In 2004, at the age of 40, Carole was overjoyed to be pregnant for the first time. Although she understood the potential risks, prenatal testing was never something she considered. This was her child, and she embraced whatever the future would bring. When Evan was born with Down syndrome, Carole continued forward exactly as she…
Kim Dodson, CEO The Arc of Indiana is a nonprofit organization that advocates on issues important to people with intellectual and developmental disabilities and their families. We represent the people currently utilizing Medicaid and Medicaid Waiver services, as well as those who are waiting for these services. The recent Wall Street Journal (WSJ) reporting on…
On February 12, the Bureau of Disabilities Services (BDS) announced the opening of the public comment period for upcoming amendments to the Community Integration and Habilitation (CIH), Family Supports (FS), Health and Wellness (H&W), TBI, and 1915 b(4) waivers. Public notice and public comments occur prior to BDS submitting amendments to the Centers for Medicare…
The Arc of Indiana took a chance and hired me as their front desk coordinator. I was a team member from April 2014 to April 2019. I had been out of the administrative field for 4 years and was seeking with all my heart to find something. The Arc came along and gave me a…
Valentine’s Day at the Statehouse 2026! A big thank you to chapters of The Arc of Indiana, Self-Advocates of Indiana, and other organizations for joining in Valentine’s Day at the Statehouse, where connections are made with legislators and state leaders to thank them for their work and raise awareness of The Arc and SAI. ADEC/The…
For years, I hid. Not because I was ashamed of my son—but because I was exhausted by the judgment. The looks. The unsolicited advice. The quiet assumptions that if I just disciplined him more, corrected him sooner, or tried harder, the behaviors would disappear. People only saw what was happening on the outside. They didn’t…
When Abby entered the world, not many people gave her a chance. Born at 29 weeks, one of triplets, she battled the challenges of both prematurity and a heart defect, something common in babies with Down syndrome. One doctor said if she survived, she’d be a “vegetable.” This wasn’t the 1950s – it was 2003.…
The Arc of Indiana welcomes today’s announcement by Family and Social Services Administration (FSSA) Secretary Mitch Roob that the planned 10% Medicaid rate cut for Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) therapy will be reduced to 6%. The announcement was made at FSSA’s Quarterly Financial Review meeting. Families and advocates had raised concerns that a 10% cut…
Texas v. Becerra is a federal lawsuit originally filed by 17 states, including Indiana, challenging the Section 504 rule issued by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) in May 2024. While the lawsuit initially focused on the rule’s mention of gender dysphoria, the original complaint went much further, seeking to invalidate the Final…
Staying engaged in the advocacy process is vital, especially for individuals with disabilities and their families. You are the expert in your own life. Your voice matters. By sharing your experiences, you can help shape policies that improve not only your life but also the lives of others in your community. Self-Advocates of Indiana, in partnership with The Arc…