The Arc Commemorates National Disability Employment Awareness Month

/in , /by Pam Katz

Each October, The Arc joins the national disability community and public and private sector employers in celebrating National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM). The campaign sheds light on critical issues in disability employment and promotes best practices in hiring employees with disabilities and creating inclusive workplaces.

This year’s theme “The Right Talent, Right Now” recognizes the contributions of people with disabilities to the workforce, and challenges employers looking to hire leading creative minds and top-tier talent to consider the disability community, one of the largest and least utilized labor markets. According to the US Department of Labor, the national unemployment rate for people with disabilities is roughly twice that of people without disabilities (7.2% vs. 3.6%), a gap which has remained static for years. Paradoxically, research shows hiring people with disabilities can significantly bolster productivity, boost creative thinking and problem-solving, and positively impact the bottom line.

In order to narrow this gap, The Arc@Work — The Arc’s national employment program — partners with employers nationwide to create meaningful and inclusive employment opportunities for people with disabilities. To date, they have placed over 1,000 individuals in gainful and competitive jobs in the community. The Arc@Work leads trainings and corporate education events to promote greater understanding of disability issues, enhance workplace inclusion and accessibility, and to share the positive outcomes of hiring people of different abilities.

“The most important element to an employer’s success at hiring people with disabilities is understanding the value and significance to their workforce,” said Jonathan Lucus, Senior Director of Workforce Initiatives at The Arc. “We work with our clients to look at the whole picture and realize that hiring jobseekers with disabilities isn’t just the right thing to do, it is the smart thing to do. We are celebrating National Disability Employment Awareness Month by spreading this message far and wide so that jobseekers with disabilities in communities across the country can get a fair shot at meaningful employment.”

Get Into Inclusive Volunteering: Apply for a 2020 MLK Day of Service Grant

/in , /by Pam Katz

Inclusive volunteering is great for people and communities. When people give back together, they build friendships, practice their civic duty, learn skills they can use in the future, and help people in need.

But inclusive volunteering is not just a great idea for people—inclusive volunteering is a win for organizations. By developing inclusive volunteer activities, organizations show their dedication not just to their community, but also to supporting genuine inclusion for all members of their community, regardless of background or ability.This year, The Arc is once again partnering with the Corporation for National and Community Service to offer $5,000 and $10,000 grants to nonprofit community organizations to develop service projects that commemorate Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Projects must be designed for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD) to volunteer alongside people without disabilities and should focus on providing food assistance to people in need in the community.

Over the past five years, The Arc has helped organizations across the country implement inclusive volunteering projects. They’ve seen firsthand the value of inclusive volunteering for the organization, with activities leading to new community partnerships and increased ability to reach new groups and service areas.

Is your organization ready to join them? Consider applying for a 2020 grant today!

Events must take place on MLK Day of Service in January 2020 and may continue through August 31, 2020.

Grantees will:

  • Partner with a service club to recruit volunteers with and without disabilities from diverse racial and ethnic backgrounds to participate in the project
  • Work with hunger-focused groups (e.g., community food banks, food pantries, soup kitchens) to deliver emergency food aid to people in need
  • Provide food aid on the MLK Day of Service and continue through the end of the grant (May 31, 2020)
  • Raise $31,000 ($10,00 grant) or $15,500 ($5,000 grant) in in-kind or cash matching funds to support the project

The application deadline is October 10 at 11:59 p.m. ET.

Request for Proposal (Word) | Request for Proposal (PDF)

Questions? Contact Jennifer Alexander at alexander@thearc.org.

A Call to Action: We Must Do Better for People With I/DD and Mental Health Needs

/in , /by TheArcAdmin

By Jennifer Alexander and Katy Schmid

Up to 40% of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD) experience co-occurring mental illness. As a former direct care worker and special educator, we both had seen firsthand many issues that people with I/DD and mental health needs faced in our work. Even still, we were unprepared for the level of need our journey revealed.

Through grants with partners Boston University, Self Advocates Becoming Empowered, and the Family Support Research and Training Center at the University of Illinois at Chicago, we met with people with I/DD and mental health needs, families, and disability, education, and mental health professionals.

In meetings around the country and through a nationwide survey, we heard people share stories, challenges, and tears.

Here are some of the heartbreaking stories that we heard (you can find more takeaways and trends in this brief). They serve as a call to action that we can—and must—do better and work together to make the world better for people with I/DD and mental health needs and their families.

“People think that we are bad people, that our family members are bad people.”

People with I/DD and mental health needs and their families often felt that people did not understand them or were judging them when they would talk to others in the community. They felt that others may not believe or value them when they shared about their life. They also felt that they would be judged for any crises or situations that may occur. Even when they would go to mental health or I/DD support groups, they felt other members did not understand what they were feeling or going through. People with I/DD and mental health needs and their families reported feeling lonely and isolated, with very few people to rely on for social or emotional support.

“I went to one therapist and I talked to them about all of the anger that I had…Instead of supporting me…he attacked me.”

Disability, mental health, and education professionals frequently lack training or knowledge around I/DD and mental health needs. Professionals may know how to support people with either I/DD or mental health needs, but often do not know how to support people with both concerns. Many with I/DD and mental health needs feel like they do not get adequate support from professionals because they do not know promising practices or how to tailor services. People with I/DD and mental health needs and their families also feel that professionals may also set unrealistic goals or targets for families because they don’t understand what a family’s real life is like each day. Several participants also expressed that professionals will refuse to provide services to a person because of their dual diagnosis.

“We don’t have the services and support we need. We are waiting for the next crisis to occur.”

People with I/DD and mental health needs often end up in a cycle of hospitalization, a return to home, and re-hospitalization. This may occur for several reasons: they may have experienced additional trauma in the hospital, they did not get the right support in the hospital, or there may be no step-down supports available and accessible to people with I/DD and mental health needs after hospitalization. Many families reported that they often feel that they are in a continual crisis cycle and that they have no way to escape this pattern because of a lack of effective supports.

“Instead of helping us, the systems fight each other about who will pay.”

Both the disability and mental health systems are extremely complicated to work with and navigate. People with I/DD and mental health needs and their families often struggle to identify resources or services in each system, to determine whether they are eligible for services, and to understand whether insurance will pay for the services a person and family need.

This is made more complicated by the way these systems determine who will pay for the services. The disability and mental health systems do not often talk with each other to determine eligibility and payment. Frequently, the family feels caught in the debate about which system will pay for services. The result: long wait times to receive services and having to pay out of pocket.

We Must do Better: A Call to Action

In addition to the challenges that were shared during our sessions, people with I/DD and mental health needs, their families, and professionals also shared their expertise with us on what our society do to better support them. They identified the following activities:

  • Develop trainings—most notably a nationwide, replicable training around I/DD and mental health for disability, education, and mental health professionals.
  • Support systems change activities that improve navigation and communication between the I/DD and mental health systems.
  • Support research to further develop evidence-based mental health treatments for this population.
  • Support the development of programs to improve access to quality mental health care (regardless of insurance status).
  • Develop and improve access to support groups for people with I/DD and mental health needs and their families to help them avoid feelings of isolation and loneliness.
  • Create public awareness campaigns to counteract stigma and misconceptions around I/DD and mental health needs.

READ THE FULL BRIEF

This summer, The Arc held focus groups in Florida, Indiana, and Maryland with professionals in the disability, education, and mental health fields. These focus groups lead us to develop further recommendations around this national training. We plan to release an updated brief this fall with these recommendations.

We also hope to continue to work around the country with the incredible people, families, professionals, research groups, and training centers that are dedicated to advancing the effort to support these families. Together, we can work together to help the people with I/DD and mental health needs and their families nationwide.

Perseverance in Planning: The Value of Building an Inclusive Volunteerism Program

/in , , /by TheArcAdmin

Building an inclusive volunteering community can be stressful, but it is often incredibly rewarding as well! This year, we asked Erica Delma from Holly Ridge Center to share her journey as a grantee of The Arc’s Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of Service project through a letter to herself. She spoke about finding meaningful work for her clients, the partnerships that blossomed because of volunteering, and the spirit of helping others that has lasted long after the events are over.

Dear 2018 Erica,

I know that the last few months since you applied for the MLK grant have been a roller coaster of emotions. As Development Director of Holly Ridge Center, you are responsible for attracting, growing, and stewarding resources to further the important work the Center does in our community. When the opportunity presented itself to apply for funding to develop inclusive volunteer programs, you thought it was a great match for the Center’s focus on inclusivity and finding people with autism meaningful places in the community. When you realized the focus would be on addressing food insecurity, an issue that you have been passionate about for years, you could not have imagined a better fit. And, one day you got the notice – you got the grant!

I want you know that you are joining a group of people and organizations throughout the country who are equally passionate. And, I want you to know that The Arc staff will be there to help you every day to be successful and navigate challenges.

You will get an opportunity to work with multiple community partners that will blossom into deeper relationships. You will add in even more partnerships with Meals on Wheels, the Kitsap Rescue Mission, and other service organizations.

On MLK Day, you will host a very successful volunteer fair at the Marvin Williams Center. Many people will tell you how eager they are to work with you in the future. The volunteers you support will have more opportunities in the community, and they will be eager and excited to do more and help others.

Thank you for your enthusiasm and energy for connecting the dots to promote inclusivity, volunteerism, the spirit of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., and addressing food insecurity. There will be work nights and even longer days, but all your hard work will pay off!

Sincerely,
2019 Erica

Spotlight on Grief and Aging: Mark Keeley and Mary Anne Tolliver, St. Louis Arc

/in , /by The Arc

Today, with advances in medical care, deinstitutionalization, and people working and living more productive lives, individuals with I/DD are living much longer. Mark Keeley, President and CEO of the St. Louis Arc, recognized the growing needs of this aging population and committed to better serve and support them. Under the leadership of Mary Anne Tolliver, Director of Aging Services, Dautel Circle has become the premier retirement community for seniors with I/DD.

Mary Anne poses with a resident, who is wearing a costume tophat.

Mary Anne with Marilyn, a resident who recently passed away at the age of 93.

Tell us about the grief and loss work that you do at your chapter.

Mark: Many people we support are living well into their 70s and 80s, and are outliving loved ones, including their parents. It is crucial to recognize the losses people with I/DD endure across the span of their lives.

Education of staff is paramount to guide them and the people they are supporting through the grief process. The goal is to understand what grief can look like, as it does not look the same from person to person, know how to respond to each individual’s loss, or just “be with them” to listen and provide support. The journey to the end of life can be extended or abrupt. Explaining what to expect through the grieving process and what is occurring can be especially helpful to someone with I/DD. Grief counseling also gives individuals with I/DD the mechanism to express their loss and sadness.

Since many of the aging individuals we support have declining health and decreases in cognitive and physical abilities, we are changing our supports around them. We have instituted a Holistic Aging Review committee to both meet funder due process responsibilities and provide a holistic review with an interdisciplinary team approach. The committee is designed to provide guidance and recommendations on medical/health concerns, medication review, behavior supports, restrictions, adaptive devices, and staff training for skill development and education. In addition to the review committee, we also provide grief counseling, support groups and hospice, and palliative care.

How do prepare someone with I/DD for the news of a loved one being sick or facing a terminal illness? How do you support someone with I/DD facing end of life themselves – and how do you support their family?

Mary Anne: The best practice we have found is being honest with the person affected about what is happening to them or to their loved one. We do this through words or pictures to help them understand. When discussing or explaining, it may not always be about a specific ailment or situation, but more about the understanding that their family member, friend, or housemate will no longer be here. We provide grief counseling to residents, staff, and families through our therapist, our Employee Assistance Program, and hospice and palliative care. Understanding their spiritual, religious, and cultural beliefs helps us to guide them through their grief.  It is important to not push our own beliefs onto them but be a guide through this journey with their beliefs and understanding of death. We try and make sure the families are involved in decisions, spend quality time with their loved one, and have the opportunity to say goodbye. We also encourage families to include their loved one’s friends and housemates in the process so they can express their feelings and understand their grief.

Do you partner with health care professionals? If so, has the exposure helped build awareness and competency working with the disability community?

Mark: We have a long-term partnership with a primary care physician who consults with our RNs and who also provides care for many of our residents. We have also partnered with Visiting Nurses Association for hospice care for our residents. VNA understands the regulations we need to follow and works with us to provide the best possible care for our residents within their own homes.

What advice do you have for chapters who want to provide aging services/supports, but don’t have a program started yet?

Mary Anne: Aging, loss, and death are a natural process of life. People with I/DD grieve the loss of a loved one just as the rest of us do. Providing support, respect, and inclusion in the process of loss and grief and not sheltering someone with I/DD from this life experience is vital. Initiating a Holistic Aging Review committee, identifying or employing a reputable, credentialed grief counselor, and educating staff through professional training on aging and dementia is paramount to being able to accommodate these individuals through the natural progression of life and loss.

 

Talk About Sexual Violence: Chris’ Story

/in , , , /by The Arc

April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month. Sexual assault and violence disproportionately affect people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD), with findings from NPR revealing that people with I/DD are assaulted at seven times the rate of people without disabilities. The first step to tackling this epidemic is talking about it. Read more from one survivor:

Chris Miller poses for a selfie in a blue shirt.

Chris Miller

“For as long as I can remember society has had the idea that men do not show emotion. We are told to be strong, not to cry or share feelings. These ideas are communicated from an early age; the expectations of manhood are very high and never include opening up about any type of abuse, especially sexual assault and violence perpetrated against them, as an adult or child.

We are told and it is believed that rape and assault do not happen to us – but the fact is that 1 in 6 men have been victims of sexual assault and the rate of men with disabilities is even higher. Men with disabilities face an even more difficult hurdle of not being believed or seen as credible when they do report because they have a disability, and can be even more difficult for those who are LGBTQ, who are at greater risk for sexual assault due to their sexual orientation. Some people with disabilities communicate in non-traditional ways, meaning not verbally or use a communication device, so they are often looked at as not reliable witnesses or just simply not believed. Another reason people do not speak up is simply a lack of having someone they trust. Many live segregated lives and reporting an assault can be threatening and result in loss of home, caregiver or job. Those in authority have looked the other way when we have disclosed. When disclosure happens we are not asked how we feel. For those that are not able to tell, they act out their fear and frustration and then are medicated and the abuse continues. Many of us do not believe there will be any consequences even if we do tell. This is a deep-reaching issue that we must deal with to have a healthy, inclusive and safer society. Every sexual assault survivor needs to know they matter, are respected and can be safe.” 

During Sexual Assault Awareness Month, join us in the movement to Talk About Sexual Violence! And, sign up for our criminal justice emails to receive resources, timely news, and ideas on how to advocate and get involved throughout the year.

Our Call to Action

Recommendations for Schools and Students

  1. Provide age-appropriate sex education for students with disabilities.
  2. Discuss safe vs. unsafe relationships.
  3. Identify who to report a sexual assault incident to.
  4. Ensure a personal safety plan is included in Individualized Education Plans (IEPs).

Recommendations for Individuals

  1. Reach out to a trusted person if you have experienced sexual assault.
  2. Learn about your rights as a crime victim and what can happen if you report.
  3. Locate and attend sexual assault support groups.
  4. If you are interviewed by law enforcement, request privacy.
  5. Know your rights about your accommodation needs.

Recommendations for Disability Service Providers

  1. Require sexual trauma training for providers.
  2. Demand deeper background checks for all employees.
  3. Listen and believe when someone discloses sexual assault.
  4. Provide accommodations when a person reports an incident.
  5. Ensure privacy when a person reports sexual violence.

Recommendations for Criminal Justice Professionals

  1. Required training for first responders, law enforcement, the courts, and sexual assault and rape crisis professionals about serving crime victims with I/DD.
  2. Learn effective strategies for interviewing crime victims with disabilities.
  3. Use disability specific accommodations.
  4. Consider community outreach to reduce fear of talking with law enforcement.

 

Executive Spotlight: Jill Pidcock, The Arc of the Central Mountains

/in , /by The Arc

Jill Pidcock poses for a headshot in a blue collared shirt, with a mottled black background.The Arc of the Central Mountains recently opened their doors to support people through advocacy, outreach, and policy in a rural area of the Colorado mountains. They immediately found themselves in court supporting some of the individuals in their community. One of these cases evolved into providing supports for a young adult who was facing multiple felony charges for stalking and who was in the middle of reapplying for DACA status. The work of The Arc of the Central Mountains has resulted in the creation of a truly community-based support system for this young man, while at the same time building a relationship with a local judicial system, resulting in his four cases being dismissed. In this interview, The Arc of the Central Mountains’s Executive Director Jill Pidcock talks about the about the work the organization is doing and how they are making a positive impact in their community.

How do you connect with the people in this population who need help? Are there any unique challenges to working with this population? If so, what are those challenges and how do you approach them?

Working in a rural area is a major asset in some ways because everyone knows someone who’s willing to contribute. Most often, the people we support come to us through referrals from other families, school districts, and other agencies, like service providers and case management organizations. Our area has a high number of lower income families, Spanish-speaking families, and some undocumented families. Specific to our undocumented families, the children are able to access academics and are supported through IDEA until 21 years old. But at 21, they are unable to access any services or supports through state or federally funded programs.

How did you establish your relationships with your community partners? Did they previously work with the disability community in this context, or have you engaged in educational efforts with them as well?

We first reached out to the extremely supportive public defender and immigration attorney working on our young man’s DACA status. We quickly found ourselves in a courtroom with a compassionate judge and an assistant district attorney who had clearly never had any people-first language training. I took him to lunch and took the time to learn about him and to share the mission of The Arc of the Central Mountains as well as our intentions of finding solutions in our community. By the end of the lunch, he was asking me if we could do outreach and education for the district attorney’s office (perhaps he didn’t want to be left out because the public defender’s office had already requested the same thing).

We also needed to figure out where our young adults could go for assistance and how to get that assistance paid for. One local disability organization has created a Provider Collaborative, which we work with on a regular basis. The collaborative comes together to determine what gaps are preventing a person from living a self-determined, robust, inclusive, community-based life. All of these individuals came up with strategies for supporting this young man.

To pay for these services, we are working with a community foundation providing grants to mental health providers, DVR is funding the job coach (once the DACA status was back in place), Catholic Charities is contributing, and so is a local autism crisis fund. All of these creative funding sources, along with MANY volunteer hours, have come together to create a truly community-based support system.

Your chapter joined The Arc just over a year ago. Have you found the chapter network useful in your work? How have you utilized it to inform and strengthen your efforts?

In our short life span, we have utilized the chapter network countless times. I use my “life line” with the other Colorado chapters whenever we are faced with something needing extra insights. Additionally, we are grateful to have had the opportunity to develop good foundational relationships with The Arc’s national office in its many areas of expertise, from new chapter relations to rights policy. We are equally as delighted to be a part of NCE, as it has proven to be invaluable from a leadership development aspect as well as continual resource and idea sharing through the listserv.

People with disabilities constitute our nation’s largest minority group, which is simultaneously the most inclusive and the most diverse. How can chapters broaden their outreach to be more inclusive of the various identities that make up the community they serve?

We find that getting out into our communities is very important. We create relationships with parent groups, both in person and on social media platforms. We also build relationships with language inclusive organizations, school districts, local banks and foundations, case management and service providers, and human service departments. Building those foundations is where we find our best success in problem solving and collaboration. We are a small office and cannot do it all—we rely on our connections in the community to be successful. Please feel free to reach out directly to explore ideas at Jill@Arccentralmountains.org.

What do you envision for the future of this initiative and the systems being put in place to support it?

We are slated to continue outreach to several of our local police departments as well as continued education to other county district attorneys and public defender’s offices. We are encouraged by the truly collaborative community-based support outcomes that have resulted from our outreach efforts – especially supporting those who may have eligibility challenges accessing services and supports due to ability levels, language, and citizenship.

Next Stop: Success! Building a Sustainable and Effective Transportation Program

/in , /by The Arc

A TravelMate participant sits on the metro train holding an iPad.

In 2014, The Arc of Northern Virginia collaborated with software partner ONEder to develop the award-winning TravelMate program. TravelMate provides virtual support on a smartphone or tablet, facilitating more independence using the bus, train, and other transportation. By the end of the second year of the program, 96% of users had increased their ability to travel more independently, and nearly half were able to travel completely independently.

How was the TravelMate program born?

In 2013, The Arc of Northern Virginia received a grant from the Federal Transit Administration to develop more travel trainers for individuals with developmental disabilities. There was most certainly a need; at the time there was only one travel trainer at the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority dedicated to working with individuals with developmental disabilities for all of Maryland, D.C. and Virginia. Kymberly DeLoatche was hired to coordinate the project and in her search for a well-liked travel training program, she found that a universal option didn’t exist. Most staff just kind of “did it on their own”. At the same time, Metro had completed a travel training study, and one of the primary insights was that individuals with developmental disabilities took longer to train because they required more repetition of the trip in order to be successful.

A year prior, while Kymberly was attending an Autism Society conference, she noticed an exhibitor who had created an iPad app using real time photos and videos to support an individual with disabilities. She had seen how powerful the iPad could be in the hands of someone with autism and already knew from watching her son, who has Down syndrome that he would watch videos over and over and then get up and perform the action exactly the way it had been done in the video – an “a-ha” moment about how learning uses visual cues.

Putting these two experiences together was the inspiration for the creation of TravelMate.  Kymberly called the creator of the software program she saw at the conference and explained her idea about doing an online curriculum that outlines all the steps in taking public transit. ONEder immediately jumped on board and TravelMate was born. It has been a life changing partnership.

Tell us about the community partnership element. What was the process like getting stakeholders and partners on board?

The Arc of Northern Virginia is fortunate to have a wide circle of community partners. When we first recruited individuals to form a Travel Training Project Advisory Board, it was an easy ask. We brought representatives from school districts, the local Community Services Boards, the Department of Aging and Rehabilitative Services, private and public employment providers, and of course parents and individuals with developmental disabilities. Teachers and job coaches guided the development of the curriculum and assessments. Individuals with developmental disabilities were involved in creating and presenting on curriculum, guides, and training programs. Having this level of community involvement from the very beginning is a key element of the continued success of our programs.

What are some secondary effects you’ve seen as a result of the success of the program?

Using visual cues and photos with a touch screen has proven to be a vastly superior format for learning for individuals with developmental disabilities. TravelMate allows each individual to use a format (visual checklist, choice board, social story, or real time photos or videos) that works best for them. The technology also allows them to get the repetition they need to succeed without having to actually perform the task with a job coach or teacher. Working with schools, transition teams, and employment providers in the community provides a more seamless transition for the individuals from school to the work environment. From the very first training program in 2014, we saw school programs adding more curriculum time for travel training and not just “making it up on their own” as they had been doing in the past.

What – if any – are your next steps for expanding the program’s scope or reach?

The Arc of Northern Virginia has already created and launched the companion to TravelMate called EmployMate. It is like having a virtual job coach in your pocket. Because the ONEder platform is 100% customizable to individual needs, a job coach or teacher can go to the employment site as they normally do, create needed activities, monitor performance, and adjust the curriculum accordingly from their laptop.

With the success of these two curricula, The Arc of Northern Virginia’s Tech for Independent Living team is creating additional ‘Mates to address other daily living tasks. In development now are: DailyMate, for daily home living activities; MoneyMate, for budgeting and banking; SocialMate, for navigating personal and professional relationships; and SafetyMate, for navigating interactions with law enforcement and safety tips for home, work and community.

How can other chapters start programs like this in their communities? 

Any chapter could write a grant for funds for training and licenses to start a program like this in their community. We started with using 5310 Mobility funds from the Department of Transportation’s Federal Transit Administration.

Without having to recreate the wheel, other chapters that have employment programs could use our ‘Mates curricula immediately with their current clients.  The curricula can be provided directly, or a chapter can use a “train-the-trainer” model as we have done, to engage partners in the community. For any additional information, feel free to email Peter Leisen, Project Coordinator, at pleisen@thearcofnova.org or phone 703-208-1119 ext. 112.

 

The Arc Responds to Three Month Extension of Money Follows the Person Passing Congress

/in , , , , , /by The Arc

Last week, the Medicaid Extenders Act of 2019 was signed by President Trump. A three-month funding extension for Money Follows the Person (MFP) was included in this bill. This program moves people with disabilities from institutions into the community by paying for programs not normally covered by Medicaid such as employment and housing services.

“Passage of this bill means individuals with disabilities who have been waiting to transition while funding for the MFP program was in danger, have the opportunity to move out of institutional settings and into the community. If the funding bill did not pass, MFP funds would have run out across the country. This is not only an investment in community-based services, but in the civil rights of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

“It is a powerful testament to the value of this program that this legislation was passed so early this Congress, especially after the unsuccessful attempts to cut Medicaid by billions of dollars last Congress. This victory belongs to advocates nationwide who have been actively working to support people with disabilities to live in their communities.  We look forward to working with leaders in Congress who supported this legislation on a strategy for longer or permanent extension of MFP.” said Peter Berns, CEO of The Arc.

Two of The Arc’s Programs to Receive Prestigious Zero Project Awards

/in , , , /by The Arc

The Arc of the United States is pleased to announce two of its programs, Wings for Autism®/Wings for All® and the National Center on Criminal Justice and Disability (NCCJD)’s Pathways to Justice®, have been named 2019 Zero Project Awardees. The Zero Project is an initiative of the Essl Foundation that recognizes and provides a platform for the world’s most innovative and effective solutions to problems faced by people with disabilities around the world. The Arc’s programs are being recognized this year for outstanding contributions towards promoting independent living and political participation, the 2019 Zero Project Awards’ themes.

“The Arc of the United States has long fought to ensure that people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD) are included in all aspects of society, and that the civil rights of people with I/DD are respected in every context,” said Peter Berns, CEO of The Arc, “We are proud that Wings for Autism/Wings for All and NCCJD’s Pathways to Justice will be recognized as Zero Project awardees this year.”

Pathways to Justice and Wings for Autism are among 76 policies and practices selected by an international group of 3,000 experts who take part in a multi-round voting and selection process. The Arc’s CEO Peter Berns as well as leadership from the two recognized programs will accept the award in Vienna, Austria in February.

Since 2013, NCCJD has endeavored to improve the criminal justice system’s response to victims, witnesses, suspects, defendants, and prisoners with I/DD. The Center’s signature program, Pathways to Justice, offers specialized training and support to develop local, multidisciplinary Disability Response Teams composed of criminal justice and disability leaders, including self-advocates, to improve local justice systems. NCCJD has trained over 5,000 justice professionals in 12 different states since 2015.

“Societies can’t be inclusive without equal access to justice for ALL, including people with disabilities. Pathways to Justice is revolutionizing the way the criminal justice system sees and interacts with people with developmental disabilities, laying the groundwork for inclusive justice to take root and flourish across the country,” said Leigh Ann Davis, Director of NCCJD.

Originated by the Charles River Center, a local chapter of The Arc in Massachusetts, and the Massachusetts Port Authority, Wings for Autism/Wings for All is an airport “rehearsal” program created to alleviate some of the stress that individuals with I/DD and their families experience when traveling by air. The program also provides vital training and educational resources on disability competency to airport, airline, and Transportation Security Administration (TSA) staff and volunteers.

From 2014 to 2018, Wings for Autism has held over 130 trainings in almost 60 airports throughout the United States and has supported more than 18,000 people with autism and other disabilities, as well as their families. Additionally, the program has trained more than 1,800 aviation professionals in disability competency and inclusion.

“The Wings for Autism/Wings for All program has successfully helped thousands of individuals with disabilities and their families enjoy the basic right to travel and live independently. Simultaneously, we’ve supported aviation professionals across the country to create safe and inclusive spaces in airports to better accommodate travelers with disabilities. We are honored to be in the company of so many other great organizations who are also addressing independent living issues on an individual and systemic level as well,” said Kerry Mauger, Program Manager of Wings for Autism.