Here’s an excerpt from The Arc U.S. blog
post on what drives our advocacy: the fundamental belief that everyone deserves to write their own life story. That means real access to education, meaningful employment, quality healthcare, and genuine community connections. Right now, too many barriers stand in the way of these basic rights.
The Governor's Committee on People with Disabilities recommends changes in disability policies and programs, supports a network of committees on people with disabilities, issues awards to promote greater awareness, and promotes compliance with disability related laws. Ellen, thank you for your continued leadership!
Following months of research and interviews with individuals living and working at the intersection of this co-occurrence, we released an in-depth, investigative report, “Out of Options:
Addressing Inequities in Care for Texans with IDD and Mental Illness,” authored by Pulitzer Prize winning investigative journalist Alex Stuckey. The March 19 webinar will explore key findings and proposed solutions from the report.
This Washington Post article features The Arc U.S. legal expert Shira Wakschlag, and The Arc of Texas Board President-Elect Veronica Ayala, who would be impacted by the Texas v. Becerra lawsuit threatening critical Medicaid services that help people with disabilities live at home in their communities and avoid institutions. We're fighting back!
Congress is considering cutting Medicaid by $880 billion. There’s no way to do that without taking away critical health
care and services from people with disabilities. Slashing funding at this scale will lead to fewer services, fewer caregivers, and fewer life-sustaining services, and some may lose eligibility altogether! Medicaid is already the most cost-efficient health insurance program, with safeguards in place to prevent waste, fraud, and abuse. These dangerous cuts must be stopped.
Julia
Chalker, a board member of The Arc of DFW and a member of The Arc of Texas’ Public Policy & Advocacy Committee, recently attended her representative’s town hall to raise concerns about Medicaid cuts. See her advocacy in action in this brief video.
The Arc U.S. is supporting City University of New York researchers to improve the Supplemental Security Income (SSI) application process for families with children with IDD. Focus group participants are compensated and all information remains confidential. Contact Diane Gibson at diane.gibson@baruch.cuny.edu or 646-660-6845 to participate.
