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Students with Disabilities Graduating at the End of the 2020-2021 School Year Must Have Access to an Additional Year!
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Students with Disabilities Graduating at the End of the 2020-2021 School Year Must Have Access to an Additional Year!

Action alerts, Arc news, Blog, In the news, News & Views, Press coverage, Releases

Students with Disabilities Graduating at the End of the 2020-2021 School Year Must Have Access to an Additional Year!

Students with IDD who are turning 21 and set to graduate at the end of the 2020-2021 school year have lost integral transition services due to COVID-19. TAKE ACTION NOW - Tell Governor Wolf to Sign Senate Bill 664 into Law! Currently, Senate Bill 664 is before the Governor for him to sign into law! This bill would allow students with IDD turning 21 and about to graduate the ability to opt-in for an additional year during the 2021-2022 school year. Parents will have until July 15, 2021 to decide if they wish their child to access the 2021-2022 school year. With the deadline to decide fast approaching, it is imperative that Governor Wolf takes action NOW and signs Senate Bill 664 [...]

By Arc Alliance|2021-06-29T20:40:57-04:00June 29th, 2021|Action alerts, Arc news, Blog, In the news, News & Views, Press coverage, Releases|0 Comments

The American Jobs Plan

President Biden’s speech announcing the American Jobs Plan, included a MAJOR announcement of an investment of $400 Billion to expand access to HCBS and support the direct care workforce. The plan is linked here: https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2021/03/31/fact-sheet-the-american-jobs-plan/ Of specific note isn’t only the size of the investment, it is also the inclusion of both services and workforce supports AND the inclusion of a permanent reauthorization of the Money Follows the Person program. There are not a lot of specifics, and The Arc will be working with Congress to figure out how we can operationalize this in legislation. We will need everyone's support to see this important legislation becomes law. This package is expected to take until late summer/early fall to come together. President Biden’s plan will: [...]

By Wenjing Ke|2021-04-01T17:18:59-04:00April 1st, 2021|Action alerts, advocacy, Advocacy update, Advocacy updates, Arc news, Blog, Blogroll, Community, In the news, News & Views, Releases|0 Comments

2020 Holiday Appeal

Dear Friend, The air is crisp today, and the changing of the seasons is bringing us closer to the holidays. With the economic effects of COVID-19 having a disproportionate effect on individuals and families served by The Arc Alliance, we are anticipating a surge in support requests. I am writing to you today to request your support this holiday season. Every dollar counts and we need your contribution to make a difference in the life of individuals with a disability. COVID-19 has taken so much from the individuals we serve, and their families. Day programs were closed, virtual Early Intervention services have increased stress among parents and caregivers, and adult clients in independent living have been cut off from family and friends due to [...]

By Wenjing Ke|2020-11-16T17:02:15-05:00November 16th, 2020|Action alerts, advocacy, Community, Stories, Support|0 Comments

Regarding COVID-19/The Coronavirus

March 18, 2020 Dear Friend, Like all businesses in Pennsylvania, The Arc Alliance adjusted our operations due to COVID-19/The Coronavirus. This is an evolving situation that is changing rapidly. The CDC is recommending social distancing and to stay at home to help defeat this pandemic. Our staff are working from home to support the individuals we serve. Our Spring fundraiser, Gin and All That Jazz, is cancelled due to the CDC recommendations. Due to this, we need to ensure our doors will stay open after this pandemic subsides and we can return to business as usual. Since 1951, The Arc Alliance has been in your community serving children, teens, and adults with disabilities. In order to continue this work, we need your help. If [...]

By Wenjing Ke|2020-11-23T16:52:14-05:00March 18th, 2020|Action alerts, Community, Support|0 Comments

July 1, 2016 – Pennsylvania Budget – Dismayed…to Angered…to Outraged!
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July 1, 2016 – Pennsylvania Budget – Dismayed…to Angered…to Outraged!

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July 1, 2016 – Pennsylvania Budget – Dismayed…to Angered…to Outraged!

The Arc of Pennsylvania outraged at 2016-2017 budget The Arc of Pennsylvania is outraged that the General Assembly passed a budget that further deteriorates the community support system for Pennsylvanians with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Following on the heels of the prolonged budget impasse that left the disability system reeling financially, the 2016-2017 budget phenomenally fails to address serious issues that threaten to throw Pennsylvanians with disabilities back into segregated institutions. The Arc of Pennsylvania and its chapters have met with hundreds of legislators and the Governor to explain what is happening to the disability supports system in Pennsylvania, but in light of the expected final 2016-2017 state budget it appears that the urgency of these issues has been lost on our elected officials [...]

By pleo|2016-07-01T14:22:28-04:00July 1st, 2016|Action alerts, Blog, Blogroll, In the news, News & Views|0 Comments

Chandler Budget Impasse

I'm not sure Harrisburg cares! We need to let them know that we care and we can make a difference! Paul Stengle Addressing Families Today the blog will be about the meeting with legislators that The Arc Alliance held on November 12th. There were about six or seven legislators present. The reason they were having this event was because of the recent budget impasse. Pennsylvania still does not have a budget! Legislators Addressing Families The Arc Alliance wasn’t the only organization present. There were many other human services organizations also there to tell their stories. There were also parents there to advocate for their children. Some of the stories they told were very emotional, you could see it on their [...]

By pleo|2015-11-30T09:36:29-05:00November 30th, 2015|Action alerts, advocacy, Arc news, Blog, Blogroll, Chandler Balch, In the news|2 Comments

Families in Crisis Montgomery County Human Services Roundtable Budget Cuts and Impasse

On November 12th The Arc Alliance, Resources for Human Development and the MAX Association joined together in hosting a legislator discussion with families who have a loved one with special needs. Over 110 individuals representing families and providers of services and support came together with 10 legislators and Aids from Montgomery County to tell their stories of the budget impasse and how it is affecting their family. The legislators heard many examples of how the lack of a budget is impacting their loved one as well as requests for expansion of funding for Human Services in the future. Several families presented how their children, who graduated from High School this past May have been pushed to the margin because no new individuals with intellectual [...]

By pleo|2015-11-13T10:16:12-05:00November 13th, 2015|Action alerts, Arc news, Blog, Blogroll, Chandler Balch, News & Views|0 Comments

Montgomery County Human Services Roundtable on the Impacts of State Budget Cuts and Impasse

Thursday November 12, 2015 10-11:30 AM Open Invitation The Arc Alliance, Resources for Human Development and the MAX Association are extremely concerned that in the midst of 5 month Budget impasse, liquor and pension discussions and arguments over shale tax, the needs of Pennsylvanians with significant disabilities are being forgotten. In recent years, there have been severe cuts to crucial human services funding that our neighbors and friends depend on. These cuts, along with the current budget impasse, have had a real impact on Montgomery County human service providers, the people they serve and the families of those people. Last week the Montgomery County Department of Behavioral health announced that after four months of using county reserves to pay invoices to human service providers, [...]

By pleo|2015-11-10T15:32:14-05:00November 10th, 2015|Action alerts, Advocacy update, Advocacy updates, Arc news, Blog, Blogroll, In the news, News & Views|0 Comments

Help Students with Disabilities to Meet State Education Standards – Call Your Senators Today!

Help Students with Disabilities to Meet State Education Standards - Call Your Senators Today! The Senate is scheduled to begin debate the Every Child Achieves Act (ECAA) on July 7. While the bill includes important provisions that support students with disabilities, it still does not include two critical requirements: 1) school intervention when groups of students (including students with disabilities) are not meeting state standards; and 2) full certification for teachers. Presently, the ECAA only requires intervention and support for schools that fail to meet state performance standards overall, rather than for schools where any subgroups of students (including those with disabilities) fail to meet those standards. Language must be included that assures targeted instruction and other supports when student groups in any school [...]

By pleo|2015-07-06T07:20:27-04:00July 6th, 2015|Action alerts, advocacy, Blog, Blogroll, News & Views|0 Comments

YOUR ACTION IS NEEDED TODAY!!!!

YOUR ACTION IS NEEDED TODAY!!!! FIRST ALERT VIRTUAL RALLY June 18th from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM. We need to flood the Capitol with phone calls to be sure that funding for people with disabilities is in the Governor’s Budget! Here’s what to say: Hello my name is __________________. I am a person with a disability (e.g. developmental, intellectual, autism, physical disability.) I have a family member with a disability. I work with people who have disabilities. This funding proposed by the Governor in February must be restored: Community services for persons with intellectual disability so that 1,100 people can come off the emergency wait list Funding for 100 individuals with autism Funding to expand “Jobs for All” - on the job training for [...]