Holding State Protection & Advocacy Agencies to Account
Three states have come to the realization that their state Protection and Advocacy Agencies (P&As) have not been acting in the interests of all people with I/DD and autism. Instead, they have been following their own agenda of closing Intermediate care facilities while promoting Home and Community-Based Services. In short, not protecting, only advocating for their own agenda.
Ohio, North Carolina, and Arkansas have passed laws to hold them to account to their state legislators.
Ohio's state senate will hold hearings every two years at which members of the ID/A community can testify about how Disability Rights Ohio spent its time and resources. And North Carolina has recently passed a law to form a joint committee to examine their P&A, Disability Rights North Carolina, every six months and report to legislators. In 2025, Arkansas passed Act 481 (originally HB 1382) requires their P&A to submit bi-annual reports to the Legislative Council and the Governor regarding efforts to advocate for all individuals with developmental disabilities who live in home- and community-based settings and not a facility.
We hope this is the start of a movement to hold this network of political operatives to account in every state. They should answer to the people they are commissioned to protect, not the branch of the federal government, the Administration for Community Living, that provides their funding.
You may download copies of these laws here