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…
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 appreciates the Family and Social Services Administration’s (FSSA) January 30 announcement that the planned 10% Medicaid rate cut for Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) therapy will be reduced to 6%. Families and advocates had raised concerns that a 10% cut would significantly disrupt access to ABA services for their children. The 6%…
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…
Honoring those who show up, speak out, and protect dignity in a space where silence has cost too much. Advocacy isn’t “Because I say so.” It’s “So, this must be said.” In December, I sat in a room filled with applause, warm plates, and long-earned recognition—and felt the weight of how rare moments like this…
Under a new process established by the Bureau of Disabilities Services (BDS), individuals who want to transition from a Supervised Group Living (SGL) setting to the Community Integration and Habilitation (CIH) waiver must reside in an SGL setting for a minimum of 365 consecutive days before being eligible to apply for a CIH waiver. This requirement…
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…