News

Hailey Johnson, a PhD student with the UW–Madison People & Robots Laboratory, is recruiting adults with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (IDD) for a paid study on robot occupational tools. She is out to ask if In Control WI would be willing to share this opportunity with the individuals and families they work with.

During the study, participants will be asked about their work or volunteer experience, will make a salad alongside a robot named Reachy, and will share their experience working with the robot.

Eligible participants must:
  • Have an Intellectual and Developmental Disability (IDD)
  • Be over age 18
  • Have past or current work experience (paid or volunteer)
  • Live in the USA, within a drivable distance from Madison, WI
  • Be able to communicate feedback on technology verbally or through an augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) device
  • Be able and willing to participate in a 1.5-hour session
Study Details:
  • Location: UW-Madison Morgridge Hall
  • Expected Duration: 1.5 hours
  • Payment: $40 after completion
  • Project PI: Dr. Bilge Mutlu (bmutlu@wisc.edu)
  • Optional: Additional support individuals are welcome to join
A recruitment flyer is attached to be shared directly with the community, posted, or forwarded by email. Interested individuals or their support persons can reach out directly to Hailey Johnson at hljohnson22@wisc.edu or 608-620-3463 to schedule a time or ask questions. She appreciates the consideration and is available to provide more information about the study upon request.

Information_Sheet.pdf Robot Research Study information sheet
Information_Sheet.pdf, 95KB ∞
Flyer.pdf Robot Research Study Flyer
Flyer.pdf, 751KB ∞
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This primer from Justice in Aging details Medicaid’s Home and Community-Based Services (HCBS), which enable older adults and individuals with disabilities to receive daily care, therapies, and personal assistance at home rather than in institutional nursing facilities. Although the vast majority of older adults prefer community living, accessing HCBS remains difficult due to strict state-by-state financial and functional eligibility rules, federal funding caps, and a historical "institutional bias" in Medicaid law that mandates nursing home coverage while leaving HCBS optional. These systemic barriers lead to extensive waitlists, stark regional and racial disparities, and significant financial burdens on families—challenges that threaten to intensify following legislative budget cuts under H.R. 1 and shifting legal interpretations of community integration mandates

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The Independent Living Council of Wisconsin is developing its new State Plan for Independent Living. To guide the plan's priorities, they are conducting an anonymous community survey to gather feedback from Wisconsin residents. People with disabilities and their family members are highly encouraged to participate. 

Take the Survey
Learn More
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A brother and sister who grew up with visual impairments navigating life under federal accessibility protections are facing an uncertain future as legal and policy challenges threaten the enforcement of the integration mandate. This long-standing civil rights policy requires states to provide community-based support services for disabled individuals rather than placing them in institutional settings. Community-integrated programs allow individuals to gain independence through social activities, life-skills practice, and job training—such as food preparation—at a fraction of the cost of institutional care. However, recent legal challenges, shifting Department of Justice enforcement policies, and federal funding cuts to Medicaid are threatening the availability of these programs, raising fears among disability rights advocates and families about a potential return to institutionalization and segregated care.



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Medicaid Home and Community-Based Services provide essential medical and nonmedical support—such as personal care, transportation, and respite—to help older adults and individuals with disabilities live independently rather than in institutional settings. As Medicaid’s primary long-term care offering, these services have gradually eclipsed facility care in popularity while offering critical support to millions of family caregivers. However, because states deliver these benefits through optional authorities, programs remain vulnerable to state budget cuts, administrative complexity, workforce shortages, and lengthy waitlists. Recent federal legislative spending reductions have further strained state budgets, prompting local governments to restrict service hours, cut provider reimbursement rates, or implement spending caps, even as policymakers attempt to balance fraud oversight with preserving essential care access.



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The Wisconsin Department of Transportation (WisDOT) has published the 2026 Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Transition Plan. There is a public comment period open through September 17. Your feedback is very important, and we hope you’ll take the time to participate in this opportunity. Visit http://www.wisconsindot.gov/ada to find the plan, along with an overview video presentation and options to comment using the web, email or standard U.S. Mail.

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Under twin federal rules issued by the U.S. Department of Justice and the Department of Health and Human Services, healthcare providers face new accessibility requirements to ensure medical diagnostic equipment—such as examination tables, weight scales, and X-ray machines—is accessible to patients with disabilities. Taking effect under Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act and Title II of the ADA, the regulations mandate that hospitals and doctors' offices maintain accessible equipment for each type used, with accessible gear making up a specific proportion of total equipment in general clinics and a higher percentage in mobility-specialized facilities. Additionally, medical staff must be qualified to operate the machinery and assist patients with transfers, addressing longstanding health disparities and systemic discrimination in healthcare accessibility.



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Strict Medicaid income and asset caps create a financial barrier for working individuals with disabilities, forcing them to choose between career advancement and retaining essential healthcare coverage. While federal buy-in programs were designed to incentivize employment, low earning thresholds penalize workers who accept higher-paying roles, pushing them onto private insurance plans that often exclude vital coverage for in-home assistance, specialized equipment repairs, and vehicle modifications. Although some states have moved to eliminate or raise these limits to encourage workforce participation and boost tax revenues, political debate and budget concerns continue to stall reform efforts, leaving many disabled workers paying tens of thousands of dollars out-of-pocket or deliberately capping their income to remain covered.



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The Social Security Administration has added 14 new health conditions—including Aicardi syndrome, Lafora disease, and primary cardiac sarcoma—to its Compassionate Allowances list, a program established in 2008 to fast-track disability benefits for individuals with severe, rare, or life-threatening medical conditions. With these additions, which focus heavily on severe genetic disorders, cancers, and pediatric neurological conditions, the fast-track program now encompasses 314 qualifying conditions to help eligible applicants receive decisions and support more quickly.



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Wisconsin's 2026 deer season for hunters with disabilities features a new hybrid format that expands opportunities across the state. Under updated Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources regulations, the full October 3–11 season permits hunters with Class A, B, C, or D disability permits to hunt on enrolled sponsored properties, provided they confirm their spot with a sponsor by September 15. Additionally, on October 10–11—held concurrently with the statewide youth deer hunt—eligible hunters can hunt on any public or private land open to deer hunting statewide without needing an enrolled property sponsor, eliminating travel and lodging burdens for many participants.



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