Legislative Priorities

Know Our 2024 State Legislative Priorities

The Virginia General Assembly Session starts January 10, 2024. Now is time to plan our advocacy efforts. Every year we plan for a strong agenda that seeks to build a better system for Virginia’s citizens with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Our policy proiorties seek to acquire funding, ammend reguglations, or improve programs that will create a more effective and efficient system in the Commonwealth. By building provider capacity, funding Priority 1 DD Waivers, ensuring that regulations protect Legally Responsible Individuals, and by building long-term sustainability into our system, we can create truly inclusive and equitable communities for all to live in.

As part of the Governor’s Right Help Right Now plan, we anticipate the introduced budget will include funding for new DD Waivers that will eliminate the Priority 1 waitlist. The following funding and legislative initiatives will support this long sought-after funding goal:

•  Retention of Waiver Slots – In response to the ongoing provider shortage, allow individuals struggling to find services to retain their waiver slot for up to one year.

•  Build Provider Capacity – Fund a series of initiatives that will build the capacity of providers to serve existing and newly funded DD Waiver Slots with supports provided in the community.

•  Increase Peer Mentor Rates – Peer Mentoring was the only direct service left out of DD Waiver Rate increases and must be increased to maintain parity with other DD Waiver Services.

•  Medicaid Works Eligibility – Create Medicaid Works Eligibility for DD Waiver Recipients to ensure that people can work and earn income without risking the loss of their waiver.

•  Match Supported Living Rate – Match the Supported Living Rate to the 4-person group home rate in order to create parity between services and to eliminate the current incentive for congregate services.

•  Legally Responsible Individuals – Protect families by ensuring the regulations regarding their ability to provide paid care for their children is reasonable and appropriate.

•  Develop Core Services – Study the options for implementing a set of core essential services that will move our system from a reactive to proactive system.

In addition to the above priorities identified by The Arc of Virginia, our chapter will also speak out on these additional topics:

•  Protect Waiver Eligibility – Amend regulations so that people receiving SSDI benefits from their parents’ work records maintain Waiver eligibility.
•  Allow Curbside Voting – Change Virginia Code to ensure anyone with a disability (not just a physical disability) can vote curbside if they need it.

2024 Legislative Priorities Webinar

Our Director of Advocacy, Lucy Beadnell, discusses The Arc of Northern Virginia’s 2024 Legislative and Budget Priorities. The recording will review the issues on which we’ll focus during the General Assembly session, and give information on how and when you can join us in helping make these proposals become a reality.

Download The Arc of Virginia’s 2024 Legislative Priorities flyer