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Recent immigration, wage, and assistance policies pose a significant challenge to the sustainability of the long-term services and supports (LTSS) workforce, which relies heavily on immigrant workers to care for an expanding aging population. These policies—including reductions in healthcare coverage eligibility, stricter work requirements for public assistance, wage pressures from public program budget cuts, and tighter immigration enforcement and visa restrictions—worsen existing labor shortages and high turnover rates in direct care roles. As the pool of immigrant care workers shrinks and public support declines, the burden shifts toward unpaid family caregivers and costly institutional facilities, prompting several states to step in with localized initiatives to provide health coverage, food assistance, legal aid, and professional licensing pathways for immigrant workers.



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A new Lyft app update removes a personal payment barrier for Medicaid waiver recipients using public funding programs. Previously, riders had to input a personal payment method just to create an account. This requirement excluded an estimated 15% to 20% of participants who do not have bank accounts, despite their trips being fully funded. The technical change allows unbanked users to seamlessly register and access rides for employment and daily activities.





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The 2027 AAPD Summer Internship Program Application is now open! For nearly 25 years, AAPD’s Internship Program has placed students and recent graduates with disabilities in paid internships. The program advances participants’ career opportunities, deepens their leadership skills, and meaningfully connects them to the broader disability community.
For Summer 2027, AAPD will offer a hybrid internship program, in which some interns will join remotely from across the country, while others will be based in Washington, DC. All interns will work full-time for 32 hours a week for 10 weeks during the summer and participate in various AAPD programming and activities.
Interns will:

  • Participate in a one-week orientation to prepare for their internship, meet with the cohort, and learn about the disability rights movement

  • Work at their paid internship program Monday - Thursday

  • Participate in weekly in-house programming on Fridays

  • Attend events and network on Capitol Hill, conferences, community events, briefings, and more

  • Connect one-on-one with a mentor who provides career guidance

AAPD’s internship programs are proven to help alumni build economic power and success: On average, AAPD intern alumni both earn more and are more likely to be in the workforce and employed full-time than both the general disabled population and people without disabilities (Source: AAPD Summer Internship Program 20-Year Program Evaluation)
The summer 2027 internship application is due on October 1 at 5 PM ET.

Learn More and Apply by October 1 at 5 PM ET

AAPD has excellent resources to make the process easier for applicants. Be sure to check them out on our website. Interested potential applicants can join a virtual information session on Thursday, September 10, from 12 - 1 PM ET to learn more about the program and application process, and get their questions answered. CART and ASL will be provided. The session will be recorded and shared on the AAPD website.

Register for the Informational Session on September 10

For additional information, please visit our Summer Internship Program webpage. If you have any questions, please email info@aapd.com or call 202-521-4316.

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The 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act (Public Law 119-101), enacted on July 11, updates federal housing policies to expand access to safe, affordable, and accessible housing for individuals with disabilities. A central feature of the law is the authorization of a Whole-Home Repairs pilot program, which offers grants and loans for physical and sensory modifications such as ramps, wider doorways, lifting devices, and accessible kitchens and bathrooms. Additionally, the act introduces new planning and manufactured-housing grants, alters how Department of Veterans Affairs disability benefits factor into HUD-VASH program eligibility, and mandates a Government Accountability Office study on removing housing barriers due by July 11, 2027. However, the legislation's actual effectiveness hinges on future congressional funding, agency guidance, and how effectively local communities incorporate accessibility into their implementations.



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The UW–Madison People & Robots Laboratory is looking for adults with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (IDD) to participate in a paid study about how people interact with security and privacy notifications. These notifications include examples like spam email warnings, unsecure website alerts, and cookie prompts on websites.

During the study, you will try five new apps made to help with these notifications. We will also ask you questions about your thoughts or ideas. 

To be eligible for this study, you must:

  • have an Intellectual and Developmental Disability (IDD) * 

  • be 18 years old or older.

  • live in the USA, within driving distance of Madison, WI.

  • communicate feedback on your experience verbally or through other means, such as an augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) device.

  • be willing and able to participate in one 1.5-hour session with a support person.

Location: UW-Madison (Morgridge Hall); We are open to discussing other options, such as a local library.

Expected Duration: 1.5 hours

Payment: $40 for completing the study

Project PI: Dr. Bilge Mutlu (bmutlu@wisc.edu) and Dr. Rahul Chatterjee (rchatterjee4@wisc.edu)

Required: You will need to bring another person with you (e.g., a parent, guardian, caregiver, sibling, or other trusted person).

If you are interested in participating, please scan the QR code on the flyer I've attached or go to the following link: https://forms.gle/DLgz3AuHFknRnZed8. You can also email, text, or call Hailey at hljohnson22@wisc.edu or (608) 620-3463.

Our first meeting will be an online video call to ask you questions to ensure you are eligible for the study, complete informed consent, and schedule the in-person session.

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


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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