The Indiana Bureau of Disabilities Services (BDS) is planning to create new home and community-based service waivers to improve services. This is known as the “waiver reset.” In 2027, BDS plans to move people accessing services on the current four waivers into the new waivers. BDS is still working on figuring out what the new…
Advocacy
Medicaid & Public Policy Webinars
Join The Arc of Indiana, Autism Society of Indiana, Down Syndrome Indiana, and the Indiana Statewide Independent Living Council for two important webinars on December 2 and December 9. Now more than ever, united advocacy is essential to protect the rights and supports of Hoosiers with disabilities. Whether you are a self-advocate, family member, service…
BDS Launching Review Process of High-Cost Waiver Service Plans & Guidance on Transportation
Indiana’s Bureau of Disability Services (BDS) is launching a review process of high-cost Medicaid Waiver service plans, and has also issued guidance on transportation. High-Cost Waiver Service Plans BDS has issued advisory memos for providers and families regarding review of high-cost Medicaid Waiver service plans. BDS’s memo states, “BDS is taking a proactive look at…
FSSA Announces ABA Working Group Recommendations
Indiana Family and Social Services Administration (FSSA) Secretary Mitch Roob has announced the recommendations of the Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) Working Group, convened earlier this year to address the rapid growth and sustainability challenges of Medicaid-funded ABA therapy. The Working Group’s Process The ABA Working Group was led by FSSA Deputy Secretary Eric Miller and…
Hunger Has a Face: Why SNAP Matters for Every Hoosier
I remember the sound of the clock ticking in the principal’s office. The smell of floor wax and pencil shavings. And that small table—just big enough for two embarrassed children trying not to exist. Before free and reduced lunches were available, my brother and I were asked to sit there every day, just outside the…
What The Arc Means to Me!
As The Arc of Indiana celebrates 70 years of empowering people and inspiring change, we want to hear from you! Please share your stories, memories, or experiences where The Arc has made a difference in your life or the life of a loved one, colleague or friend. Whether it’s a story of inclusion, achievement, advocacy,…
Safe Parks Plus: A Down Syndrome Story of Safety, Belonging, and Hope
In honor of Down Syndrome Awareness Month WHERE IT BEGAN October invites us to reflect on what inclusion truly means—not as a slogan, but as a practice of care, compassion, and thoughtful design. This month, as we celebrate Down Syndrome Awareness Month, I want to share the personal story that inspired the Safe Parks Plus…
Lifting Up Inclusion — Why Disability Employment Matters More Than Ever (And Why We Can’t Be Distracted by Misinformation)
October is National Disability Employment Awareness Month — a time to celebrate the talents, aspirations, and dignity of people with disabilities in the workforce. Across Indiana, individuals with autism, intellectual and developmental disabilities, and other challenges are ready, eager, and highly capable of meaningful work — if we as a society continue to clear away…
Medicaid & Public Policy Update Webinars
The Arc of Indiana, Autism Society of Indiana, Down Syndrome Indiana, and Indiana Statewide Independent Living Council are hosting webinars in December to provide updates on Medicaid and critical public policy issues. December 2 Protecting Medicaid: Advocacy in Action 1:00 – 2:00 p.m. ET Register December 9 2026 Disability Community of Indiana Public Policy Agenda…
14 Minutes: Why I Chose to Tell Our Story
Our stories hold power. When we choose to share them—even the most painful ones—we transform personal suffering into collective advocacy. Speaking out is how silence breaks, how systems change, and how children are finally protected. This month, I will release a new book, “14 Minutes: A Call to End Restraint & Seclusion.” Our title comes…