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Have you ever done something you thought you’d never get the chance to do? Maybe it’s going on an exotic vacation. Maybe it’s something adventurous like skydiving or swimming with sharks. Maybe it’s meeting a favorite celebrity. Whatever it may be, the feeling after doing or experiencing it is often indescribable. These once-in-a-lifetime opportunities make us feel special, and, in many cases, are things or events that boost our overall confidence. Not everyone gets once-in-a-lifetime opportunities which is why when they arise, people often feel the need to do whatever it takes to make it happen either for themselves or others. While, in some cases, these unique opportunities happen by chance, often they are earned as a reward for something that an individual or group has done.
I first was invited to a reception at the Governor’s Mansion (Residence—as we learned that he prefers to call it) when a colleague mentioned it at the bottom of the email the second week in May. Not giving it much thought because I knew we had other things planned for the day it was (I was scheduled to do some disability awareness presentations at an elementary school), I forwarded the email to my mom saying, “I don’t think we can swing this.” She emailed me back saying that we definitely could and should make it work. I emailed my colleague back asking for more information about the event. A few days later, I received a link to register for the event. At that point, I began contacting workers and rearranging my schedule. I schedule a month in advance, so I always feel horrible when I have to cancel shifts on people. Fortunately, after explaining what was happening, both workers it affected were very understanding and encouraged me to go. After talking to both of them and making sure it was okay, I registered mom and I. On the registration form, it asked if I needed any accommodations. Not really sure what to expect, I just put “wheelchair accessibility” figuring that’d cover all the bases. The next day, I received an email from the events director asking if it’d be helpful to have closer parking. I replied that that would be great and she sent me directions and a map showing where we should park.
As time went on, I heard about more and more people I knew going, so I was pretty excited. The day of the event was a little crazy. My mom picked me up in Oshkosh and took me to the school in North Fondy to do the first presentation. After that, we quickly went to my parents’ house so I could use the restroom and eat a little something. Then, we went back out to the school and did the second presentation. We left from there to go to Madison. We had never been there before so we had no idea what to expect. We were a little early, so we sat in a mall parking lot for a while—I was adamant that we weren’t the first ones there.
As we approached the Residence, it became clear just how big of an event this was. As we neared, I began to see a lot of people I knew walking in. Per the directions, we pulled into the driveway, checked in and showed our IDs, they opened the gate for us, and we were able to park in the half circle literally right in front of the Residence. By this point, my mom was freaking out because of how close we were able to park, and I was really excited because I kept seeing more and more people I knew. Before even going in, I said hi to and took some pictures with some friends outside of the building.
As we entered the house, it was a bit chaotic because of how crowded it was and there were a lot of people who used wheelchairs. I had my chair elevated, so I was able to be eye level with people. It was a little hard to move around because there were so many people. Once you found a spot, you kind of stayed put—at least that was the case for many of the wheelchair users in attendance.
About a half hour into the event, Governor Evers made an appearance. He mingled his way through the crowd saying hi and taking pictures with everyone. Unfortunately, it was too loud to use my communication app on my phone, so my mom introduced me to him and we took a picture. Each person only had like 30 seconds with him, but it was so neat to meet him. Never in a million years did I dream I’d have the opportunity to meet the Governor of Wisconsin. The reception was really highlighting Special Olympics athletes in the state, but I think it kind of morphed into something for disability advocates. There were like 110 spots available for athletes and other invited advocates who make a difference for people with disabilities in Wisconsin. Governor Evers did a short speech congratulating the athletes and thanking advocates for continuing to speak up.
Meeting the Governor was definitely a highlight of the night, but, for me personally, almost just as special was being among friends and colleagues who continue to advocate endlessly even when things seem so bleak. Due to transportation and care issues, I’m not able to get to as many in-person events as others do. I was able to finally meet several people who I have virtual meetings with. I also was able to make some new connections which was great.
As we pulled away from the Residence, I told my mom, “I love my crew.” She looked back at me in the rear-view mirror and said, “I know you do. That’s why I pushed for you to go.” For me, as a person who is considered nonverbal and is dependent on assistance from others, it’s a pretty remarkable feeling knowing that so many people value you and are willing to make the effort to include you.
Was this really a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity? Time will tell, but very likely, it was. The truth is that we never really know if an opportunity is “once-in-a-lifetime” or not. That’s why it’s important to treasure every opportunity we get. You never know when an opportunity could lead into even bigger opportunities!
***The views expressed here are strictly those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of InControl Wisconsin, the Network or any of our sponsors
WISCONSIN DEPARTMENT OF WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT: From High School to Hospital Intern: Finding Success through Project SEARCH
By SD Network, 2026-05-29
The article highlights the success of Faris Omari, a Brookfield Central High School student with disabilities, who found a pathway to employment through the Project SEARCH program. Administered by the Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development's Division of Vocational Rehabilitation (DVR), this nine-month program provides hands-on job training; in Faris' case, this involved completed rotations in the Mail and Copy Center, Distribution, and Facilities at Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin. Supported by dedicated skills trainers and instructors, Faris gained valuable, transferable skills and increased confidence, culminating in his graduation on May 28, 2026, alongside 192 other Wisconsin interns during a state-proclaimed "Project SEARCH Week."
SPECIAL OLYMPICS: Closing the Mental Health Gap for People with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities
By SD Network, 2026-05-29
Special Olympics is actively working to address the significant mental health care gap experienced by individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). This initiative was highlighted by the personal experiences of Special Olympics Minnesota athlete Kayte Barton, who found that her autism frequently overshadowed her mental health struggles, causing her needs to be misunderstood or entirely missed by healthcare providers. To prevent others from feeling unheard and abandoning their search for help, Barton used her challenges to assist in developing Strong Minds, a Special Olympics program focused on mental discipline and emotional well-being. Through initiatives like Strong Minds and specialized health screenings, the organization aims to ensure that the mental health needs of people with IDD are fully recognized, prioritized, and inclusively treated.
Based on Forbes’ Accessibility 200 list, companies are increasingly prioritizing accessibility to tap into broader markets, transforming it from a legal obligation into a smart business strategy. The list highlights 200 top innovators, organizations, and individuals—ranging from major corporations like Microsoft and Amazon to emerging startups—that are developing inclusive products, software, and public services for people with sensory, mobility, and neurodivergent disabilities. Furthermore, the selection emphasizes how modern advancements, particularly the incorporation of artificial intelligence, are forging new features that ultimately benefit the broader population, much like the widespread adoption of closed captioning.
This opinion piece outlines a worsening crisis within the U.S. home and community-based care workforce, which currently enables an estimated 94% of Americans with intellectual and developmental disabilities to live with dignity outside of institutions. Authors Barbara Merrill, Kendra Davenport, and Diane Wilush argue that recent, overly broad federal and state efforts to target Medicaid waste and fraud are inadvertently threatening funding for these optional care services. This funding strain compounds an existing care deficit where 88% of community providers face severe staffing shortages and over 550,000 individuals remain on service waitlists. Ultimately, the authors warn that cutting these community-based supports is economically counterproductive, as shifting individuals to institutional care is far more expensive and strips the broader economy of the substantial economic output generated by investments in localized caregiving.
WISCONSIN DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH SERVICES: DHS Announces Intent to Award Non-Emergency Medical Transportation Management Contract
By SD Network, 2026-05-24
The Wisconsin Department of Health Services (DHS) has issued its intent to award Verida, Inc. a contract to manage non-emergency medical transportation (NEMT) services for eligible Medicaid and BadgerCare Plus members. The NEMT vendor arranges transportation for members to and from eligible Medicaid-covered services.
At this time, we do not have a time frame established for the transition. For now, members should continue to use our current system for their transportation needs. There will not be any disruption to services because of this announcement.
DHS will provide information about the transition process in the future as details become available.
For more information, visit the NEMT vendor transition page.
THE ADA REPORT: Participate in an Employment Research Study: Reasonable Accommodations in the Workplace
By SD Network, 2026-05-24
Researchers at the University of Washington who focus on disability rights and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) are looking for participants in an online research study. Participants will be adults with disabilities seeking an accommodation in employment: either as a job applicant or employee.
Participants must:
- Be 18 years or older
- Be actively seeking a job or currently employed
- Be a person with a disability who needs an accommodation at work
- Speak and read English
JUSTICE IN AGING: Why the Supplemental Security Income (SSI) Asset Limit Must Go
By SD Network, 2026-05-16
The provided article argues that the Supplemental Security Income (SSI) program's outdated rules, specifically its asset limits and low monthly benefits, are actively trapping low-income older adults and people with disabilities in poverty. Because the asset limit has not been updated since 1989, individuals are penalized and can lose their benefits or face severe overpayment penalties if they save more than $2,000 ($3,000 for couples)—making basic financial planning or saving for emergencies impossible. Furthermore, maximum monthly benefits remain below the federal poverty line, and complex eligibility rules penalize recipients for receiving outside help. To remedy this, the author highlights legislative efforts like the SSI Savings Penalty Elimination Act and the SSI Restoration Act, which seek to raise resource caps, index them to inflation, and modernize the program to better support its 2.5 million vulnerable recipients.
MILKEN INSTITUTE/GEORGE WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY: Home and Community Based Services Impacts Tracker Project
By SD Network, 2026-05-16
A new biweekly tracker from George Washington University and partners monitors state-level cuts to Home and Community-Based Services (HCBS) programs. With over $900 billion in projected federal Medicaid reductions under H.R. 1 older adults and people with disabilities face significant risk of losing services that support living in their homes and communities.
DISABILITY SCOOP: National hotline for intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) caregivers proposed
By SD Network, 2026-05-15
Federal lawmakers have introduced the Caregiver Access to Resources and Emotional Support (CARES) Hotline Act, which would establish a first-ever 24/7 national hotline for caregivers of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). The toll-free line would offer emotional support, brief intervention, mental health referrals, peer-to-peer counseling, and access to a national caregiver resource database.