Resources
5/22/2020
Building Relationships with Members of Congress
Requesting a meeting with your Member of Congress and their staff is now different virtually. Use these tools to request and set up a meeting to do policy education with your congressional delegation.
5/22/2020
Policy Definitions
Definitions for words found in Disability Policy News
3/31/2020
Doyle Smith Letter on Autism Services in COVID-19
Doyle Smith Letter on Autism Services in COVID-19 March 2020
2020-03-21 Doyle Smith Letter on Autism Services in COVID19 Package.pdf
[download]
9/25/2019
Joint Statement from Members of the Disability Community and Allies on Gun Violence Prevention Policy and Mental Health Disabilities
All Americans, including people with disabilities, have a civil right to live in their communities and not be segregated or imprisoned simply because they have a disability. Building more institutions, as the Administration proposes, unjustly threatens the civil rights and freedom of people with mental health disabilities while doing nothing to reduce gun violence in this country.
Joint Statement
[download]
3/22/2019
Inclusive Higher Education Committee - Letter & Chart
4/19/2018
2018 Congressional Autism Caucus
Learn about the members of the Autism Caucus, which was founded by Representatives Mike Doyle (PA) and Chris Smith (NJ) who also Co-Chair the Coalition for Autism Research and Education ("CARE" or "Autism Caucus"), the first-ever Congressional Membership Organization dedicated to autism advocacy on Capitol Hill.
9/15/2017
AUCD Summary of the Senate Appropriations Committee
L-HHS-ED Bill for FY 2018
On September 7, the Senate Appropriations Committee completed its mark-up of the FY 2018 Labor-HHS-Education appropriations bill and voted to report out the bill by a vote of 31-1 with Sen. James Lankford (R-Okla) casting the sole "nay" vote. The House Appropriations Committee completed its work on July 19 (see links to bill and summary). Attached is a summary of how the bill impacts the AUCD network and other priorities of the disability community, along with a detailed table comparing the House and Senate bills with the President�s budget and FY 2017.
7/13/2017
Improving Access to Higher Education Act
A bill summary and fact sheet are available for the Improving Access to Higher Education Act, which would amend the Higher Education Act (HEA) to improve college access and completion for students with disabilities.
4/19/2017
Advances in Accessibility through PARCC and Smarter Balanced
This document, produced by the Center for American Progress (CAP) reviews progress in promoting accessible education that has been achieved through the work of PARCC and Smarter Balanced.
3/22/2017
AUCD signs Supreme Court Amicus Brief in Endrew v. Douglas County School District
AUCD signed an amicus brief filed by the National Disability Rights Network (NDRN) in the Endrew case, in which the Supreme Court issued a ruling affirming IDEA protections for students with disabilities.
3/8/2017
ACA Facts
The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010 (better known as the Affordable Care Act or simply the ACA) has faced skepticism and criticism from many, but few Americans truly understand what is in the law. This landmark health reform law contains many provisions that will help ensure accessible, comprehensive, affordable, non-discriminatory coverage for consumers, especially people with disabilities. Here, AUCD offers facts about the law and its implementation.
3/6/2017
5 Key Questions: Medicaid Block Grants & Per Capita Cap
from http://kff.org
Medicaid provides health and long-term care coverage to more than 70 million low-income children, pregnant women, adults, seniors, and people with disabilities in the United States. The program represents $1 out of every $6 spent on health care in the US and is the major source of financing for states to provide coverage to meet the health and long-term needs of their low-income residents.
3/6/2017
A 50-State Look at Medicaid Expansion
One of the most important provisions of the Affordable Care Act is the expansion of health coverage to low-income families through the Medicaid program. Here are basic facts about where states stand on Medicaid expansion, along with a brief analysis of states to watch.
3/6/2017
ACA Repeal: What's at Stake for Women's Medicaid Coverage
from http://nwlc.org
Health insurance coverage is key to women's well-being and economic stability. Thanks to the Affordable Care Act (ACA, also known as "Obamacare") millions of women, including working women, who did not have health insurance before are now able to get coverage through Medicaid. Medicaid coverage is important to enrollees' access to care, overall health, and economic security, yet the program is under threat.
3/6/2017
Analysis shows Medicaid block grants and per capita caps could result in state budget gaps
from http://avalere.com
New research from Avalere finds that moving to capped payments in Medicaid' either by block grants or per capita caps' could dramatically reduce federal spending on the program. According to the Avalere analysis block grants would result in $150 billion less in federal Medicaid spending over five years, while per capita caps would save the federal government $110 billion over five years.
3/6/2017
Can President Trump's executive order unravel the Affordable Care Act?
As promised, newly inaugurated President Donald Trump issued an executive order directing members of his administration to take steps that will facilitate the repeal and replacement of the Affordable Care Act, a.k.a. Obamacare. Is this a big deal? It depends.
