Action Alerts
New Coronavirus Relief Bill: Tell Congress #WeAreEssential!
A new coronavirus relief bill is currently being negotiated in Congress and may be voted on this week!
The pandemic continues to disproportionally affect people with disabilities, their families, and the workforce that supports them.
Congress MUST continue to hear from the disability community about how people with disabilities, their families, and the essential direct support professional workforce will be impacted – there is so much at stake.
Your Members of Congress must hear from you, so they pass a relief bill that includes:
- Dedicated funding for Medicaid home and community-based services (HCBS). These funds are necessary to serve people with disabilities in their homes and communities and will provide better wages and support for the direct support professional (DSP) workforce. Access to HCBS will limit the risk of people with disabilities being put in institutions.
- Personal protective equipment (PPE) for direct support professionals. This is urgently needed to protect the health and safety of this critical workforce. DSPs must be designated as essential workers so that they can get access to the PPE and medical supplies they need.
- Paid leave for all caregivers. As more people with disabilities lose their usual sources of care, family caregivers are scrambling and need access to paid leave and sick days to help their loved ones. All family caregivers should be included in the emergency paid leave provisions.
- Economic impact payments for all people with disabilities. Stimulus payments should be available to everyone, including adults with disabilities who are claimed as dependents.
2020 Get Out The Vote Guide
Election Day is Tuesday, November 3, 2020. Due to COVID-19, this year's voting process will look very different than in previous years. All active registered voters in NJ will automatically receive mail-in ballots to vote in the 2020 General Election.
The Arc of New Jersey created this Get Out the Vote Guide to help you navigate the new way of voting. It also provides resources, insights from individuals who vote, and important deadlines you'll want to keep in mind as Election Day approaches. Remember, your vote is your voice!
Tell Your Story
Do you have a cell phone with a camera? Take a short video of yourself answering one of the questions below:
- Without my direct support professional…
- The services that I get from Medicaid make it possible for me to…
- If my mom/dad/sister/brother can’t take time off work during this pandemic to support me…
- This is my home, and if I don’t have healthy staff to support me…
- I rely on my Social Security benefits to…
- The Arc of Monmouth supports me to…
Submit your video to development@arcofmonmouth.org to be featured on our website of social media!
For more Advocacy Resources, check out the Go Bag from The Arc of NJ Family Institute.
Personal stories are often the best way to demonstrate impact. If The Arc of Monmouth's supports and services have helped you and your family meet challenges, reach your goals, and achieve more - we want to hear your story! Please feel free to email development@arcofmonmouth.org if you want to share.
New Jersey Senators
Senator Cory Booker: (973) 639-8700
Senator Robert Menendez: (973) 645-3030
