Each year, The Arc joins with other organizations to host a Disability Policy Seminar (DPS partners listed here) during which family members and staff visit D.C. to talk to their Senators, Representatives, and/or their aides on Capitol Hill. Typically, we visit with health or related policy staff in each office and often meet with some of our elected officials.
Our state group is blended with a large Boston Childrens’-UMASS contingent and some colleagues from Shriver/UMMC. MDDC and MASS joined us as well. Senator Ed Markey and Congressman Bill Keating met with us in person as they often do.
Key priorities focused on lifeline programs such as Medicaid and the Social Security program. Examples of bills in play include the Autism Cares Act, reauthorization of the Higher Education Act, the ABLE adjustment act (extended eligibility from age 26 to 46 years), and the Social Security 2100 Act to extend solvency and make benefit improvements.
You can find fact sheets from the 2019 Disability Policy Seminar here, and check out some great photos from our time in DC below.