The Arc of Massachusetts Government Affairs Team supports The Arc’s mission by advocating for legislation and other governmental policies and practices on a state and federal level to assure a full array of quality services and supports and the protection of human rights of persons who have intellectual and/or developmental disabilities (IDD), including autism.
Government Affairs Committee
Government Affairs Mission
Information
Membership
All interested individuals are welcome to join our Government Affairs Committee. Each chapter of The Arc is asked to send a representative. We also encourage human service agencies, other organizations and individuals to participate. Please contact Charlie Fiske for more information on joining the Committee.
Meeting Schedule
Zoom Meetings take place on the first Monday of the month from 10:00am to 11:30am. View The Arc’s events calendar for more information and important dates.
Current Members
The current list of Government Affairs Committee members, as well as their bios including professional and personal backgrounds, can be found here.
Government Affairs Committee
- Advocate for budget and legislative goals which advance the lives of individuals with disabilities and/or their families
- Advocate for changes in services to increase consumer driven supports
- Be knowledgeable about and respond in concert with The Arc, when appropriate, to federal governmental issues
- Maintain and expand list of statewide legislative contacts to provide means for promoting the Committee’s agenda with elected officials
- Expand the GA Committee, encouraging chapters of The Arc and other organizations to send a representative.
- Recommend priority issues each year
- Recommend supported issues each year
- Select priority issues each year;
- Select supported issues each year;
- Maintain and expand list of statewide legislative contacts to provide means for promoting the Committee’s agenda with elected officials;
- Advocate for changes in services to increase consumer driven supports;
- Be knowledgeable about and respond in concert with The Arc, when appropriate, to federal governmental issues;
- Expand the GA Committee, encouraging chapters of The Arc to send a representative.
- Develop strategies and material to influence legislators
- Organize visits to the State House
- Visit chapters of The Arcs and other agencies to encourage their participation in legislative advocacy
- Ensure that all important information about legislation, state budgets, plans and policy changes of the administration, DDS and other state agencies is discussed, evaluated and shared with Steering Committee on Policy and Advocacy and The Arc Mass Board of Directors, chapters of The Arcs, human service providers and interested members of the public
- Plan and participate with the Massachusetts Developmental Disabilities Council in the Annual Legislative Reception
- Testify on bills when needed
- Offer regional advocacy training sessions
- Periodically, Government Affairs Committee in conjunction with the Steering Committee of The Arc will host a survey or special forum with constituents and organizations to gather input on policy priorities, present and future.
