News
PR NEWSWIRE: Is AI Fair? New Evidence Suggests Bias Against People with Intellectual Disabilities Is Built In
By SD Network, 2026-06-16
According to a landmark peer-reviewed study published in the Disability and Health Journal by Special Olympics International and Oregon State University, popular large language models (LLMs) exhibit built-in, implicit bias against people with intellectual disabilities (ID). By analyzing 25,000 AI-generated short stories, researchers discovered that five leading AI systems consistently lean into "automated ableism," portraying individuals with ID as dependent, childlike, and heavily in need of supervision or constant inspiration compared to those without disabilities. Because these models are widely used across global workforces, healthcare, and education, the study warns that these deeply embedded stereotypes risk scaling globally, prompting a strong call from advocates for AI developers to actively involve people with disabilities in inclusive design and bias mitigation.
WISCONSIN DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH SERVICES: Gov. Evers, DHS Announce Rural Health Transformation Program Grants Open, Encourage Eligible Partners to Apply
By SD Network, 2026-06-16
Governor Tony Evers and the Wisconsin Department of Health Services (DHS) have launched the Rural Health Transformation Program, opening applications for an initial $40 million in grant funding to improve healthcare affordability and accessibility in rural communities. Supported by a larger $203.6 million federal award from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), this initial funding cycle targets three key areas: up to $10 million for care coordination planning models (applications due August 21, 2026), $20 million to expand and integrate community health workers (applications due August 7, 2026), and $10 million to help rural dental clinics adopt efficiency-boosting technologies (applications due July 27, 2026). Eligible organizations can access application materials on the DHS website and may request technical assistance from partnering state health institutes to support their project planning and data evaluation.
Care is something all of us need, give or receive at some point. It’s part of our everyday lives at home, work, school, and in our communities, yet most of us are left to figure it out on our own.
If that’s how it’s felt for you, you’re not alone. A lot of people feel the same way.
That’s why we are creating space for 1 Million Care Conversations so people across the country can talk honestly about what care looks like in their lives, what’s working, what’s not, and start naming what we actually need.
Will you join us and be one of the first million people to help shape a shared vision for care? Here’s the link to a 5-min survey to get started.
The challenges many of us face around care aren’t personal failures. They’re shared experiences shaped by a system that isn’t working the way it should.
When we look at care through this lens, it becomes clear that none of us are alone, and that a better way is possible.
That’s what 1 Million Care Conversations is about. It’s about making space to listen to your reality, hear your vision, and what you need, so we can shape what we build next.
You don't have to be a caregiver or an advocate to participate. Whether you’re supporting a loved one or navigating your own care, you already have something to say about care.
1 Million Care Conversations is where you can have your say on what care is like for you and what you want it to be. It takes just a few minutes to join the conversation.
What we hear will shape the future of care, and the more people we hear from, the more power we have to change the system for the better.
This blog post shares a personal perspective from a Wisconsin woman on navigating life with a physical disability, detailing the contrast between restrictive agency-managed home care and the freedom of self-directed care. The author recounts negative experiences with agency caretakers who limited community mobility and dictated strict schedules, highlighting how transitioning to self-directed funding granted them the employer and budget authority to hire and manage their own support team. Despite navigating a widespread caregiving crisis fueled by low hourly wages and government tracking software, the author successfully manages 24/7 care, works professionally to help improve self-direction programs nationally, and recently co-founded a nonprofit to build a supportive community for participants and caregivers alike.
HUMAN RIGHTS RESEARCH: The Price of Caring: When Unpaid Caregiving Becomes a Human Rights Issue
By SD Network, 2026-06-13
Unpaid family caregiving in the United States, predominantly performed by women, has evolved from a private family obligation into a systemic human rights crisis characterized by severe economic and social penalties. Caregivers provide billions of hours of uncompensated labor that forms the foundation of the long-term care system, yet a lack of national paid family leave, workplace discrimination protections, and retirement credits leaves many facing acute financial hardship, accumulating debt, and poverty. This structural gender inequality and economic deprivation violate international human rights standards, such as the right to work and the right to an adequate standard of living. Addressing this crisis requires a definitive political shift from treating caregiving as a private sacrifice to supporting it as a public good through federal legal protections, Social Security caregiving credits, mandated paid leave, and expanded community-based infrastructure.
The Able Americans policy report outlines six critical reforms to combat fraud, waste, and abuse within Medicaid’s Home- and Community-Based Services (HCBS) program, which supports 8.4 million Americans with disabilities at a fraction of the cost of institutional care. To safeguard this flexible funding without penalizing vulnerable families, the authors recommend creating public transparency dashboards, increasing CMS oversight on state spending, and establishing data-driven fraud detection. Additionally, the proposal advocates for empowering recipients to direct and verify their own care, measuring outcomes based on service delivery, and ensuring strict integrity and ownership disclosures from third-party providers.
FIERCE HEALTHCARE: Why self-directed care is becoming central to long-term care
By SD Network, 2026-06-13
Self-directed care is transforming long-term care by shifting control from traditional agencies to the individuals receiving care, allowing them to choose who provides their assistance and how it is delivered. By enabling people to hire trusted individuals like family members, friends, or neighbors, this model effectively expands the healthcare workforce and boosts caregiver retention amid widespread labor shortages. The approach pairs flexibility with modern accountability measures—such as electronic timekeeping and clear program oversight—to ensure transparency and prevent misuse. Ultimately, driven by an aging population and a strong consumer preference for aging in place, this framework is evolving from a niche alternative into a central pillar of sustainable, dignified home-based care.
WISCONSIN PUBLIC RADIO: People living with disabilities may soon find it easier to access the Apostle Islands
By SD Network, 2026-06-11
A major accessibility upgrade called the "Access for All" initiative is set to begin construction later this month at Meyers Beach within the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore. Currently, a steep 45-step staircase acts as a significant barrier for individuals with mobility challenges who wish to access the beach and kayak to the area's famous sea caves. To remedy this, a nonprofit organization has partnered with a matching grant program to fund a new 500-foot gradually sloped ramp alongside a new staircase. This project, expected to wrap up by October, aims to provide dignity and open doors for visitors living with disabilities, allowing everyone to experience the natural beauty of the lakeshore firsthand.