A bunch of letters scattered with AUTISM spelled out in the middle

Joint Statement on Upholding Scientific Integrity and Supporting the Autism Community

WASHINGTON, DC – As national organizations dedicated to advancing the well-being of autistic individuals, the Autistic Self Advocacy Network, Autism Society of America, Autism Speaks, The Arc of the United States, Autistic Women and Non-Binary Network, Autistic People of Color Fund, and partners across the disability and public health sectors stand united in our call for science-based decision-making and increased investment in the research, programs and services the autism community needs to live fully.

While our organizations reflect a broad range of perspectives and experiences, we are aligned in the following principles:

  • Vaccines Do Not Cause Autism. Decades of scientific research confirm there is no causal link. Public health messaging must be grounded in science and protect all communities.
  • Autistic Individuals Deserve Respect and Support. Public dialogue and policy must reflect the inherent value, rights, and diverse needs of autistic people.
  • Evidence-Based Policy Is Essential. We call on policymakers to work in collaboration with autistic individuals, families, researchers, clinicians, and disability organizations to ensure policy is grounded in science and responsive to community needs.

We are deeply concerned by growing public rhetoric and policy decisions that challenge these shared principles. Claims that autism is “preventable” is not supported by scientific consensus and perpetuate stigma. Language framing autism as a “chronic disease,” a “childhood disease” or “epidemic” distorts public understanding and undermines respect for autistic people.

At the same time, federal proposals to reduce funding for programs like Medicaid, the Department of Education, and the Administration for Community Living threaten the very services that autistic individuals and their families rely on. Research must be guided by credentialed experts and inclusive of the complexity and diversity of the lived experiences of the autism community—not redirected by misinformation or ideology. As leaders in the fields of Autism and public health, we are committed to contributing meaningfully to the ongoing dialogue and initiatives led by HHS.

We urge public leaders, institutions, and media to uphold scientific integrity and work together to strengthen—not weaken—the infrastructure of support for the entire autism community.

Signed By:

Autistic Self Advocacy Network, Colin Killick, Executive Director
Autism Society of America, Christopher Banks, President and CEO
Autism Speaks, Keith Wargo, President and CEO
The Arc of the United States, Katy Neas, CEO
Autistic Women & Nonbinary Network, Sharon daVanport, Executive Director
Autistic People of Color Fund, Ly Xīnzhèn Zhǎngsūn Brown, Founding Executive Director
Autism Empowerment, Karen Krejcha, Co-Founder, Executive Director
Dan Marino Foundation, Mary Partin, CEO

Picture of the lights on top of a police car with a dark background

Statement on the Police Killing of an Idaho Autistic Teen

Below is a statement from Leigh Anne McKingsley, The Arc’s Senior Director of Disability & Justice Initiatives, on the killing of Victor Perez, an autistic teenager in Idaho who was shot and killed by police.

Being disabled should never be a death sentence.

Victor Perez, a 17-year old with autism, needed an intervention when police were called to his home. Instead, he was shot multiple times and later died in the hospital.

Too many people with autism and other disabilities, especially those who are Black or Brown, face violence instead of support in times of crisis. This must change. This is a failure of systems that are supposed to protect and serve. It’s a failure to recognize each person’s humanity, to provide training, and to respond with care. The more families hear stories like this, the more fearful they are to call police – or anyone – for help.

The Arc grieves the loss of Victor’s life and so many others before him, and we demand accountability. We urgently need investment in disability-informed crisis response systems – not more punishment for behaviors rooted in disability. Every person deserves to feel safe in their own community.

Interactions between police and people with intellectual and developmental disability (IDD), including autism, end in violence more often than most people may realize. According to research, almost half of people killed by police have some kind of disability.

No more than 20 states require law enforcement training on intellectual and developmental disabilities or related conditions, including autism. Training on this topic is too haphazard and not standardized across police agencies in the U.S., meaning that some officers get trained while others don’t – this leaves too much to chance when it comes to calls involving people with disabilities.

The Arc is committed to educating police, other first responders and other professionals in the criminal justice system about people with IDD. The Arc’s National Center on Criminal Justice and Disability (NCCJD) is key to this effort.

Law enforcement must receive effective training to prepare them for situations involving interactions with people with disabilities. NCCJD is a partner with The International Association of Chiefs of Police on the Crisis Response and Intervention Training (CRIT) project that brings more information about IDD into standard police training on mental health and IDD. The CRIT training seeks to include people with IDD, including autism, as co-trainers to increase officer’s personal connection to and experience with those with disabilities in non-crisis situations.

Every person deserves to feel safe in their own community, and as a society we must put measures in place to ensure communication is clear, accommodations are provided, and systems are inclusive of people with disabilities to ensure safety for all.

A teacher standing in front of classroom of students

Why Moving IDEA to HHS Could Harm Students With Disabilities

A new proposal to shift the oversight of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) from the U.S. Department of Education to the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) could fundamentally change how we support and educate students with disabilities—and not for the better.

First, it’s important to remember that Congress established the Office of Special Education Programs within the Department of Education. Congress must change the law to move the responsibilities to another agency. It’s also important to remember that the rights that children have under IDEA and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 have not changed. The executive action that was issued on March 20, 2025, does not change these laws and their regulations.

We don’t really know what would happen if the management of IDEA moves to HHS, but we have some concerns. For example, this move might be viewed as promoting a medical model of disability—one that treats disability as a diagnosis to be managed rather than recognizing students as learners with potential. Framing students with disabilities through a medical lens risks stigmatizing, segregating, and isolating them from their peers. It undermines decades of progress toward ensuring that students with disabilities are seen—and supported—as general education students first.

The U.S. Department of Education is the only federal agency with the expertise and infrastructure to uphold IDEA’s promise. Moving IDEA to HHS would weaken the critical systems that ensure students with disabilities can learn, grow, and thrive, including:

  • Lack of Education Expertise: HHS is not equipped to work directly with state education agencies that oversee IDEA implementation in local school districts. The Department of Education has decades of experience supporting these complex relationships and ensuring compliance.
  • Loss of Parent Support: Families navigating special education rely on Parent Training and Information (PTI) centers funded by the Department of Education. These centers provide essential, hands-on assistance to parents. HHS lacks the experience and infrastructure to maintain and strengthen this vital network.
  • Undermining Inclusion: The Department of Education oversees the Elementary and Secondary Education Act and other key education laws that reinforce the principle that students with disabilities are general education students. A shift to HHS would fracture this connection and threaten the expectation that every student—regardless of disability—can achieve academically and pursue career training or post-secondary education.

Students with disabilities don’t belong in a medical model. They belong in classrooms, learning alongside their peers, and preparing for bright futures. Moving IDEA to HHS risks turning back the clock on inclusion and sends a harmful message that children with disabilities are “patients” to be managed rather than students with potential to be fulfilled.

At The Arc, we will continue to fight to ensure that IDEA remains where it belongs—within the U.S. Department of Education—because every student deserves access to a meaningful education and the opportunity to achieve their goals.

Picture of the U.S. Department of Education building in Washington, DC

Dismantling the U.S. Department of Education: Here’s What’s at Stake for Students With Disabilities.

Statement from our CEO Katy Neas on the Executive Order to dismantle the U.S. Department of Education. To learn more, read Katy’s op-ed in Newsweek.

“Dismantling the U.S. Department of Education is more than a policy shift—it will reverse five decades of progress for students with disabilities. While the right to a free appropriate public education for children with disabilities will remain under the federal Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, states will struggle to deliver on its promise without federal technical assistance, oversight, and enforcement. Children with disabilities who do not receive appropriate education services will face greater isolation, unemployment, and poverty. We cannot afford to undo the hard-won gains of the past. We must protect the future of every student, because the strength of our society depends on it.”

Red, white, and blue stickers that say "I Voted."

Federal Court Rules Texas S.B. 1 Violates Rights of Voters with Disabilities Under the ADA and Section 504

WASHINGTON, DC – In a major victory for disability rights, a federal court has ruled that Texas Senate Bill 1 (S.B. 1) violates the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act by imposing significant barriers to voting for people with disabilities. The ruling, issued by Judge Xavier Rodriguez of the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas, declares that several provisions of S.B. 1 disenfranchise disabled voters, reinforcing that the state’s “know-nothing-do-nothing” approach to ADA compliance in elections is unlawful.

“This decision sends a clear message: systemic barriers that prevent people with disabilities from fully participating in the electoral process are illegal,” said Shira Wakschlag, Senior Director of Legal Advocacy and General Counsel for The Arc of the United States. “The court carefully considered the experiences of The Arc’s members—voters with disabilities and their assistors—and found that S.B. 1 subjected them to barriers that blocked their voices on issues that directly impact their daily lives, stripping them of their fundamental right to participate in our democracy. Even when voters with disabilities managed to cast a ballot, they endured significant burdens that are themselves violations of federal law. This ruling affirms that the right to vote must be more than theoretical—it must be meaningful, accessible, and free from unnecessary hardship. The Arc celebrates this decision and will continue fighting nationwide to protect the rights of voters with disabilities.”

This ruling makes it clear that “Texas voters with disabilities deserve better,” the court concluded. “And the ADA and Section 504 demand more.”

The court found that, contrary to the state’s argument, voters with disabilities should not have to fight through unnecessary obstacles just to exercise their fundamental right to vote. Public entities have an affirmative obligation under the ADA and Section 504 to proactively ensure accessibility, rather than waiting for voters with disabilities to request accommodations. The ruling also emphasized the real harm caused by criminalizing voter assistance—an issue exacerbated by the ongoing crisis in the direct care workforce—and creating barriers to voting by mail.

“This decision not only validates the inequitable barriers faced by Texans with disabilities when voting—it puts a stake in the ground that nothing short of true, meaningful voting accessibility is acceptable under the law,” said Jennifer Martinez, CEO of The Arc of Texas. “This ruling recognizes the powerful testimony from our members who bravely shared their experiences in court. Their voices changed history.”

S.B. 1, enacted in 2021 under the guise of election integrity, imposed a maze of restrictions that disproportionately harmed voters with disabilities. Among its most damaging provisions, the law:

  • Criminalized certain forms of voter assistance, deterring family members, caregivers, and others from helping voters with disabilities navigate the voting process;
  • Created burdensome ID requirements for mail-in ballots, leaving many voters—especially those who lack access to reliable transportation—unsure whether their ballot would be accepted;
  • Forced voters with disabilities to navigate an intimidating system that threatened their privacy and put their assistors—many of whom are immigrants and people of color—at risk of criminalization, while preventing election officials from taking proactive steps to ensure accessibility.

The Arc of the United States and The Arc of Texas, alongside civil rights groups including the Legal Defense Fund (LDF), Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., and the Houston Area Urban League, and the law firms Arent Fox Schiff and Reed Smith, have been fighting this law in court since it was enacted. This latest ruling builds on a previous decision from October 2024, in which the court found that sections of S.B. 1 violated the Voting Rights Act by limiting the right of voters with disabilities to receive assistance from the person of their choice. This new decision goes even further by addressing vote-by-mail restrictions and voter assistance criminalization—key issues that disproportionately impact voters with disabilities.

“This ruling is a significant triumph for the three million voters with disabilities across Texas and the ongoing fight for an inclusive democracy,” said Jennifer A. Holmes, Deputy Director of Litigation at the Legal Defense Fund. “The Court’s decision strikes down barriers that unfairly burdened and excluded voters with disabilities, ensuring they can exercise their fundamental right to participate in the franchise. The right to vote is illusory if election procedures are not accessible to all voters. This ruling strengthens the fairness of our electoral system by ensuring equal access to the ballot box.”

“At trial, the Court heard testimony regarding the significant barriers disabled voters face in any election and that S.B. 1 exponentially compounded issues people with disabilities faced,” said J. Michael Showalter, partner at ArentFox Schiff. “We were proud to stand with our clients Delta Sigma Theta Sorority and The Arc of Texas in removing barriers that limited Texans’ with disabilities rights to cast their votes.”

The court’s permanent injunction prohibits Texas state and county election officials from enforcing the challenged provisions of S.B. 1, though the ruling is stayed until after the May 2025 election under the Purcell principle.

The Arc remains committed to ensuring that every person with a disability has equal access to the ballot and will continue to fight voter suppression laws that undermine this fundamental right.

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About The Arc of the United States: The Arc advocates for and serves people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD), including Down syndrome, autism, Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders, cerebral palsy, and other diagnoses. Founded in 1950 by parents who knew their disabled children deserved more, The Arc is now the largest grassroots organization for people with IDD with nearly 600 chapters in 48 states and Washington, DC. Together, we are promoting and protecting the rights of people with disabilities and supporting their inclusion throughout their lives—from education to employment to community living. There are approximately 7.4 million people with IDD in the United States, which encompasses over 100 different diagnoses. Visit www.thearc.org or follow us @TheArcUS to learn more. 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.

About The Arc of Texas: The Arc of Texas is a statewide advocacy organization that promotes, protects, and advocates for the human rights and self-determination of Texans with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). We envision a world where Texans with intellectual and developmental disabilities are included in their communities with quality support and services that meet their needs and choices. The Arc of Texas focuses on four policy pillars impacting Texans with IDD: 1) quality of life (community supports and services), 2) inclusive education, 3) integrated employment, and 4) civil rights and justice.

A view of a young girl from behind swinging outside

National Disability Rights Organizations Urge U.S. Supreme Court to Protect Rights of Youth With Disabilities in Key Education Case

WASHINGTON, DC – A coalition of national disability rights organizations is urging the U.S. Supreme Court to protect the civil rights of students with disabilities in AJT v. Osseo Area Schools, a landmark case that could determine how disability discrimination claims are handled in schools. In an amicus brief filed this week, these organizations, including The Arc, argue that students with disabilities should not face a higher legal standard when seeking justice for discrimination in schools—one that does not exist in other settings covered by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act (Section 504).

“This case is about whether students with disabilities should have to clear a higher legal hurdle to seek justice for discrimination in school—one that doesn’t exist in workplaces, housing, or other settings,” said Shira Wakschlag, Senior Director of Legal Advocacy & General Counsel at The Arc of the United States. “No child should have to fight an uphill battle just to hold their school accountable for discrimination. Schools must be held to the same standards as every other public entity—plain and simple.”

At the heart of the case is a legal standard applied in some courts that makes it much harder for students with disabilities to prove discrimination in school compared to other settings. Under this stricter rule, students must prove that their school acted with “bad faith” or “gross misjudgment”—a standard that does not apply in workplace, housing, or other discrimination claims under the ADA and Section 504.

Decades ago, the Eighth Circuit Court created this higher standard for students in school settings, and since then, several other courts have followed. As a result, countless students with disabilities have had their claims rejected simply because they couldn’t meet this excessive burden of proof. Disability rights advocates argue that this rule contradicts federal disability laws and makes it much harder for students to hold schools accountable when they face discrimination.

“It is imperative that we protect student civil rights under Section 504 and the ADA, for students who have suffered compensable harms from disability discrimination,” said Selene Almazan, Legal Director at the Council of Parent Attorneys and Advocates (COPAA). “The legal rule whose demise is sought in this case—the bad-faith-or-gross-misjudgment standard—cannot be squared with the text or purposes of Section 504 and the ADA which undergird protections for millions of children with disabilities attending K-12 schools.”

Families already struggle to secure the support and services their children need to thrive—this additional legal barrier only makes it harder for them to fight back when their rights are violated.

The Supreme Court will hear oral arguments on April 28, 2025.

Amici curiae include: Council of Parent Attorneys and Advocates, The Arc of the United States, Bazelon Center for Mental Health Law, Children’s Law Center, Disability Rights Education & Defense Fund, Education Law Center, Learning Rights Law Center, Minnesota Disability Law Center, part of Mid-Minnesota Legal Aid, National Center for Youth Law, National Disability Rights Network, National Health Law Project, and the Washington Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights and Urban Affairs.

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About The Arc of the United States: The Arc advocates for and serves people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD), including Down syndrome, autism, Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders, cerebral palsy, and other diagnoses. Founded in 1950 by parents who knew their disabled children deserved more, The Arc is now the largest grassroots organization for people with IDD with nearly 600 chapters in 48 states and Washington, DC. Together, we are promoting and protecting the rights of people with disabilities and supporting their inclusion throughout their lives—from education to employment to community living. There are approximately 7.4 million people with IDD in the United States, which encompasses over 100 different diagnoses. Visit www.thearc.org or follow us @TheArcUS to learn more. 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.

A teacher standing in front of classroom of students

The Department of Education Helps Students With Disabilities. Don’t Let It Disappear.

This op-ed from The Arc’s CEO Katy Neas was originally published in Newsweek.

If the U.S. Department of Education disappears, millions of students with disabilities will face even greater barriers to getting the education they deserve. They are our neighbors, classmates, friends, and family members. When we take away the protections and resources that make education possible, we don’t just fail them—we fail as a society.

In 1971, before federal protections for people with disabilities existed, states were free to exclude children with disabilities from their public schools—and many did. Millions of children were denied an education, not because they couldn’t learn, but because our society didn’t believe they were worth educating. That changed because of federal action. Parents, led by my organization, The Arc, fought in court and won. Their victory laid the foundation for the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), securing the right to a free, appropriate public education for students with disabilities, regardless of the nature or severity of their disability.

Now, access to that right is in jeopardy, and parents across the country are alarmed.

Calls to dismantle the U.S. Department of Education have begun to appear on mainstream platforms, with members of Congress openly advocating for its elimination. This proposal isn’t just a bureaucratic shift; it’s an existential threat to students with disabilities and their families. While IDEA would remain law, without federal oversight, there would be few mechanisms to ensure states follow it.

When education is limited, so is opportunity. Without education, students with disabilities face higher rates of poverty, unemployment, poor health, and social isolation. Education is the foundation for independence, inclusion, and a future with choices. Strip it away, and we are not just limiting potential—we are forcing millions of people into a lifetime of barriers and hardship.

This issue is personal for me. As a former deputy assistant secretary in the Department of Education’s Office of Special Education and a lifelong advocate for disability rights, I have seen firsthand what happens when children with disabilities face barriers—and how the Department of Education steps in to make things right.

Here’s a real-life example. A few years ago, parents in Texas discovered that the state had an unfair limit on the number of children with disabilities who could receive special education services. The cap was set at just 8.5 percent, even though nearly 15 percent of students in most states are eligible for these services. These concerned parents reached out to the Department of Education for help. The department’s staff worked closely with the state, guiding them on what needed to be done to fix the problem. After months of collaboration, Texas removed the cap, ensuring that every child who qualifies for special education can now get the support they need.

The Department of Education does far more than provide support to state departments of education. It funds high-quality training for special education teachers, drives innovation in how we educate students with disabilities, supports parents, and enforces disability rights laws. It also ensures that when students with disabilities are not able to access appropriate special education services, families have a way to fight back. In fact, the largest category of complaints filed with the Department of Education are from parents of students with disabilities who believe their children are being denied the education they need and deserve. In many cases, the Department of Education works directly with school districts to resolve these issues and improve services.

What does this work mean for children with disabilities? Consider Whitman, an 11-year-old with autism and apraxia who is nonspeaking and uses an augmentative communication device to communicate. The support he receives through special education has been life-changing—not just for him, but for his entire family. At first, he was placed in a school where all the children had disabilities. He struggled until the school started a program that helped Whitman learn alongside his non-disabled peers. Now, he is not only excelling academically but recently performed in two school musicals—something his family never imagined possible.

Decades ago, the United States decided that having a disability or living in a certain state should not determine whether a child receives a quality education. That promise is now under attack. Dismantling the Department of Education wouldn’t just turn back the clock—it would create chaos and deepen inequality. It would mean fewer trained teachers, weaker enforcement of disability rights, and more children slipping through the cracks.

The stakes have never been higher. If we allow the Department of Education to be dismantled, we not only undo decades of progress; we also risk abandoning the promise that every child deserves a chance to succeed. We cannot let this happen. The futures of millions of students are in our hands—and we must protect them.

Katy Neas is CEO of The Arc of the United States. She previously served as Deputy Assistant Secretary and Acting Assistant Secretary in the Department of Education’s Office of Special Education.

Statement on the DC Plane Crash

Statement from our CEO Katy Neas on the tragic DC plane crash and claims that it could have been caused by the FAA’s DEI hiring practices, particularly of people with intellectual disabilities:

“This is a devastating tragedy, and our hearts go out to the victims and their families. There is no evidence that FAA hiring practices had anything to do with this accident, and suggesting otherwise is both misleading and harmful. People with disabilities—like all federal employees—are hired because of their qualifications, skills, and ability to do a job. In moments like this, we should be focused on facts and supporting those affected, not pointing fingers at an entire community.”

A row of parked school buses

Parents & Students With Disabilities Can Continue Their Fight for Safe & Reliable Transportation

WASHINGTON, DC – For countless families in the District of Columbia, the daily trip to school is fraught with anxiety due to unsafe and unreliable transportation services for students with disabilities. Today, a federal judge signaled hope for change and cleared the way for parents and guardians of children with disabilities and The Arc of the United States (The Arc) to pursue their case against the District of Columbia (DC) for failing to provide them with safe, reliable, and effective transportation to school. According to the decision by Judge Paul L. Friedman of the District Court of DC, students with disabilities have the right under federal disability rights laws to seek “structural relief that serves all children with disabilities.” The decision affirms that there is a remedy when children with disabilities are denied equal access to education.

The complaint, filed in March 2024, alleges that DC’s Office of the State Superintendent for Education (OSSE) denies students equal access to their education in violation of federal and local disability and civil rights laws by failing to provide students with transportation to and from school. Unsafe or unreliable transportation often means missed school days, interrupted learning, and barriers to building essential relationships and skills. According to the complaint, buses routinely arrive very late to pick students up from their homes, or do not arrive at all; students are left stranded at school without guaranteed transportation back home; students spend excessive time on buses, and students do not get the accommodations they need to ride safely. The plaintiffs are represented by The Arc, Washington Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights, Children’s Law Center, and McDermott Will & Emery.

By allowing The Arc to proceed as a plaintiff on behalf of its members, the decision reinforces the important principle that advocacy groups can and should bring litigation to secure the rights of its members under the IDEA and ADA. The decision, relying in part on the Department of Justice’s Statement of Interest filed in this case, also rejects the notion that students with disabilities need to meet a heightened standard in order to bring education discrimination claims.

“The buses meant to help children with disabilities build their education and futures are instead perpetuating their exclusion. This is not just a matter of tardiness or inconvenience—it’s stealing children’s opportunities to learn, grow, and connect with their peers,” said Shira Wakschlag, Senior Director of Legal Advocacy & General Counsel for The Arc of the United States. “Fighting for this change is about ensuring that our school systems work for and include all students. Today’s ruling affirms the right of students with disabilities to access their education without barriers. While there is still work ahead, this is an important step forward for systemic change.”

“The decision today will allow parents to keep seeking changes to a transportation system that so far has failed to deliver,” said Kaitlin Banner, Deputy Legal Director for the Washington Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights and Urban Affairs. “Our clients are ready to press forward and ensure that they will not endure another school year without access to their education.”

“I’m excited that the case is moving forward,” shared plaintiff Ms. Joann McCray and mother to 12-year-old boy who has faced ongoing bus transportation issues. “I hope that this can be the beginning of some real systemic change for my son and others.”

“With Judge Friedman’s reasoned decision, it is full speed ahead to obtain the District’s documents and testimony in advance of trial,” said Eugene Goldman, Senior Counsel at McDermott Will & Emery.

Click Here To Read the Opinion

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About The Arc of the United States
The Arc advocates for and serves people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD), including Down syndrome, autism, Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders, cerebral palsy, and other diagnoses. Founded in 1950 by parents who believed their children with IDD deserved more, The Arc is now a network of nearly 600 chapters across the country promoting and protecting the human rights of people with IDD and actively supporting their full inclusion and participation in the community throughout their lifetimes. Through the decades, The Arc has been at the forefront of advances in disability rights and supports. There are over 7 million people with IDD in the United States, which encompasses over 100 different diagnoses. Visit www.thearc.org or follow us @TheArcUS to learn more. 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.

About Children’s Law Center
Children’s Law Center believes every child should grow up with a strong foundation of family, health and education and live in a world free from poverty, trauma, racism and other forms of oppression. Our more than 100 staff – together with DC children and families, community partners and pro bono attorneys – use the law to solve children’s urgent problems today and improve the systems that will affect their lives tomorrow. Since our founding in 1996, we have reached more than 50,000 children and families directly and multiplied our impact by advocating for city-wide solutions that benefit hundreds of thousands more. For more information, please visit www.childrenslawcenter.org.

About the Washington Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights and Urban Affairs
The Washington Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights and Urban Affairs partners with community members and organizations on scores of cases to combat discrimination in housing, employment, education, immigration, criminal justice reform, public accommodations, based on race, gender, disability, family size, history of criminal conviction, and more. The Washington Lawyers’ Committee has secured a relentless stream of civil rights victories over the past five decades in an effort to achieve justice for all. For more information, please visit www.washlaw.org.

About McDermott Will & Emery
McDermott Will & Emery partners with leaders around the world to fuel missions, knock down barriers and shape markets. Our team works seamlessly across practices and industries to deliver highly effective solutions that propel success. More than 1,400 lawyers strong, we bring our personal passion and legal prowess to bear in every matter for our clients and the people they serve. For more information, please visit www.mwe.com.

A direct support professional feeding a person with a disability

Medicaid at Risk: What Cuts Mean for People With Disabilities—and All of Us

Journalists, Medicaid is under unprecedented threat, and the impact will be felt nationwide.

As newly elected officials take office, many are considering cuts to Medicaid to fund other priorities like tax cuts, deficit reductions, or shrinking the size of the federal government. While Medicaid has been widely covered—from its role in public health to challenges during the unwinding of pandemic protections—the disability angle is often overlooked.

This evolving story is about more than health care; it’s about the dignity, independence, and stability for millions of Americans.

Why This Story Matters

Medicaid is vital to the health and stability and the U.S. health care system and the 80 million Americans it covers, including people with disabilities, children, low-income adults, and seniors. Medicaid provides:

  • Home and community-based services (HCBS) that help 4.5 million people with disabilities live, learn, work, and participate in their communities.
  • Early intervention for young children, school-based therapies, and equipment and technologies often excluded by private insurance.
  • Job skills training, placement, and coaching that enable people with disabilities to find meaningful, integrated employment opportunities.
  • $1 of every $6 spent on health care in the U.S., making it the nation’s largest single source of health coverage.
  • Support for schools, hospitals, and local economies.

Yet Medicaid is already stretched thin:

The Stakes for the Disability Community

Medicaid is the cornerstone of daily life for over 10 million children and adults with disabilities, funding 77% of essential services for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Without it:

  • Many would lose their independence, forced into nursing homes or state-run institutions.
  • States would face severe constraints on eligibility and funding, leaving families across the country without options for vital services.

Why Now

The 2025 federal budget debates will decide Medicaid’s future. Proposed cuts could deepen waiting lists, worsen the care workforce crisis, leave millions uninsured, and destabilize our health care system. Reducing federal funding for Medicaid could also cost states billions annually, leading to an unprecedented rise in uninsured rates and health inequities. Medicaid has overwhelming bipartisan public support—with 75% of Americans viewing the program favorably, so your audience must understand the real-world consequences for people with disabilities and their families.

This story isn’t just about policy—it’s about people like Dianne and her son Jonathan:

“My 31-year-old son Jonathan is a vibrant man who cherishes life. He enjoys nature photography, outdoor activities, music, and time with loved ones—much of which is made possible through Medicaid. At two weeks old, he fell ill with meningitis and is now quadriplegic, non-verbal, and requires round-the-clock care. Medicaid has been crucial for his entire life, from durable medical equipment to in-home support. Without adequate funding and person-centered policies, Jonathan risks losing the life he loves.”

Federal decisions will determine whether families like theirs can access the care they need. Your reporting can illuminate these stakes, drive accountability, and protect Medicaid before it’s too late.

Let’s Connect

For expert analysis or connections to families impacted by Medicaid, contact:

Jackie Dilworth
Director of Communications
The Arc of the United States
Dilworth@TheArc.org