The Arc Of The United States

Programs: Program innovation: the arc is constantly striving to improve the quality of life for people with i/dd and their families, including by promoting the development of best practices in programs, services and supports for people with idd. The arc's special projects advance the field of programs, services and supports for people with i/dd and their families as follows:the arc's autism now! National autism resource and information center provided members of the public with quality information about autism spectrum disorder, as well as with practical guidance to support people with asd, and their families, to participate in all aspects of community life. The arc's down syndrome new mexico fund provided for the education, care and support of people with down syndrome in that state. The arc@work program supported people with i/dd who are unemployed to find and retain jobs with private, government and nonprofit sector employers and educated and supported employers to increase hiring of people with disabilities. The health and fitness for all program trained chapters of the arc to deliver a health and fitness curriculum to people with i/dd and their support providers. The national center on criminal justice and disability worked to educate law enforcement, court and corrections personnel to accommodate the needs of people with i/dd in the criminal justice system. The wings for autism/wings for all project provided an airport travel simulation for children with an autism spectrum disorder or other disabilities and their families. The center for future planning provided an online resource center to assist adults with i/dd and their families to plan for their future needs, and to provide resources for chapters of the arc to support them. The arc's tech programs provide online resources to assist people with i/dd and their families to access the latest technology to support their living in the community. The martin luther king jr. Day of service project engaged people with i/dd in volunteerism and community service at 10 sites across the nation. The arc@school program provides resources and information to families to support students with i/dd to obtain the services they need to be successful in school.

public policy: the arc advocated to promote and protect the civil rights and human rights of people with i/dd and for funding and support for the programs, services and supports that enable them to be fully included in all aspects of community life. The arc monitored developments in federal public policy, including legislation, regulations, administrative actions, litigation and judicial decisions, of importance to people with i/dd and their families. The arc regularly informed chapter leaders, government officials, the media, leaders of other nonprofits and other interested parties of developments in the field through a weekly email newsletter, periodic special reports and alerts and content posted to the arc's website. Educational and advocacy activities focused on a broad range of topics, such as health care, education, employment, civil rights, criminal justice, housing and more. The arc also regularly educated and informed elected and appointed government officials about the needs, interests and concerns of people with i/dd and their families and about the likely impact of policy proposals. Input was provided to congress, the administration, government agencies and officials through written correspondence, oral and written testimony and face-to-face meetings. The arc also participated in, and provided leadership for, a number of formal and informal coalitions and collaborations involved in related efforts. The arc co-sponsored with other nonprofits an annual disability policy seminar held in washington, d. C. , in the spring. Speakers provided updates on a number of major federal programs affecting people with i/dd and their families. Representatives of the administration and the united states congress, as well as other disability organizations, offered presentations on medicaid, health care, housing, labor issues, social security, and other issues of concern to our chapters and members. On the conclusion of the seminar, chapter representatives visited capitol hill and met with elected congressional leaders to educate and informthem about issues of importance to people with i/dd and their families.

chapter leadership, volunteer & professional development: the arc supported a network of about 650 affiliated state and local chapters that advocated on behalf of, and provided services and supports for people with i/dd and their families. The arc promoted best practices in nonprofit governance and management of nonprofits by promoting an ethics and accountability code - standards for excellence - for chapters to use to benchmark their operations and by providing extensive educational resources to support improvement. The arc provided guidance in the areas of governance, program planning and evaluation, financial management, human resources management, transparency and accountability, fundraising and more. The arc also promoted best practices in programs, services and supports for people with i/dd. The arc kept chapters informed of critical information and developments in the field, including in subject areas such as early intervention, integrated education, transition, supported employment, supported and independent living, health care, financial planning and recreation and community service. Support was provided to board members, executive directors and other volunteers and staff of the affiliated chapters through a bi-weekly email newsletter (fusion), monthly audio conferences for chapter leaders, periodic webinars, an annual leadership institute, a national convention, written educational materials, periodic mailings, extensive content available online, and one-to-one technical assistance via telephone and email. The arc provided technical assistance and support to individuals with disabilities, their family members and friends to organize new chapters of the arc, and to strengthen and stabilize existing chapters, so that they may effectively advocate on behalf of and serve their constituents at the state and local level. The arc also promoted information sharing and exchange of ideas among and between all of our chapters.

public education: the arc educated people with disabilities, their parents and other family members, the media and members of the public about the needs, interests, issues and concerns of people with i/dd and their families. The arc's public education efforts spanned a broad range of subject areas, such as housing, employment, education, healthcare, criminal justice and volunteerism and community service. The arc also worked to promote greater public understanding of and respect for people with i/dd, by organizing a nationwide response to derogatory portrayals of people with i/dd in movies, on radio and in other media. The arc's quarterly print newsletter, empower, and bi-monthly e-newsletter was distributed throughout the year to members of the association, as well as to libraries and other public institutions and to other interested individuals. The arc's websites provide members of the public access to a broad range of information and a variety of free publications providing practical advice about the inclusion of people with i/dd in all aspects of community life. Social media sites help spread the information to a broader audience. The arc also monitors local and national media coverage about people with i/dd, and developments reported by state and local chapters, and informs website users about current events affecting people with i/dd and their family. The arc's new catalyst awards program recognizes individuals, companies and organizations that are having an impact in supporting people with i/dd to be fully included in their communities. The arc responded to hundreds of written, phone, and e-mail inquiries from individuals and organizations, providing information and resources on a variety of topics related to i/dd. Information was needed by many families on: aging and disabilities, autism spectrum disorders, future planning, housing and residential facilities, rare disorders, education issues, fetal alcohol spectrum disorders, and legal and criminal justice issues.