May is Mental Health Awareness Month, a reminder that everyone—including people with disabilities—experiences positive and challenging mental health. Check out these resources from our Whole Person Project, which seeks to expand access to quality mental health services for adult Texans with IDD:

• Find mental health services in your area by entering your zip code
• Check out our investigative report and recommendations, “Out of Options: Addressing Inequities in Care for Texans with IDD and Mental Illness” (or watch this 45-minute key findings webinar)
• Take our on-demand, 60-minute course for mental health providers working with people with IDD
• Watch 2-minute personal stories from our docuseries, "At the Intersection of Mental Health and IDD" (midway down on our Whole Person Project webpage)

Congratulations to Veronica Ayala and Sean Pevsner on their officer appointments to The Arc of the United State's 2025-2027 National Council of Self-Advocates. As seasoned advocates, they will help advise The Arc U.S. on key issues impacting people with disabilities. Veronica is The Arc of Texas Board President-Elect and Sean serves on our Public Policy and Advocacy Committee. Thank you for your leadership!

• Help address ableism in therapeutic settings: University of Colorado at Colorado Springs is studying the experiences of people with disabilities who have received mental health counseling. Open to individuals over 18 who have a disability and experience with mental health counseling, can give written/verbal consent, have access to a computer/tablet with internet, and speak English or American Sign Language, participants receive a $50 gift card following completion of a brief screening call, a 25-minute online survey, and a 90-minute interview via Zoom. To participate, contact aats@uccs.edu.
• Share your experience with home and community-based services: The Shirley Ryan AbilityLab seeks adult home and community-based services (HCBS) recipients on Medicaid waivers to pilot test surveys that address concepts like choice and control over living arrangements, money management, and personal expression. Participants undergo a brief screening and consent call and complete two or more 10-minute phone surveys about their HCBS and receive a $30 gift card for each completed survey. Participants complete the same surveys 2 to 9 months later for $40 per completed survey and can complete up to 6 surveys for a total of $200. To participate, complete the eligibility screening. Questions? Contact hcbs-rrtc@sralab.org.
• Help guide future disability research and policy: The Institute for Health and Disability Policy Studies at the University of Kansas is conducting the National Survey on Health and Disability to ask adults with disabilities about their experiences with housing, health care, health insurance, transportation, community participation, and other aspects of daily life.

• Major win for voters with disabilities: A federal court ruled that Texas’ restrictive voting law (SB 1) illegally blocked people with disabilities from casting their ballots. Learn what this means for voting rights. “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.” 
• Assisting disabled voters: A Fifth Circuit appellate panel appeared somewhat divided on claims that a Texas election law could discourage people from assisting disabled voters. Attorney Victor Genecin of the NAACP, arguing for advocacy groups including Delta Sigma Theta Sorority and The Arc of Texas, said the district court “credited that the ‘penalty of perjury’ language is intimidating and threatening.”
• The latest on Texas v. Kennedy Lawsuit: Here's an update from The Arc of the United States about the lawsuit brought by 17 states in federal court in the Northern District of Texas. The lawsuit challenges 2024 regulations from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and argued that Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act is unconstitutional. The parties have dropped their arguments regarding the constitutionality of Section 504, but threats to the regulations remain.

Know someone who might be a fit? Spread the word!

• Master Pooled Trust Coordinator (The Arc of Texas): This 80% remote and 20% in-office position manages sub-accounts within our pooled supplemental needs trust for Texans with disabilities.
• Employment Collaborator (Texas Advocates): This contract position will assist the co-executive director in providing hands-on job coaching and program administration.

• June CEO and Chapter Conversation (June 24): Join The Arc U.S. CEO, Katy Neas, for next month's chapter conversation. This series strengthens The Arc’s effectiveness through open dialogue and collaboration among chapters. Don’t miss your chance to connect and contribute!
• Summer Leadership Institute (July 14-16): The premier professional development program for chapters of The Arc and partners across the disability community offers expert-led sessions to deepen your understanding of key issues such as Medicaid threats, nonprofit sustainability, and data-driven decision-making. (Related: Check out The Arc's National Conference of Executives' 2024 Annual Report to learn about their work and future plans.)