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In October 2020, the Texas State Board of Social Work Examiners (TSBSWE) and the members of its licensing board reviewed proposed changes to the social work rules. One of the proposed changes was to remove provisions in the Social Work Code of Conduct that protect Texans with disabilities and LGBTQ+ Texans against discrimination. Along with our allies, we opposed these changes, and they were not made.
In June, the Texas Attorney General's office issued a non-binding legal opinion that the TSBSWE could alter the Social Work Code of Conduct to remove protections for Texans based on disability or LGBTQ+ status. Non-binding means that TSBSWE doesn't have to make the change, but it wouldn't be illegal if it did. According to the National Association of Social Workers-Texas Chapter, removing protections would prevent TSBSWE from taking disciplinary action
against a social work professional for discriminating against a person with a disability, sexual orientation, or gender identity, or gender expression.
Right now, the Social Work Code of Conduct still has non-discrimination protections for disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, and gender expression. The Arc of Texas joins our allies in asking TSBSWE to keep the non-discrimination protections in the Code of Conduct as currently written.
Read our blog for our statement with Coalition of Texans with Disabilities and Disability Rights Texas, plus get information on how to get involved in advocacy efforts.
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Join The Arc of Texas and Easterseals Central Texas for a four-week virtual series each Wednesday in July that will teach you about grassroots advocacy using real examples from the recent Texas Legislative Session. Participants of the series, "Texas 87th Legislative Session Lessons, Opportunities + Connections," will learn about what happened during the 87th Texas Legislative Session, make connections with other new and emerging disability
advocates, and discuss advocacy activities you can do both during and after a legislative session. Register now to reserve your space for all four sessions
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Gov. Abbott officially called for a 30-day special session to begin on July 8. Typically a special session is for priority bills that were not passed during regular session, or important items not able to be addressed or finished during regular session. Gov.
Abbott has not yet announced a specific agenda for the session, but has indicated it will include elections and bail reform. Your voice is unique in informing legislators of the consequences their decisions make on the disability vote and the need for equal access. It's never too early to reach out to your Texas representative and senator. Stay tuned for updates on ways to take action and participate as members of The Arc of Texas.
There will likely be at least one additional special session in September or October to address COVID-19 funds and redraw legislative districts based on the state's population growth. The Arc of Texas will continue advocacy efforts to ensure the civil rights and human rights of Texans with IDD are always represented.
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The state budget passed during the regular legislative session included several items in the almost 1,000-page bill that affect Texans with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). In particular, it will fund 1,549 Texans to start receiving waiver services by the end of the biennium. Texas Health & Human Services Commission's original request was to fund 3,512 new waivers. Here is a breakdown of each type of waiver and the
amount funded for the biennium:
- CLASS: 381
- DBMD: 6
- HCS: 542
- MDCP: 42
- STAR+: 107
- TxHmL: 471
We will continue our advocacy efforts and rely on the support of our allies to keep wait list funding and quality of services top of mind for Texas legislators.
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More than 165,000 Texans are waiting for Medicaid home and community-based services (HCBS), some for 15 years. The Arc of Texas member Diana Flores was interviewed by Business Insider about her family's experience moving to Texas hoping for access to the essential services her 6-year-old needs, which are not covered by private insurance.
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Home and community-based services (HCBS) funding from federal initiatives has been in the news a lot recently, but what exactly has been going on?
The bad news: No home and community-based funding stayed in President Biden's infrastructure plan.
The good news: New legislation introduced in Congress called Better Care Better Jobs Act is all about better home and community-based services.
Read our blog for more information about the original infrastructure plan and why HCBS was removed, plus details on the Better Care Better Jobs Act.
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The Arc of Texas Board Member Julie Ross was interviewed by NBC News about the Texas waiting list for home and community-based services (HCBS), highlighting how long it can take to receive services. “I want her to live with the highest level of self-determination in the community and in her own home. ... I’m not going to live long enough to be her direct caregiver forever," Ross says of her 9-year-old daughter.
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If you or someone you know is having a hard time getting a COVID-19 vaccine, you can share Disability Rights Texas new Vaccine Hotline. Call 1-800-880-8401 or email vaccine@DRTx.org for free assistance.
Nationally, there is a new Disability Information and Access Line (DIAL) to connect callers to information about how to access the COVID-19 vaccine and related supports for people with disabilities. DIAL connects callers to vaccine sites and provides information related to barriers to vaccination by referring callers to local and national disability resources. More information is at acl.gov/dial. Call 1-888-677-1199 from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. CT or email DIAL@n4a.org.
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