What’s Happening at The Arc of North Carolina
Welcome to 2024! We hope everyone had a wonderful holiday break and is enjoying the new year.
We want to make sure you are in the loop with the latest information, so here are some updates.
- The Arc of NC launched a new web page dedicated to care management that details what this service is and why it’s important. We felt it was important to create a space to ensure information about care management was reaching as many people as possible. We made sure to include videos of families who are receiving care management - you can hear directly from them on how it helped their family.
In December 2022, The Arc of NC began providing care management to those who qualified. Tailored Care Management (also known as TCM or just Care Management) is designed for people who receive Medicaid and have an intellectual or developmental disability, severe and persistent mental illness, traumatic brain injury, or substance use disorder.
Click the link below for information on Care Management and how you can access this incredible program!
In late 2023, the North Carolina General Assembly passed a state budget for 2024-25. Our Advocacy team, along with many self-advocates and families, spent much of the year advocating for increases in I/DD waiver slots and better pay for Direct Support Professionals.
Here are some of the items from the budget that are focused on people with I/DD:
- Provides $4 million annually and establishes a training program at up to 15 community colleges for credentials that lead to increased employment outcomes for individuals with IDD
- Establishes the Vocational Rehabilitation Pilot Program for community colleges to provide support services to students with IDD to reach their goals for employment and independence
- Provides $500,000 annually and directs UNC-Wilmington to develop a Comprehensive Transition Program for students with intellectual disabilities
- Adds 350 slots to the NC Innovations waiver for services for individuals with IDD
- Increases the wages of direct care workers providing services under the Innovations waiver program
2024 promises to be an exciting year with a lot of work to be done for the I/DD community. You can help us with our advocacy efforts! It's important for people with disabilities, their families, and friends be heard and get involved. Make sure you subscribe to The Arc of NC for all of the latest news, events, and action alerts.
Sign up for The Arc of NC E-Alerts
Our webinar series gets underway in one week! Join us on Thursday, February 1, 2024 at 4:00pm to discuss tips and tricks for successful IEP meetings. We know that many of your school-based IEP meetings are now being held virtually and we want to arm you with resources to help you be your child's best advocate, even if it is across a screen. Bring your questions and have them answered live!
Keep coming back here for new blog posts and the latest information!