The NCIL Healthcare / Personal Assistance Services (PAS) Subcommittee is extremely pleased to announce that on December 18th, Senator Schumer (D-NY) introduced the Disability Integration Act (DIA)! Although it has a new name, this is the same bill that we advocated for during NCIL’s 2015 Annual Conference and Hill Visits.
The Disability Integration Act addresses the fundamental issue that people who need Long Term Services and Supports (LTSS) are forced into institutions and lose their basic freedom and civil rights. The legislation (S. 2427) establishes new federal law – similar in structure to the ADA – that requires states and insurance providers that pay for LTSS to change their policies, provide community-based services first, and offer HCBS to people currently in institutions.
The Community First Choice Option – as part of the Affordable Care Act – established the Medicaid infrastructure needed to support people with disabilities in the community. Even though CFC provides extra money for states to support independent living, many states have still not chosen that option.
The DIA takes the next step in tour campaign to FREE OUR PEOPLE and creates a clearly articulated right to services and supports in the community and requires public entities and insurance providers that pay for LTSS to make real and meaningful changes that support the right of people with disabilities to live in freedom – like every other American!
- Read an overview of the legislation.
- Read more detailed background on the bill, including a description of the legislative approach, support for the legislation, and how we have addressed potential opposition in crafting the bill.
- Read the extensive Question and Answer document that explains the name change and answers many of the questions we have received about the bill.
- Read the discrimination section of the bill in simple language. For some folks, the legislative language can be intimidating. We put the discrimination section in plain language so local organizers could explain what the bill does to their advocates.
- Read the full text of the bill at congress.gov.
NCIL and ADAPT are working on a House version and will provide an update on that as soon as the details are firmed up.
Take Action: Contact your Senators and urge them to cosponsor this important legislation!