Today, marks the 28th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). The ADA affirms the rights of citizens with disabilities by prohibiting discrimination in employment, public services, public accommodations and services operated by private entities, and telecommunications. It is a wide-ranging law intended to make our society accessible to people with disabilities. “Today we […]
July 16-20, 2018 is National Disability Voter Registration Week (NDVRW)! The REV UP Campaign, organized by the American Association of People with Disabilities, coordinates NDVRW each year to get people with disabilities registered to vote, educated about the upcoming election, and ready to cast their ballots. REV UP stands for Register! Educate! Vote! Use Your […]
People living with mental health disabilities and/or intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD) are disproportionately represented in contacts with law enforcement and other first responders, as well as in every part of the criminal justice system, including jails and prisons. While people with I/DD comprise 2 to 3 percent of the general population, they represent 4 […]
Earlier this month, the Trump administration rescinded guidance the Department of Education provides to colleges, universities and K-12 schools on how they can use race and ethnic background in admissions decisions to promote diversity. The Arc has released the following statement in response to the Trump Administration’s actions: “This is the latest of a series […]
Yesterday, the Trump Administration announced funding cuts to programs that assist people enrolling in health insurance. It would result in severe cuts to the Navigator program totaling more than $25 million. Specifically, the funding cuts would decrease the program budget from $36.8 million this year to $10 million in 2019. Health Care Navigators provide in […]
Welcome to The Arc Family! Can you tell us a little bit about your background, and what drove you to become involved with the disability sector? I have worked in social justice the entirety of my career, and I can’t imagine not being involved in social justice. I can’t think of a better organization that […]
Washington, DC – Today, the United States Senate passed its version of the “Farm Bill” (Manager’s Amendment to the House version of the 2018 Agriculture and Nutrition Act), a bill to reauthorize farm programs and policy as well as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). “We applaud the United States Senate for its bipartisan work […]
Critical Consumer Protections Missing, Potentially Impacting Affordability of Other Plans On June 19th, the Employee Benefits Security Administration of the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) announced a final rule on Association Health Plans (AHPs), finalizing the DOL’s proposed rule released on January 5, 2018. AHPs allow groups of small business to band together and purchase […]
#HandsOff is a series on The Arc Blog. Each month, we feature a story from individuals and families across The Arc’s network about how some of today’s key policy issues impact their day to day lives. By: Rachna Heizer, Member of The Arc of Northern Virginia I am the mother of Jake, a 16 year […]
Washington, DC – Washington, D.C. – Today, The U.S. Supreme Court declined to grant review of Dassey v. Dittman. Brendan Dassey, a young man with social, learning, and developmental disabilities, was a central figure in Netflix’s smash docuseries, Making a Murderer. He was sentenced to life in prison at the age of 16 after conviction for first-degree homicide, rape, and […]