Monday—April 8
|
| 9:00 – 10:00 |
Networking Breakfast |
| 10:00 – 11:30 |
Welcome and General Session |
Olmstead Twenty Years Later: How Far We Have Come and the Work Left to Do
|
| The historic Olmstead Supreme Court decision ensures the rights of people with disabilities to be served in their communities. While the impact of the decision on the adult disability service system has been huge, recent attacks remind us why we must remain vigilant. Come and hear from advocates about the past, present and future of the promises of Olmstead. |
| 11:30 – 01:30 |
Lunch on your own |
| 01:45 – 03:00 |
Concurrent Sessions (3) |
Basic Advocacy Track: How To Have Successful Hill Visits
|
| Will this be your first time visiting Capitol Hill? Are you returning, but nervous? This session will cover what to expect when you meet in the offices of your Members of Congress. Advocates will share tips and help you practice. |
Health Care Policy Update
|
| Will Congress attempt to address health care policy in the new Congress? Learn more about what is happening in Congress and in the Administration regarding the trends affecting access to affordable and comprehensive health care coverage. |
ABLE Accounts for Saving Money: Updates Needed
|
| The ABLE Act allows the use of special savings accounts that protect federal benefits for people with severe disabilities, but the accounts are available only to people who become disabled before age 26. The ABLE Age Adjustment Act would raise that age to 46 and also help ensure that enough people use the accounts to make the state programs financially stable. Learn how you can help get this bill passed. |
| 03:00 – 03:30 |
Break |
| 03:30 – 04:45 |
Concurrent Sessions (3) |
Basic Advocacy Track: Relationship Building, Your Words and Actions
|
| Wednesday’s Hill visits are a small part of your role in education and advocacy. Learn more about the follow up and small steps you can do build relationships that create change! |
Policy to Increase Employment Opportunities for People with Disabilities
|
| Over the past decade there has been a growing movement to ensure that ALL people with disabilities who want to work have the opportunity to work in their communities in a wide variety of jobs. Systems have moved but there is more work that needs to be done. Experts from the Hill and advocates will discuss current efforts to increase opportunities for community, competitive integrated employment. |
Paid Family and Medical Leave Update
|
| Paid family and medical leave can be a major benefit to people with disabilities and their family members. Learn more about legislation promoting these policies. |
| 05:00 – 06:00 |
Reception |
Tuesday—April 9
|
| 8:00 – 9:00 |
Breakfast |
| 9:15 – 10:30 |
General Session |
Update on Medicaid and Social Security Programs
|
| National experts will discuss the outlook for Medicaid and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) in Congress and in the Administration. Advocates will learn about pending proposals affecting Medicaid and SSI, and how to make their voices heard during the important debates about the future of these vital programs. |
| 10:30 – 11:00 |
Break |
| 11:00 – 12:15 |
Concurrent Sessions (3) |
Basic Advocacy Track: Basics of Medicaid and Social Security
|
| Learn about the basics of Medicaid, Social Security, and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) eligibility, benefits, and key policy issues |
Update on Education Policy
|
| Congress is working on legislation to ban restraint and seclusion, improve school climate and diversity in Kindergarten through 12th grade education, and to reauthorize the Higher Education Act. In addition, Congress is focusing on oversight and enforcement of the Individuals with Disabilities Act (IDEA) and the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA). Hear from key Congressional staff on the status of these efforts and what they mean for students with disabilities. |
Voting Issues
|
| Over the years, improvements in increasing voter turnout among their citizens with disabilities have been made by organizations and states. To advance these efforts, more must to be done to ensure that all people with disabilities can access what they need to vote in elections. In this session, hear about the advances made in the 2018 elections and how to prepare for upcoming local and national elections. |
| 12:30 – 2:00 |
State Caucus Meetings – Brown Bag Lunch |
| The state caucus meetings are for planning the visits to Capitol Hill with other people from your state. The fact sheets on priority issues to leave at each Hill meeting will be available at this time to help prepare for the meetings. |
| 2:15 – 3:30 |
Concurrent Sessions (3) |
Basic Advocacy Track: Regulations 101
|
| After a bill becomes a law, regulations guide how laws impact you. Learn about what a regulation is, the process for regulations, and how you can make effective comments from your community. |
Federal Funding Update
|
| Long term funding threats continue for all federal disability programs. Come to this session to learn about the impact of the 2017 tax law, efforts to repeal it, budget reforms, funding caps for discretionary programs, and regular appropriations and what they all mean for disability programs. |
Supported Decision Making – Making It Work
|
| Every person with a disability should be supported to make every decision that they can from big to small. As we have moved from a system of, at times, overly restrictive guardianship to supported decision making agreements, come hear from advocates about how they have operationalized that at the state level. |
| 4:00 – 5:15 |
General Session |
Better Together: Disability Rights are Human Rights
|
| Disability advocacy has its roots in the broader civil rights movement that continues to fight for equal treatment, equal access, and equal opportunity So many of our issues come together and we are stronger when we have a unified message. Hear from our partners in the civil rights community about the issues we will work on together in the 116th Congress, from combating discrimination to ensuring sufficient funding for supports and services |
| 5:30 – 6:30 |
Reception |
Wednesday—April 10
|
| All day–Hill visits scheduled by the attendees |
| *Program subject to change |
