As many of you know, March is Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month (DDAM). I usually use my Note to highlight the events happening in DC in honor of DDAM as well as the opportunities to improve services and supports for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) in DC.

Unfortunately, there is a lot less to celebrate this year. Financial pressures from both the federal government and the ongoing decrease in revenue for the District of Columbia mean that critical services for people with IDD have never been more at risk. While people with IDD and the staff at Quality Trust will continue to experience and celebrate individual successes, the broader IDD community must come together and advocate that no matter what happens with federal Medicaid funding or DC’s overall funding, critical services to ensure the health and safety and quality of life of people with IDD must be preserved.

While the dates for the FY2026 DC Budget hearings have not yet been published, the DC Council needs to hear from as many people who will be impacted as possible. Follow Quality Trust on social media for more information when it’s available.

In the meantime, celebrate the successes of people with IDD, big and small, every day. The DC Department on Disability Services (DDS) will be hosting this year’s Advocacy for Equity Awards on Thursday, March 27 from 4:00-6:00 p.m. at 250 E Street, SW.

I hope to see you all there!!