News to Use features important information and resources for self-advocates, parents, and professionals to use now!
Around The Arc Maryland
Celebrate Direct Support Professional Recognition Week and Learn How You, Too Can Become a DSP
September 11th to 17th
This week, The Arc Maryland and DD Service providers across the state and country celebrate our outstanding workforce of Direct Support Professionals (DSPs) during DSP Recognition Week! DSPs support people with intellectual and developmental disabilities to live, learn, work, and play in their communities.

To celebrate DSP Recognition Week, The Arc Maryland and the Maryland Conference of Executives: The Arc launched the It's Where You Belong DSP photo contest! From submissions across the state, 7 photos from DSPs and individuals they support were selected as winners! Our grand prize winners, Elisha and Corrine, received a $500 prize, along with $500 for their chapter, The Arc of Frederick County, to celebrate DSP Recognition Week!
Grand prize winners Elisha and Corrine, The Arc of Frederick County
6 additional submissions were selected as winners across 4 categories: Live, Learn, Work, and Play, with honorees receiving a $250 prize. All contest winners and honorable mentions were also invited to join us for a professional photo shoot!

Check out all the winning photos and honorable mentions on our website below. You can also see photos from the professional shoot on our brand new Become a DSP web page!
The Arc Maryland Celebrates Hispanic Heritage Month
September 15th to October 15th
From September 15th to October 15th, The Arc Maryland celebrates the history, contributions, influence, and accomplishments of Latinx, Latina, Latino, and Hispanic people, with and without disabilities, who have enriched the United States during Hispanic Heritage Month! ¡Feliz Mes de la Herencia Hispana!

Be sure to share our Spanish Language Facebook page, The Arc Maryland en Español, with Spanish speakers in Maryland!
Introducing the 2022 Partners in Policymaking® Graduates
Last month, 31 advocates in Maryland joined the ranks of Partners in Policymaking® program alumni! The 2022 Partners class spent the past year learning the ins and outs of advocacy on local, state, and national levels to become lifelong and long-term agents of change in the community. You can read about the graduates in our program yearbook below!

We thank our partners at the Maryland Developmental Disabilities Council and People On the Go of Maryland for making this possible.
This project is supported by the Administration for Community Living (ACL), U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) as part of a financial assistance award totaling $1,201,464 with 100% funding by ACL/HHS. The contents are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the official views of, nor an endorsement, by ACL/HHS, or the U.S. Government.
Taking Action
Celebrate Disability Voting Rights Week
September 12th to 16th
This week, during Disability Voting Rights Week, we invite you to be informed and ready to exercise your right to vote! Check out the civic action center from The Arc of the United States and the American Association of People with Disabilities to register to vote, find voting information, and learn about candidates. Check out the resource below!
Candidate for Governor Forum for Marylanders with Disabilities
Save the Date: October 4th from 10 AM to 12 PM
Marylanders with disabilities, organizations that support people with disabilities, and other stakeholders are invited to the 2022 Candidates for Governor Forum for Marylanders with Disabilities! You will have the opportunity to hear from the official candidates for governor in a timed and moderated conversation regarding issues that are important to us all. The virtual forum will take place on Tuesday, October 4th, from 10 AM to 12 PM and is sponsored by the Maryland Disabilities Forum and the National Federation of the Blind. Stay tuned for registration for the free event coming soon!
Office of Special Education Programs Seeking Input:
Prioritizing Equity
Through September 30th, the US Department of Education is seeking input on how well states are satisfying students under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). The Office of Special Education Programs is currently accepting feedback on how their state scorecard can consider and weigh data that accurately represents the implementation of IDEA and results for historically marginalized populations. If you would like to submit feedback, you can email SPPAPR@ed.gov using the subject line Determinations Feedback.
In the News
Autism Dating Show Love On the Spectrum Wins Emmy Awards
Earlier this month, Netflix's Love on the Spectrum U.S. won the Creative Arts Emmy Award for outstanding unstructured reality programs. The show features the stories of Americans with autism searching for love, following their dating experiences. The show is available right now on Netflix to watch!
Governor Honors Direct Support Professionals by Proclaiming September 11th to 17th DSP Week in Maryland
This week, Governor Larry Hogan honored Direct Support Professionals around the state by proclaiming this week, September 11th to 17th, Direct Support Professional Week in Maryland! Governor Hogan noted how DSPs are vital to the life experiences of Marylanders with disabilities and the role they play in assisting people with disabilities to live, work, and thrive in the community!