News Archive
Thousands of people with disabilities in the U.S. use Medicaid to get the supports and services they need to live and be healthy every day. But, people with disabilities must often wait several years to get access to the type of supports they want and need in their own homes. Many are forced into nursing […]
The post No One Should Have to Live Like This: Steve’s Nine Year Wait for Freedom appeared first on The Arc.
Washington, D.C. – For years, the service system that people with intellectual and development disabilities (IDD) and their families rely on has fallen far short of meeting their needs. The COVID-19 pandemic has magnified this problem and exposed the cracks and gaps in the care infrastructure when it comes to supporting people with disabilities. The […]
The post The Arc Encouraged by Proposal for Huge Investment in Disability Services and Direct Care Workers appeared first on The Arc.
By Nicole Jorwic, Senior Director of Public Policy, The Arc As we rally around the Home and Community-Based Services Access Act (HAA), a new bill in Congress that will transform how people with intellectual and developmental disabilities live their lives, it’s siblings like Nicole and Chris Jorwic that lead with the passion to make this […]
The post Part Two: For Jud, Chris, and Millions of People With Disabilities – a Bill 70 Years in the Making Has Arrived appeared first on The Arc.
By: Marty Ford, Senior Advisor, The Arc The Arc of the United States was founded over 70 years ago by families like mine who wanted their family members with intellectual and developmental disabilities included in every aspect of life in their homes and communities. Congress has finally proposed a bill, the Home and Community-Based Services […]
The post Part One: For Jud, Chris, and Millions of People With Disabilities – a Bill 70 Years in the Making Has Arrived appeared first on The Arc.
The Arc is grieving the immeasurable loss of life and condemning the racially motivated killings at three spas in the Atlanta, Georgia area. A white gunman shot and killed six Asian women and two other people during the rampage. The Arc condemns these killings and continues to condemn all actions motivated by racism and hate. […]
The post The Arc Condemns Racism and Escalating Violence Against Asian Americans and Asians Around the World appeared first on The Arc.
Washington, D.C. – As the nation continues to face a pandemic that has put a glaring spotlight on the health dangers facing people living in nursing homes and institutions, today Members of Congress unveiled a critical bill developed with The Arc and other disability and aging advocates, that will fundamentally change how people with intellectual […]
The post Independence Can’t Wait: New Bill in Congress Championed by The Arc Will Make Home and Community Based Services Available to All appeared first on The Arc.
The Arc is relieved that Congress has finally taken action to tackle the dire challenges people with disabilities face as the COVID-19 pandemic continues into a second year. The Arc and our advocates have fought every day since the start of this crisis to ensure that the needs of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities […]
The post New COVID-19 Response Legislation Finally Recognizes Urgent Needs of People with Disabilities appeared first on The Arc.
2016 Open Enrollment November 1, 2015 Open enrollment begins December 15, 2015 Enroll before this date to have coverage January 1, 2016 January 31, 2016 Open enrollment ends If you are uninsured or looking for affordable health insurance, now is the time for you to look! During “open enrollment” you can purchase private health insurance […]
The post Need Health Insurance? Open Enrollment Is Now! appeared first on The Arc.
Today, The Arc Maryland, represented by Disability Rights Maryland, The Arc of the United States, and Brown & Barron, LLC filed a federal lawsuit alleging that six jurisdictions in Maryland, including Baltimore City, discriminate against people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) by denying them opportunities to access COVID-19 vaccinations inconsistent with the State’s Executive […]
The post Vaccine Discrimination: Disability Advocacy Groups File Federal Lawsuit Alleging 6 Maryland Jurisdictions Discriminate in Vaccine Process appeared first on The Arc.
Washington, D.C. – During this time of unprecedented challenges for special education students, The Arc is pleased to announce that we have been awarded a $200,000 grant from Comcast NBCUniversal focused on helping more students of color access greater resources to help them thrive. The funding will allow The Arc@School to expand support of students […]
The post The Arc Partners with Comcast NBCUniversal to Increase Access to Special Education Services for Students of Color with Disabilities appeared first on The Arc.
In a resolution that applies to all MedStar Health Inc. (“MedStar Health”) care locations in Washington, D.C., Maryland, and Virginia, MedStar Health has agreed to end its discriminatory treatment of patients with disabilities, including William King, a 73-year old man with communication-related disabilities, and to modify its policies to ensure patients with disabilities can access […]
The post MedStar Health Agrees to End Discriminatory Treatment of Patients with Disabilities in Federal Resolution appeared first on The Arc.
In a resolution that applies to all MedStar Health Inc. (“MedStar Health”) care locations in Washington, D.C., Maryland, and Virginia, MedStar Health has agreed to end its discriminatory treatment of patients with disabilities, including William King, a 73-year old man with communication-related disabilities, and to modify its policies to ensure patients with disabilities can access […]
The post MedStar Health Agrees to End Discriminatory Treatment of Patients with Disabilities in Federal Resolution appeared first on The Arc.
This Valentine’s Day, as many as 6 million couples will choose to celebrate their love by becoming engaged. But for many people with IDD, this dream of marriage forces them to choose between love and necessary supports to live independently. When Jen Met Eddie… Eddie and Jen first met while planning an Oregon self-advocacy event […]
The post When People with Disabilities are Forced to Choose Between Love & Needed Benefits: Marriage Penalties appeared first on The Arc.
This Valentine’s Day, as many as 6 million couples will choose to celebrate their love by becoming engaged. But for many people with IDD, this dream of marriage forces them to choose between love and necessary supports to live independently. When Jen Met Eddie… Eddie and Jen first met while planning an Oregon self-advocacy event […]
The post When People with Disabilities are Forced to Choose Between Love & Needed Benefits: Marriage Penalties appeared first on The Arc.
Washington, D.C. – Today, a coalition of civil rights groups and legal scholars announce the release of a new report: “Examining How Crisis Standards of Care May Lead to Intersectional Medical Discrimination Against COVID-19 Patients.” Crisis standards of care are used to decide who should receive priority for treatment when there are not enough resources […]
The post Coalition of Civil Rights Groups and Legal Scholars Release Report on Intersectional Medical Discrimination During COVID-19 appeared first on The Arc.
Washington, D.C. – Today, a coalition of civil rights groups and legal scholars announce the release of a new report: “Examining How Crisis Standards of Care May Lead to Intersectional Medical Discrimination Against COVID-19 Patients.” Crisis standards of care are used to decide who should receive priority for treatment when there are not enough resources […]
The post Coalition of Civil Rights Groups and Legal Scholars Release Report on Intersectional Medical Discrimination During COVID-19 appeared first on The Arc.
WASHINGTON, DC -The Arc has elected a slate of new and returning members of the Board of Directors to lead its work for the next two years. This distinguished group includes professionals in the intellectual and developmental disability (IDD) field and affiliated services, people with IDD, family members, and leaders in the corporate and legal […]
The post The Arc Announces New Leaders and Members of National Board of Directors appeared first on The Arc.
WASHINGTON, DC -The Arc has elected a slate of new and returning members of the Board of Directors to lead its work for the next two years. This distinguished group includes professionals in the intellectual and developmental disability (IDD) field and affiliated services, people with IDD, family members, and leaders in the corporate and legal […]
The post The Arc Announces New Leaders and Members of National Board of Directors appeared first on The Arc.
Over the last 10 months, the COVID-19 pandemic has undeniably shifted the reality of how we connect with each other. To protect the safety of people with disabilities, their families, and our staff, The Arc’s chapters were forced to rapidly shut down in-person services and shift to a virtual format. Many chapters worried they might […]
The post Adapting to Changing Landscapes: The Creativity and Perseverance of The Arc’s Chapters During COVID-19 appeared first on The Arc.
Over the last 10 months, the COVID-19 pandemic has undeniably shifted the reality of how we connect with each other. To protect the safety of people with disabilities, their families, and our staff, The Arc’s chapters were forced to rapidly shut down in-person services and shift to a virtual format. Many chapters worried they might […]
The post Adapting to Changing Landscapes: The Creativity and Perseverance of The Arc’s Chapters During COVID-19 appeared first on The Arc.
Washington, D.C. – As the Trump Administration wraps up its tenure, officials at the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) finalized an agreement with the state of Tennessee that will cut funding for the Medicaid program in that state, known as TennCare. “This decision will harm people with disabilities, low-income families, and older adults […]
The post In Final Days of Trump Administration and In Middle of Pandemic, Federal Officials Approve Cuts to Medicaid in Tennessee appeared first on The Arc.
Washington, D.C.: Today, amidst an unparalleled rampant spread of COVID-19 infection throughout the country and the looming specter of care rationing as hospitals become overwhelmed, civil rights groups, working closely with two Texas regional health groups and the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, Office for Civil Rights (OCR) announced the approval of revised […]
The post Amidst Nationwide COVID-19 Surge, Health & Civil Rights Groups Secure Federal Approval of Revised Crisis Standards of Care Guidelines in Texas appeared first on The Arc.
Washington, D.C.: Today, amidst an unparalleled rampant spread of COVID-19 infection throughout the country and the looming specter of care rationing as hospitals become overwhelmed, civil rights groups, working closely with two Texas regional health groups and the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, Office for Civil Rights (OCR) announced the approval of revised […]
The post Amidst Nationwide COVID-19 Surge, Health & Civil Rights Groups Secure Federal Approval of Revised Crisis Standards of Care Guidelines in Texas appeared first on The Arc.
The Arc and other advocacy groups are urging President Trump to intervene immediately and stop the unconstitutional execution of a man with intellectual disability scheduled to take place in a matter of days. Corey Johnson’s execution, scheduled for January 14, would violate the Constitution and federal law. Mr. Johnson is a person with intellectual disability. […]
The post Corey Johnson Must Not be Executed appeared first on The Arc.
The Arc is urging President Trump to intervene immediately and stop the unconstitutional execution of a man with intellectual disability scheduled to take place in a matter of days. Corey Johnson’s execution, scheduled for January 14, would violate the Constitution and federal law. Mr. Johnson is a person with intellectual disability. Three nationally recognized experts […]
The post Corey Johnson Must Not be Executed appeared first on The Arc.
Today, The Arc celebrates the life of Former Pennsylvania Governor and U.S. Attorney General Richard “Dick” Thornburgh, a champion in the disability rights movement who played a crucial role in the passage of the landmark Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Mr. Thornburgh died Thursday. He was 88. Throughout his career, Mr. Thornburgh fought for equal […]
The post Celebrating the Life of the Honorable Richard Thornburgh appeared first on The Arc.
Today, The Arc celebrates the life of Former Pennsylvania Governor and U.S. Attorney General Richard “Dick” Thornburgh, a champion in the disability rights movement who played a crucial role in the passage of the landmark Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Mr. Thornburgh died Thursday. He was 88. Throughout his career, Mr. Thornburgh fought for equal […]
The post Celebrating the Life of the Honorable Richard Thornburgh appeared first on The Arc.
Last night, Congress passed three years of funding for the Money Follows the Person program. This program provides federal dollars to move people with disabilities out of large congregate settings like institutions and nursing homes, and back into their homes and communities. This is an important step in our decades-long fight to bring people with […]
The post Important Step for Community Living for People with Disabilities: Congress Makes Overdue Investment in Money Follows the Person Program appeared first on The Arc.
Today, President Trump signed into law three years of funding for the Money Follows the Person program. This program provides federal dollars to move people with disabilities out of large congregate settings like institutions and nursing homes, and back into their homes and communities. This is an important step in our decades-long fight to bring […]
The post Important Step for Community Living for People with Disabilities: Congress Makes Overdue Investment in Money Follows the Person Program appeared first on The Arc.
After months of hardship and danger from the COVID-19 pandemic, and relentless advocacy by The Arc and advocates across the country, last night Congress passed a COVID-19 relief package without critical funding for people with disabilities to access the services and supports necessary for a life in the community. As COVID-19 continues to spread nationwide, […]
The post Shut Out Again: COVID-19 Relief Package Again Excludes Needs of People With Disabilities, Families, Service Providers appeared first on The Arc.
For people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD), a fully integrated life in the community often depends on not only people-powered supports like direct support professionals and job coaches, but on the technology to facilitate skill building, social connection, and much more. As the COVID-19 pandemic swept across the world and shut down entire communities, […]
The post Click Here for Inclusion: Staying Connected During COVID-19 appeared first on The Arc.
Since 2015, The Arc has been the proud recipient of a grant from the Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS), the federal agency that funds the national Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of Service activities. Under this grant, chapters of The Arc and other organizations executed projects all across the U.S, uniting volunteers with […]
The post 2020 MLK Grantees Continue the Fight Against Hunger appeared first on The Arc.
This is the second of a two-part series that The Arc@Work will publish this month to speak on the new and emerging challenges faced by workers with IDD and how employers, disability services agencies, and individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) can work together on creating solutions that create inclusion and workplace equity. In […]
The post The Workplace in 2020: How Employers Can Support Jobseekers With Disabilities appeared first on The Arc.
WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Arc is deeply troubled by the U.S. Supreme Court decision in Merrill v. People First of Alabama, effectively banning curbside voting in Alabama, a critical accommodation to ensure the health and safety of voters with disabilities during the COVID-19 pandemic. The lawsuit was filed on behalf of voters with underlying health […]
The post The Arc Deeply Troubled by U.S. Supreme Court Voting Rights Decision appeared first on The Arc.
The Arc today announced it will honor long-standing partner Comcast NBCUniversal as the recipient of its 2020 Catalyst Award for their collaborative efforts to provide people with disabilities increased access to technology and more independence. The award recognizes businesses, individuals, and other organizations that have made extraordinary contributions toward greater social inclusion and the advancement […]
The post The Arc Recognizes Comcast NBCUniversal With the 2020 Catalyst Award appeared first on The Arc.
The Affordable Care Act (ACA) made significant progress in expanding access to health care for individuals with intellectual and/or developmental disabilities (IDD). Access to consistent and reliable healthcare is critical for individuals with IDD, and the ACA created much-needed reforms to health insurance, addressed systemic discrimination, and expanded coverage. Yet it will all be at […]
The post The Affordable Care Act: What’s At Risk? appeared first on The Arc.
By Sethany Griffin I am a member of The Arc and both a provider for adults and children with disabilities and a mother of an adult with autism and an intellectual delay. My son Karl is 19, and he typically attends an adult transition program five days a week where he learns vocational skills in […]
The post Care During COVID-19: An “Essential” Working Family’s Story appeared first on The Arc.
This year’s National Disability Employment Awareness Month arrives at a precarious time in our country’s history: we continue to face the ravages of the COVID-19 pandemic and one of the direst economic recessions in recent memory. The coronavirus pandemic has caused more than 200,000 deaths and infected more than 7 million people, while also creating […]
The post The Workplace in 2020: Getting People With Disabilities Back To Work Safely During COVID-19 appeared first on The Arc.
The Arc of the United States and Comcast NBCUniversal today announced a three-year renewal of their national partnership to expand digital technology opportunities for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). Comcast NBCUniversal is providing $400,000 to The Arc’s Tech Coaching Centers, which operate their national digital literacy program, as well as chapters that have […]
The post Comcast NBCUniversal and The Arc Team up To Support Local Disability Agencies and Digital Literacy for People With Disabilities appeared first on The Arc.
On September 26, President Trump nominated Judge Amy Coney Barrett to be an Associate Justice on the Supreme Court of the United States. Judge Coney Barrett, a Chicago-based federal appeals court judge, would replace the late Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, … Continue reading
The post President Nominates Amy Coney Barrett for Supreme Court appeared first on The Capitol Insider.
On September 24, the House Committee on Ways and Means Subcommittee on Social Security held a hearing on the President’s proposal to defer payroll taxes. Witnesses were Senator Ron Wyden (D-OR); Representatives Danny K. Davis (D-IL), Linda Sánchez (D-CA), Judy … Continue reading
The post House Committee Holds Hearing on Administration Proposal to Defer Payroll Taxes appeared first on The Capitol Insider.
On September 23, Senators Bob Menendez (D-NJ) and Susan Collins (R-ME) and Representatives Tom Malinowski (D-NJ) and Mario Diaz-Balart (R-FL) introduced the National Coronavirus Commission Act (S.4666 / H.R.8358). This bill creates a non-partisan commission to assess the nation’s preparedness and … Continue reading
The post National Coronavirus Commission Act Introduced appeared first on The Capitol Insider.
On September 25, the Education Department announced that it will not appeal a U.S. district court judge’s decision that found that it illegally directed states to divert COVID-19 relief money from public schools to private schools. The CARES Act provided … Continue reading
The post Education Department Gives Up on Effort to Divert COVID Relief Funds to Private Schools appeared first on The Capitol Insider.
The Senate is expected to return on September 29 for a procedural vote on the House-passed continuing resolution (CR). A final vote on the CR is expected by September 30, leaving the President just a few hours to sign the … Continue reading
The post Short Term FY 21 Funding Bill to Be Voted On appeared first on The Capitol Insider.
On September 23, The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) released preliminary data showing that during the COVID-19 pandemic, there has been a steady decline in rates of primary and preventive services as well as vaccinations among children on Medicaid … Continue reading
The post CMS Data Reveal Decline in Preventive Care Utilization appeared first on The Capitol Insider.
Our new Strategic Framework for the Future of The Arc is here! This vision will guide our advocacy, programs, and more as we meet the challenges and opportunities of the future head on. Our framework represents two years of listening, … Continue reading
The post Announcing The Arc’s New Strategic Framework appeared first on The Capitol Insider.
Today, Members of the U.S. House and Senate introduced the bipartisan National Coronavirus Commission Act of 2020. The proposed legislation seeks to create an independent, non-partisan commission to assess the nation’s preparedness and response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Commission would also make recommendations to improve readiness in the future. The Commission has a specific […]
The post The Arc Supports National Coronavirus Commission Act to Assess Response to Pandemic for People with Disabilities appeared first on The Arc.
Today the House released the text of H.R. 8319 to fund the federal government from the start of fiscal year (FY) 2021 on October 1 through December 11. The vast majority of agencies and programs are level funded and several … Continue reading
The post Short Term FY 21 Funding Bill Released appeared first on The Capitol Insider.
On September 18, U.S. Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg passed away. Justice Ginsburg served on the Supreme Court for 27 years. She authored the majority opinion in the landmark case Olmstead v. L.C. in which the court ruled that … Continue reading
The post The Arc Mourns the Loss of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg appeared first on The Capitol Insider.
On September 17, the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights (USCCR) released a report in which they recommended a phase-out of subminimum wages under Section 14 (c) of the Fair Labor Standards Act. The report highlighted “persistent failures” in oversight of … Continue reading
The post USCCR Recommends Phase-Out of Subminimum Wage appeared first on The Capitol Insider.
