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 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.
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).
In this webinar, Lori Ropa, Executive Director of The Arc of Jefferson, Clear Creek, and Gilpin Counties, discusses how she embarked on a journey with their advocacy team during COVID to “shift their views” and attempted to understand the thoughts and feelings of the people who came to support them. Lori’s team developed personas and mapped people’s journeys through The Arc through the lens of each persona. They then developed actionable items to make the advocacy experience even more positive for the people coming to their organization for support.
The Home and Community Based Services (HCBS) Relief Act of 2023 was introduced in Congress by Senator Bob Casey (D-PA) and Representative Debbie Dingell (D-MI). The bill would provide two years of additional Medicaid funds to improve access to HCBS by increasing direct care worker pay and benefits; decrease the number of people on waiting lists for HCBS; and pay for assistive technologies, staffing, and other costs that facilitate community integration.
The Honorable Sherrod Brown
United States Senate
503 Hart Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510
The Honorable Bill Cassidy
United States Senate
520 Hart Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510
The Honorable Brian Fitzpatrick
United States House of Representatives
271 Cannon House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515
The Honorable Brian Higgins
United States House of Representatives
2269 Rayburn House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515
Subject: Support for the SSI Savings Penalty Elimination Act
Dear Senators Brown and Cassidy and Representatives Higgins and Fitzpatrick:
On behalf of the 370 undersigned organizations dedicated to improving the lives of older adults and people with disabilities, we enthusiastically endorse the SSI Savings Penalty Elimination Act, which – for the first time in over 30 years – would raise the amount of assets Supplemental Security Income (SSI) recipients can save without jeopardizing their vital SSI benefits.
SSI provides an extremely modest cash benefit for low-income individuals with disabilities and older adults that meet the program’s strict means-tested criteria. Around 7.6 million people rely on SSI, including 4.3 million working-age individuals with disabilities, 1 million children with disabilities, and 2.3 million older adults.
Unfortunately, SSI’s low, outdated resource limit of $2,000 for individuals/$3,000 for couples does not allow people to save for emergencies, such as a leaky roof, car repair, or other unexpected expenses. This makes it difficult for them to weather these crises. To make matters worse, the $2,000 asset limit does not adjust for inflation every year; in fact, the limit has remained the same since 1989 even though today’s cost of living is nearly 2.5 times higher.
The SSI Savings Penalty Elimination Act would significantly improve the lives of SSI recipients by raising the asset limit to $10,000 per individual/$20,000 per couple. The legislation also adjusts that number for inflation every year, a critical element in today’s inflationary environment. This will allow SSI beneficiaries to use their own savings to address needed emergencies when they arise. JPMorgan Chase recently noted that SSI’s outdated asset limit makes it difficult for SSI beneficiaries to achieve any measure of economic security and called for it to be modernized.
Thank you again for your leadership in introducing this critical legislation. We look forward to working with you to ensure this important change becomes law. If you have any questions, please contact Darcy Milburn, The Arc’s Director of Social Security and Healthcare Policy at Milburn@TheArc.org.
Sincerely,
The Arc of the United States
369 Organizational Co-signers (see full list.)
Press Release: New Bipartisan Bill Would Advance Economic Security for Disabled Americans
The Arc submitted a comment on the proposed rule to streamline the parental consent process when billing Medicaid for services received in school. The Arc’s comments emphasized the experience of some families being denied outside services when Medicaid was billed for school services.
The proposed “Ensuring Access to Medicaid Services” rule would create new requirements for state programs to improve access to care, quality, and health outcomes and better address health equity issues in the Medicaid program. The Arc submitted detailed comments on the proposal, particularly related to access to home and community-based services (HCBS).
In this webinar, The Arc of Ohio presented a summary of its popular Assistive Technology Program, including information about the program’s history and impact. Watch the video to learn more about the program and the opportunities it can create for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities in their local communities.
Speaker Bio:
David Lewis is the Vice President for The Arc of Ohio in Columbus, Ohio. He received his Cisco CCNA Certification from Columbus State Community College and is Microsoft A+ Certified. David has over 25 years of experience in the technology field having spent 15 years as a network administrator and 10 years as a technology specialist for the digital industry. After a long and successful career in the technology field, David decided to follow his passion for helping others.
Emma Kincaid is the Director of the Assistive Technology Program at The Arc of Ohio. She has worked with The Arc since August 2019. Emma has three years of experience in assistive technology at The Arc of Ohio. Emma’s favorite part of her career with The Arc of Ohio is how the assistive technology program gives individuals throughout Ohio the equipment they need in their daily lives. Emma hopes to keep helping more people with disabilities live happy and independent lives.
The Arc submitted comments for a rule that would advance workers rights in the AbilityOne program. The Arc mentioned concerns over the potential negative impact on nonprofit agencies providing quality jobs. The Arc recommends aligning the rule with the 898 Panel’s recommendations to mitigate these risks.
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