Recently, Indiana learned the devastating news that 15-year-old Jeffrey Epps, a nonverbal autistic teenager, was found deceased after wandering from home in Baldwin County, Georgia. His death appears accidental, but it reveals a deeper truth that families like his live with every single day: the world is not yet built for their children. Parents of…
What Individuals, Families, and Guardians Need to Know Medicaid Waivers (also called Home and Community-Based Services) provide Medicaid health coverage, as well as supports and services that help people with disabilities live at home and participate in their communities. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services has approved several updates to Indiana’s Medicaid Waiver programs that take effect December 31, 2025. …
The Division of Disability, Aging, and Rehabilitative Services is seeking an immediate or extended family member of a person with an intellectual or other developmental disability to join the DDARS advisory council. General Overview of the Council’s Purpose The DDARS Advisory Council was established under Indiana Code Section 12-9-4 to advise and assist DDARS in…
The Arc of Indiana, Autism Society of Indiana, Down Syndrome Indiana, and the Indiana Statewide Independent Living Council recently hosted webinars to share critical information. You can watch them here. 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,…
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…
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…
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…
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,…
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…
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…