WISCONSIN BOARD FOR PEOPLE WITH DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES: Public Benefit Reform
People with disabilities may rely on multiple public benefit programs—including Medicaid, FoodShare, public housing, and Social Security Income or Disability Insurance—to access the health care, food, housing, and funding they need to live independently and stay out of institutions. There is no tiered path across public assistance programs for people with disabilities to gradually increase their income and assets while maintaining access to some or all supports across public benefit programs. Improving people with disabilities access to public benefit programs as they move towards life goals is one of seven priority issues BPDD focuses on in our 2019-21 state budget and policy platform.
Recommendations include:
- aligning public benefit eligibility criteria for people with disabilities across Wisconsin’s public benefit programs
- using existing Medicaid funds to help people with disabilities with housing-related activities
- Require disability advocate and stakeholder involvement before proposing changes to eligibility or other administrative requirements within public benefit programs
