care and support.

What do Medicaid’s new work rules mean for people with disabilities?

Many people with disabilities do not have to follow the work requirements.

For example, many people who get Supplemental Security Income (SSI) qualify for an “exemption” and do not have to meet the work requirements.

An exemption means a person does not have to follow the work requirements.

But some people with disabilities may still have to show they qualify for an exemption. This may include:

  • Adults with disabilities who do not get SSI
  • People waiting to learn if they qualify for disability benefits
  • People who lose SSI for a short time because of paperwork problems
  • Young adults with disabilities moving from children’s services to adult services

Some people with disabilities can qualify for an exemption if they are considered “medically frail.”

Medically frail means they have a disability or serious health problem that makes it hard to meet the work requirements.

People who want to qualify for this medically frail exemption may have to show:

  • They have a disability or serious health problem
  • Their disability or health problem makes it hard to meet the work requirements

Some people who qualify for an exemption may still have trouble getting one.

Do family caregivers also qualify for a work exemption under Medicaid?

Some family caregivers may also qualify for an exemption.

This may include parents, guardians, relatives, and other caregivers who regularly help a person with a disability.

Caregivers may still have to show they qualify.

How could paperwork make someone lose Medicaid?

Even people who qualify for an exemption could lose Medicaid if their paperwork is missing, delayed, or filled out incorrectly.

We have seen this happen before. Some people who should have kept their Medicaid lost it because of paperwork problems, not because they no longer qualified.

Why is The Arc concerned about recent changes to Medicaid?

The law was meant to protect people with disabilities and family caregivers from work requirements.

The new rule makes many changes that make it harder for people to show they qualify for an exemption. More people with disabilities may not be protected because of these changes.

People should not lose healthcare because of confusing rules, paperwork problems, or mistakes.

Take action!

The federal government is accepting public comments on this rule until July 31, 2026.

Share your comments and stories through The Arc’s website.

Tell CMS to:

  • Withdraw or pause the rule
  • Make it easier for people with disabilities and serious health problems to qualify for the medically frail exemption
  • Protect people from losing Medicaid because of paperwork problems

Your story can help protect Medicaid and the services people use every day.

A white woman on a city street holding a cardboard protest sign that says "Education for All"

New GAO Report Shows Progress on Inclusion for Students With Disabilities

/in /by Robyn Linscott

More students with disabilities are learning in general education classrooms, but progress remains uneven at a time when federal education oversight is being split across multiple agencies

By: Robyn Linscott, Director of Education and Family Policy, The Arc of the United States

A new GAO report shows that more students with disabilities are learning in general education classrooms than they were a decade ago. But it also shows how uneven that progress is, and why this is the wrong time to split education oversight across multiple agencies.

The number of students with disabilities who spent at least 40% of the school day in general education classrooms increased 25% between the 2012-13 and 2023-24 school years. At the same time, progress varied sharply by state and across disability categories. So while more students with disabilities are learning alongside their peers, access to inclusion still depends too much on where a student lives and which students are being counted in that progress.

That news comes as federal oversight of schools is being split across multiple agencies. In late 2025, the Department of Education began shifting parts of K-12 education work to the Department of Labor. Then in June 2026, it announced plans to move special education oversight to the Department of Health and Human Services and civil rights enforcement to the Department of Justice. That means general education, special education, and civil rights are being handled in different places. That separates students with disabilities from the broader education system, weakens the link between classroom instruction and disability rights, and risks a more fragmented approach to inclusion across the country.

Inclusion is growing, but where a student lives matters

The GAO findings are good news. More students with disabilities are spending a substantial part of the day in general education classrooms, and the biggest increase came among students who spent at least 80% of the day there. That means more students are getting access to general education standards, peers, and the day-to-day life of school.

But that progress still isn’t happening evenly. Inclusion increased in 42 states and the District of Columbia, but the state-by-state differences were stark. The District of Columbia saw the largest increase, while North Dakota saw a decrease.

Are all students with IDD seeing the same gains in inclusion?

The report shows overall progress, but that progress isn’t reaching every group in the same way.

For students with intellectual disability, the number spending at least 40% of the school day in general education rose from 180,492 in 2012-13 to 199,274 in 2023-24. But as a share of the overall student population, that figure actually fell from 3.9% to 3.5%. For students with multiple disabilities, the number also rose, from 36,384 to 42,136, while the share fell from 0.8% to 0.7%. By contrast, for students with autism, both the number and the share increased sharply, from 253,750 to 543,868 and from 5.5% to 9.5%. While schools have gotten better at supporting students with autism in the general education classroom, more work needs to be done to meaningfully include students with intellectual disability and multiple disabilities.

Inclusion is moving in the right direction nationally, but the picture is more uneven for students with IDD. Some students with IDD still aren’t seeing the same gains in access to general education classrooms.

What does inclusion look like beyond classroom placement?

One of the most useful parts of the GAO report is that it goes beyond placement numbers. School officials told GAO that placement decisions are shaped by resources, family involvement, and school environment. They also described the role that relationships, extracurriculars, and school culture play in helping students with disabilities feel part of the school community.

That reinforces what we already know: a student can be in a general education classroom and still not be meaningfully included. Real inclusion means being part of the class, part of the school, and part of the opportunities that make up school life.

Why is now the wrong time to weaken federal special education oversight?

Students with disabilities need one education system that can connect classroom learning, special education supports, and civil rights protections. When those responsibilities are spread across different agencies, it becomes harder to give schools clear guidance, harder to hold states accountable, and harder for families to get answers when something goes wrong. A child who’s denied services, pushed out of the classroom, or excluded from school life shouldn’t have to navigate a maze of agencies to get help.

It also pushes disability further away from education itself. The Arc has already warned that moving IDEA oversight into HHS risks treating disability more as a health or services issue than as part of a student’s experience in school. That’s the wrong approach. Students with disabilities are students first, and their rights belong in the education system.

The timing makes this even more concerning. The Department of Education’s latest IDEA determinations show that only 20 states met requirements for serving students with disabilities. When so many states are still falling short, the answer should be stronger oversight and clearer accountability, not moving special education farther away from the education system.

We can’t afford to backslide on this progress

Inclusion is increasing nationally, and that’s worth recognizing. But the gains are uneven, which is why strong federal oversight still matters. This is not the time to move special education farther away from the rest of education. It’s not the time to split classrooms, disability rights, and school accountability across different agencies. And it’s not the time to accept a system where inclusion still varies too widely by state and where some disability groups still are not seeing the same gains. We’ve made progress, and now we need to protect it.

A man with disabilities stands indoors at a busy event space holding a sign that reads “I’M VOTING BECAUSE… it’s my voice!” The sign has The Arc logo in the top left and the hashtag #REVUP in the bottom right.

Supreme Court Protects Mail Voting in Major Win for Voters With Disabilities

/in /by Jackie Dilworth

In Watson v. Republican National Committee, the Court upheld Mississippi’s law allowing ballots postmarked by Election Day to count if they arrive shortly afterward.

In a 5-4 decision on June 29, 2026, the U.S. Supreme Court upheld Mississippi’s law allowing mail ballots postmarked by Election Day and received up to five days later to be counted. For many voters with disabilities, this is a major protection for the right to vote. Many voters with disabilities rely on mail voting because in-person voting can come with real barriers, including inaccessible transportation, inaccessible polling places, and long lines. By rejecting a challenge that could have threatened similar laws in other states, the Court preserved an important path to the ballot box for voters with disabilities.

“For many voters with disabilities, mail voting is an essential way to participate in elections,” said Shira Wakschlag, Senior Executive Officer of Legal Advocacy and General Counsel for The Arc of the United States. “Too many disabled voters already face barriers at every step of the process, from getting to the polls to accessing a ballot and having it counted. This decision helps protect an important voting option that many people with disabilities rely on. That matters because election outcomes shape the systems, supports, and rights many people with disabilities depend on every day.”

What is Watson v. Republican National Committee about?

This case asked whether federal law allows states to count mail ballots that are postmarked on or before Election Day but arrive after Election Day.

Mississippi is one of roughly 30 states that count mailed ballots sent by Election Day but arrive shortly afterward. That made this case much bigger than one state. If the challengers had won, the ruling could have put similar ballot receipt rules at risk across the country, including rules that help many voters with disabilities cast a ballot that counts.

What happened in Watson v. Republican National Committee?

In 2024, the Republican National Committee, the Mississippi Republican Party, and two individual plaintiffs sued Mississippi election officials, arguing that federal law requires ballots in federal elections to be received by Election Day, not just mailed by then.

A federal district court rejected that argument and upheld Mississippi’s law. The plaintiffs appealed to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit. The Fifth Circuit reversed the district court’s decision, concluding that Mississippi’s ballot receipt rule conflicted with federal election-day statutes. Mississippi then appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court, and the Court agreed to hear the case.

What did the Supreme Court decide in Watson v. Republican National Committee?

The Supreme Court upheld Mississippi’s law. Justice Amy Coney Barrett wrote the majority opinion, joined by Chief Justice John Roberts and Justices Sonia Sotomayor, Elena Kagan, and Ketanji Brown Jackson. The Court held that federal election-day statutes don’t require ballots to be received by Election Day. Instead, those statutes set the day votes must be cast. States remain free to decide when timely mailed ballots must be received.

The Court emphasized that the question before it was narrow. It wasn’t deciding whether absentee voting is lawful or whether votes may be counted after Election Day. It was deciding whether federal law blocks states from counting ballots that were cast on time but arrived later. The answer was no. The Court also pointed to federal law protecting military and overseas voters as further evidence that state law controls ballot receipt deadlines.

Justice Samuel Alito dissented, joined by Justices Clarence Thomas, Neil Gorsuch and Brett Kavanaugh. He argued that ballots must be received by Election Day to be counted in federal elections.

Why The Arc supports accessible vote-by-mail options for voters with disabilities

The Arc’s position is clear: people with disabilities have the same right to vote as everyone else, and they have the right to the accommodations, assistance, and supports they need to exercise that right. You can read more in our position statement on human and civil rights.

Voting by mail is an important and accessible option for millions of voters with disabilities across the country. A U.S. Election Assistance Commission study found that close to three-fifths of voters with disabilities voted with a mail ballot or early in person in 2022, compared with just over half of voters without disabilities. The same study found that voting difficulties were still much higher for voters with disabilities than for voters without disabilities.

That’s why efforts to make mail voting harder can hit voters with disabilities especially hard. If a voter follows the rules and mails a ballot on time, that ballot should count. Voters with disabilities shouldn’t lose their vote because of postal delays that are outside their control.

Why does the Watson v. Republican National Committee case matter for people with disabilities?

This decision matters because voters with disabilities disproportionately rely on mail voting to participate in elections. If the U.S. Supreme Court ruled the other way, some voters with disabilities could have lost their vote even after doing everything right.

It also matters because this ruling recognizes a simple point: casting a ballot and receiving a ballot aren’t the same thing. For voters who depend on mail voting, that distinction can determine whether their vote counts. The Court’s decision preserved a rule that helps protect disabled voters from being disenfranchised by delays they cannot control.

At the same time, this ruling isn’t the end of the work. Accessible democracy requires more than one voting method. States should make both mail voting and in-person voting fully accessible so that no eligible voter is pushed out of the democratic process.

Where can I learn more about Watson v. Republican National Committee?

Watson v. Republican National Committee FAQ: Mail Ballots and Disability Voting Rights

Can states count mail ballots that arrive after Election Day if they were mailed on time?

Yes. In Watson v. Republican National Committee, the Supreme Court ruled that federal law does not require mail ballots to be received by Election Day. States can count ballots that are postmarked by Election Day and arrive shortly afterward if state law allows it.

What did the Supreme Court decide in Watson v. Republican National Committee?

The Court upheld Mississippi’s law allowing mail ballots postmarked by Election Day to be counted if they are received up to five business days later.

Why does the Watson v. Republican National Committee ruling matter for voters with disabilities?

It matters because many voters with disabilities rely on mail voting, and rejecting ballots that were mailed on time could disenfranchise them. A national Election Assistance Commission study found that voters with disabilities were more likely than voters without disabilities to vote by mail or early in person in 2022.

Could the Watson v. Republican National Committee decision affect mail ballot rules outside Mississippi?

Yes. The Supreme Court noted that Mississippi is one of roughly 30 states that count at least some absentee ballots mailed by Election Day and received afterward, so the ruling could matter well beyond Mississippi.

Group picture of people with disabilities and other advocates after attending a Medicaid work requirements hearing on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC

How Ohio Families Defended Medicaid Support for Family Caregivers

/in /by The Arc

Around the country, everyday families are piecing together caregiving because they have no other choice. Some states have found ways to support family caregivers in ways that make it work for people with disabilities, their loved ones, and the care system.

In a structured program, monitored by the state Medicaid agency, some family caregivers are paid a modest amount to support their loved one. It gives the person with a disability a reliable and familiar caregiver, and it takes some pressure of families juggling all aspects of their lives – work, family, caregiving, and more.

But when Ohio lawmakers prepared to vote on legislation that would prohibit family members from being paid through Medicaid programs, disability advocates and families mobilized immediately.

Family Caregivers Are the Backbone of America’s Care System

Family caregivers are already doing the work that keeps America’s long term care system functioning.

According to a recent AARP report, family caregivers now provide more than $1 trillion worth of care each year in the United States. Nearly 59 million Americans care for aging parents, spouses, children with disabilities, neighbors, and other loved ones, contributing an estimated 49.5 billion hours of care annually. If that care were compensated at market rates, it would be valued at approximately $1.01 trillion every year.

Most of this work is unpaid. 

Family caregivers help loved ones bathe, dress, prepare meals, manage medications, attend medical appointments, and increasingly perform complex medical and nursing tasks that were once provided in institutional settings.

More than half of family caregivers now provide high intensity care, averaging 27 hours of caregiving each week. The 49.5 billion hours of care they provide annually is equivalent to nearly 24 million full-time workers, roughly 17 percent of the entire U.S. workforce.

This caregiving work is not optional.

Ohio, like many states, faces a severe direct care workforce shortage.

Providers frequently struggle to fill authorized care hours, leaving families to step in and provide support that Medicaid cannot otherwise deliver. Without family caregivers, many people would go without critical assistance with daily activities, medication management, transportation, and personal care.

Without these caregivers, millions more Americans would rely on expensive institutional care, dramatically increasing costs for taxpayers. In fact, the economic value of family caregiving now exceeds total federal, state, and local Medicaid spending nationwide.

Ohio’s Disability Community Mobilized Quickly

The proposal moved quickly, but so did Ohio’s disability community.

The Arc of Ohio, self-advocates, family caregivers, providers, and aging advocates mobilized rapidly to educate lawmakers about the devastating consequences the proposal would have for people with disabilities and older adults. Committee hearings were packed with people with disabilities, family caregivers, and advocates who shared deeply personal stories about what Medicaid-funded family caregiving makes possible and what would happen if that support disappeared. Wheelchairs lined the hearing room as lawmakers listened to testimony from families who described the realities of navigating a strained care system and the essential role they play in keeping their loved ones safe at home.

The testimony shifted the conversation to the real experiences of Ohio families. Several legislators were visibly moved during the hearings.

Within hours, the proposal to prohibit family caregiver payments had been removed from the bill, demonstrating the power of coordinated advocacy and authentic lived experience.

The Bigger Problem: When Allegations of Fraud Becomes an Excuse to Cut Care

The Ohio debate reflects a troubling national trend.

Across the country, allegations of fraud are increasingly being used to justify greater scrutiny of Medicaid, home and community-based services (HCBS), and family caregiving programs. Program integrity matters and fraud should be rooted out. But in the process, what’s happening around the country now is making it harder for people to access the care they need.

Medicaid and other safety net programs are already subject to extensive federal and state oversight, and the overwhelming majority of beneficiaries, family caregivers, and providers follow the rules. Yet fraud narratives increasingly cast suspicion on family caregivers and community-based providers who fill critical gaps in an already strained care system.

These attacks go beyond program integrity. They devalue caregiving, undermine the rights of people with disabilities to receive services at home, and threaten a care infrastructure that depends on family caregivers, whose unpaid contributions exceed $1 trillion annually.

What’s Next and How You Can Help

Advocates in Ohio prevailed. Following overwhelming opposition from people with disabilities, families, and advocates, the proposal to eliminate Medicaid waiver payments for family caregivers was removed from the legislation moving forward.

This victory was built on decades of advocacy by self-advocates, family members, disability rights organizations, and The Arc’s network.

Right now, The Arc of the United States and our chapters are pushing back against threats to Medicaid, HCBS, and other programs that make community living possible. And those threats are coming from many avenues.

You can help by: