The Arc Lane County

03/17/2026

Join us on Tuesday, March 17, from 12:00–1:30 PM on Zoom: https://bit.ly/Oregon-DD-Awareness for our Virtual Self-Advocate Panel! Read our bulletin to learn about our panelists: https://conta.cc/4szUgOe

Title:
Self-Advocacy Across Generations: Building Connections, Collaboration, and Celebration

Who will attend:
People with intellectual and developmental disabilities, families, community partners, and support persons

Topic:
Promoting advocacy and meaningful representation in all spaces

03/16/2026

✨ Off the press! ✨
Our Families Connected Newsletter dropped, and we can’t wait for you to check it out. Take a peek and see what’s new in our community.

Email from The Arc of Lane County Join us in honoring strengths, building community, and celebrating unique minds this month!   March Newsletter / Boletín de marzo   Celebrate Developmental Disabilit

03/16/2026

🎉All ages: join a fun celebration of inclusivity with author and advocate Melissa Hart and friends on World Down Syndrome Day, Sat., March 21, 2 p.m., at the Downtown Eugene Public Library, featuring info, cake and a dance party. Free!
Hart will share a short reading and slideshow from her latest book, "Down Syndrome Out Loud: 20+ Stories of Disability and Determination," an illustrated nonfiction book designed both for people who identify as intellectually and developmentally disabled, and for non-disabled middle-grade readers.
Melissa Hart, Author City of Eugene Adaptive Recreation The Arc Lane County Eugene Family YMCA Allies LLC Pearl Buck Center Creative Chaos Best Buddies Oregon KindTree - Autism Rocks Radiant Community Arts Lane Education Service District Eugene School District 4J Bethel School District University of Oregon College of Education Parenting Now United Way of Lane County

03/15/2026

8.2 million students in the United States currently receive special education services under federal law.

That’s 8.2 million children with unique strengths, needs, goals, and legal rights in school.

But here’s an important question:

❓ Do families and educators fully understand what those rights actually are?

That’s where an Individualized Education Program (IEP) comes in.

An IEP is more than just paperwork — it’s a legally required plan designed to ensure a child receives the supports, services, and accommodations they need to learn, make meaningful progress, and fully participate in school.

With more students relying on these protections than ever before, understanding how IEPs work and what they guarantee is incredibly important for both families and educators.

📝 In The Arc of the United States newest blog is the break down everything you need to know about IEPs in a clear and helpful way.

Learn what IEP rights mean under IDEA, how evaluations, services, placement, discipline, and transition work, and how federal policy changes affect students with disabilities.

03/15/2026

36 years ago today, 60 people with disabilities abandoned their wheelchairs and other mobility devices and crawled up the U.S. Capitol steps to demand the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) be signed. It worked. 💪

We've fought this hard before and we'll do it again.

👉🏾 Share this post and let people know: disability rights are human rights, and our community is not going anywhere!

📸 Photo courtesy Tom Olin

03/15/2026

On this day, March 12, 1990, many Disabled activists marched from the White House to the U.S. Capitol to demand that Congress pass the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). At the Capitol, many left their wheelchairs and mobility aids at the base of the stairs and crawled up the steps in a powerful act of civil disobedience, calling out the discrimination and inaccessibility that impacts Disabled Americans.

Later that year, on July 26, President George H.W. Bush signed the ADA into law — a milestone won through the leadership and persistence of the disability community.



[ID: A yellow graphic titled “Disability Rights Fun Fact” features four circular photos arranged around centered text. The top-left photo shows Disabled activists gathered at the base of the U.S. Capitol steps. The top-right photo shows several people beginning to crawl up the stone staircase. The bottom-left photo shows a larger group of activists moving up the steps on their hands and knees. The bottom-right photo shows a crowd of Disabled protesters assembled near the Capitol. Centered black text reads: “March 12, 1990, over 1,000 people marched from the White House to the U.S. Capitol to demand that Congress pass the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Casting their wheelchairs and mobility aids aside, they crawled up the Capitol stairs.”]

03/12/2026

If you would like more information, please take a look at our website.

https://arclane.org/family-services/esteam-youth-programs/

03/11/2026

Whether you are new to special education or want to build on what you already know, the 2026 Special Education Virtual Conference is designed for you. Join us as we explore topics many families face, from learning the basics of special education to understanding behavior supports, taking part in the...

03/11/2026

Oregon Self Advocacy Coalition (OSAC) is partnering with ODHS Office of Developmental Disabilities Services on a training series.
Together, we are leading a 5-week online training with self advocates across Oregon. The training is about the Self-Advocate Guide to I/DD Services. It is for self-advocates and the people who support them.

Each session is one hour long. Self-advocate trainers will walk through the guide with staff from OSAC and ODDS.

Each week, we will talk about one chapter:
• Advocating for yourself – March 19, 2026, 3–4 PM
• Introduction to Oregon I/DD services – March 26, 2026, 3–4 PM
• Oregon Needs Assessment (ONA) – April 2, 2026, 3–4 PM
• Individual Support Plan (ISP) meetings – April 9, 2026, 3–4 PM
• Your rights and disagreements in I/DD services – April 16, 2026, 3–4 PM

Register for this training using this link: https://www.zoomgov.com/meeting/register/Lr-FMX_mTa-DLg3gFHg1sg #/registration

03/11/2026

Uber is rolling out new features to help people with intellectual and developmental disabilities travel more independently. 🚗

A new self-booking option will allow riders to schedule their own Uber rides, even when the trip is being paid for by a healthcare provider or disability service organization. Providers can still set guidelines such as budgets, ride limits, distance, or approved destinations—but riders will now have the ability to book and manage their own transportation.

This update aims to increase independence while still providing the support and safeguards organizations need. 💙

Uber is rolling out new features aimed at making it easier for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities to get from one place to another more independently.

03/10/2026

Do you have an intellectual or developmental disability (I/DD) and need support? Your local Community Developmental Disabilities Program (CDDP) is the place to begin.

CDDPs are local agencies that:
✅ Help you find out if you’re eligible for I/DD services
✅ Assist you with the application form
✅ Connect you with the supports you need

Each Oregon county has a CDDP office. They use the same application form - so getting started is simple and the same across the state.

Ready to take the first step? Find contact information for your local CDDP office here: https://www.oregon.gov/odhs/idd/Pages/cddp.aspx

03/10/2026

Interested in learning more about our preschool openings? Please reach out to Annie and take a look at our website for more details.

https://arclane.org/family-services/jumpstart-preschool/