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The article highlights a growing crisis among service providers for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities, driven by severe direct support staff shortages and impending Medicaid funding cuts. Due to these constraints, most providers have been forced to decline new referrals, reduce existing programs, or delay new initiatives, leaving vulnerable populations at risk of losing essential care like home-based support and residential services. The situation is further compounded by federal immigration policies affecting the direct care workforce and administrative delays in Medicaid payments, pushing the disability support system toward a point where critical services may soon become effectively inaccessible.

 


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Self-directed long-term services and supports (LTSS) allow individuals to choose how, when, and from whom they receive care, with over two million older adults and people with disabilities utilizing this model as of 2026. Data from the 2026 Self-Direction National Inventory shows significant enrollment growth across states—ranging up to a 1,100 percent increase in Florida—as well as expanding adoption in all Veterans Affairs Medical Centers for over 12,000 veterans. State agencies generally consider self-directed care to be cost-effective compared to traditional agency models, often costing 20 to 30 percent less per participant while helping address direct-care workforce shortages, particularly in rural areas where participants frequently hire family and friends.



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Wisconsin theater organizations, such as Children’s Theater of Madison and Pink Umbrella Theater Company in Milwaukee, are implementing innovative adjustments and dedicated facilities to make performing arts more accessible to neurodivergent individuals and people with disabilities. Key adaptations include sensory-friendly performances with modified sound and lighting, sensory kits, quiet spaces, trained volunteers, American Sign Language interpretation, and audio descriptions. Additionally, venues are incorporating flexible and non-traditional seating, wheelchair accessibility, adult-sized changing stations, and smart boards for captioning to foster a fully inclusive, welcoming environment for both audiences and performers.



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The Wisconsin Disability Policy Fellowship and Internship Program goal is to provide individuals with developmental disabilities and their families who are passionate about disability rights an opportunity to gain hands-on experience and build a career in the field of disability policy. Our program offers experiences in policy analysis, advocacy, and community engagement at state agencies, legislative offices and disability advocacy organizations. This is a BPDD project funded through a grant from Common Good Philanthropies.

Who Should Apply?

The Internship Program is open to individuals who live in Wisconsin with developmental disabilities and family members of people with developmental disabilities who are committed to disability rights advocacy.  Individuals with some experience with state or local advocacy, good communication skills, and the ability to work in a team, and has basic knowledge of state and local advocacy. 

What do you need to know?

  • The Internship will last 6 months, starting by January 15, 2027, until July 2027.  
  • You must live in Wisconsin.
  • Interns will work 24 hours a week, during regular business hours of 8-5, Monday-Friday
  • Interns will be paid $20 an hour.  Additional funds will be available for travel.
  • Interns will be placed at either a state agency, legislative office, or advocacy organization.
  • Interns have access to training sessions and workshops that enhance their understanding of disability policy and advocacy.
  • Interns will have opportunities to build connections with professionals in the disability policy field.
  • Applications are due October 28th, 2026, by 5pm.

You can find out more and apply using this link or clicking the button below: https://wi-bpdd.org/index.php/wi-disability-policy-leadership-program/
Disability Policy Leadership Program
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Home modifications can help people remain safe and independent in their homes and communities, but finding reliable information about home modification services and resources can be challenging.
Recently updated with support from ACL, the Home Modification Information Network (HMIN) is a free online resource for individuals, caregivers, professionals, organizations, and others seeking information on home modifications. HMIN brings together information about programs, funding opportunities, service providers, and other resources available at the local, state, and national levels.
Users can search by the type of assistance they need and enter a ZIP code to find relevant resources in their area.  
Explore HMIN
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The Family Caregiving Compendium, developed by the George Washington University Milken Institute School of Public Health and the LeadingAge LTSS Center @UMass Boston, is an interactive, searchable resource tracking federal legislative and policy proposals introduced over the past decade to support America's 63 million family caregivers. Designed to organize and compare non-passed federal proposals, the compendium categorizes initiatives across five key domains: expanding and enhancing caregiver programs (such as Medicaid, Medicare, and the Older Americans Act), providing financial supports like tax credits and stipends, delivering training and education, establishing workplace supports such as paid leave, and implementing other cross-cutting policy approaches to strengthen the long-term services and supports (LTSS) system.



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The direct care workforce in the United States experienced rapid growth over the past decade, adding nearly 1.8 million jobs to reach almost 5.4 million workers, driven primarily by a rapidly aging national population. Despite this expansion and projections that direct care will generate more new jobs than any other single occupation over the next decade, workers continue to face severe economic instability. In 2024, the median hourly wage stood at just $17.36 with median annual earnings under $26,000, leaving more than a third of the workforce in low-income households and nearly half relying on public assistance. Composed overwhelmingly of women, people of color, and immigrants, this essential workforce now faces heightened recruitment and retention risks due to emerging federal policy changes, including Medicaid funding cuts, shifting immigration rules, and weakened labor protections.



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Get Free Training On Caregiving for Adults with IDD-MH Needs


Limited availability! See if you qualify.


Direct caregiving is one of the most rewarding ways to give back. But it’s also one of the most difficult. Plus, there is even more to know and understand when providing direct care to people with intellectual and developmental disabilities and mental health (IDD-MH) needs.

That’s why the Direct Care Worker Training Subcommittee has partnered with the Certified Direct Care Professional (CDCP) training program to create modules related to IDD-MH. The training course for adults with IDD-MH needs is self-paced, online, and free. Availability is limited.

About the training course


What it covers

  • An overview of various IDD and mental health disorders
  • Strategies for effective communication and crisis prevention
  • How mental health disorders present in adults with developmental disabilities
  • Medical diagnoses and health conditions connected to IDD and how they affect mood and behavior

Who should take it

  • Family members
  • Paid caregivers

Where to access it

  • Online through UW-Green Bay
  • Available 24/7 (no designated class times)

How long it takes

  • Self-paced
  • Up to eight hours

Claim your spot!


Fill out the screening form to see if you qualify to take the course.

See if I can take the course


To qualify, you must:

  • Be a caregiver or employ caregivers of adults with IDD-MH needs enrolled in a Wisconsin Medicaid program.
  • Have or are willing to create an online Canvas account with UW-Green Bay.
  • Be willing to devote eight hours to the online training course by December 31, 2026.

Background


This online training course is the result of work completed by the Direct Care Worker Training Subcommittee, as part of Wisconsin IDD-MH System Improvement. The course is one module within the CDCP training program, which is a free, professional workforce advancement program that aims to increase the number of caregivers working in home and community-based settings.

The subcommittee is also working on a module for caregivers of children with IDD-MH needs. We will share more information about the child-related course soon.

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