As part of the Standard Terms and Conditions for Affiliation, chapters are required to submit, no less than once per year, a list of the names and contact information of officers, board members, and key management staff as well as a list of individual Members of the Chapter.  

Pursuant to the Bylaws, a Local Chapter may receive one additional vote for every 100 individuals it has enrolled as of June 30th of the membership year or as of 60 days in advance of the date the voting will take place, whichever is earlier.  

Login to the Membership Portal and update your membership lists before June 30^th to secure your membership votes. Questions? Contact Solomon Lissanu at Lissanu@thearc.org.

The Arc’s Annual Business Meeting is scheduled to take place in conjunction with the National Convention Friday, November 9^th from at the Gaylord Opryland Resort and Convention Center. If you have any questions regarding the meeting, please contact us at credential@thearc.org. 

The Arc recently partnered with the Family Support Research and Training Center (FSRTC) at the University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC). Through this partnership, The Arc investigated and reported on gaps in support for families that include an individual with I/DD. Family support for diverse families was found to be a substantial area of weakness. See our reports for more information:

• Chapter State Coalitions (full technical report)
• Chapter State Coalitions (brief)
• Gaps in caregivers of adolescents
• Gaps in caregivers of adults
• Gaps in caregivers of children

You can use this information to learn more about common gaps families experience, improve supports to families, and present information to potential funders. Questions? Contact Jenny Sladen at Sladen@thearc.org.

Last month, The Arc submitted a declaration in support of a Motion to Intervene in Texas v. United States filed by California Attorney General Xavier Becerra and joined by 16 other attorneys general. The State of Texas filed the lawsuit in federal district court in Texas in February 2018, alleging that the Affordable Care Act is no longer constitutional following the passage of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017. The State of California and 16 other states seek to enter the lawsuit to defend the ACA. In its declaration, The Arc noted that it views the ACA “as critical for people with I/DD and their families in providing benefits, supports, and civil rights protections that help make community living possible.”

The Arc released the following statement after news that the Agriculture and Nutrition Act of 2018, also known as the “Farm Bill”, failed to pass the United States House of Representatives. The Farm Bill reauthorizes farm programs and policy as well as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP).

“The current version of the Farm Bill was just the latest attack on programs that people with intellectual and developmental disabilities rely on. If enacted as is, the Farm Bill voted down by the House today would have cut basic food assistance for children, adults, and seniors who are struggling to put food on the table. We are grateful to Members of Congress who recognized what this legislation would have meant for their constituents and voted no.

“We fundamentally disagree with the notion embedded throughout the proposed bill that some people are more “deserving” of basic food assistance than others. Approximately 11 million people with disabilities across the United States rely on SNAP to help them eat. Cutting off SNAP – including through new and harsher work and reporting requirements – would only make it harder for people with disabilities and their families to access the food they need to work and to survive. If policymakers want to increase employment, Congress needs to make major new investments in job training and supports and services for job-seekers with disabilities and their families – not cut off their basic food assistance.

“We are relieved that the current version of this legislation was not passed, but recognize there is still work to do. The Farm Bill has a long history of bipartisan collaboration and support. Our hope is that Congressional leaders will work together to develop a bipartisan proposal for reauthorizing the Farm Bill that strengthens and protects SNAP,” said Marty Ford, Senior Executive Officer of Public Policy, The Arc.

On net, the bill voted on by the House today proposes deep cuts to food assistance under SNAP. As taken up by the full House, an estimated 2 million people would lose their SNAP food assistance or see their benefits reduced under the bill.

• The bill would significantly expand SNAP’s existing work requirements, forcing SNAP beneficiaries age 18 to 59 to engage in work or job training activities for at least 20 hours per week. The bill’s exceptions for people raising very young children or supporting a family member who is “incapacitated” (as stated in the bill) are likely to prove woefully inadequate and extremely difficult for people with disabilities to navigate. Ultimately, these new requirements would cause many people to lose their food assistance, making it harder for them to work, based on experience with existing work requirements in SNAP and other programs.
• While the bill calls for greater access to job training programs, new federal investments would be funded largely by cuts to SNAP food benefits, and analysis by the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities indicates that funding levels for job training would be highly insufficient.
• The bill also includes extensive new reporting requirements with harsh consequences if a person misses a deadline.

Across the country, there are individuals, businesses, and organizations doing remarkable things and setting an example for a society that is truly inclusive for those with I/DD.

That’s why we created the Catalyst Awards—to recognize those that are catalysts for achievement in the lives of people with disabilities in a variety of sectors. Do you know someone setting an example of what civil rights for people I/DD should be? Nominations are only open for one more week!

Categories include advocacy, education, employment, media/entertainment, and philanthropy. We need your help to recognize those helping push us forward toward a more inclusive society! Know a person or business whose work deserves acknowledgment? Nominate them today!

The deadline for nominations is Friday, June 8.