December 2, 2025

November Advocacy and Call to Action!

Our budget advocacy is well underway, and it was a busy November! We’ve testified at a public hearing and rallied at the Capitol, we’re writing letters, and holding legislative forums as our advocacy efforts build momentum.

An overview of our budget requests can be found in this info sheet, and in our October 24 Advocacy Update. Additional resources to support your advocacy are available in our Budget Advocacy Toolkit.

We urge you to add your personal perspective and voice here through our one-click campaign. By participating, you will quickly send a letter to Governor Hochul telling her that support for New Yorkers with I/DD must be a priority in this year's Executive Budget.



Help us send 2,000 letters by the end of December!

Virtual Legislative Forums

Beginning tonight, December 2, join NYDA and New York State legislators for regional roundtable discussions on the I/DD service system and our priorities for the Executive Budget. Check the schedule below and register for your regional roundtable here! All round tables start at 6 PM.

• Long Island: Tuesday, December 2
• Capital Region and the Hudson Valley: Monday, December 8
• New York City: Tuesday, December 9
• Finger Lakes, Central, and North Country: Thursday, December 11 
  Monroe county legislators will be included in the Central/Finger Lakes meeting

Rally Recap

On November 18, approximately 400 people rallied in the War Room at the NYS Capitol calling for investment in supports and services for people with disabilities, and the staff they rely on. Advocates shared their stories and raised their voices in a collective call: “Invest in Me, Invest in US!”

The rally garnered press from around the state, including coverage in the Long Island Business News, Rome Sentinel, Press Republican, and Daily Gazette.

WAMC Interviews Erik Geizer on Rally and Budget Advocacy

The Arc New York CEO Erik Geizer was interviewed on WAMC Northeast Public Radio last week, discussing the success of the NYDA Capitol Rally and the continued need for investment in supports and services for people with IDD. Listen to the entire interview here.

Public Hearing on Residential Opportunities

Erik Geizer was also invited deliver testimony to the NYS Assembly Standing Committee on People with Developmental Disabilities on Access to Residential Placements for New Yorkers with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities. He was joined by The Arc New York Senior Vice President, Susan Lucas, who also shared testimony based on her personal experience as a parent.

Geizer expressed the need for increased transparency, flexibility and resources to improve the residential placement process and move people off the waitlist. He also emphasized that supporting a stable direct care workforce is vital to ensuring appropriate placements are available for all people in need of residential support.

Watch Erik’s oral testimony here, Susan’s here and the entire hearing here. The Arc New York also submitted comprehensive written testimony, which you can read here.

The Arc of the United States Joins Federal Lawsuit

On November 25, 2025, The Arc of the United States joined a lawsuit against the federal government as an organizational plaintiff. This case, Somerville Public Schools et al vs Trump et al, now consolidated with New York v. McMahon, was filed in response to the Administration’s actions to dismantle the U.S. Department of Education. The goal of the case is to block the dismantling of the Department and protect the vital programs and safeguards it provides for students, families, and educators.

The Arc has been raising awareness about the gutting of the Department of Education for months. Join this advocacy effort here to tell your congressmember why education for people with IDD matters to you!

You can read the press release on the lawsuit here, and a plain language description of the litigation here. We encourage you to share these materials with your community.