Take five minutes to check out what's happening on the Self-Determination Network:

• Deer Hunting Season: Wisconsin's 2026 deer season for hunters with disabilities features a new hybrid format that allows permit holders to hunt on sponsored lands from October 3 through 11, or hunt on any open public or private land statewide without a sponsor on October 10 and 11. Find out more details!
• Conditions Added: The Social Security Administration has added 14 severe genetic disorders, cancers, and neurological conditions to its Compassionate Allowances program, bringing the total to 314 conditions that qualify for fast-tracked disability benefits.  Learn which specific conditions have been added.
• Income Limits Prohibit Career Advancement: Strict Medicaid financial limits force working people with disabilities to choose between expanding their careers or keeping vital healthcare coverage, as higher wages can disqualify them from essential benefits that private insurance rarely covers. Read about how advocates are pushing for the limit to be changed.
• New Accessibility Requirements for Medical Equipment: New federal rules require healthcare providers to have accessible medical equipment, like exam tables and scales, and trained staff to ensure patients with disabilities receive proper care and equal access to treatment. Learn more about what these requirements mean.
  
  
• Input Needed on Transition Plan: The Wisconsin Department of Transportation has released its 2026 disability accessibility plan and is inviting the public to share feedback online, by email, or by mail until September 17.
  
  
• Services Landscape: Medicaid programs provide vital home and community services to help older adults and people with disabilities live independently, but state budget cuts, staff shortages, and long waitlists frequently limit access to this care. Find out how these affect people.
  
  
• Siblings Fight to Remain Independent: A brother and sister with visual impairments face an uncertain future as budget cuts and legal challenges threaten the civil rights mandate that provides them with independent, community-based care instead of forcing them into institutions. Read about how they're fighting to keep themselves in the community.
  
  
• Seniors Advocate to Stay in Their Homes: This guide explains that while most older adults prefer to stay at home, strict state rules, funding limits, and laws that favor nursing homes make it difficult for people with disabilities and seniors to access Medicaid's home care services. Read about what these laws say.
  
  
• Robot Research Study: A PhD student from UW–Madison is looking for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities to participate in a paid study where they will make a salad with a robot and share feedback on how it works. Find out more and consider participating.
  
  
• Accessible Technology Security Study: The UW–Madison People & Robots Laboratory is looking for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities to participate in a paid study where they will try out five new apps and share their thoughts on website security and privacy alerts. Learn more about this opportunity and consider participating or sharing it with others.
  
  
• Law Could Improve Housing Options: Enacted on July 11, 2026, the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act updates federal policies to make housing more accessible and affordable for people with disabilities, notably creating a pilot program that funds home modifications like ramps and accessible bathrooms. Read about how this will hopefully create more housing options for people with disabilities.
  
  
• Summer Internship Opportunity: The American Association of People with Disabilities has opened applications for its 2027 summer internship program, which places students and recent graduates with disabilities in paid, 10-week remote or Washington, D.C.-based jobs to build leadership skills and career success. Applications due October 1.
  
  
• Lyft Removes Barrier: A new Lyft app update allows Medicaid waiver recipients without bank accounts to register and use fully funded rides for work and daily activities by removing the requirement to provide a personal payment method. Learn why this is so helpful.
  
  
• Immigration Policies Threaten Workforce: Strict immigration rules, wage pressures, and public assistance cuts are shrinking the immigrant workforce that cares for our aging population, worsening labor shortages and shifting the burden onto unpaid family members and expensive care facilities. Find out more about how these policies are affecting people's lives.
  
  
• The Bill for Caring: State Medicaid cuts are lowering pay for family caregivers and increasing waitlists for home care, forcing families to make hard financial choices while federal relief bills remain stuck in Congress. Find out why it's stuck.
  
  
• Exciting Employment News: Wisconsin has secured over $11 million in federal funding to clear its disability employment services waitlist and fully support career training for eligible residents through October 2027. Learn why disability advocates are so pleased.
  
  
• AI Controversy: An associate professor argues that universities should allow students to use artificial intelligence as a learning tool, noting that many students with disabilities rely on AI to organize notes and break down complex assignments rather than to cheat. Read about this controversy.