August 12, 2026

The Arc New York Comments on Medicaid Work Requirements

The Arc New York CEO Erik Geizer submitted comments on behalf of the organization regarding the potential impact of federal Medicaid work requirements on people with IDD and other disabilities.

In his comments on the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services interim final rule, Geizer wrote, “The Arc New York strongly urges CMS to revise the interim final rule to prevent eligible people with disabilities, family caregivers, and people using home and community-based services (HCBS) from losing Medicaid coverage because of administrative barriers.”

You can read The Arc New York's full comment here, and view all comments, including those of other New York state Chapters, people and families, on the federal register website.

Thank you to everyone who provided comments on this important topic.

Governor Hochul Affirms Olmstead Decision

Governor Hochul issued a firm statement on the Department of Justice Opinion on Olmstead v. L.C., affirming New York's commitment to community-based care, independent living, and full accessibility. In her message, she stated:

"The federal government's decision to cease enforcement of its Olmstead guidance signals a troubling step backwards towards the segregation and institutionalization of people with disabilities and is an insult to millions of Americans with disabilities, their families, and the advocacy groups who fought for generations to live in the community.

In New York State, we value community-based care, independent living, and full accessibility. We will continue to uphold the spirit and the letter of the ADA across every corner of our state.”

This was an important and powerful message, and The Arc New York shared a statement of gratitude and partnership in response.

Governor Hochul's statement demonstrates that our advocacy is having an impact. We will continue to raise our voices to ensure the fundamental rights of people with disabilities to live and receive support in their community is preserved. Those rights are nonnegotiable.

You can find an overview of the DOJ opinion and our concerns in our June Advocacy Update, and our formal statement condemning the opinion here.

AHRC Nassau weighs in on Supreme Court TPS Decision

Stanfort Perry, CEO of The Arc New York's Nassau Chapter, AHRC Nassau, explained why The Supreme Court decision on ending Temporary Protected Status for Haitian nationals impacts care for people with disabilities in a letter to the editor in The Washington Post.

You can take action today to support immigrant care givers through our one-click campaign, and find additional information in our July update.

Mid-Hudson Self-Advocates Voter Registration Event

The Arc Mid-Hudson's self-advocacy group, The Advocators, joined Commissioner of the Putnam County Board of Elections Cathy Croft and her team in hosting an inspiring Register to Vote event at the Board of Elections location. The event was designed to educate, empower, and encourage community members with disabilities to exercise their right to vote.

The Arc of their United states Updated their voter education resources with a Pledge to Vote one-click, which signs participants up to receive resources on understanding their rights and making a plan to vote. We encourage you to participate as well!

Advocacy Opportunity: August Congressional Recess

It's August congressional recess, and representatives are back in their home districts. This is a great time to engage your federal reps: attend events they are hosting, invite them to your Chapter, and ask for face-to-face meetings.

If your or your Chapter plans to takes one advocacy action over the next month, we encourage you to schedule a meeting with your members of Congress while they are back home. Bringing self-advocates, family members, and supporters to share personal stories about how policies are or will impact their lives makes those meetings more powerful.

At the end of every August recess, The Arc asks for updates on actions taken, pictures, etc., so please keep track of your activity and take lots of pictures! Please let me know if you have any questions.

To help you prepare, we've created an info sheet outlining the key federal issues impacting people with disabilities. Additional tools developed in collaboration with our NYDA partners can be found in our July 15 update.

The Arc of the United States has also released their annual toolkit, with a variety of resources, including:

• Key talking points and fact sheets on priority policy issues.
• Lawmaker outreach resources with guidance on requesting and conducting meetings.
• Voter and candidate engagement tools to support nonpartisan outreach and education efforts.

We also encourage you to read the lates federal policy update from The Arc US CEO Katy Neas, and to watch The Arc’s recent webinar recording, which shares information on:

• The latest Medicaid policy updates and messaging.
• Education policy updates and advocacy considerations.
• Talking points and strategies that may be especially helpful as you meet with lawmakers and candidates during August recess.

August recess is a unique window to elevate the voices of people in our community and strengthen relationships with elected officials. We hope The Arc New York Chapters and advocates will take advantage of this opportunity. Please let us know how your meetings go!

TAKE ACTION to Support Education Rights!

Join in The Arc's one-click campaign to quickly send a message to your representatives demanding they stand up for education rights! Learn more about current threats to education rights for people with disabilities in our July update.

The Arc of the United State Testimony to US Senate

The Arc of the United State’s CEO, Katy Neas gave testimony to the US Senate on “How Relocating the IDEA will be Detrimental to Students and Families.” A recording of her testimony can be found here starting at the 17:50 minute mark.

Don’t Miss "Love on the Spectrum’s" Dani Bowman at The Arc US 2026 National Convention!

Registration is now open for The Arc’s National Convention, November 18–20 in Portland, Oregon! The early bird pricing is still available. Learn more and register here.

The annual convention connects people with disabilities and advocates for three days of ideas, collaboration, and community. The Arc is thrilled to host Dani Bowman as the opening keynote speaker. Dani will share what it’s like to build a career on her own terms, how she uses her public platform, why harmful language like the R-word still matters, and how we can all push back when disability is mocked, minimized, or dismissed.

We encourage members of The Arc New York family to attend if they are able. This is a great opportunity connect with people and hear national and world-class speakers. 

This and all advocacy updates are archived on The Arc New York website for future reference. Please contact us if you have questions regarding any of this information.