Fighting for the Rights of People With Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities
For nearly 75 years, The Arc has been at the forefront of the fight for the civil rights and inclusion of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD) and their families, playing a lead role in major victories in civil rights, community living, education, income security, and other important issues.
We have fought to close institutions and make life in the community possible, we have opened the school doors for students with disabilities to be included in the classroom alongside peers without disabilities, and we have advocated for affordable health care access. We are at the table for every major public policy fight and advancement impacting the lives of people with disabilities. We still have work to do, but we know we can succeed with strong federal policy advocates working hand in hand with grassroots activists like you.
Policy Topics
Learn about the top issues we focus on in our fight for the civil rights of people with disabilities.
Grassroots Action
We want you to lead the way, and be directly involved in our efforts!
Join The Arc as we build a larger, stronger movement of people with disabilities, parents, siblings, and allies to advocate for our civil rights.
Getting Involved in the Legislative Process
The Arc of New Mexico monitors national, state, and local legislation and regulations that impact individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Additionally, the Arc of New Mexico has a full-time lobbyist at the State Capitol in Santa Fe during legislative sessions, as well as throughout the year attending interim committee sessions. The lobbyist makes public comments and encourages public participation to influence pending legislation and to suggest new legislation. We encourage the public to get involved in the Legislative process to support our public policy goals and legislative efforts.
See what you can do to be involved: from speaking to a legislator to giving testimony, or being an important presence in the audience!
Legal Advocacy
Since the 1950’s, The Arc of New Mexico has fought locally and supported national efforts to establish, expand, and maintain critical federal disability rights laws and programs that make community living possible for people with I/DD. Legal advocacy is a vital way to ensure the full promise of these hard won victories are realized to the fullest extent of the law in jurisdictions around the country. Through litigation, The Arc participates in cases to advance the rights of our constituents nationwide in all aspects of life in line with our public policy work and position statements.
The Arc of New Mexico has led or participated in litigation over the past few decades that includes the 32-year Jackson v. Las Lunas lawsuit (which closed institutions in New Mexico where I/DD clients were not receiving the proper services and obligated implementing home and community-based services out in the general community); the Martinez-Yazzie v. State of New Mexico case (in which the State of New Mexico was sued for not providing proper educational services in public schools for minorities, including students with disabilities in New Mexico); and the Kevin S. settlement (which obtained better services for I/DD children who were placed in foster care in the State of New Mexico). These are just three prominent examples of the types of cases that The Arc of New Mexico supported for better treatment and services for the population we serve.
Our Position Statements
The Arc of New Mexico’s position statements address critical issues related to human and civil rights, health care and treatment, and services and programs for children and adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities and their families.
Position statements are used to inform The Arc of New Mexico’s public policy agenda, as well as to set its agenda for each year’s legislative session. The statements also serve to inform our constituency, stakeholders, media, and the general public on the prevailing organizational view on key issues.