News
AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES: American Association of People with Disabilities Applauds Supreme Court Protecting Mail Ballot Grace Periods
By SD Network, 2026-06-29
On June 29, 2026, the Supreme Court ruled in RNC v. Watson to uphold the right of states to count mail-in ballots received in the days following Election Day, provided they are postmarked on or before Election Day. The American Association of People with Disabilities (AAPD) applauded the decision, having joined an amicus brief alongside other advocacy groups to preserve these grace periods, which currently range from 3 to 14 days in fourteen states and multiple U.S. territories. AAPD emphasized that the ruling protects vital voting accessibility for the estimated 40.2 million eligible voters with disabilities, who rely heavily on mail-in voting due to systemic barriers at physical polling places, ensuring their ballots are not unfairly disqualified by external factors like postal delays.
ADMINISTRATION FOR COMMUNITY LIVING: Grant Opportunity: Peer Supports for Augmentative and Alternative Communication
By SD Network, 2026-06-29
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Applications due Wednesday, July 22, 2026
A new funding opportunity is now available from ACL’s Administration on Disabilities, “Peer Supports for Augmentative and Alternative Communication.” One awardee will receive up to $2.3 million over a three-year period of performance.
This initiative will strengthen and expand a national peer support network for augmentative and alternative communication (AAC), addressing the unmet needs of an estimated 5 million individuals in the U.S. with speech-related disabilities who cannot rely solely on speech for communication. This funding opportunity will build on past work to create a peer-led network that empowers AAC users, promotes leadership, and provides resources to improve outcomes, such as self-determination, economic security, and community engagement. By the end of the project, individuals with speech-related disabilities should have a first-of-its-kind, modern resource that makes it easier to use or access AAC. Click the button below to learn more and view application information on Grants.gov. Questions about this funding opportunity should be directed to Katherine.Cargill-Willis@acl.hhs.gov. |
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WISCONSIN EXAMINER: Community care enriches lives for the disabled, but advocates say feds are pulling back support
By SD Network, 2026-06-29
Recent federal legal and regulatory shifts have sparked significant concern regarding the future of long-term independent care for individuals with disabilities. A newly issued legal opinion from the U.S. Department of Justice suggests that states may bypass long-standing federal mandates—originally established by a landmark 1999 Supreme Court decision—that guarantee the right to receive care within home and community settings rather than in institutions. This directive, combined with parallel federal warnings regarding potential home-care fraud, has raised fears that states will proactively restrict funding for critical Medicaid programs. For individuals who rely entirely on home healthcare workers for their daily essential needs, a pullback in federal enforcement directly threatens their autonomy, risks forcing vulnerable people into institutional isolation, and threatens to shift an immense, unpaid caregiving burden back onto families.
PBS NEWS HOUR: New Justice Department memo questions decades of protections for people with disabilities
By SD Network, 2026-06-29
According to the PBS News Hour segment, a recently released Justice Department memo has drawn sharp criticism from disability advocates for questioning decades of legal protections, specifically arguing that the integration mandate established by the Americans with Disabilities Act and the landmark Supreme Court Olmstead decision is unenforceable. Maria Town, president and CEO of the American Association of People with Disabilities, warns that this interpretation could allow states to pull back on funding for home and community-based services, potentially forcing disabled individuals and older adults back into institutional settings like nursing homes or psychiatric facilities. Furthermore, advocates are sounding alarms over the Trump administration's plans to shift special education oversight from the Department of Education to the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), a move they argue risks "re-medicalizing" and re-segregating students with disabilities by undermining their access to mainstream public classrooms.
HEALTH AFFAIRS: America’s Infrastructure To Support Older Adults Is In Limbo
By SD Network, 2026-06-29
This article highlights that America's elder care infrastructure is in a state of critical instability just as the nation faces a massive demographic shift toward an aging population. While the vast majority of older adults prefer to age in place, Medicare does not cover daily in-home assistance, leaving families to rely on a strained safety net comprised of Medicaid and programs funded by the Older Americans Act (OAA). However, the OAA remains in limbo due to prolonged Congressional gridlock over its reauthorization and years of flat funding, which has led to extensive waiting lists for vital services like Meals on Wheels. This crisis is heavily compounded by recent administrative turmoil at the Administration for Community Living (ACL)—the federal agency overseeing these programs—which saw a 40% staff reduction and ongoing re-organization proposals under the Trump administration's Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) initiatives. Ultimately, despite a level-funded fiscal year 2026 budget, the combination of stagnant funding, legislative inaction, and diminished agency capacity leaves the country’s aging network struggling to support the rapidly growing numbers of older adults and their family caregivers.
CBS 58 NEWS: Meet the Wisconsin savant eco-artist with autism who proves all trash can become treasure
By SD Network, 2026-06-29
This article profiles a 30-year-old eco-artist from Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, who has autism and is considered a savant in the art world. Dubbed the "Eco-Friendly Artist," they create intricate mixed-media artwork out of discarded everyday items like puzzle pieces, old coins, vintage jewelry, and contact lens packaging to reduce landfill waste. The artist credits their autism for giving them the hyper-focus necessary to complete these massive, detailed projects, while noting that the creative process acts as a form of meditation to soothe their anxieties. Recognized nationwide for their talent, they have won numerous accolades—including having their work displayed in the U.S. Capitol—and have raised over $500,000 for charitable causes supporting individuals with disabilities.
ADMINISTRATION FOR COMMUNITY LIVING: Funding Available to States to Implement the National Strategy to Support Family Caregivers
By SD Network, 2026-06-26
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Applications due Wednesday, July 22, 2026, 11:59 p.m. ET
A new funding opportunity is now available from ACL’s Administration on Aging: Advancing State Implementation of the National Strategy to Support Family Caregivers. The awardee(s) will receive a total of up to $490,000 for a 24-month project.
This funding opportunity is designed to break down siloes that exist through close collaboration among multiple agencies in the state. Each grantee will be expected to focus on implementing at least three of the five goals of the National Strategy to Support Family Caregivers, as determined by the state’s needs and priorities. Each grantee is required to work with their state’s developmental disabilities services agency and at least one other state and tribe or tribal entity over the course of the project. Click the button below to learn more and view application information on Grants.gov. Questions about this funding opportunity should be directed to aoa.oaa@acl.hhs.gov. |
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ADMINISTRATION FOR COMMUNITY LIVING: Funding to Strengthen Respite Care Support for Family Caregivers Nationwide
By SD Network, 2026-06-26
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A new Lifespan Respite Care Program funding opportunity is now available from ACL’s Administration on Aging. The awardee(s) will receive a total of up to $4,430,133 for a three-year project.
This funding opportunity is designed to develop and strengthen statewide respite care systems and expand support services for caregivers. Eligible state agencies must be building or enhancing the capacity of their long-term care systems to meet the comprehensive needs of residents, including respite care. Awardees must use funds to develop or expand lifespan respite care, provide respite services for family caregivers, recruit and train respite workers and volunteers, and improve caregiver access to respite information and support services. Funds may also support caregiver training, additional respite-related services as specified, and education and training for new caregivers. Click the button below to learn more and view application information on Grants.gov. Questions about this funding opportunity should be directed to AOA.OAA@acl.hhs.gov. |
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THE CAP TIMES: Wisconsin’s Medicaid work requirements: Here’s what to know
By SD Network, 2026-06-23
Based on the provided article from The Cap Times, Wisconsin is preparing to implement new federal Medicaid work requirements on January 1, 2026, which state health officials estimate could cause roughly 63,000 BadgerCare Plus beneficiaries to lose their health insurance. Stemming from a 2025 federal budget reconciliation law, the mandate applies strictly to Medicaid expansion programs and will target adults ages 19–64 who do not have dependent children, are not pregnant, and do not qualify based on a disability. To maintain coverage, non-exempt recipients must complete at least 80 hours per month of work, volunteering, job training, or qualifying educational programs. While state health officials disagree with tying healthcare to employment and worry that complex reporting rules will inadvertently cause eligible people to lose access, Wisconsin plans to utilize an integrated data system and offer short-term hardship exemptions to help mitigate the administrative burden.
CBS NEWS: States aren't required to provide community-based care for people with disabilities, new DOJ opinion claims
By SD Network, 2026-06-19
On June 18, 2026, the Justice Department's Office of Legal Counsel (OLC) released a controversial legal opinion written by Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Lanora Pettit, stating that federal law does not require states to provide community- or home-based care to integrate people with mental, physical, and intellectual disabilities. This opinion reinterprets the landmark 1999 Supreme Court case Olmstead v. L.C., which disability rights advocates consider a cornerstone of disability civil rights equivalent to Brown v. Board of Education. While civil rights experts warn that this shift could lead to higher rates of institutionalization and signals a broader rollback of civil rights protections under the Trump administration, the OLC opinion serves as a warning shot regarding future enforcement rather than a formal change to existing legal precedent.