Advocacy may sound difficult, but it’s not!
Get signed up for Action Alerts by clicking here. Watch our Facebook page and Twitter accounts for even more information. Attend Virtual Advocacy Days each week during Legislative Session to learn about Hot Topics, then connect with your legislators! Submit your picture for the You Know Me… Campaign (email Diana@arcwa.org for more info).
The 2023 Advocacy Public Policy Agenda
The Arc’s vision is for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) to be valued members of their communities with the opportunity to realize their full potential and a future that is secure.
To view the agenda click here.
Help everyone with IDD get services!
Watch This! Take Action! #MedicaidCantWait
Want to advocate, but don’t know where to start?
Do you wish you knew how to make your voice heard?
Have you got just a few minutes?
Watch this short video to find out how easy it can be to get involved!
See an example of how a mom made her voice heard here:
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GRASSROOTS ADVOCACY
The Arc of Washington State strives to help every individual with an intellectual and/or developmental disability (I/DD) and their family members to have opportunities to provide input to policy-makers in our state. Click here to find out who represents you.
The Arc partners with many other groups such as self-advocates in Self Advocates in Leadership (SAIL), People First of Washington and Allies in Advocacy. Parents of both children and adults connect through Parent to Parent, Parent Coalitions and local chapters of The Arc. The Community Advocacy Coalition is another avenue for statewide partnerships with self-advocates, parents, providers of community services essential to people with developmental disabilities, and other advocates including Community Residential Services Association (CRSA), Community Employment Alliance (CEA), Disability Rights Washington (DRW).
The state legislature provides the funding for many supports and services for children and adults with I/DD through agencies such as the Developmental Disabilities Administration (DDA), Early Support for Infants and Toddlers (ESIT), the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI), Division of Vocational Rehabilitation (DVR) and Aging and Long-Term Services Administration (ALTSA).
Most of the services offered through DDA are funded in partnership with the federal Medicaid program through the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid (CMS). Unfortunately, only two programs are an entitlement, meaning that if an individual meets the qualification criteria, the state must provide the services. One of the programs is Community First Choice which offers personal care services such as assistance with bathing, feeding, dressing, toileting and other necessary Activities of Daily Living (ADL). The other program is placement in an Intermediate Care Facility (ICF), which are part of the state’s institutions for people with I/DD called Residential Habilitation Centers (RHC).
The vast majority of the estimated 117,000 people in our state who have I/DD live at home, most of them with their families. The services they most need and want, such as respite, residential services, employment supports and more are not entitlements and are funded only if the Legislature chooses each year to fund services for SOME of them. More than 13,000 people, who qualify for services, are on what is called the “No Paid Services” caseload, many who have been waiting for years to receive services.
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