Dear Advocates,
Please take action right now – before Thursday afternoon!
The Massachusetts House will debate a primary care bill, and this may be our last opportunity for this legislative session to advance two of The Arc’s priorities.
We are asking that you urge your Representatives to support these amendments:
- Healthcare Standards (Amendment 16) – improving healthcare standards and provider training for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) and autism.
- Tommy’s Law (Amendment 31) – strengthening hospital discharge procedures and ensuring residential providers receive the information and training needed to safely care for individuals who rely on life-saving medical equipment.
The Healthcare Standards amendment is incredibly important. People with autism and IDD experience significantly poorer health outcomes, lower life expectancy, and greater barriers to receiving quality healthcare than the general population. Too many healthcare professionals receive little formal training on caring for patients with disabilities, leading to delayed diagnosis, communication barriers, and inequitable care. This amendment would establish statewide standards of care, improve provider education and training, strengthen diagnostic practices, and create a stakeholder advisory committee to help people with disabilities receive the healthcare that they deserve.
The Tommy’s Law amendment was inspired by the tragic death of Tommy, a young man whose seizure monitor was left without power following a hospital discharge. This amendment would prevent similar tragedies from occurring by strengthening discharge planning and training requirements.
This could be our last chance to move these bills before the end of the legislative session.
Please contact your State Representative today and urge them to support these amendments when the House healthcare bill comes to the floor.
