Tag: Assembly Member Dr. Joaquin Arambula

AB 1575 Advances Person-First Language and Clarifies Definition of In-Home Respite Care

A bill sponsored by The Arc & UCP California Collaboration to modernize the Lanterman Act moved forward last week in the Assembly Committee on Human Services, with powerful testimony from self-advocates and service providers.

Assemblymember Dr. Joaquin Arambula’s AB 1575 makes two important updates to better reflect dignity and real-world needs for people receiving regional center services:

  • Replaces the outdated term “Consumer” with person-first language: “Person receiving regional center services.”
  • Clarifies that in-home respite services may include respite outside the family home, when appropriate.

At the April 14 hearing, former People First California Executive Director Joe Meadours delivered a clear and personal message about why language matters: “When you are talking about me, please call me a person. I want to be treated like a person.”

In the same sentiment, Dr. Arambula said, “This bill is about making sure that persons with intellectual and developmental disabilities are treated with the dignity and respect they deserve.”

The shift away from the term “consumer” reflects decades of advocacy and aligns California law with person-first principles that recognize individuals beyond their disabilities.

The bill also addresses long-standing inconsistencies in how respite services are delivered across regional centers. As Alex Mountford, President of the California Respite Association, testified, families often receive conflicting guidance, sometimes even within the same regional center, about whether individuals can leave the home during respite hours.

AB 1575 clarifies that community access is an option during in-home respite services, supporting inclusion and engagement while maintaining existing service definitions and cost structures.

Watch short clip of the hearing and testimony: https://youtu.be/-4-Jmy91N1M

AB 1575 passed out of Assembly Human Services Committee with 5 ayes and 0 nos, and will move to Assembly Appropriations Committee.  The date has not been set yet.

From Advocacy to Action: DDS Will Now Track and Report Service Denials

Families across California have long raised concerns about service denials, notices of action, and disagreements during Individual Program Plan (IPP) meetings—often with little documentation or transparency to support informed advocacy.

In 2025, El Arc de California worked alongside Assemblymember Dr. Joaquin Arambula to advance AB 1220, legislation aimed at improving transparency by requiring service denials, notices of action, and appeals to be documented, tracked, and publicly reported. While AB 1220 did not pass out of the Legislature, the advocacy behind it sparked meaningful change.

On December 31, the California Department of Developmental Services (DDS) issued a statewide directive requiring regional centers to begin collecting and reporting detailed data on service disagreements, denials, and notices of action that occur during IPP meetings—information that has never before been systematically tracked or made public. Starting with the 2026–27 fiscal year, this data will be compiled annually, with public reporting beginning in December 2027.

In this week’s Arc Beacon, Joe Perales, Director of El Arc de California, breaks down why this directive is a historic milestone for families, advocates, and the disability community—and how collective advocacy helped move the system forward, even without a bill becoming law.

Watch the full Arc Beacon video to learn why this win matters and what comes next.

AB 341 Unanimously Passes Assembly, Offering Hope to Families Facing Years-Long Dental Care Delays

By Pat Hornbecker, Parent-Advocate and President, The Arc of California Board of Directors

Last week, the California State Assembly voted unanimously to pass AB 341, advancing vital improvements in oral health for people with developmental disabilities. Without a single vote against the bill, AB 341 now moves to Governor Gavin Newsom’s desk where it will either be signed into law or vetoed.

The Arc of California is proud to sponsor AB 341, which was authored by Assembly Member Dr. Joaquin Arambula, a long-time champion for Californians with disabilities. This bill addresses one of the most persistent and painful barriers faced by people with disabilities: access to quality dental care.

This issue is also deeply personal to me. I spent my career as a dental hygienist, and I am also the mother of an adult son, Joseph, who has a developmental disability. Despite our best efforts, Joseph has struggled throughout his life to find providers with the skills, time, and willingness to meet his dental needs. His oral health is poor, and his quality of life is diminished as a result. I know that our family’s experience is not unique, thousands of Californians with disabilities face similar hardships.

AB 341 will establish the Oral Health for People with Disabilities Technical Assistance Center Program, requiring the Department of Developmental Services (DDS) to contract with a public California dental school to administer trainings, education, and technical assistance to expand the capacity of dental providers to serve people with disabilities. Additionally, it will help reduce the overreliance on general anesthesia and sedation, and shorten waitlists by giving providers the tools to use alternative and preventive approaches to care.

We know from research and from families’ lived experiences that people with disabilities suffer disproportionately from untreated cavities, gum disease, and tooth loss. As a dental hygienist, I was fortunate to be able to treat my son, Joseph when he was young. But as an adult, Joseph has depended on the system of supports afforded by DDS to address his dental needs. Joseph has been on a waitlist for more than two years primarily because he requires sedation for even the simplest of procedures, therefore limiting the providers available.

Waitlists just for assessments can last 6 months to a year. Then the treatment waitlist is ranked by urgency, which can extend the timeline for treatment. Sometimes waits are as long as 3 years—just to access basic dental treatment. Too often, they go without care altogether. This bill is a commonsense, cost-effective solution that will shorten these waitlists, improve oral health outcomes, reduce long-term medical complications, and ensure that Californians with disabilities can live healthier, fuller lives.

CALL TO ACTION

We need the support of the entire community to urge Governor Newsom to sign AB 341! It is an opportunity to close a long-standing gap in California’s health care system and to demonstrate that our state values the health and dignity of people with disabilities.

THREE WAYS TO URGE THE GOVERNOR TO SIGN AB 341:

      1. Call the Governor’s Office: (916) 445-2841
      2. Email the Governor’s Office: https://www.gov.ca.gov/contact/ 
      3. Mail a Letter of Support:

Governor Gavin Newsom

1021 O Street, Suite 9000

Sacramento, CA 95814

Thank you for your advocacy and showing support for this groundbreaking legislation! Together, we can build an equitable and healthy future for Californians with developmental disabilities.

Legislation to Improve Dental Services for People with Developmental Disabilities Moves Forward

The Arc of California is celebrating a major milestone for its sponsored legislation, AB 341, a bill aimed at improving oral health care for individuals with developmental disabilities. The bill, authored by Assemblymember Dr. Joaquin Arambula, recently passed the Senate Appropriations Committee and now heads to the full Senate for a vote before reaching Governor Gavin Newsom’s desk.

“This legislation is a game-changer,” said Jordan Lindsey, Executive Director of The Arc of California, in a recent Arc Beacon video update. “Far too many people with developmental disabilities face serious oral health challenges, from untreated cavities to gum disease, and often must wait years for dental treatment requiring anesthesia.”

The problem is stark. A 2018 report from the Legislative Analyst’s Office found that individuals with developmental disabilities experience significantly worse oral health than the general population, with higher rates of cavities, gum disease, and tooth loss. Up to one-third of these individuals require general anesthesia or sedation for dental procedures, but experience limited hospital access and a shortage of dentists accepting Medi-Cal (Denti-Cal), leaving families waiting as long as three years.

AB 341 provides a solution. The bill would establish an Oral Health for People with Disabilities Technical Assistance Center Program, requiring the Department of Developmental Services (DDS) to contract with California dental schools to:

    • Partner with up to 10 regional centers statewide.
    • Build networks of dentists and clinics willing to serve people with developmental disabilities.
    • Provide professional training and systems development to improve care.
    • Require each regional center to designate a lead staff member dedicated to dental and oral health services.

“This program will strengthen the dental care system for people with disabilities, reduce reliance on general anesthesia, and expand access to compassionate, community-based care,” Lindsey explained.

The Arc of California is urging advocates, families, and allies to stay tuned as the bill heads to the Senate floor. If passed, supporters will be called on to encourage Governor Newsom to sign this vital legislation into law.

Thank you for your advocacy! Together, we’re building a healthier future for people with developmental disabilities.

El Arc de California Leads Historic Advocacy Effort for Transparency and Equity in California

By Joe Perales, Director, El Arc de California

Last week, El Arc de California organized a powerful two-day Latino Disability Leadership Summit, bringing together over 53 Latino leaders from across California. Representing more than 50 community-based organizations and groups, these advocates united to push forward AB 1220 (Arambula), a landmark bill aimed at increasing transparency and accountability in the state’s developmental services system.

AB 1220, authored by Assembly Member Dr. Joaquín Arambula (D-Fresno), passed out of the Assembly Human Services Committee with a unanimous vote, and now heads to the Appropriations Committee. This is a historic win for California’s disability rights movement and marks the first time in the state’s history that legislation requiring California’s Regional Centers to document and publicly report service denials, notices of action and appeals, has advanced through committee.

The summit opened with remarks from Assembly Member Arambula and Dr. Michi Gates, Chief Deputy Director of the California Department of Developmental Services (DDS). Both recognized the power and leadership of the Latino disability community in advocating for systemic change.

Advocates received hands-on training from Chris Arroyo, Assistant Director of Policy and Public Affairs at the State Council on Developmental Disabilities, learning how to craft compelling testimony, organize their communities, and use their personal stories to drive change. And Jorda

The group of leaders, which included adults with developmental disabilities, their family members and allies, put their training into action. With their rally signs and voices united, the group took to the streets chanting “¡Latinos unidos jamás serán vencidos!”(Latinos united will never be defeated) as they marched toward the legislative building to testify at the Assembly Human Services Committee Hearing in support of AB 1220. 

Across California, Latino families are being denied critical services for their family member with a developmental disability— and too often, they aren’t told why or what they can do about it. AB 1220 addresses this barrier to accessing services.

El Arc Coalition leaders and community members delivered passionate public comments inside the hearing. Families and advocates shared honest and emotional testimonies rooted in truth.

Ana Alonso, a parent of three children with disabilities and advocate from Kern County, said “As a mother, I know the importance of access to services, which makes a difference in our lives. Transparency when services are denied is important to the family. The disability doesn’t go away because services are denied.  The need is still there.”

“This bill is about fairness. Every family deserves to understand what decisions are being made about their child’s care, and why,” said Patricia Albeño, parent of an young-adult with disabilities, and disability rights advocate.”This bill gives us the tools we need to advocate for our loved ones.” 

This is not just progress — it is a milestone in the movement for racial equity, disability justice, and accountability. The voices of Latino families, self-advocates, community leaders, and the El Arc Coalition helped move this bill forward. 

We are grateful for the support of the Human Services Committee Members, and will continue to advocate for passage of AB 1220 as it moves through the legislative process to become law. 

AB 1220 gives our communities the power of visibility — and that’s how change begins.

To show support for this landmark legislation, you can sign onto an Open Letter to our Elected Officials.  We want to get at least 5,000 signatures. It only takes two minutes to add your name: Click HERE for English and click HERE for Spanish.  

  • To watch the hearing and testimony, click HERE
  • To view photos from the summit, click HERE

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