The Arc sent a letter supporting the inclusion of the International Children with Disabilities Protection Act in the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). This bill would provide funds to train individuals internationally to advocate for children with disabilities to remain at home in their communities.
The Arc submitted comments for the record to the Senate Finance Committee following their hearing on the state of child care. The Arc emphasized the importance of federal funding to support the child care system as well as reforms needed to ensure greater access and inclusion for children with disabilities.
The Arc expressed its strong support for the Autism CARES Act, which is critical legislation for research and training programs. The proposed bill reauthorizes the programs for another five years. The Arc encouraged the bill to pass quickly to ensure the current bill does not expire.
The Arc submitted comments to a proposed rule by the FDA to ban electrical stimulation devices for aggressive or self-injurious behavior. These devices are used by only one institution in Massachusetts, and The Arc has been fighting for decades to protect its residents from this abuse.
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.
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 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.
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.
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 Family and Individual Needs for Disability Supports (FINDS) survey provides insights and understanding of the experiences of families supporting a family member with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). It is critical research to inform better policy development.
The FINDS survey was initially conducted by The Arc of the United States in 2010. It was updated in 2017 through a collaboration between the Research and Training Center on Community Living (RTC/CL) at the University of Minnesota and The Arc.
The 2023 report focused on:
A better understanding of the experiences and needs of caregivers can help policymakers and others support caregivers in this critical role.
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