Federal Actions HR 2373 Transformation to Competitive Integrated Employment Act Transformation to Competitive Integrated Employment Act (H.R. 2373), a bipartisan bill introduced in Congress on April 6th , phases out the use of subminimum wage certificates for people with disabilities, which many people view as outdated and unfair. The bill authorizes funds to help states transform their employment systems to…
Public Policy Update
Listen to our latest podcast about these policy developments. Federal Actions American Rescue Act: Congress passed an additional COVID and economic relief bill – the American Rescue Plan (ARP) – in early March. The legislation includes a number of items meant to address ongoing problems related to the pandemic including $1,400 stimulus checks for many Americans (including dependents and individuals with disabilities); an extension of unemployment benefits; additional funding…
Public Policy Update
Federal Actions American Rescue Plan Act: Congress continues to debate the contents of the next round of Federal economic and pandemic related relief. The US House passed the American Relief Act on February 27 and the Senate Passed its version of the bill over the weekend of March 6-7. The legislation includes $1,400 checks for many Americans (including dependents and individuals with disabilities), an extension of unemployment…
Vaccine Priority for People with Autism
Increasing evidence is showing that people with intellectual and/or developmental disabilities (IDD) are at much higher risk for contracting COVID-19, for being hospitalized with the illness, and an increased mortality rate from the illness. A Johns Hopkins analysis of insurance data indicates people with IDD are three times more likely to die when infected with…
Public Policy Advocacy: What’s Ahead and How to Help
As an organization dedicated to enhancing the lives of individuals on the autism spectrum and their families, ASNC advocates for public policies that support people on the spectrum and monitors changes in our developmental disability and education systems. We work with policymakers at the General Assembly, state departments such as NC Department of Health and…
Public Policy Update
Safe Interactions Act and Health-services Emergency Logistics Program (HELP) Act introduced in Congress U.S. Senator Bob Casey has launched an initiative to address racial justice and law enforcement interactions with people with disabilities, including autism. Two bills have been introduced – the Safe Interactions Act and the Human-services Emergency Logistic Program (HELP) Act – which are intended to provide…
Setting the Record Straight: Medicaid Waivers, Medicaid Expansion, Medicaid Transformation
Note: The following is a primer on several issues happening at the same time in our Medicaid system. For background information on Medicaid as a whole, and how Medicaid works in North Carolina, please refer to the “Medicaid Basics” information at the end of this post, content re-published from our public policy papers available on…
Public Policy Update
Legislative Mini Session Wrap Up The North Carolina General Assembly (NCGA) returned to Raleigh on Wednesday, September 2 to allocate more than $900 million in federal Coronavirus money in a quick two-day process. Governor Cooper is widely expected to sign the bill; however, his office did note that they are still reviewing the legislation. Legislative…
Public Policy Update – State and Federal News
Below is the Autism Society of North Carolina’s weekly update on policy changes and legislation related to local, state, and federal COVID-19 emergency orders. This post covers July 31 – August 20. Congressional Update Since our last update, Congress has not passed any new legislation regarding COVID-19 and/or economic relief. A compromise is needed between…