from the desk of Pamela Bisceglia

When Donald Trump was elected in 2017 my daughter said she was scared because “he doesn’t like people with disabilities”. I hugged her and said I would do what I could to keep her safe. Flash forward 8 years 7 months. July 3rd my daughter walked into the kitchen, clearly upset and said that they passed “Orange’s Big Ugly”. No disrespect for the president, she calls them as she sees him “Orange”; she understands that the bill forwards deep cuts to one of her lifelines, disability benefits. I hugged her and said I would do what I can to keep her safe.

Readers Digest version, of the “Big Beautiful Bill”:

• Nearly $1 trillion in Medicaid cuts. (Approximately 17 million children and adults will lose coverage).
• Nearly $200 billion in cuts to SNAP food assistance.
• Defines a new private school voucher program that redirects public education funding to private schools. Private schools will not be required to provide protections to children with disabilities or to adhere to Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act and/or the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. Note: a state can opt out/choose not to participate in the program.

This morning, I put on my big girl panties in preparation for ongoing fight for disability rights. In anticipation of this bill, Colorado advocates started meeting months ago with public agencies to begin to define priorities for Colorado’s disability community. Although we will not immediately feel the impact of the decisions of this bill we know in the months to come, city, state and national budgets will need to be modified, worked, and reworked. We know that everyone will be touched by these cuts. ADVOCACYDENVER just celebrated our 71st anniversary, then and now a priority is to keep our children and adults in their home and community; then and now we spend our days and evenings advocating for the civil rights of individuals with disabilities. Today our work is to mitigate harm and to protect the human rights of individuals with disabilities.

For more information please read: The Arc US Budget Reconciliation Provisions Related to Medicaid, SNAP and Education

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A dangerous budget bill is moving fast, and we need to act now!

The Senate is voting any day on a bill that would cut $1 trillion from Medicaid—a reduction of nearly 20%! The House of Representatives has already passed a version of this bill, and the Senate’s plan makes even deeper cuts. Can you please take 2 minutes today to contact your members of Congress?

If this bill becomes law:

• Nearly 17 million people could lose health insurance over the next 10 years.
• States simply won’t have the money to fund the care and services that people with disabilities need.
• More people will go hungry, including millions of kids.

This is not about line items in a budget. It’s about real people—children, people with disabilities, older adults, and families who need health care and food to live.

Call or email your members of Congress today and tell them to vote NO on any budget that cuts Medicaid or SNAP.

The post URGENT: Act Now to Protect Medicaid and SNAP! appeared first on AdvocacyDenver.

People with disabilities need access to health care and other disability services and food assistance to live independent lives.

Medicaid and SNAP make this possible.

Medicaid:

• Provides essential health care to millions of children and adults with disabilities, so they can live healthier, fuller lives.
• Helps infants with disabilities get a strong start in life through vital developmental support.
• Pays for people with disabilities to get assistance from home care workers for daily tasks, ensuring independence and dignity.

SNAP (the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program):

• Helps low-income families, including people with disabilities, afford groceries and put food on the table, so no one goes hungry.

Right now, Congress is making big decisions about our nation’s priorities and how to pay for them. They are voting on policies that will take away funding from Medicaid health care and services and SNAP benefits—services that people with disabilities rely on to live healthy lives.

If Medicaid and SNAP are cut, millions of lives will be deeply impacted.

ACT NOW to tell Congress to protect Medicaid and SNAP! 

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The Latest on Protecting the Rights of Students with Disabilities

The U.S. Department of Education plays a critical role in ensuring students with disabilities receive the support and services they need in schools to be successful. Now, that role is under threat. Recently, we shared with our chapters a short video update on what is going on with the Department. Now, The Arc has stepped up by filing a declaration in support of a major lawsuit challenging the federal government’s plans to dismantle the Department. This fight is about protecting the rights of children with disabilities to receive an appropriate education.

A New Lawsuit

In March 2025, half of the staff of the US Department of Education were fired. Many of these staff had roles that helped students with disabilities. A coalition of educators, school districts, and unions has filed a lawsuit to stop the mass layoffs and dismantling of the U.S. Department of Education. The lawsuit argues that these actions violate the Constitution and federal law and must be stopped.

The Arc Supports the Goal of the Lawsuit

The Arc has filed a “declaration,” which is a signed document, similar to testimony, that provides factual information to the court about the crucial work that the Department does to support students with disabilities, and the harms that will come to students with disabilities and their families as a result of changes at the Department. A declaration is a legal tool that allows The Arc to tell the court about how the changes at the U.S. Department of Education will harm students with disabilities, their families, and disability rights enforcement. By filing a declaration, we can bring the expertise of our advocates, families, and chapters into the courtroom while continuing our broader advocacy work.

What’s at Stake for Students with Disabilities?

The Arc’s position statement on education states: “All children and youth with IDD must receive a free appropriate public education that includes fair evaluation, ambitious goals, challenging objectives, the right to progress, individualized supports and services, high quality instruction, and access to the general education curriculum in age-appropriate inclusive settings.”

Weakening the role of the U.S. Department of Education will make it harder for children with disabilities to get the education they need.

Staff who were fired include those who worked at the U.S. Department of Education, through the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services (OSERS) and the Office for Civil Rights (OCR). These staff work to ensure that students with disabilities receive:

• Special education programs and services funded by the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA)
• Vocational rehabilitation and independent living services • Federal civil rights protections under Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)
• Technical assistance, oversight, and enforcement to ensure states and schools follow the law

Without these protections, students with disabilities risk losing critical support. The proposed layoffs and restructuring could delay IDEA funding, reduce enforcement of disability rights, and limit access to technical assistance that schools and families rely on. 

Chapter Impact: AdvocacyDenver’s Story

AdvocacyDenver, a local chapter of The Arc, provides educational advocacy to more than 400 clients and technical assistance to 1,000+ families of students with disabilities. These families rely on IDEA funds and federal guidance to help their children with disabilities access an education. If the Department’s ability to do its crucial work is weakened, families could face even greater barriers, with fewer resources to challenge discrimination or secure needed services. 

Take Action

The fight for education rights isn’t just happening in the courts—you can take action now by contacting your Members of Congress.

The post Federal Education Advocacy Update appeared first on AdvocacyDenver.

On March 20th, the Trump administration released an executive order aiming to close the U.S. Department of Education and transfer special education. The U.S. Department of Education is crucial for students with disabilities. Here’s why:

• It holds states accountable when they are not meeting the needs of students with disabilities.
• It funds critical programs to increase the supply of special education teachers.
• It provides parents with information on how to navigate the education system for their child with a disability.

The Department of Education was established by Congress. Congress would need to vote to close the agency, but the administration is moving swiftly to weaken it. We must ALL contact our federal legislators NOW to make our voices heard in demanding resistance to any further attempts to defund or dismantle the U.S. Department of Education. ASK THEM TO Preserve The Department of Education:

• and its administrative role over the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act.
• and its Office for Civil Rights, which vigilantly enforces civil rights laws in schools to ensure equal access to education and resolve complaints of discrimination.

Demand reinstatement of the workforce recently reduced by this administration. This leaves an insufficient workforce to address the above listed functions and will cause a negative impact on students with disabilities, their families and public education.

You can send your message via The Arc of the United States Action Center HERE:

We CAN make a difference, and this change will not impact the important advocacy work of ADVOCACYDENVER and the network of other Colorado Arc chapters to promote and protect the human rights of children with disabilities.

Dígale al Congreso: Proteja al Departamento de Educación

El 20 de marzo, la administración Trump emitió una orden ejecutiva con el objetivo de cerrar el Departamento de Educación de EE. UU. y transferir la educación especial. El Departamento de Educación de EE. UU. es crucial para los estudiantes con discapacidades. He aquí por qué: 

• Responsabiliza a los estados cuando no satisfacen las necesidades de los estudiantes con discapacidades.
• Financia programas críticos para aumentar la oferta de maestros de educación especial. 
• Proporciona a los padres información sobre cómo navegar por el sistema educativo de sus hijos con discapacidad. 

El Departamento de Educación fue establecido por el Congreso. El Congreso tendría que votar para cerrar la agencia, pero el gobierno se está moviendo rápidamente para debilitarla. TODOS debemos ponernos en contacto con nuestros legisladores federales AHORA para hacer oír nuestras voces y exigir resistencia a cualquier intento adicional de desfinanciar o desmantelar el Departamento de Educación de los Estados Unidos. PÉDIRLES QUE PRESERVEN El Departamento de Educación:

• y su función administrativa sobre la Ley de Educación para Personas con Discapacidades.
• y su Oficina de Derechos Civiles, que vigila la aplicación de las leyes de derechos civiles en las escuelas para garantizar la igualdad de acceso a la educación y resolver las quejas de discriminación.

Exigen la reincorporación de la fuerza laboral recientemente reducida por esta administración. Esto deja una fuerza laboral insuficiente para abordar las funciones enumeradas anteriormente y causará un impacto negativo en los estudiantes con discapacidades, sus familias y la educación pública.

Puede enviar su mensaje a través del Centro de Acción del Arco de los Estados Unidos AQUÍ:

JUNTOS PODEMOS marcar la diferencia, y este cambio no afectará el importante trabajo de defensa de ADVOCACYDENVER y la red de otros capítulos de Colorado Arc para promover y proteger los derechos humanos de los niños con discapacidades.

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Congress is considering cutting Medicaid by $880 billion. There’s no way to do that without taking away critical health care and services from people with disabilities.

The truth is simple: Cutting Medicaid will hurt millions of children and adults.

Slashing funding at this scale will lead to fewer services, fewer caregivers, and fewer life-sustaining services. Some may lose eligibility altogether!

Medicaid is already the most cost-efficient health insurance program, with safeguards in place to prevent waste, fraud, and abuse.These dangerous cuts must be stopped. Contact your members of Congress today and urge them to protect Medicaid.

The post Protect Medicaid. No cuts. No harm. appeared first on AdvocacyDenver.

Millions of people with disabilities rely on Medicaid for health care and for the support they need to live in their communities. If Medicaid cuts happen, access to these vital services could be lost.

Tell Congress that people with disabilities need Medicaid to thrive, and real lives will be affected if there are cuts.

We need your help to make sure your members of Congress know what’s at stake for people with disabilities.

Send a message now and tell them why Medicaid must be protected. It takes just a few minutes, but it can make a huge difference.

Did you miss our Medicaid webinar? 

Watch the recording now to learn more about the growing concern of potential cuts to Medicaid, including what you can do to help protect it. We share tools, resources, and strategies to help you advocate effectively for this vital program.

The post Medicaid is on the line appeared first on AdvocacyDenver.

The Arc Chapters, and other important advocacy agency partners including Colorado Cross Disability Coalition, Family Voices and the Colorado Center on Law and Policy, began meeting in November with HCPF. Meetings were initiated in response to their electronic (database) system transition and the critical concern that complete information in relation to children and adults with disabilities did not transfer over from the old to the new system.

Arc chapters and other advocacy agencies began to receive complaints where children and adults receiving LTSS received notice they were no longer eligible for LTSS. As a result, Colorado restarted Medicaid eligibility redeterminations for all Medicaid enrollees, including children and adults receiving Long Term Services and Supports (LTSS). Additional issues addressed included the confusion around the rollout of phase I case management redesign and desire to limit any disruption for people receiving service in future rollout phases.

More recently, we also addressed the serious problem of providers not being paid due because of the database transition.

February 27 Colorado Center on Law and Policy and advocacy agencies met with HCPF to discuss concerns. The Colorado Center on Law and Policy provided advocates an opportunity to discuss concerns; advocates asked that HCPF put a pause on (disability) Medicaid eligibility, phase II rollout of case management redesign and to determine why providers are not getting paid and to fix the CCMS.

February 28, 2024 HCPF said:

The Department of Health Care Policy & Financing (HCPF) recently became aware of an unintended occurrence specifically impacting LTSS members that resulted from a system update. The occurrence resulted in a subset of LTSS members being scheduled to have their coverage terminated as of February 29, 2024. HCPF is implementing a system workaround, which will reinstate and keep impacted individuals covered until an appropriate resolution is found for their case. We will be issuing new notice of action letters indicating an approval effective as of March 1, 2024 to all members who were impacted.  Electronic messages to impacted members are scheduled to be released Thursday, February 29 and USPS mail communications are scheduled for release on Friday, March 1.

The Arc chapters continue to come back to the table to resolve issues with HCPF, but we are ready to escalate issues and stand firm advocating that HCPF pause and make things right for our communities of individuals with disabilities. In addition, we have reached out to the Governor’s office for additional intervention should it be necessary.

If you have questions or concerns, please contact your local Arc chapter. We stand ready to make sure your concerns are heard and to provide advocacy for and with you where we can.

¡Las cancelaciones de Medicaid deben detenerse!

Como probablemente sepa, muchos miembros de nuestra comunidad han experimentado daños significativos debido a la convergencia de tres actividades principales dentro del mundo de Medicaid: el fin de la emergencia de salud pública, la implementación del rediseño de la gestión de casos y la transición de la base de datos de políticas y financiamiento de atención médica (HCPF).

Los capítulos de Arc y otras agencias de defensa importantes asociadas, como la Colorado Cross Disability Coalition, Family Voices y el Colorado Center on Law and Policy, comenzaron a reunirse en noviembre con HCPF. Las reuniones se iniciaron en respuesta a la transición de su sistema electrónico (base de datos) y a la preocupación crítica de que la información completa en relación con los niños y adultos con discapacidades no se transfiriera del antiguo sistema al nuevo.

Los capítulos de Arc y otras agencias de defensa comenzaron a recibir quejas en las que los niños y adultos que recibían LTSS recibían un aviso de que ya no eran elegibles para LTSS. Como resultado, Colorado reinició las redeterminaciones de elegibilidad de Medicaid para todos los inscritos en Medicaid, incluidos los niños y adultos que reciben Servicios y Apoyos a Largo Plazo (LTSS). Otros problemas abordados fueron la confusión en torno a la puesta en marcha de la fase I, el rediseño de la gestión de casos y el deseo de limitar cualquier interrupción para las personas que reciben el servicio en futuras fases de implantación.

Más recientemente, también abordamos el grave problema de que los proveedores no reciben el pago debido a la transición de la base de datos.

27 de febrero: El Centro de Leyes y Políticas de Colorado y las agencias de defensa se reunieron con HCPF para discutir sus inquietudes. El Centro de Derecho y Política de Colorado brindó a los defensores la oportunidad de discutir sus inquietudes; Los defensores pidieron que HCPF pusiera una pausa en la elegibilidad de Medicaid (por discapacidad), la implementación de la fase II del rediseño de la gestión de casos y que determinara por qué no se les paga a los proveedores y que corrigiera el CCMS.

28 de febrero de 2024 HCPF dijo:

El Departamento de Políticas y Financiamiento de la Atención Médica (HCPF, por sus siglas en inglés) recientemente se dio cuenta de un suceso no deseado que afectó específicamente a los miembros de LTSS como resultado de una actualización del sistema. El suceso dio lugar a que se programara la terminación de la cobertura de un subconjunto de miembros de LTSS a partir del 29 de febrero de 2024. HCPF está implementando una solución alternativa del sistema, que restablecerá y mantendrá cubiertas a las personas afectadas hasta que se encuentre una resolución adecuada para su caso. Emitiremos nuevas cartas de aviso de acción que indiquen una aprobación efectiva a partir del 1 de marzo de 2024 para todos los miembros que se vieron afectados.  Los mensajes electrónicos a los miembros afectados están programados para ser publicados el jueves 29 de febrero y las comunicaciones por correo de USPS están programadas para ser publicadas el viernes 1 de marzo.

Los capítulos de Arc continúan regresando a la mesa para resolver problemas con HCPF, pero estamos listos para escalar los problemas y mantenernos firmes abogando por que HCPF haga una pausa y haga las cosas bien para nuestras comunidades de personas con discapacidades. Además, nos hemos comunicado con la oficina del Gobernador para obtener una intervención adicional en caso de que sea necesario.

Si tiene preguntas o inquietudes, comuníquese con su capítulo local de Arc. Estamos listos para asegurarnos de que sus inquietudes sean escuchadas y para brindar defensa para y con usted siempre que podamos.

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