We hosted the country’s first bipartisan DD legislative symposium last week

/in /by Stacy Dym

Last week was an historic week in Washington. Despite the news swirling around us about the federal government’s proposed catastrophic cuts to Medicaid, our team was proud to gather with dozens of legislators from Washington and across the country, including North Carolina, Iowa, Arizona, Arkansas, Utah, Alaska, West Virginia, Georgia, Nevada, Kansas, Florida, and Idaho. Together, we sat down to start an essential national conversation about what comes next for policy impacting the care and treatment of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) and their families.

Representative Jamila Taylor from Federal Way (the 30th legislative district) led the way as the co-host of our three-day gathering. Together, we pulled off the first bipartisan national Developmental Disabilities Legislative Symposium right here in Washington state. Our goal in gathering together was to identify opportunities for states to take responsibility for the IDD community within the context of the federal government’s actions. After two days of legislator discussions and presentations from national experts, Washington elected officials were joined on the third day by a large contingent of IDD community members – including  state agency staff, community leaders from the Community Advocacy Coalition, and local thought-leaders – for a deeper dive into local policy questions and round-table conversations.

“This week we established a national working cohort of legislators who will prioritize people with intellectual and developmental disabilities and their families,” said Representative Jamila Taylor in a press release about the symposium. Representative Taylor was the symposium co-host, is the chair of the bipartisan Developmental Disability (DD) Advocacy Caucus in the Washington state legislature, and is the twin sibling to her brother who has a developmental disability.

“With our national debate about the role of Medicaid and state responsibilities coming to heightened levels, Washington state’s DD Advocacy Caucus is leading the national conversation about how we can collectively call out systemically ableist, arbitrary, and oppressive policies that keep people with IDD and their families from thriving.  I am proud of the work we’ve done and am ready to move this cohort and our country forward from talk into action.”

In the coming weeks, we will have even more to share about the outcomes of our community discussions. In the meantime, I’d like to invite you to take a look at the presentation slides from our presenters and check out the photo gallery at this link.

Check out the Symposium presentations and photo gallery

CLICK HERE

A group of approximately 50 adults gathered for a group photo and smiling at the camera

This kind of gathering of community members and elected officials is an essential part of the democratic process. In order to ensure that we are building solutions that center the humanity of people with IDD, we must first start by sharing our stories and creating space for authentic connection and dialogue. I look forward to working alongside our legislative champions to address the community’s top priority issues in 2026 and beyond.

Thank you for standing alongside us as supporters of The Arc.

In community,

Stacy Dym

A group of approximately 50 adults gathered for a group photo and smiling at the camera

Washington State hosts first bipartisan national Developmental Disabilities Legislative Symposium

/in , /by Stacy Dym

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

June 18, 2025

CONTACT: Stacy Dym, stacy@arcwa.org, Executive Director of The Arc of Washington State

 

Washington State hosts first bipartisan national Developmental Disabilities Legislative Symposium

SEATTLE, WA – Washington state Representative Jamila Taylor (D-30) convened state legislators from across the country in Seattle June 11-13, for the first bipartisan national Developmental Disabilities Legislative Symposium. Legislators worked together over three days to address critical federal and state-level policies impacting the care and treatment of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) and their families across the country. The symposium was coordinated by The Arc of Washington State.

“This week we established a national working cohort of legislators who will prioritize people with intellectual and developmental disabilities and their families,” said Representative Jamila Taylor, symposium co-host, chair of the bipartisan Developmental Disability (DD) Advocacy Caucus in the Washington state legislature, and the twin sibling to her brother who has a developmental disability. “With our national debate about the role of Medicaid and state responsibilities coming to heightened levels, Washington state’s DD Advocacy Caucus is leading the national conversation about how we can collectively call out systemically ableist, arbitrary, and oppressive policies that keep people with IDD and their families from thriving.  I am proud of the work we’ve done and am ready to move this cohort and our country forward from talk into action.”

On Friday, June 13th, the third day of the symposium, members of the Washington IDD community were invited to join legislators for a day of roundtable conversations. Attendees discussed strategies for addressing gaps in services, storytelling for policy change, housing options, technology access, and how to meet the needs of people with IDD from diverse cultural backgrounds.

The symposium was coordinated by The Arc of Washington State, the state’s oldest grassroots advocacy organization representing people with IDD and their families. “This kind of gathering of community members and elected officials is an essential part of the democratic process,” said Stacy Dym, Executive Director of The Arc of Washington State. “In order to ensure that we are building solutions that center the humanity of people with IDD, we must first start by sharing our stories and creating space for authentic connection and dialogue. I look forward to working alongside our legislative champions to address the community’s top priority issues in 2026 and beyond.”

Representative Darya Farivar (D-46), a founding member of the Developmental Disability Advocacy Caucus, supported the logistics of the symposium. “It was a privilege to gather with so many dedicated community members and legislators to discuss issues and strategies to strengthen a responsive, community-based, person-centered system of care,” said Representative Farivar. “This gathering was an opportunity to celebrate the resilience and permanence of disability identities, the influence of cultures, and knowledge systems which have shaped and continue to impact our care systems at large. Now, we must work together to protect the civil rights and essential, life-saving services for people with IDD.”

Although DD Advocacy caucus member Representative Stephanie Barnard (R-8) was unable to attend in person, she welcomed the symposium’s attendees with a short video: “We are finally building a cohort that is dedicated to prioritizing the IDD community,” she told to legislators gathered. “Events like this create transformational change. This issue transcends party lines because we feel this to our core. Our community as a whole will benefit from our collective focus on people with developmental disabilities. Why are inclusive societies so strong? Because we’re better together.”

About The Arc of Washington State

In 1936, The Arc of Washington State was formed by parents of institutionalized children with intellectual/developmental disabilities (IDD) who believed their children deserved more – to be included in their communities and to pursue fulfillment and happiness just like everyone else. The Arc has played a pivotal role in changing the public perception of disability and demanding better opportunities for every child’s future. The Arc’s mission is to promote and protect the human rights of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities and actively support their full inclusion and participation in the community throughout their lifetimes.

Learn more about The Arc of Washington State at arcwa.org.

###