Call To Action
Criminal Justice and Public Safety
Sign the petition & share! Together, let’s end the inhumane practice of juvenile life without parole and make sure there are no more children sentenced to die in prison. If passed, Senate Bills 848-851 and House Bills 5941-5944 will make Michigan the thirty-fifth state to end the inhumane practice of juvenile life without parole. The bills recognize the inherent dignity of young people and emphasize the concepts of redemption and second chances.
Criminal Justice and Public Safety
Michigan Education Budget Campaign
Send a letter and call state elected officials with the Michigan Education Justice Coalition (MEJC), urging them to truly invest in our kids and schools! Budgets are a reflection of our values. Currently, the Michigan House and Senate are in the final month of debating the 2023 budget, and we’re urging legislators to finalize an education budget that:
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Increases funding for public education, especially during a pandemic
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Increase per pupil funding to $500
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Funds more mental health support in schools, especially during a pandemic
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Increases weighted funding for:
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Students with disabilities
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Bilingual students
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At-risk students
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Increases funds for school staff retention
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Increases funds to update aging school facilities to keep our kids safe
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Funds schools and specific programs to increase urban literacy rates
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Increases funding for before and after school care
Send your letter here: https://bit.ly/FundMISchools
Call elected officials here: https://actionnetwork.org/call_campaigns/our-kids-deserve-fully-funded-schools
Congress: End Harsh Discipline of Students & Target Resources to Train School Staff
Send a letter with the National Disability Rights Network urging Congress to pass the Keeping All Students Safe Act, the Protecting our Students in Schools Act, and the Counseling Not Criminalization Act! Congress has the opportunity to pass three bills that together will put an end to harsh discipline; criminalization of; and the use of law enforcement against students with disabilities and students of color in schools. These bills, if enacted, will help transform schools to promote learning; allow students to form positive and trusting relationships with trained and knowledgeable adults; and encourage the use of evidence-based strategies to promote positive behavior. Students with disabilities and students of color deserve the opportunity to pursue their education free from the fear of trauma and abuse.
Employment & Economy
MI Legislature: Support Michigan’s Direct Care Workers - $18/hour!
Send a letter to increase the average starting wage in the behavioral health system to $18.00 per hour! When a Michigan resident experiences a mental illness or developmental disability, they should be able to hire the help they need to ensure their safety and wellbeing. But right now, they can’t. In today's tight labor market, it is difficult to find a Direct Care Worker, whether you are looking for care for yourself, a loved one, or hiring an employee for your agency. This leaves our state’s most vulnerable residents at risk. Michigan has a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to address the long-standing direct care workforce crisis in a meaningful and sustained manner.
Department of Labor: Recognize Direct Support Workers!
Send a letter to increase the average starting wage in the behavioral health system to $18.00 per hour! When a Michigan resident experiences a mental illness or developmental disability, they should be able to hire the help they need to ensure their safety and wellbeing. But right now, they can’t. In today's tight labor market, it is difficult to find a Direct Care Worker, whether you are looking for care for yourself, a loved one, or hiring an employee for your agency. This leaves our state’s most vulnerable residents at risk. Michigan has a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to address the long-standing direct care workforce crisis in a meaningful and sustained manner.
Congress: Support the SSI Savings Penalty Elimination Act!
Send a letter with The Arc urging Congress to Pass the SSI Savings Penalty Elimination Act! The Supplemental Security Income (SSI) program provides critical support for millions of people with disabilities and their families to be able to afford necessities like food and rent. The SSI asset limits have not been raised since 1989. Currently, SSI recipients are only allowed to have $2,000 in assets ($3,000 for couples) before they become ineligible for SSI benefits. The bill would increase the current asset limits in the SSI program to $10,000 for individuals and $20,000 for couples. This would allow SSI recipients to save for emergencies and maintain their SSI benefits. The bill would also index the limits to inflation so they would be adjusted annually based on data from the Consumer Price Index.
Please contact your U.S. Senators and ask them to support people with disabilities and their families by co-sponsoring the bipartisan SSI Savings Penalty Elimination Act, which would raise SSI asset limits for the first time in over 30 years and significantly improve the lives of people with disabilities who receive SSI.
Congress: End Subminimum Wage for Disabled Workers!
Send a letter with the National Disability Rights Network urging Congress to pass the Transformation to Competitive Integrated Employment Act, which phases out the discriminatory practice of paying people with disabilities less than the minimum wage. The bill also provides funding to support employers and states that move toward a business model that supports competitive, integrated employment for people with disabilities.People with disabilities deserve real jobs and fair pay in the workforce. Together, we can help bring an end to this blatant economic and social discrimination.
Congress: End Subminimum Wage for Disabled Workers!
Send a letter with the National Disability Rights Network urging Congress to pass the Raise the Wage Act. This critical bill would not only raise the minimum wage to $15 an hour, but would also phase out the harmful and discriminatory practice of paying individuals with disabilities a subminimum wage. People with disabilities deserve real pay for real work. Together, we can help bring an end to this blatant economic discrimination.
Congress: Pass the Work Without Worry Act today!
Send a letter with the National Disability Rights Network urging Congress to pass The Work Without Worry Act, which would allow Americans with disabilities to take on employment opportunities without fear of losing social security benefits, known as disabled adult child (DAC) benefits. This bill is estimated to better the material conditions and lives of nearly 6,000 individuals with disabilities over the next decade; individuals with disabilities will still have the important opportunity to explore employment opportunities without jeopardizing our financial security.
Congress: Pass the ABLE Age Adjustment Act!
Send a letter with the National Disability Rights Network urging Congress to pass the Raise the Wage Act. This critical bill would not only raise the minimum wage to $15 an hour, but would also phase out the harmful and discriminatory practice of paying individuals with disabilities a subminimum wage. People with disabilities deserve real pay for real work. Together, we can help bring an end to this blatant economic discrimination.
Government Agencies, Departments, Programs and Services
MI Legislature: Fix the Fix, Auto No-Fault Reform
Send a letter to Michigan Lawmakers with CPAN. Current Auto No-Fault policy leaves those who became disabled from auto accidents without what they need to live in their communities. Tell MI Lawmakers to enact a meaningful, long-term solution for victims of auto accidents and their families.
MI Legislature: Fix the Fix, Auto No-Fault Reform
Send a letter with the National Disability Rights Network urging Congress to pass the Disabled Access Credit Expansion Act! Currently, when a small business invests in expanding access for individuals with a disability, they are eligible for a maximum tax credit of $10,250 per year. Under the bill, the tax credit amount will double. Such a tax credit is an effective incentive to motivate small businesses to comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and accommodate the accessibility needs of all customers with disabilities. The bill will also expand the definition of a small business” to include businesses with an annual income of up to $2.5 million. This expansion will enable more businesses to become accessible. Additionally, As COVID-19 has expedited the transition into the digital age, access to online businesses is of heightened importance. Recognizing this development, the bill will provide tax credits for increasing digital, internet, and telecommunication accommodations.
Healthcare
MI Legislature: We need a MI COVID Plan Now!
Send your letter! Join DDP and 15 Michigan disability organizations as we urge State of Michigan officials to release a statewide COVID-19 preparedness plan to protect people with disabilities by:
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Increasing vaccine access
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Creating concrete, easy-to-understand, and transparent metrics for mask mandates and vaccine requirements in public spaces, especially congregate settings
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Passing laws or changing rules to prevent discriminatory healthcare rationing
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Capturing disability-related COVID data
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To read more about these disability community needs, click here.
MI Legislature: Say “NO!” to Mental Health Service Privatization
Sign this petition to oppose MI Senate Majority Leader Mike Shirkey's Senate Bills 597 & 598 with the Community Mental Health Association of Michigan (CMHA). This legislation would privatize all Medicaid mental health services by giving full financial control and oversight or decision-making to for-profit insurance companies.
