News Archive
Amazon Will Donate 5,000 Devices, Provide Monetary Support, and Engage IDD Community for Ongoing Feedback Washington, DC – Technology can be life-changing, but people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) disproportionately face barriers to access and adoption. Amazon and The Arc have announced a landmark community program that will expand technology access and empower greater […]
The post Amazon Announces Donation Program With The Arc to Advance Connectivity and Independence for People With Disabilities appeared first on The Arc.
Washington, DC – The Arc of the United States, the oldest and largest nonprofit serving people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD), today named Katherine (Katy) Neas as its new CEO. Katy brings more than 35 years of experience in disability policy and public and nonprofit leadership to the role. Her tenure with The Arc […]
The post The Arc of the United States Names Katherine Neas as Its Next CEO appeared first on The Arc.
Washington, DC – Every person deserves the freedom of living in their own homes, being a part of their communities, and choosing how they spend their days. Medicaid’s home and community-based services makes that possible for millions of people with disabilities and older adults, yet chronic underfunding is forcing them into institutions and putting families […]
The post Disability Advocates Urge Support for Emergency Funding Bill to Address Medicaid Care Crisis appeared first on The Arc.
By Leigh Anne McKingsley, Senior Director, Disability & Justice Initiatives I had just completed my master’s in social work when The Arc hired me in 1994 to oversee a national project educating criminal justice professionals about safe interactions with people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). That initial one-year project led to my life’s work […]
The post NCCJD Celebrates 10 Years of Disability and Criminal Justice Advocacy appeared first on The Arc.
Texas mom and advocate Jeanna is no stranger to the disability field. She has three children, two of whom have disabilities. She is also a professional advocate who helps families navigate Texas’ education and service systems. In January 2020, when Jeanna learned that her 14-year-old daughter Leah was having major behavioral issues at school, […]
The post Leah Should Have Never Been Restrained and Secluded appeared first on The Arc.
If Congress fails to reach a deal to fund the federal government by September 30, the government will shut down, which means federal agencies will cease non-essential operations until a deal is reached. We want you to be fully informed about how the looming government shutdown could impact you! Many people with disabilities rely on […]
The post How the Government Shutdown Could Impact People With Disabilities appeared first on The Arc.
Each October, during National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM), we celebrate the many contributions and achievements of employees with disabilities. Employees with disabilities are dependable, loyal, and eager to learn—and research shows that their inclusion in the workforce improves overall employee retention rate and morale. However, people with disabilities have been marginalized and misunderstood for […]
The post How and Why to Celebrate National Disability Employment Awareness Month: October 2023 appeared first on The Arc.
Tayone Miller is a full-time Computer Analyst with Charles County Public Schools (CCPS), bringing nearly a decade of experience in developing, managing, and improving information technology. It’s a career he’s always dreamed of. “Technology helps people throughout their lives,” he shares. “I wanted a career that would be everlasting, and Computer Information Systems (CIS) was […]
The post Tayone’s Struggle to Find Employers Who See Past His Disability appeared first on The Arc.
Washington, DC – The Supplemental Security Income (SSI) program was designed to combat poverty among people with disabilities, but the program’s outdated rules do just the opposite—forcing people to live in poverty to qualify for monthly assistance. Today, The Arc celebrates the introduction of the SSI Savings Penalty Elimination Act by Senator Sherrod Brown (D-OH), […]
The post New Bipartisan Bill Would Advance Economic Security for Disabled Americans appeared first on The Arc.
San Antonio, Texas – Today, the United States District Court for the Western District of Texas began the first day of trial in a case challenging S.B. 1, a Texas law that targets voting access. The case is comprised of five lawsuits, including Houston Area Urban League v. Abbott which was filed in 2021 by […]
The post Federal Court in Texas Hears Lawsuit Challenging S.B. 1, State Law Targeting Voting Rights appeared first on The Arc.
People with disabilities want to live in their own communities and make their own choices about their lives, just like everyone else. For millions, direct support professionals (DSPs) like Betty Davis make that independence possible. Betty has always had the innate ability to create a safe space for disabled people. As a child, she would […]
The post DSP Recognition Week: Betty Davis’ Story appeared first on The Arc.
States are aggressively evaluating their Medicaid enrollments following the end of the public health emergency, and many are losing coverage. Here’s everything you need to know about the unwinding and what to do if you are a Medicaid beneficiary – direct from Dr. Aditi Mallick, Acting Director of the CMS Office of Minority Health. Health […]
The post Medicaid Eligibility Renewals: A Message From CMS Office of Minority Health appeared first on The Arc.
By Pauline Bosma and James Meadours As people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) who are also survivors of sexual violence, or work with survivors, we face many challenges when trying to get good health care. We think it’s important to share our stories to help make things better for other people like us. We […]
The post Let’s Talk About Sexual Violence: Addressing Miscommunication, Inexperience, and Bias in Health Care appeared first on The Arc.
Barbara’s son Jake is a medically complex young adult living at home with his parents. Jake relies on Medicaid to provide the services he needs to be medically safe and supported at home, including continuous skilled nursing and personal care assistance (PCA). To be eligible for these services, Jake undergoes an annual assessment. This determines […]
The post Barbara Advocates for Her Son Jake Because His Life Depends on It appeared first on The Arc.
Washington, DC —Disability and aging groups were joined by Senator Bob Casey, care advocates, and nearly 500 activists from around the country for a Save Medicaid Online Rally on May 24. During the rally, attendees sent demands to Congress to stop any cuts to Medicaid, an essential program that 88 million Americans rely on for […]
The post Disability and Aging Groups Join Senator Bob Casey and Hundreds of Care Advocates for a Save Medicaid Online Rally appeared first on The Arc.
The Arc of Spokane empowers and supports parents of adults and kids with disabilities through their Parent to Parent program. In 2022, the chapter saw an opportunity to expand their support of parents of school-aged kids with disabilities by leveraging grant funding to provide scholarships to The Arc@School’s Advocacy Curriculum. The Advocacy Curriculum is a […]
The post The Arc of Spokane: Empowering Parents to Be Better Advocates at School and Beyond appeared first on The Arc.
Washington, DC, May 19, 2023 – From low expectations and a dire shortage of special educators to isolation and informal suspensions, a quality education is not easy to obtain for U.S. students with disabilities. Caregivers of children with disabilities must become experts at advocating for their children in order to get the support they need. […]
The post Special Education Is Complex. New Partnership Will Give Indiana and Maryland Families Free Support. appeared first on The Arc.
Students with disabilities disproportionately experience restraint and seclusion, practices that are not evidence-based and cause lasting trauma. Washington, DC, May 18, 2023 – Restraint and seclusion are traumatic, outdated, and ineffective discipline practices that are commonplace in schools throughout the country. Even though they have caused thousands of injuries and deaths, there are no federal […]
The post Schools Are Restraining and Secluding Students With Disabilities. New Bill Would Limit Practices. appeared first on The Arc.
Organizations Seek Emergency Relief to Ensure the Rights of Georgia Voters With Disabilities Are Protected in Time for the 2024 Elections Washington, DC – Voting and civil rights groups filed an emergency preliminary injunction motion seeking to lift restrictions in Georgia’s anti-voter law, S.B. 202, that target voters with disabilities. These S.B 202 provisions violate […]
The post Voting and Civil Rights Groups Challenge Inequity in Access to Voting Under Georgia Law appeared first on The Arc.
For Jennifer, home health nurses hold her family together. Nurses come to her home and care for her 11-year-old child’s medical needs. They help ensure that her child’s tracheostomy (a surgically created hole in his neck) and ventilator are both working so he can breathe. Because of this care, her child can experience his childhood […]
The post Private Duty Nursing Makes Community Living Possible: How You Can Help! appeared first on The Arc.
After graduating from high school and realizing college wasn’t the right path for her, Amy—who has a learning disability—knew she was ready to begin building her career. She started with typical jobs for young adults, working at Bath and Body Works and Giant Food for several years while taking classes at the local community college […]
The post When Small Talk With a Stranger Led to a Thriving Career: Amy’s Story appeared first on The Arc.
Navigating these complex and extreme benefit tests will be particularly difficult for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Today, the U.S. House of Representatives passed H.R. 2811, The Limit, Save, Grow Act of 2023, which includes radical new work requirements for Medicaid enrollees in exchange for lifting the debt ceiling. This Medicaid benefit test will […]
The post Medicaid Work Requirement in Debt Ceiling Bill Puts People With Disabilities at Grave Risk appeared first on The Arc.
Washington, DC & Philadelphia, PA, April 11, 2023 – Comcast today announced that it is expanding its partnership with The Arc of the United States to foster digital and advocacy skills in people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) and their families. The expansion comes in the form of Comcast providing two new grants to […]
The post Comcast & The Arc Partner To Expand Tech Training and Special Education Advocacy for People With Disabilities appeared first on The Arc.
By: The Arc’s Talk About Sexual Violence Project and The Rainbow Program How bias and discrimination impact survivors with developmental disabilities within the LGBTQIA+ community Survivors of sexual violence with developmental disabilities (DD) within the LGBTQIA+ community often experience bias and discrimination which impacts their access to services: There is a lack of sexuality education […]
The post Survivors of Sexual Violence with Developmental Disabilities in LGBTQ and Transgender Communities Speak Out appeared first on The Arc.
Right now, Congress must decide what to do about the debt ceiling. Congress’ decisions could have a BIG impact on people with disabilities and their families. What is the debt ceiling? The federal government regularly borrows money to pay for things. The debt ceiling is the largest amount of money the federal government can borrow […]
The post Why the Debt Ceiling Matters to People With Disabilities appeared first on The Arc.
WASHINGTON, DC, April 4, 2023 – The Arc is thrilled to announce that a grant from The Coca-Cola Foundation will help us empower families and students navigating the special education process, which continues to be a source of confusion and frustration for countless families across the country. Too often, students and their caregivers do not […]
The post The Arc and The Coca-Cola Foundation Renew Shared Commitment to Education Equity and Self-Determination appeared first on The Arc.
For nearly 75 years, The Arc has been on the frontlines of the disability advocacy movement, fighting for the issues that matter most to people with disabilities and their families. The Arc is a grassroots organization with nearly 600 state and local chapters, all pushing for the full inclusion of people with disabilities on the […]
The post Change Your World: Kick-Start Your Disability Advocacy With The Arc appeared first on The Arc.
The Arc is thrilled to announce it has once again received funding from AmeriCorps, an organization that has worked for decades to make service to others an indispensable part of the American experience. With this grant, The Arc will continue to build both of its inclusive volunteering national initiatives: Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of […]
The post The Arc Continues To Build Its National Inclusive Volunteering Programs appeared first on The Arc.
Today, twelve national organizations which filed an amicus brief in Perez v. Sturgis Public Schools offered congratulatory and supporting statements in light of the unanimous 9-0 decision of the U.S. Supreme Court (the Court) in support of plaintiff Miguel Perez. As recommended by disability advocates, the Court’s decision reverses the decision of the Court of […]
The post National Disability Rights Groups Applaud SCOTUS Decision in Perez v. Sturgis appeared first on The Arc.
People with disabilities and older adults want to live in their own homes and communities, and they deserve that right just like everyone else. Today, Sens. Bob Casey (D-PA), Chair of the Senate Aging Committee, Tim Kaine (D-VA), Sherrod Brown (D-OH), and Maggie Hassan (D-NH) along with Rep. Debbie Dingell (D-MI) introduced a critical bill […]
The post New Bill Would Advance Equity & Independence for Millions of Americans With Disabilities appeared first on The Arc.
With heavy hearts, and along with the entire disability community, we mourn the loss of Judy Heumann. Judy was the trailblazer of the disability rights movement. Her contributions as an activist, spokesperson, and federal official on the national and international stages created huge changes for people with all kinds of disabilities, impacting so many aspects […]
The post The Arc Mourns the Loss of Disability Rights Icon Judy Heumann appeared first on The Arc.
By Tyson from North Carolina Married people with disabilities often experience penalties that force the couple to give up necessary benefits. Congress must address marriage penalties so everyone has the chance to marry without endangering the key supports they need to live in the community. Tyson is one of the many people with disabilities who […]
The post For Tyson, Marriage Changed Everything – Including His SSI appeared first on The Arc.
The Arc’s Board of Directors has named Ruben Rodriguez, the organization’s Chief Operating Officer, as Acting CEO while it undertakes a national search for new leadership. Rodriguez joined The Arc in 2019, with nearly four decades of experience in operations and finance. He has an undergraduate degree in Accounting from Pace University, an MBA in […]
The post The Arc Announces Acting CEO Named Amidst Leadership Transition appeared first on The Arc.
WASHINGTON, DC – Neli Latson’s story of unjust prosecution and abuse in the criminal legal system was heard at the White House today, bringing attention to the need for better treatment of people with disabilities in interactions with law enforcement. Latson was invited to speak with high level government officials during a Black History Month […]
The post Disability Justice Advocate Neli Latson Joins White House Black History Month Event 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.
Isaac has autism and mental health disabilities. Isaac sometimes gets very focused on certain things and struggles to adjust or focus on other things. To help him in school, his parents made a 504 plan for him so that teachers and other staff at the school would know how to support and redirect him safely. […]
The post School Should Be a Safe Place for Students, but Isaac Was Assaulted appeared first on The Arc.
Ellen Feldman has a passion for increasing research in the intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) field and continuing her ongoing advocacy in that arena. She currently serves as the Central Region Vice President for The Arc New York, and as a member of the Board of Governors and Executive Committee. So, what inspires Ellen to […]
The post A Genetics Journey To Support What’s Possible in Life appeared first on The Arc.
As COVID-19 rapidly spread across the U.S. in March 2020, Congress declared a public health emergency and passed legislation that gave states more money for Medicaid if they met certain requirements. One of the main requirements was that people would be able to keep their Medicaid health care during the COVID-19 public health emergency. As […]
The post Get Ready for Medicaid Renewals in 2023 appeared first on The Arc.
WASHINGTON, DC – As the public learns more about the killing of Tyre Nichols, The Arc stands in solidarity with his family and friends. “Yet again, the nation watches another video exposing police violence against a Black man after a traffic stop. We are horrified to witness the brutalization of an unarmed man. Tyre had […]
The post Statement on the Killing of Tyre Nichols appeared first on The Arc.
Today, Senator Bob Casey (D-PA) introduced a landmark piece of legislation to invest in the country’s care economy and make important improvements to Medicaid home and community-based services (HCBS). The care workforce is a vital part of community living and inclusion for people with disabilities—and yet the system that supports it continues to be underfunded […]
The post A Recommitment to Care with the Introduction of the Better Care Better Jobs Act appeared first on The Arc.
The Arc’s Board of Directors announces today that its Chief Executive Officer, Peter Berns, will be leaving the organization upon expiration of his contract in February. Since 2008, Peter has been at the helm of The Arc, the world’s largest community-based organization of and for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) and their families. […]
The post The Arc Announces Departure of Longtime CEO and Leadership Transition appeared first on The Arc.
Finding love is something many of us hope for, including people with disabilities. Lauren and Scott met while they were participating in programming at Favarh (The Arc of Farmington Valley). At first, they forged a strong friendship, but as the years went on, their relationship eventually blossomed into love. Now married and living together independently, […]
The post From Friendship to Lifelong Love: Scott and Lauren’s Journey appeared first on The Arc.
Medicaid is the nation’s primary health insurance program for people with disabilities, but it is so much more than health care. For individuals with disabilities and their families, Medicaid also funds vital supports to keep them in their communities. People with disabilities who are eligible for Medicaid often live in or near poverty. They rely […]
The post Using Medicaid Is Complicated: That Hurts People With Disabilities appeared first on The Arc.
Carlos is 32 years old, lives in Maryland, and has cerebral palsy. His life has been filled with obstacles, but despite all that he has faced, he’s remained determined to achieve his dreams. Carlos was born in Ecuador, where the landscape of disability services was far scarcer, and discrimination far worse. They did not have […]
The post Despite Obstacles, Carlos Is Determined To Pursue His Dreams appeared first on The Arc.
As Congress wrapped its work for the year, disability advocates pushed for progress on a variety of priorities. Congress has now passed a package that includes some important victories but leaves others out. One of the biggest wins is an extension of the Money Follows the Person program, which helps people transition out of institutions […]
The post Congress’s End of Year Legislation Includes Disability Priorities, and Leaves Unfinished Business appeared first on The Arc.
For people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD), digital access and skills are a critical component of gaining independence. In 2022, The Arc and Comcast NBCUniversal once again teamed up to open digital doors for and with people with IDD. The Arc and Comcast have a long-standing partnership to do this work. The Arc’s national […]
The post Powerful Partnership Leads to Change: Comcast NBCUniversal and The Arc Continue to Make a Difference Through Digital Skills Training appeared first on The Arc.
By Zoe in Colorado I was born with spinal muscular atrophy, a developmental neuromuscular disease that affects every muscle in my body. My entire life, I’ve relied on someone else to do even the most basic care for me. At some point in my childhood, I was placed on a Medicaid waiver in Colorado. It […]
The post Lack of Medicaid Portability Restricts Life Choices for Zoe and Other Americans With Disabilities appeared first on The Arc.
As we grieve yet another mass shooting tragedy in the U.S., thoughts and prayers are not enough. We are heartbroken by the continued harassment, hateful legislation, and exclusion of LGBTQ+ individuals that led to the shooting at Club Q in Colorado Springs, Colorado on Sunday. Enough is enough. Everyone deserves the same respect, opportunities, and […]
The post Enough Is Enough. Our Statement on the Club Q Tragedy. appeared first on The Arc.
This week, The Arc of the United States joined eleven national disability rights organizations in filing an amicus brief in the U.S. Supreme Court. The amici are asking the U.S. Supreme Court to protect students with disabilities and ensure that families of these students are able to pursue the full range of civil rights remedies […]
The post National Disability Rights Groups File Amicus in Perez v. Sturgis appeared first on The Arc.
This year we are facing a triple threat for flu season: the flu, Covid-19, and Respiratory Syncytial Virus Infection (RSV). RSV is a viral respiratory infection that usually causes cold-like symptoms. Hospitals are currently seeing an alarming increase in pediatric cases of RSV and some are becoming overwhelmed by the surge. According to research published […]
The post It’s Flu Season: Are You Ready? appeared first on The Arc.
