CARSON CITY --  On Friday, March 22, The Arc in Nevada will host  more than 50 citizens with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD), families, service providers, and advocates from across Nevada during the first ever Disability Awareness Legislative Day at the state legislature.

This daylong event will allow individuals with I/DD and their families to connect with legislators and share their stories.  During the day advocates will have the opportunity to discuss state issues like respite and Medicaid with their local legislators. This day has been designated “Nevada Disabilities Conference (NDC) Awareness Day” by ­­­­­­­­Governor Brian Sandoval in his proclamation for Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month.

“The Arc in Nevada knows that the voices of self-advocates and families are the most powerful advocacy tool.  We could not be more excited sponsor the Nevada Disabilities Conference Awareness Day, and to empower so many amazing advocates in our state. As we all come together to flood the halls of the legislature, we amplify the voice of the disability community in Nevada,” said Nicole Schomberg, Project Coordinator for The Arc in Nevada.

In the morning, The Arc in Nevada will host a Disability Awareness Legislative Breakfast. The breakfast will be held at the Nevada Legislature Building, Room 3100 from 8:30 am – 10:30 am. This is an opportunity for state legislators to meet with their constituents and/or community leaders to further discuss key issues with their legislators. 

This event takes place during Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month, which brings individuals across the country together to raise awareness about issues facing people with disabilities.  Over the last 60 years, The Arc and its network of more than 700 chapters across the country have made tremendous progress in promoting and protecting the rights of people with I/DD.  It is due greatly to the advocacy efforts of The Arc that President Ronald Reagan officially declared March to be Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month in 1987.

This year there is much at risk for individuals with disabilities across the country.  As Congress continues budget negotiations, the entitlement programs that provide an essential lifeline for individuals with I/DD are expected to take center stage.  In coming months, there will be mounting pressure to generate additional revenue and to find additional cuts in the federal budget to reduce the deficit further, which could put at risk the Medicaid, Medicare, and Social Security programs.  The Arc’s advocates in Nevada will continue putting pressure on members of Nevada’s delegation in Congress to protect these lifeline programs that so many people in the state rely on.

The Arc in Nevada’s “Growing a Grassroots Advocacy Movement” program is funded by the Nevada Governor’s Council on Developmental Disabilities. Through this program, The Arc of the United States is working to develop long-term capacity for advocates to have input and impact on issues of importance to people with I/DD and their families.   This project started in 2011, and marks the first time The Arc has had a statewide presence in Nevada since the mid-nineties.

Editor’s Note: The Arc is not an acronym; always refer to us as The Arc, not The ARC and never ARC. The Arc should be considered as a title or a phrase.