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Progress in Affordable Housing for People With Disabilities: The Arc Applauds New Grants in 13 States

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Washington, DC – The Arc released the following statement in response to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) announcement of the FY 2012 awards for the new Section 811 Supportive Housing for Persons with Disabilities Project Rental Assistance (PRA) Demonstration. The new Section 811 PRA Demonstration is designed to assist state housing agencies to expand integrated supportive housing opportunities for people with the most significant and long term disabilities, and was the centerpiece of the Frank Melville Supportive Housing Investment Act of 2010. A total of 13 states will receive $98 million to produce 3,530 units of community-based supportive housing for people with disabilities.

“Like all Americans, individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities deserve the opportunity to live independently in the community with their peers. Unfortunately, low-income people with disabilities face a severe shortage of accessible and affordable housing. The money being awarded by HUD will allow thousands of individuals to live in the community, where they belong. For many, this announcement is the difference between life in an institution and inclusion in their communities,” said Peter V. Berns, CEO of The Arc.

Section 811 is the only HUD program dedicated to producing affordable, accessible housing for non-elderly, very low-income people with significant disabilities. The Frank Melville Supportive Housing Investment Act of 2010 modernized Section 811 to make the program more efficient and effective. Today’s awards are the first ever under the new Section 811 PRA Demonstration model, which will create integrated housing linked with community-based services for low-income adults with significant disabilities. States receiving awards are: California, Delaware, Georgia, Illinois, Louisiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Montana, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Texas, and Washington.

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Love Is in the Air: Media Profiles People With Disabilities in Marriage and Parenting

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Washington, DC – As we approach Valentine’s Day, today two major media outlets released heartwarming profiles of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD) achieving their dreams – falling in love, getting married, and being a parent.

Today, the Washington Post released a lengthy profile of Bill Ott and Shelley Belgard, a couple from Maryland who were married in September after a long courtship. Bill and Shelley met as teenagers, dated, and re-connected later in life. Bill has Down syndrome and Shelley has hydrocephalus. But no disability could keep them apart, and today, Bill and Shelley are married, living independently with supports, working in the community, and enjoying their lives together.

“Bill’s and Shelley’s path to marriage is not unlike many others who fall in love, lose touch as life takes its turns, and reconnect later in life when the time is right. They have a love that is as true as anyone else’s, and with support from family and the community, they are living their dream. The reality is not everyone has access to all the support and resources that Shelley and Bill have had, but when people with disabilities are given the tools they need to succeed, look at what is possible – a life like yours and mine,” said Peter Berns, CEO of The Arc.

NPR also ran an interview this morning with Bonnie and Myra Brown, a mother and daughter from Lansdowne, Pennsylvania. Bonnie is a single mother raising 15 year old Myra, and Bonnie has an intellectual disability. Myra is grateful for her mother’s love and guidance, and the interview with them is so moving that the radio host is heard choking up.

“Raising a child is a wonderful experience that comes with challenges for any parent. Bonnie and Myra’s touching story is proof that people with intellectual and developmental disabilities can be successful parents when provided proper supports, and they should have the same right to parent as others do,” said Berns.

Unfortunately, there is a dark history of discrimination toward individuals with I/DD in our nation and around the world. This includes the denial of rights and opportunities to have relationships, get married and have their own children. Earlier this year, The National Council on Disability released a very telling report on the rights of parents who have disabilities. Four million parents—6 percent of American mothers and fathers—have a disability. The rate at which children are taken from parents who have intellectual and developmental disabilities is between 40% and 80%. This report uncovers the heartbreaking reality for too many families across the country – parents with disabilities are treated unjustly when it comes to their rights as parents, and far too many families are broken apart by outdated and discriminatory practices.

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The Arc of Maryland Responds to Abuse Case Involving a Man With an Intellectual Disability

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Annapolis, MD – The Arc of Maryland released the following statement in response to an abuse case involving a man with intellectual disabilities (ID) in Columbia, Maryland. Earlier this week, a house manager at a group home for individuals with ID was charged with multiple counts of assault and reckless endangerment for physically abusing a resident in the house where she worked. The abuse of the resident was caught on film and has since been posted online on a number of websites.

“For over 60 years, The Arc of Maryland has advocated for human and civil rights for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities and their families. With this lens we must comment on the recent release of a video which depicts a staff member at a privately-operated group home in Maryland physically abusing residents. We are profoundly disturbed by the event and the video. This is obviously heinous and unacceptable behavior. Our primary thoughts and concerns are for the individuals and families victimized in this situation. We commend the Howard County police department for their rapid response upon learning of the situation,” said Carol Fried, President, The Arc of Maryland and Kate Fialkowski, Executive Director, The Arc of Maryland.

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The Arc Reacts to Baltimore Ravens Quarterback Using “R-Word” in Super Bowl Press Conference

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Washington, DC – Baltimore Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco, who will play in the Super Bowl this Sunday, used the “r-word” in a press conference last night. In response to a question unrelated to people with disabilities, Flacco used the offensive term and followed by acknowledging that he shouldn’t use the word. While The Arc appreciates Mr. Flacco’s quick acknowledgment of his mistake, The Arc invites him to get involved in the national dialogue on why this language is offensive and provide leadership on this issue after the Super Bowl.

“All eyes are on the players competing in this weekend’s Super Bowl, and unfortunately, while under this media microscope, Joe Flacco used a hurtful word to people with disabilities. After Super Bowl XLVII is in the history books, The Arc would welcome Mr. Flacco in the national dialogue about why this word is offensive to people with disabilities and what fans can do to help us remove the word from our society,” said Peter Berns, CEO of The Arc.

The Arc is a part of the “Spread the Word to End the Word” campaign along with other organizations to raise awareness of the effects of the “R-word.” The Arc has also been involved in efforts to remove the word from federal health, education and labor statutes, supporting Rosa’s Law in 2010. And just this week, the Social Security Administration announced its intent to remove the word from its work.

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The Arc Applauds Social Security Administration Ending Use of the “R-Word”

/in /by The Arc

Washington, DC – In an historic change for people with intellectual disabilities (ID), the Social Security Administration (SSA) announced its intent to stop using the phrase “mental retardation” and start using “intellectual disability” in its official Listing of Impairments.

This change, which The Arc and many other organizations advocated for, comes a little over two years after President Barack Obama signed Rosa’s Law. In 2010, The Arc was very involved in efforts to end the use of the “r-word” and worked to enact Rosa’s Law, which substituted the stigmatizing word with the terms “intellectual disability” and “individual with an intellectual disability” in federal health, education, and labor policy statutes. While the legislation did not cover programs such as Medicare, Medicaid, and Social Security, it was an important stepping stone for shaping future legislation and efforts that will transform these outdated terms in all federal laws. The Social Security Administration’s actions are a welcome result of the success of Rosa’s Law.

“Changing how we talk about people with disabilities is a critical step in promoting and protecting their basic civil and human rights. This is an important moment for people with disabilities because Social Security is a lifeline to so many – it allows people with ID to live in their communities and be as independent as possible. And now, the language the agency uses will reflect the respect people with ID deserve,” said Peter Berns, CEO of The Arc.

The proposed regulation published today has a 30-day comment period, and we encourage people to submit comments in support of the proposed regulation online by February 27, 2013.

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The Arc of the Mid Ohio Valley Responds to Local Incident Involving Restraint and Seclusion

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By The Arc of the Mid Ohio Valley

It is our position at The Arc of the Mid Ohio Valley that every child deserves to be treated with dignity and respect, be free from abuse and bullying, and that policies restricting the use of restraint and seclusion should apply to all children, not just children with disabilities.

Furthermore, The Arc of the Mid Ohio Valley believes that all individuals involved in the education of students with disabilities must:

  • Ensure that students with disabilities are not subjected to unwarranted restraint or isolation and must ensure that any behavioral intervention is consistent with the child’s civil rights.
  • Ensure that teachers and related services personnel, as well as their representatives are prepared to teach and/or support students effectively in the general education curriculum and in inclusive settings to the maximum extent appropriate, alongside students who do not have disabilities.
  • Develop Individualized Education Plans (IEPs) that build on student strengths, meet the student’s needs, and offer supports and services necessary to achieve success, that ensure students are served in the least restrictive environment (LRE), as determined for each student.

As outlined in West Virginia Code, the legislature charges school administrators, faculty, staff and volunteers with “demonstrating appropriate behavior, treating others with civility and respect, and refusing to tolerate harassment, intimidation or bullying”, which is any intentional gesture, or any intentional electronic, written, verbal or physical act, communication, transmission or threat that creates an emotionally abusive educational environment for a student.

With respect to this recent incident involving a 15-year old Wood County student who has a diagnosis of Asperger syndrome, it is important to point out that individuals with autism spectrum disorders are three times as likely as their typically-developing siblings to experience bullying, according to a recent national survey.

According to the survey of parents by the Interactive Autism Network (IAN) and Johns Hopkins University researchers, 61 percent of kids with Asperger syndrome have experienced bullying. In comparison, 28 percent of children with autism and 37 percent of children with other autism spectrum disorders have been bullied, parents reported.

Asperger syndrome is a form of autism, which is a lifelong disability that affects how a person makes sense of the world, processes information and relates to other people. Autism is often described as a ‘spectrum disorder’ because those with the diagnosis are affected in many different ways and to varying degrees.

The Arc of the Mid Ohio Valley is a non-profit organization dedicated to ensuring satisfying and productive lives for children and adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Through programs and services, they empower, encourage, and assist those individuals to live, learn, worship, work and play, in their community.

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The Arc Reacts to Approval of Deal to Avert “Fiscal Cliff”

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Washington, DC – The Arc released the following statement as the Congress approved a deal to avert going over the “fiscal cliff” – the series of harmful tax increases and spending cuts which Congress and the White House have been seeking to avoid for several weeks. With time running out, The Arc’s advocates had encouraged Congress to act before the deadline to protect disability related programs and extend tax cuts for the middle class.

“The Arc appreciates the Administration’s outreach to Congress to get this legislation passed so that middle class families with people with disabilities don’t see their income taxes rise in the New Year. Most people with intellectual and developmental disabilities and their families cannot afford a tax increase and this deal protects them. They also cannot afford cuts to critical programs and this legislation does not include such cuts.

“Throughout these tense weeks of negotiation, there were proposals on the table that would have greatly harmed people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD), including a new way of calculating Social Security benefits known as the ‘chained CPI’ that would have impacted the ability of millions of people with I/DD and other disabilities to be as independent as possible. This threat was excluded in this piece of legislation, as were harmful changes to Medicaid, a lifeline to people with I/DD.

“Going into 2013, there will continue to be mounting pressure to generate additional revenue and to find additional cuts in the federal budget to reduce the deficit further, including the Medicaid, Medicare, and Social Security programs. The Arc’s advocates will be vigilant, putting pressure on Congress to protect these lifeline programs.

“The final legislation does include a repeal of the CLASS Act, a part of the Affordable Care Act to address access to costly long term services and supports in our society. We are deeply disappointed that this framework for solving a critical problem was repealed. However, we look to the Commission created in the legislation to work expeditiously to determine next steps to address this problem, including consideration of the needs of people with I/DD,” said Peter Berns, CEO of The Arc.

Additional legislation will be necessary to address other aspects of the nation’s fiscal situation in the next three months, including an increase in the debt ceiling, the end of the 2-month extension included in this legislation of the sequester (automatic cuts), and appropriations for the remainder of Fiscal Year 2013. These deadlines will set the stage for additional negotiations between the Congress and the White House. The Arc will be working hard during these negotiations to preserve programs that are vital to people with I/DD.

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The Arc’s Statement on the Military’s Pilot Program for Extending Behavioral Health Therapy for Autism Spectrum Disorders

/in /by The Arc

Washington, DC – The Arc released the following statement after the passage of the 2013 National Defense Reauthorization Act in the House and Senate. The reauthorization will create a one year pilot program to expand the treatment of autism spectrum disorders (ASD) by TRICARE, the health care program for our nation’s military.

“We appreciate this step forward for military families that have children with ASD. We are hopeful that the pilot program will lay the foundation for making critical behavioral health therapies available to military dependents with a range of developmental disabilities that can greatly benefit from the services.

“We regret that language developed by Senators Kirsten Gillibrand and Patty Murray extending coverage to dependents with other developmental disabilities was not included in the final bill. There is considerable research proving applied behavioral analysis (ABA) to be an effective intervention for a number of developmental disabilities, including ASD. ABA is particularly effective in reducing self-injurious behaviors in people with the most significant disabilities.

“The inclusion of other developmental disabilities would also have greatly benefited military families who have children with ASD since many of these children only receive their diagnosis after many years. Limiting the covered services to those with an ASD diagnosis will result in children not being treated at the earliest age possible, which is shown to have lifelong, cost effective benefits.

“We look forward to the Secretary of Defense’s report on the feasibility and advisability of establishing a beneficiary cost share for the treatment of ASD under TRICARE and its Extended Care Health Option (ECHO) Program for dependents with disabilities,” stated Peter V. Berns, the Chief Executive Officer of The Arc.

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New Proposals in Budget Negotiations Could Result in Cuts to Social Security

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Washington, DC – The Arc released the following statement in light of reports of new threats to Social Security in negotiations on a budget deal to avert the fiscal cliff. On the negotiating table is a change to the way benefits are calculated known as the “chained Consumer Price Index (CPI).”

“We are very disappointed by the newest proposals in Washington, DC that would result in a chained CPI. The chained CPI would cut all Social Security benefits, including for individuals receiving Social Security disability benefits and Supplemental Security Income. Social Security is an essential lifeline for individuals with disabilities, and the chained CPI would cut their benefits and unnecessarily damage their quality of life. Our nation cannot continue balancing the budget on the backs of individuals with disabilities and must preserve vital supports including Social Security, SSI, Medicaid, and Medicare,” said Marty Ford, Director, Public Policy Office, The Arc.

The chained CPI reduces the cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) that Social Security and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) beneficiaries receive in most years, resulting in people getting smaller benefit increases than they otherwise would under the current calculation.

Cuts from the chained CPI compound and get bigger every year. For the average Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) beneficiary, the chained CPI would mean a benefit cut of about $347 per year after 10 years, $720 per year after 20 years, and $1,084 per year after 30 years. After 30 years, the cut is roughly 1 months’ worth of benefits for the average SSDI beneficiary. For SSI, the chained CPI not only lowers the annual COLA but also reduces the initial SSI benefit, which is calculated using a federal benefit rate that adjusts annually for inflation.

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The Arc Responds to New York Times Column on Children’s SSI Program

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Washington, DC – In response to The New York Times’ Nicholas Kristof’s December 7 op-ed, “Profiting from a Child’s Illiteracy”, The Arc released the following statement:

“Mr. Kristof’s take on how to break the cycle of poverty completely misses the mark. Our nation doesn’t have to choose between providing two essential supports for low-income children with significant disabilities: early childhood programs and Supplemental Security Income, a lifeline. We must do both. Children with severe disabilities must have access to robust, timely supports to help make the most of their early development, while at the same time, many who are low-income also need Supplemental Security Income to ensure a quality of life that isn’t crushed by economic circumstances. If the Supplemental Security Income lifeline is slashed thanks to articles like this one, it’s those most in need – the children with significant disabilities and their families, who face unimaginable day in and day out financial and personal struggles – who will suffer,” said Peter V. Berns, CEO of The Arc.