Previous Work
Throughout 2022, ABLE NH remained on the forefront in ensuring that the NH Bureau of Developmental Services (BDS) Systems Redesign Work includes the voices of families, ensuring that protections that exist under the current system are not degraded, and that changes do not have unintended negative impact to families.
Through four offerings of a free 4-part Community Organizing Training Series (covering Ableism & Disability Justice; Understanding Power & Self-Interest; 1:1 Meetings; and Building a Strategic Campaign), dozens of new and re-invigorated leaders were empowered to submit testimony, attend school board and other public meetings, attend rallies, meet with elected officials, and write letters to the editor.
04/2022 ABLE NH launched the Disability Healthcare Champions Rubric. This powerful tool provides a systematic framework for staff and professionals in the healthcare sector to know what steps need to be taken to provide culturally competent care to people with disabilities. The Disability Diagnosis Dialogues task force prepared to provide trainings co-led by people with lived experience. The rubric can also be used as a self-evaluation checklist.
05/2022 ABLE NH launched the Disability Employment Champions Rubric. This awesome tool provides a systematic framework for the business sector to know what steps need to be taken to recruit, train, and retain people with disabilities – our nation’s most under tapped pool of human potential.
07/02/2022 Governor Chris Sununu signed into law the Adult Dental Benefit Under NH Medicaid, a positive policy change fiercely championed by ABLE NH since 2018. Now funded, the bill provides access to oral healthcare for nearly 200,000 adults receiving Medicaid in NH.
07/2022 ABLE NH launched a Toolkit on Approaching Private Landlords for individuals and families impacted by disability to empower our community to utilize the hundreds of unused section 8 housing vouchers at NH Housing and across local housing authorities and ABLE NH’s Housing task force led the charge on strengthening disability relevant points contained NH Housing’s Qualified Allocation Plan
07/28/2022 ABLE NH received its first six-figure grant from CareQuest Institute for Oral Health. The grant for Advancing Oral Health for People with Disabilities Who Utilize Medicaid aims to expand the provider network for the Adult Dental Benefit Under NH Medicaid.
09/20/2022 The 2nd Gubernatorial Town Hall on Disability & Chronic Conditions (the only one of its kind in the United States) happened on September 20th, featuring Governor Chris Sununu and his opponent Senator Tom Sherman. ABLE NH birthed this cross-disability coalition event.
10/15/2022 ABLE NH hosted the Granite State’s 1st ever Disability Justice Parade; Mayor Joyce Craig declared October 15th Disability Justice Day in Manchester where the parade was held on that day. The Disability Justice Parade celebrated people with disabilities and promoted the idea that we all must be recognized for having strengths, talents, & dreams and must be included in the American Dream. This event brought ABLE’s first $2500 and $10,000 event sponsorships.
10/2022 The Declaration on Inclusive Education was revealed at the Disability Justice Parade, the Inclusive Education task force continues to work on its nearly finished Inclusive Education Policy Brief, which aims to reduce or end segregated classroom settings in NH.