The finish line is in sight, and we need you to keep up the advocacy momentum.
On July 31, this formal legislative session in Massachusetts will conclude and we need your help to make sure we finish strong. What happens over the next few weeks is important to secure the future of funding and opportunities for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities, their families, and the workforce behind crucial services and supports.
We have already seen incredible engagement on our recent action alerts – thank you!
- Over 1,000 letters were sent to urge the budget Conference Committee to support our priorities aimed at strengthening funding and protecting services.
- Over 950 letters were sent to urge the House and Senate Ways and Means Committees to prioritize The Arc’s Healthcare Standards bill which ensures that people with autism and/or IDD have access to high quality healthcare.
- And in just 3 days, over 400 of you took action for our Healthcare Standards amendment to be included in the Senate’s primary care reform bill!
We need to keep up this momentum and continue to show what these issues mean to our community. If you have not already taken action, or if you can share these alerts with your networks, now is the time to keep the pressure on.
Visit The Arc’s Action Center to send your message today!
Our Final Priority Bills
We are pushing to advance critical pieces of legislation over the finish line in these final weeks. Here are the bills that still need our collective advocacy:
- Nicky’s Law Expansion: Expands the abuse registry to protect individuals in MassHealth-funded day habilitation programs. This bill passed through the Senate and is currently before the House.
- Healthcare Standards: Develops standards of care and training opportunities for medical providers to improve their ability to treat, diagnose, and care for patients with IDD and autism.
- Turning 22: We secured critical language in the Senate budget to establish the key stakeholder Commission called for in this bill and are working to ensure that that provision is in the final budget.
- Universal Changing Tables: Requires adjustable, adult capacity changing tables in public buildings, which will remove barriers so that individuals with significant disabilities and their families are able to fully participate in society.
- Supported Decision-Making: Develops a framework to formally recognize supported decision-making as an alternative to guardianship because individuals deserve the opportunity to make their own decisions about healthcare, finances, and more.
Help Us Finish Strong
Now is the time to take action and make a difference for this community. Here is what you can do:
- Visit The Arc’s Action Center to send your own message and share our action alerts with your network.
- Visit the Massachusetts legislature website to find your Representative or Senator’s contact information to email or call them about any other bills that are important to you.
- If you already sent an alert, follow up with your legislator’s office by calling or emailing the office and sharing why these issues matter to your family. Learn more about how to follow up here.
- Sign up here for The Arc’s newsletter and stay up to date on our advocacy and the legislative session.
