the advocacy monitor

Independent Living News & Policy from the National Council on Independent Living

Disability Integration Act Introduced in the Senate: Urge Your Senators to Co-Sponsor this Revolutionary Bill and Free Our People!

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.

NCIL logo - National Council on Independent LivingThe 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!

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!