Speaking out for People with
Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities
VOR's 2021 Annual Meeting will take place on Sunday, June 27th via Zoom at 3 pm Eastern, 2 pm Central, 1 pm Mountain, Noon Pacific. There is no fee for attending the conference, but we ask that you register online to ensure a seat in the meeting. Please click here to register.
The VOR Board of Directors has seven candidates renewing their positions this year. Click below to view or download their biographies.
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, VOR's Legislative Initiative was held virtually this year. There were no in-person meetings with Members of Congress or their staff on the Hill as in other years. Instead, our members arranged meetings via Zoom or held conference calls with legislative aides.We focused on Choice and the need to support all residential and employment options, concerns about the DSP crisis, and the need to protect vocational centers and 14(c) wage certificates for people with moderate-severe I/DD and autism. Conference materials are attached below.
VOR has submitted a response to the draft version of the HCBS Access Act of 2021 as proposed by Rep. Debbie Dingell, Sen. Bob Casey, Sen. Maggie Hassan, and Sen. Sherrod Brown.
We believe that provisions in this bill could lead to the elimination of the ICF system by providing fedeal funds to states to fully cover HCBS Waiver services, de-incentivizing states to pay for the services provided by ICFs.
Congress is currently working on the American Rescue Act, a $1.9 Billion package that includes, among other item, a provision to grant additional funding to Home and Community Based Services for people with I/DD.
VOR is asking that this funding be given to all people with I/DD, regardless of their setting or the funding stream that pays for their services. We urge Congress to reject choosing winners and losers among people with intellectual disabilities and, instead, to provide relief equitably to all of them.
