Action Alerts
Your help is needed to make the National Forum on Disability a success
Recent Major Events
Save the Children releases Report Card on Vulnerability of Children in Disasters, Highlights Chapter of The Arc
Thousands of child care facilities in 27 states are not required to specifically account for infants, toddlers, or children with disabilities or those with access and functional needs in their disaster preparedness plans, according to a new national survey by Save the Children. The fifth annual National Report Card on Protecting Children During Disasters grades all 50 states and the District of Columbia on four basic disaster preparedness and safety standards for children in child care and schools. To meet these critical benchmarks, states must require all regulated childcare settings to have written plans for evacuation and relocation, for family reunification following an emergency, as well as a specific plan to assist children with disabilities and those children with access and functional needs. States must also require all K-12 schools to have a written plan accounting for a variety of different disasters and emergencies. This year’s report found that while 17 states now meet all four basic preparedness standards; 33 states and the District of Columbia still do not.
Save the Children’s report highlights the success of an employee of
The Arc of Prince George’s County, Judy Tribby, who works at the YMCA inclusive child care center, in Bowie, MD. This center is a collaboration with The Arc of Prince George’s County. Judy has been instrumental in ensuring that emergency plans in place at the center take into account every need of the children with disabilities. Her work paid off in August 2011, during the East Coast earthquake.
To learn more about Judy’s work and to see how your state stacks up on protecting kids, and to read the full report, visit
www.savethechildren.org/disaster-report.
Affordable Care Act – California First State To Receive Approval for Services Under Community First Choice Option
California will be the first State to receive new federal Medicaid funding from the Community First Choice (CFC) Option in the Affordable Care Act, according to an announcement made today by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Acting Administrator Marilyn Tavenner. The CFC Option is a new Medicaid State plan option which allows States to provide broadly-defined home and community-based attendant services to certain Medicaid beneficiaries who would otherwise need nursing facility or other institutional services. States choosing to participate receive a 6 percentage point increase in their federal medical assistance percentage (FMAP) for services provided under this option. California will receive an estimated $258 million dollars for the first year of implementation, and $315 million for the second year. The increased funding is available as long as the option is included as a benefit in the State’s Medicaid program.
Announcements
Congressional Schedule
The United States Senate and the House of Representatives will be in recess until September 10 for district work periods and the national political party conventions.
The Arc’s 2012 National Convention – Early Registration Extended
Now you have more time to register and save up to $100 off the regular registration rate.
You don’t want to miss the incredible slate of
informative sessions and enlightening speakers we have on tap for you in Washington, D.C. October 25-28. Plus, we’re partnering with Inclusion International to bring a global perspective to the question of what it really means to live and be included in the community for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
Even if you can’t attend the entire conference,
one-day and special event tickets are available at lower rates, so register now. To learn more about the
program check out our website and
register today!
