Bills We Support

Call your representatives and voice your support for these bills that benefit our clients and employees. Click this link to find your representative: https://wrm.capitol.texas.gov/home

THIS NOTICE JUST RELEASED BY THE ARC OF TEXAS:

BREAKING: House Adds Zero Funding for Waitlist Reduction

We need YOU and/or your clients/families to make phone calls!

Although we applaud the House Appropriations Committee's decision to fully fund promoting independence (transition and diversion) slots, we are devastated to share that they have not allocated funds for the waitlist. This is unacceptable to the over 153,000 Texans waiting for necessary community-based support and services.

It's not over! Your voice is needed. Both the Senate and House have a long way to go before they finalize the state budget. We need you to follow the steps below and make calls to let legislators know not funding the waitlist is NOT AN OPTION!

Step One: Call the legislators below and share with them that not funding the waitlist is unacceptable. Use the talking points provided below.

Speaker Dennis Bonnen: (512) 463-1000
Representative John Zerwas: (512) 463-0657
Representative Sarah Davis: (512) 463-0389

Step Two: Follow this link and look up both your State Representative and State Senator. Call their offices and share the talking points provided.

Talking Points:

Community-based waivers provide many services such as personal attendant care, nursing, some therapies, and more. Without these services, many individuals are not able to get in and out of bed, bathe, go to the store, or participate fully in the community.
There are over 153,000 Texans with disabilities waiting as long as 14 years for critical supports.
It is important for the legislature to fully fund HHSC's request for waivers to reduce the interest list and support transition and diversion from institutions, known as Promoting Independence.
HHSCs request this session was less than it has been historically, however they stated that it is their top priority.
There was no funding for interest list reduction last session.
If the legislature once again decides not to fund the interest list, Texas will truly be a crisis-driven system. This is not what Texans stand for.
Texas has done tremendous work to build community capacity and can continue to build on that. Don't let us take steps backward by putting individuals and families in crisis.
Not funding the waitlist should not be an option.
Thank you for your time.

Step Three: Copy and paste the message below and post to your social media accounts.

"There are too many Texans with disabilities waiting for a community-based waiver. We cannot go another year without interest list reduction. Please include full funding for @TexasHHSC request. @RepJohnZerwas @SarahforHD134 @RepDennisBonnen #txlege #disabilities"

You can be a powerful agent in the push towards increased accessibility to Medicaid waivers and community integration for Texans with IDD. Thank you for all you do!

If you have any questions, do not hesitate to reach out to Kyle Piccola or Ginger Mayeaux.