G-2406-21854

The Arc of the United States (The Arc) promotes and protects the human rights of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities and actively supports their full inclusion and participation in the community throughout their lifetimes.

The Arc was first awarded grant funding from CareQuest Institute in 2023, through the Disability Inclusion and Justice in Oral Health RFP. Through that grant, The Arc partnered with the American Academy of Developmental Medicine & Dentistry (AADMD) to help identify resources to share with dental health professionals in three targeted states – Louisiana, Pennsylvania, and Texas – to increase their awareness of the oral health needs of individuals with disabilities. As a result, more than 10,000 dental professionals and students in the three states received resources specific to the oral health needs of individuals with disabilities. Additionally, The Arc and AADMD partnered to recruit individuals with disabilities to become health ambassadors. The Arc provided expertise and tools to help ambassadors share their lived experiences to influence system change while AADMD connected Arc chapters with health ambassadors to participate in dental events and advocacy efforts.

In this grant, The Arc will expand upon the successful outcomes of the previous RFP grant and develop a replicable program model that can be implemented across all Arc network chapters. This initiative aims to significantly reduce disparities in dental outcomes for individuals with disabilities by raising awareness, advocating for legislative change, and establishing a network of providers equipped to address the unique needs of this population.

The Arc's Policy Team will integrate oral health policy issues into the organization's Disability Policy Seminar and National Convention. Health ambassadors trained in the initial phase of the project, along with their families, will receive specialized advocacy and storytelling training. This enhanced capacity will enable The Arc to identify and disseminate best practices for amplifying the voices of the disability community and raising awareness about the specific challenges they encounter in accessing oral healthcare.

Furthermore, The Arc will leverage its existing Dental for All project to share the experiences of the three participating states in hosting Dental Office Open Houses. This knowledge exchange will facilitate capacity building across the country, encouraging more chapters to engage in similar initiatives and contribute to developing innovative solutions for improving oral health outcomes. A tangible outcome of this effort will be the creation of a comprehensive toolkit of resources that can be adapted and implemented by chapters nationwide.

Finally, The Arc will continue its collaborative efforts with its chapter network, the American Academy of Developmental Medicine and Dentistry (AADMD), and other disability rights organizations. By highlighting the lived experiences of individuals with disabilities, the project will address the barriers that contribute to poor oral health outcomes. The Arc will strategically align its advocacy efforts with key legislation that seeks to address long-standing inequities faced by this population. As a dedicated advocate for individuals with disabilities, The Arc will empower its constituents to share their stories, become health ambassadors, and mobilize grassroots efforts to drive meaningful change at both the local and federal levels.

A majority of the budget is allocated to staff, Arc chapter subawards, a subaward with AADMD, and self-advocate training and conference attendance. The budget for this request is less than one percent of the organization’s operating budget.