For Immediate Release
10/14/2021
Contact: David Card
202.408.9514 x122
[email protected]
Earlier today President Biden and Congress released a framework for an agreement on the Build Back Better Act. The National Disability Rights Network (NDRN) is pleased to see a number of important provisions that will positively impact people with disabilities.
“We look forward to enactment of this critical funding and ensuring that its positive impacts flow to the entire disability community,” said NDRN Executive Director Curt Decker.
First, the framework includes dedicated funding for the provision of Home and Community Based Services (HCBS) and for the workforce that provides these critical services. For decades, federal funding has been dedicated to paying for people with disabilities to receive services in institutions rather than in the community, including their home. This legislation will provide critically needed funding to help achieve the goals of the Americans with Disabilities Act and the Olmstead decision that people with disabilities should receive services in the most integrated setting possible.
Second, the framework also includes a grant program that would provide much needed funding to states to assist in the transition of entities that pay subminimum wages to paying competitive wages in an integrated environment. NDRN and our members, the Protection and Advocacy agencies (P&A) and Client Assistance Programs (CAP), have long advocated for ending the practice of paying subminimum wages to people with disabilities and these grants will help entities make this critical transition.
Third, the framework includes critical funding for housing that will positively impact persons with disabilities and the low-income community. This support works hand-in-hand with the HCBS funding to ensure that people with disabilities can live, work, learn, and be fully involved in the community.
Finally, the framework includes incredibly important tax provisions. The Child Tax Credit will now be more available to more low-income Americans including those caring for a child with a disability which frequently forces parents into unemployment or underemployment. Making this tax credit more available will help families that face this incredibly tough dilemma. The provisions strengthening the Earned Income Tax Credit will lower the high poverty rates for people with disabilities and service providers.
These provisions are incredibly important to people with disabilities and we look forward to their eventual enactment and implementation.
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The National Disability Rights Network (NDRN) is the nonprofit membership organization for the federally mandated Protection and Advocacy (P&A) Systems and the Client Assistance Programs (CAP) for individuals with disabilities. Collectively, the P&A/CAP Network is the largest provider of legally based advocacy services to people with disabilities in the United States.
