Dear Advocates,
Thank you again for the great response to our workforce legislation and community training bills – over 1,200 letters have been sent to Representatives and Senators asking them to co-sponsor and support these important bills.
We are now asking for you to send another alert for our top priority refiles – these are bills that have continued to be of the highest priority to our community and have passed through committees in past sessions, but have not made it past the finish line.
Your communication with your lawmakers is getting them engaged in our issues, please continue to reach out and take action for our priority refiles. The Action Alert will take you just 2 minutes to complete.
You can see the full language of each bill, the bill sponsors, and the docket numbers here: www.thearcofmass.org/advocacy/bills.
If you have any questions regarding these bills, please reach out to Maura Sullivan, Senior Director of Government Affairs and Health Policy, at Sullivan@arcmass.org.
Refiled Priority Bills
An Act to Expand Nicky’s Law to Day Habilitation Programs
An Act updating Nicky’s Law to protect individuals with disabilities in MassHealth day habilitation programs
HD424 SD1905
Representative Josh Cutler, Senator Mike Moore
This bill will require MassHealth Day Habilitation providers to use the abuse registry. This expands the protections of Nicky’s Law to those in MassHealth Day Habilitation
Cueing and Supervision for PCA program
An Act relative to cueing and supervision in the PCA program
HD1926 SD283
Representative James O’Day, Senator Joan Lovely
This bill will require the allowance of cueing and supervision, in the PCA program, as a covered service for those eligible members who need it.
Accessory Housing Units for People with Disabilities
An Act relative to accessory dwelling units
HD377 SD640
Representative Christine Barber, Senator Bruce Tarr
This bill will allow the creation of accessory dwelling units for people with disabilities and older adults with an allowance for the owner occupier to be a special needs trust.
ABA MassHealth for Adults
An Act ensuring equal access to medical treatments essential for people with a developmental disability, intellectual disability, or autism
HD376 SD2101
Representative Christine Barber, Senator John Keenan
This bill will require MassHealth to cover applied behavior analysis services for adults with autism and intellectual and developmental disabilities, where ABA is a medical necessity. Also included language for Assistive Technology coverage.
