Action Reports
Action Reports
Adult Changing Spaces
Adult Changing Spaces
Across the state of Iowa and our nation there is an unseen, unspoken of issue; a lack of accessible restrooms for individuals with disabilities. Current regulations set by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), state that handicap accessible restrooms are only required to accommodate the space needed for a wheelchair user to comfortably access a restroom. These standards do not address the large segment of the disability community that cannot properly utilize current facilities.
Kirkwood Professional Development and Intern Initiative
Kirkwood Professional Development and Intern Initiative
Iowa is currently in a Direct Care (Home Care) Staffing Crisis. There are 1000's of unfilled positions at local agencies with families on HCBS Waiver Programs stuck with no support staff. The Arc of Iowa has been partnering with Kirkwood Community College to set up a pilot project to train students and establish a local internship program to funnel new workers into the system.
DHS Medicaid Team (ARPA Funding)
DHS Medicaid Team (ARPA Funding)
The Arc of Iowa has been partnering with the Department of Human Services to better understand the needs of families on HCBS Waivers and to assist the State of Iowa in administering $100 million in one time Federal ARPA Funds.
The Arc of Iowa v. Reynolds
The Arc of Iowa v. Reynolds
In the final days of the 2021 legislative session, the Iowa General Assembly passed HF 847, which prohibits school districts in Iowa from requiring everyone to wear masks in their schools. As the school year begins and COVID cases soar, school districts face a dilemma: whether to comply with HF 847 or whether to meet their obligations under federal disability rights laws by protecting the health, safety, and dignity of their students with disabilities and providing equal access to their education.
