RespectAbility’s federal policy work is often done in coalition with other organizations, ensuring input from a wide cross-section of the disability community. Check out our latest advocacy highlights from working in partnership with the Consortium for Constituents with Disabilities (CCD), which is the largest coalition of national disability organizations that focus on policy, and the National Coalition on Accessible Voting (NCAV), which is a coalition of organizations dedicated to protecting, promoting, and expanding voting accessibility.
Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act (MHPAEA) Regulations
RespectAbility joined several other organizations in CCD in submitting public comments to the US Department of Labor (DOL) on proposed modifications to the regulations for the MHPAEA. We applauded their efforts to establish comprehensive standards to root out the discriminatory practices of insurers that impose additional burdens and barriers on people seeking mental and behavioral healthcare. We urged them to ensure that the new standards correctly apply to all necessary treatment modalities while properly aligning with federal regulations guaranteeing people with disabilities the right to seek services in the most integrated setting possible.
Expansion of Rental Subsidy Policy for Supplemental Security Income (SSI)
Several organizations in CCD, including RespectAbility, have submitted comments to the Social Security Administration (SSA), in support of the agency’s nationwide policy expansion. The policy, which has been piloted in several states, allows SSI recipients to receive financial assistance from friends and family members for housing costs, without risking the loss of their SSI benefits.
Presently, informal financial assistance from family and friends is considered “unearned income” by the SSA, which can reduce the SSI benefits of recipients by up to one-third. However, constituents in states where this policy is already in place have reported that allowing family and friends to help with their rent has helped many individuals to use their remaining SSI funds to meet their other basic needs, such as food, utilities, and transportation.
The proposed rule by the SSA would not only expand the policy nationwide, but also reduce the paperwork and reporting requirements for SSI beneficiaries, making it easier for them to receive the support they need.
Nondiscrimination on the Basis of Disability: Accessibility of Web Information
RespectAbility and several other members of NCAV submitted comments to urge the US Department of Justice (DOJ) to establish specific accessibility requirements for websites and mobile apps. We recommended that DOJ adopt the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) standard, which is the most widely used web accessibility standard and is familiar to most developers. Ensuring that people with disabilities have access to websites and apps is critical for education, employment, voting, community participation, and many other aspects of daily life.
We look forward to continuing to collaborate with other disability organizations as well as to proposing new initiatives and building new and exciting partnerships.
