Advocacy at
The Arc of North Carolina
The root of all our work.
Learn more about the policy issues we address and the advocacy work we do.
The Root of All Our Work
Advocacy at
The Arc of NC
Advocacy is the root of all our work at The Arc of NC. It is how we began, and though the world looks very different now, there is advocacy in all we do each day; there is also so much work left to be done.
Besides being able to connect directly with families who need us to lend our voice so that theirs becomes stronger, we also work at the state and federal levels to advocate for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) and their families. We focus on policy issues that are important to the IDD community such as healthcare, education, housing, employment, accessibility, and community inclusion.
Lisa Poteat, CEO, The Arc of NC, remarks Dec 10, 2025: Medicaid Press Conference with Gov Josh Stein
The Arc of North Carolina, because of our advocacy this fall with the General Assembly, DHHS, and the Governor’s office, was invited to a press conference on December 10, 2025, at the Executive Mansion, where Gov. Josh Stein announced that he was directing DHHS to revert their rate reductions back to the September 30th rates. While this is only a temporary solution (we still have no state budget and only enough Medicaid dollars to get through the spring), this was a HUGE WIN for all of us- providers, advocates, staff, and especially families and self-advocates, who are the most impacted by service interruptions. Our CEO, Lisa Poteat, was an invited guest and she was given the opportunity to speak on behalf of the IDD community. Video is courtesy of the Office of Governor Josh Stein.
Around the Table Podcast
The Arc of NC is producing an ongoing video podcast called Around The Table. It will feature family members and leaders talking about issues and experiences related to IDD.
If you need advocacy for yourself or for a member of your family, please let us know.
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Our Advocacy division is actively working on these current policy issues.
Legislative Agenda : 2026 Short Session
The Arc of North Carolina is an advocacy and service organization working with individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) and their families since 1953. The Arc is committed to securing for all people with IDD the opportunity to choose and realize their goals of where and how they live, learn, work, and play.
The state budget must provide a stable system of care, support, and opportunity for people with IDD across the lifespan. The budget must reflect a cohesive system of comprehensive services that provide options to individuals and families, streamlines regulatory requirements for providers, and maximizes funds by leveraging state and federal matching dollars through waivers and other tools.
MEDICAID FUNDING
The General Assembly should fully fund the Medicaid rebase and keep Medicaid expansion intact. In North Carolina, there are an estimated 200,000 people living with an intellectual or developmental disability (IDD). People with IDD represent an array of conditions, including but not limited to, autism, Down syndrome, cerebral palsy, Williams syndrome, and Fragile X syndrome.
Most individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) rely on Medicaid for health care, some are immunocompromised and have very complex health conditions requiring additional medical care.
Due to the volatility of Medicaid funding, individuals with IDD and their families have faced the following adverse effects:
- Loss of services and loss of dedicated staff providing services.
- Medical providers making the decision to close their practice or stop seeing patients who use Medicaid. Without access to Medicaid providers, the IDD community will become sicker or rely on hospital emergency rooms for treatment and care.
- Local businesses face layoffs of staff and financial hardship due to the economic impact of Medicaid cuts.
- Several rural hospitals have closed further limiting access to needed healthcare for people with IDD.
All of these changes mean that many individuals with IDD and their families are without the support and medical care they need in order to live their lives.
Many individuals with IDD who did not qualify for Medicaid were included in the Medicaid expansion program. This has been life-changing for children and adults in need of speech therapy, physical therapy, and other supports that improve their health. Losing this program that received bipartisan support would be devastating for families.
SUPPLEMENTAL NUTRITION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM (SNAP)
The General Assembly should secure the SNAP program. Many individuals with IDD rely on this program to get basic food needs met, living on tight budgets and having to make tough choices between paying bills, purchasing medication, or buying food. Individuals with disabilities already face higher rates of poverty and food insecurity, putting them more at risk.
INNOVATIONS WAIVER
The General Assembly should fund additional Innovations Waiver slots and reduce the number of people on the Innovations Waiver waitlist. According to the NC Department of Health and Human Services, as of September 2025 there are 20,150 people on the waitlist. The waiver allows people with IDD access to supports and services in their home rather than being placed into an institution. We thank the General Assembly for continuing to make consistent progress in reducing the Innovations Waiver waitlist.
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