Cassie is a mother, former educator, and co-founder of Michigan Advocates to End Seclusion and Restraint (EndSaR). She is a passionate advocate against the use of seclusion and restraint in schools, fueled by a lifetime of personal and professional experiences with these practices, which she hopes others can learn from. Cassie’s first experience with seclusion […]
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When her seven-year-old son was in first grade, Michigan mom Amanda got an unexpected call from the new school principal. Her son, who has autism, had kicked the principal—and Amanda was being asked to keep her son home from school the next day. A strong advocate for her son, Amanda agreed but asked the school […]
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By Terri from Massachusetts Fifteen years ago, within days of being born, we learned that our son had Down syndrome. This sent us into a flurry of information gathering, advocacy, and more. One of the first pieces of advice other parents gave us was to sign up for Medicaid to help with expenses, including daylong […]
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By Bob from New Jersey Medicaid saved my daughters’ lives, and I am eternally grateful for it. Annika and Maya were born 19 years ago with significant developmental disabilities and complex medical issues. Medicaid gave us easy access to one of the best children’s hospitals in the world, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP), which is […]
The post Medicaid Saved Bob’s Daughters’ Lives but Also Creates Constant Struggles appeared first on The Arc.

If testers are stripped of standing, the result will be less private enforcement of the ADA, a less accessible society, and the continued exclusion of people with disabilities from community life. Washington, DC – Eighteen leading disability advocacy organizations have filed a “friend-of-the-court” brief in the U.S. Supreme Court in Acheson Hotels v. Laufer, a […]
The post Amicus Brief Filed in U.S. Supreme Court Case Emphasizes Importance of Testers to ADA Enforcement appeared first on The Arc.

For 33 years, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) has protected the civil rights of people with disabilities. We recently talked to disability rights lawyer Sean Pevsner about why the ADA matters and why there’s still so much to do to see its full promise fulfilled. Sean founded a law firm with his best friend, […]
The post The ADA’s Promise Must Still Be Realized: A Conversation With Sean Pevsner appeared first on The Arc.

For some, August can be a time for camping trips, beach days, and other fun summer activities. But for members of Congress, August signals the start of Congressional Recess. During August recess, U.S. senators and representatives leave Washington, DC, and travel to their home states and districts to begin a fast-paced schedule of constituent meetings, […]
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“It’s like a tornado has devastated us. But no one is coming to help.” By Grace from New York I have twin sons who have autism spectrum disorder and intellectual and developmental disabilities. One of my sons has significant needs and needs to attend a full-care and full-supervision day program. He graduated from high school in […]
The post The Pandemic’s Devastation Continues for Many Families appeared first on The Arc.

There has never been a more influential and monumental moment in disability rights than when the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) passed in 1990. This legislation transformed the lives of millions of people with disabilities and continues to pave the way for anti-discrimination and accessibility. One of the lead Senate sponsors of the ADA, Senator […]
The post The Arc’s Statement on the Passing of Senator Lowell Weicker, Jr. appeared first on The Arc.

As parents of adult children with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) grow older, they may face concerns about what their child’s life will look like when they are no longer able to provide care. Certain questions become important and can be agonizing to think about, such as: How will my child’s life change when I’m […]
The post Roy’s Fight to Keep His Three Adult Sons at Home and Out of Institutions appeared first on The Arc.