❄️ ASAN December Update ❄️

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ASAN December Newsletter

Dear friend,

As 2024 comes to an end and we prepare for the fights to come, we’re grateful to do it by your side! Check out what we’ve been working on this month and what you can do to help.

Medicaid is the biggest health care program in the country. It’s an important part of the United States health care system. But a lot of the information out there about Medicaid and attempts to change it can be difficult to understand and navigate. In 2017, the disability community had to fight against proposed cuts to Medicaid, and it’s looking like we’ll be fighting that same battle next year. That’s why ASAN a webinar early this month all about Medicaid, what we did last time to protect it, and what we can do during the incoming administration to keep it safe. You can check out the recording of “What is Medicaid and how can we save it — again?” here!

As 2024 comes to a close, we’re reflecting on everything your support has made possible this year. And whether you’re able to share our resources, make a donation, or join our community as a member, there’s still time to show your support! Our grassroots help make our work possible. Thanks to your support, we’ve strengthened our advocacy for accessible health care, fair pay, and many other issues that affect our community. It’s important now more than ever to remember that we’re not in this fight alone—together, we’re building a more inclusive and equitable future. Will you help us keep fighting to our community’s rights in the year to come?

Don’t forget to check outGrow With Us: ASAN’s 2024 Annual Report! From pushing to #StopTheShock and ensuring autistic voices are represented in research about us to opposing cuts to SNAP benefits and fighting mask bans, we’ve been able to do even more work to support our community thanks to you. And don’t forget to take our annual survey! Your input is essential in shaping our work and helping us understand the issues that matter most to you. Together, we can make sure our advocacy remains strong and grounded in what our community needs.

Your support so far means everything to us, and we’re ready to keep fighting in the year to come. Thank you for standing with us—we couldn’t do it without you.

With warm wishes,
The Team at ASAN

  • ASAN signed onto a People for the American Way letter urging senators not to allow recess appointments of Trump administration nominees.
  • We opposed Russ Vought’s nomination for the United States Office of Management and Budget.
  • ASAN signed onto a letter opposing the Educational Choice for Children Act and funding for private school vouchers in the appropriations process. This is because voucher schools do not provide the same quantity and quality of services available to students with disabilities in public schools, including those mandated under each student’s individualized education program (IEP).
  • As a part of the Consortium for Constituents with Disabilities (CCD) Long Term Services and Supports (LTSS) Task Force, we supported the Recognizing the Role of Direct Support Professionals Act, a bill that would help to create a standard occupational classification (SOC) for direct support professionals (DSPs).
  • We signed onto a letter from The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights urging President Biden to use his clemency powers during his final days in office.
  • ASAN signed onto a letter from The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights urging Congress to oppose the National Defence Authorization Act (H.R. 5009) due to the anti-trans rider included in it.
  • As a part of the CCD Education Task Force, we signed onto comments to the U.S. Department of Education (ED) Office for Civil Rights (OCR) regarding proposed updates to the Civil Rights Data Collection (CRDC) survey tool(s) for 2025-2026 and 2027-2028.
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Grow With Us annual report

 

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