Public Policy
AUCD advocates for a number of legislative issues that are critical to individuals with disabilities and their families. Legislative priority issues are developed bi-annually by the AUCD Legislative Affairs Committee and Board of Directors. Priority issues are based on the Association's vision and mission as well as input from the entire Network, including individuals with disabilities and their families.
Please visit AUCD’s Health Care Hub, an online gateway designed to provide technical assistance and information about the current state of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA aka Obamacare) and Medicaid.
New in Policy
6/25/2018
Grassroots Advocacy Strategies in the State of Maine (ME LEND)
The Maine LEND Program hosted an Advocacy and Strategy Forum on April 27, 2018, in Lewiston, Maine. LEND Trainee, Kim Humphrey, a public health advocate, founder of Community Connect ME, and mother of a child with autism, led the charge with key decision makers who work with and/or have children with Intellectual Developmental Disabilities (I/DD) in the state. State Senator Shenna Bellows and former Maine State Legislator Peter Stuckey led one key aspect of the Strategy Forum. Speakers and presenters also included University of Maine professor and Center for Community Inclusion and Disability Studies Director, Alan Cobo-Lewis; LEND trainee and occupational therapist, Taylor Cahill;LEND trainee and family member, Sanaa Abduljabbar; Coordinator of Education and Autism for the Center for Community Inclusion and Disability Studies, Alan Kurtz. There were approximately 40 leaders and advocates in attendance.
6/20/2018
AUCD Welcomes Public Policy Intern Jillian Odom
Jillian Odom is recently graduated from American University's Master's International program with a MA in Public Anthropology. Through this program she spent two and a half years in The Gambia, West Africa working with deaf populations as a Health Extension Volunteer with the United States Peace Corps. Though her main project was developing a mobile communication resource, it was this experience that allowed her to witness the importance of productive, innovative, human-centered disability policy and effective implementation strategies.
6/18/2018
Disability Policy News In Brief
FY 2019 Labor-HHS-Ed appropriations bill; Primary Elections; NEMT; Opioids; DREAMers; Perkins; and more
6/11/2018
Disability Policy News In Brief
Rescission of funds; Healthcare updates; MFP; and more
6/8/2018
MO LEND Trainees attend AUCD Disability Policy Seminar and Trainee Summit
Missouri LEND trainees, Mark Tapia (self-advocate) and Amy Lake (parent advocate), were able to attend the Spring AUCD Disability Policy Seminar and Trainee Summit. Mark is the Autism Treatment Network's first self-advocate and is graduating this semester with his master's in Special Education.
6/5/2018
Tuesdays with Liz: Proposed changes to the ABLE Act
Welcome back Liz! Liz returns to AUCD full time after working with the Senate Aging Committee. In this week's edition, Liz gives an update about proposed changes to the ABLE (Achieving a Better Life Experience) Act that have recently come out of Congress and tells you how you can get involved in advocating!
6/4/2018
Disability Policy News In Brief
Recess; Voting; ABLE; Opioids; and more
5/28/2018
Disability Policy News In Brief
Congressional Recess; FY 2019 302(b) allocations; Introduction of HEAA; �Right to Try�; DIA; Farm Bill Update; and more
Resources
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.
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.
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.
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