The Arc Michigan

🎉 Thank you to everyone who joined us today for our Disability Policy Webinar!

We appreciate your time, participation, and commitment to staying informed on the issues that impact people with disabilities. 💙

📺 Missed today's session? Don't worry! The webinar recording, presentation slides, and handouts will be posted on our website so you can catch up at your convenience.

📅 Mark your calendars and join us again next Friday at 9:30am for the next installment of our Disability Policy Webinar Series, featuring important updates and discussions on disability policy and advocacy.

🔗 Visit our website for today's materials and information about upcoming sessions.

Voting is a fundamental right—and every voter deserves equal access to the ballot box.

People with disabilities are an important part of our democracy, yet many continue to face barriers when it comes to voting, from inaccessible polling locations to transportation challenges and confusion about voting requirements.

At The Arc Michigan, we believe every voice matters. As election discussions continue across our state and nation, it's important to ensure that people with disabilities have the information, accommodations, and opportunities they need to fully participate in the democratic process.

When voting is accessible, our communities are stronger.

Looking ahead, the FY27 budget must also account for an additional $1.27/hour wage increase. That’s another cost that must be planned for—not ignored.

The R-word didn't stop being used because something cooler replaced it. It faded because people fought to end it. And now it's creeping back, dressed up as a punchline, an insult, or a throwaway comment, including in shows like Euphoria and stand-up specials. It was never any of those things. And people with disabilities have dealt with this word their entire lives.

In our blog, people share exactly what this word has meant in their lives and the moments they heard it, who said it, and what it cost them. Their stories are honest, painful, and important. And they are exactly why this conversation still matters.

Read their words. Sit with their experiences. And then make two choices: never use it again and say something when others do.

Learn more about how the R-word impacts the lives of people with disabilities: https://bit.ly/42Zth3T

🙋🏾‍♀️Who's ready for summertime?

🧐Who might still have IEP questions while school is on break?

💡Michigan Alliance for Families offers IEP: A Closer Look every month, even during the summer!

June 22 IEP: A Closer Look with Stephanie Nicholls from 6:30pm- 8:00pm. Register at https://tinyurl.com/5ed3vevx

QR code takes you to our website calendar for easy registration ➡️ https://www.michiganallianceforfamilies.org/upcoming-events/

The DCW Wage Coalition is asking for something straightforward: fund the full cost of the $3.40/hour wage commitment in the FY27 budget. Not part of it. All of it.

Navigating special education shouldn't mean hours of searching for answers you're not even sure you can trust. The Arc@School just launched a free AI Advisor to help you find expert-vetted answers to your special education questions.

Got questions about IEPs, accommodations, or disability rights in schools? This tool is for you (see link in comments).

Policy decisions shape real lives.

Join The Arc Michigan this June for a three-part Disability Policy Webinar Series featuring leaders from across Michigan and the nation discussing the issues impacting disability services today—and what may be ahead.

From legislative updates to conversations about access, quality, and the future of services, this series is designed to keep advocates, families, and professionals informed and connected.

📅 June 5, 12 & 26, 2026
Register now: https://tinyurl.com/ArcMi26

As a parent of a child receiving services through Early On, you already play an important role—especially by participating in your child’s IFSP meetings. But did you know there’s another powerful way to get involved?

You can join your Local Interagency Coordinating Council (LICC)—a group that helps shape how early intervention services work in your community. Each LICC includes parents, educators, and community partners, and at least 20% of members are parents of children with disabilities. That means your voice truly matters.

Parents bring real-life perspective to conversations about services, supports, funding, and systems—and help ensure decisions reflect what families actually need. Your experience can help make a difference for other families, too.

Check out the updated LICC handbook athttps://www.michigan.gov/mileap/-/media/Project/Websites/mileap/Documents/Early-Childhood-Education/MICC/Michigan-LICC-Handbook.pdf

Federal mandates are coming. New work requirements and eligibility checks will overwhelm an already-stretched system — unless Michigan invests in MDHHS staffing now.

Tell your lawmakers: Fund MDHHS. Protect Medicaid.

It takes less than a minute to send an email: https://protectmicare.org/take-action/