The Arc Sends Letter to Energy and Commerce Subcommittee Regarding the Hearing, Legislative Proposals to Increase Medicaid Access and Improve Program Integrity

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The Arc expressed its support for several bills being reviewed by the House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health at a hearing on expanding access to Medicaid. The legislation reviewed included making Money Follows the Person permanent, portability of Medicaid benefits for dependents of military families, and modifications to the Medicaid buy-in program for older working adults.

The Arc Sends Letter on the Long-Term Care Workforce Support Act

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The Long-Term Care Workforce Support Act would provide major investments and protections for workers across the long-term care settings. The Arc applauded Senator Casey (D-PA) for developing legislation to address this pressing issue.

City of Grants Pass, Oregon v. Johnson

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Filed: April 3, 2024

Court: U.S. Supreme Court

Overview: Amicus brief arguing that the Eighth Amendment ban on cruel and unusual punishment prohibits cities from criminalizing conduct associated with being unhoused.

Excerpt: “People with disabilities face unique challenges and deep-rooted stigmas that increase their risk for homelessness. Less than 5% of housing in the United States is accessible for moderate mobility disabilities, and less than 1% is accessible for wheelchair use. Housing costs are prohibitive for many disabled people who rely on public assistance for basic costs of living—the average cost of a one-bedroom apartment in the United States exceeds the maximum monthly Supplemental Security Income a person can receive. Moreover, widespread housing discrimination on the basis of disability further compounds the risk of homelessness. The Ordinances’ impact on homeless people with disabilities highlights how grossly out of proportion the punishments they impose are to the severity of the offense. Simply put, criminalizing the involuntary conduct of being a homeless person without a place to sleep—in a city with no public shelters—is anathema to the decency standards of any civilized society.”

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Storytelling Toolkit for People With Disabilities and Advocates

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Your life and experiences are powerful and valuable. Sharing your story can change people’s hearts and minds.

This toolkit will help you create and share your stories to raise awareness about an issue, encourage elected officials to change laws or policies, ask people to support changes you want to make in your life, and share about what your life is like.

Download the resources below to get started!

Intersections of Disability and Rurality: Elevating Family Voices

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In this recorded webinar, you will hear from Jessica Curd about rural caregiving and disability. She talks about how poverty, living in rural areas, caregiving, and having a disability can overlap and create higher risks and vulnerability. She also talks about a study she did with Dr. John Keesler. They listened to families in rural areas with kids with autism and let them share their experiences. Jessica explains how they did the study and what they found. She also talks about ideas from the families for how to help more.

Download the presentation here.

Introduction to The Arc@School Advocacy Curriculum in Spanish

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These recorded webinars provide a brief overview of the Spanish version of The Arc@School’s Special Education Advocacy Curriculum. The curriculum provides basic information that parents, educators, and non-attorney advocates need to support students and families in navigating the special education system. Watch the webinar to learn more about the content of the curriculum, how to sign up to receive an account, what to expect after signing up, and more.

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The Arc Responds to Bipartisan, Bicamercal Congressional Request for Information on Paid Leave Policies

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The Arc submitted comments to a request for information by a bipartisan Congressional group hoping to address paid leave. The Arc’s comments emphasized the importance of paid leave for individuals with disabilities and caregivers.

The Arc Responds to HHS’ Proposed Rule on Head Start Program Performance Standards

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The Arc submitted a comment on the proposed rules to update the Head Start standards. The Arc’s comments focused on the issues of restraint and seclusion on young children.

Talk About Sexual Violence: Phase Three Final Report

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Transforming Health Care to Address and Prevent Sexual Violence of People With Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities: Final Report 

Health care providers hold vital positions in the growing national movement to address sexual assault. The overarching goals of the multi-year Talk About Sexual Violence (TASV) project were to raise the alarm about this silent epidemic, promote trauma-informed practices in health care, and compel action to prevent sexual trauma suffered in communities across the country.

This comprehensive summary report provides key findings, innovative solutions, and a call to action from survivors with disabilities, health care professionals, and other advocates.

This final report is provided both in a written format and as a video.

The Arc Responds to the Department of Labor’s Proposed Overtime Rule

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The proposed rule would increase in the minimum salary threshold for white-collar overtime exemptions to an annual amount of $55,068.  The Arc supports overtime for these workers but urged the Labor Department to work with its agency partners to ensure states increase the necessary funds to maintain access to Medicaid home and community-based services (HCBS).