Allies 2023 Priorities
State Priorities
1. Working on improving Community Services and Community Residential opportunities: Allies will advocate for structure and policy changes, so there is less need for congregate settings like Residential Habilitation Centers. We will be working with the Arc of Washington, Disability Rights Washington, and Pyramid Communications on a new media campaign that shows people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD) can live successfully in the community with the right supports. Those with I/DD live successfully in the community when they receive adequate care services and get placed in appropriate safe community residential housing environments. We demand our State fully funds caseload forecasting for all Department of Health and Social Services that impact people with disabilities in the community to make this goal a reality.
2. Allies provides technical assistance to self-advocate organizations: We are assisting Self Advocates in Leadership and People First of Washington in their efforts to pass legislation. We believe their continued efforts helps all Washington State Communities support people with I/DD to lead independent lives. We work with these organizations on various committees to strengthen their public policy objectives.
3. Support the Nothing About Us Without Us Bill: Allies is supporting the Nothing About Us Without Us Bill. If passed, the bill would require an adequate number of people with disabilities, including those with I/DD, to sit on Statutory Entities (Boards, Task Forces, Workgroups, and commissions).
4. Increasing accessibility at the State level: Allies will work with Washington State leaders to make the State Capitol and the State Legislative process accessible. We desire to see people who can’t come to Olympia physically still be able to participate virtually at hearings, rallies, or other State events. We strongly encourage all State Legislators be able to meet with constituents both in person or over internet applications throughout the session. We want to ensure these virtual options are accessible for people with different types of disabilities. In addition, Allies wants to encourage Washington State to make the Capitol more accessible for those coming in person. We would like to see more ADA compliance with their physical buildings.
5. Helping to remove technology barriers so people can access their communities fully: We are advocating for and supporting peer mentoring programs focusing on technology education. In addition, we want to encourage more disability partners and community partners to offer more technology training opportunities, especially one-on-one support. We also aim to support disability technology organizations such as the Washington State Assistive Technology Act Program in their mission to improve technology access.
6. Improve personal care services: Allies plans to advocate and support efforts to improve personal care services. Allies will work with Home Care Agencies, Home Health providers, Home Care Providers, State Unions, Disability Organizations, and State Agencies to improve programs and services. Our goal is to make these services person-centered so that each person needing services can have an individualized plan that works for them. In addition, we strive to ensure everyone receiving services lives in a community setting they choose that supports them the best. We also want to encourage our State to hire dedicated providers that want to work in this field. Finally, we want to ensure individuals with disabilities have the knowledge and support to fill out paperwork that will impact their services.
7. Public Safety: Allies plans to work with our DD Network Partners and community partners to make sure people with intellectual and developmental disabilities feel safe in their communities. We strive to assist first responders by providing them with information on how best to interact with us. We also work with State government entities to ensure people can access adequate physical and mental health services. Allies will fight to change State Policies, and laws at the legislative level to make certain people with I/DD can live in environments free from crime, abuse and harassment and make sure these laws and policies are enforced.
Federal Priorities
1. Self-Advocate Network Partner: In 2018, Allies started working officially with the three official Federal Developmental Disability (DD) Network Partners in our State; the State Developmental Disabilities Council, the State Protection and Advocacy Systems, and the State University Center for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities. Our State self-advocates and our partners believe we (people with intellectual and developmental disabilities) should have an equal place at the advocacy table helping improve the civil rights of people with I/DD). Therefore, allies and our State partners are advocating for a change to the federal DD Act, which would add an official self-advocacy State partner.
2. Support Federal Advocacy Efforts: Allies works with all National I/DD organizations to make sure Washington State self-advocates are informed about Federal legislation that improves the lives of people with I/DD and are also supported to advocate on them.