Trump Administration To Close Agency Promoting Community Living For People With IDD
by Michelle Diament | March 31, 2025 "A government agency that funds services and supports for people with disabilities living in the community will be broken up as part of a massive reorganization of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The agency’s...
HBO’s Max Expands Availability Of New Accessibility Option
by Shaun Heasley | April 1, 2025 "A major streaming service is beefing up its commitment to accessibility by adding a unique option for people with disabilities to one of its biggest hits. HBO’s Max said it will offer an American Sign Language version of “The Last of...
‘If They Cut Too Much, People Will Die’: Health Coalition Pushes GOP On Medicaid Funding
by Christine Mai-Duc, California Healthline "Tina Ewing-Wilson remembers the last time major Medicaid cuts slashed her budget. In the late 2000s, during the Great Recession, the pot of money she and other recipients of Medi-Cal — California’s Medicaid program — depend...
Social Security Eases Off Recent Changes
by Dave Eisenstadter, MassLive.com/TNS "The Social Security Administration said that recently announced identity verification changes will be delayed by two weeks for certain Social Security recipients. The Social Security Administration provided a new deadline of...
The Ed. Dept. Axed Its Office of Ed Tech. What That Means for Schools
By Lauraine Langreo & Arianna Prothero "The U.S. Department of Education’s office of educational technology has been eliminated as part of the federal agency’s massive reduction in force, according to sources familiar with the layoffs and an email notice reviewed...
Ed Department Cuts May Leave Students With Disabilities ‘Little To No Recourse’
by Michelle Diament | March 18, 2025 "Mass firings at the U.S. Department of Education will severely compromise families’ ability to ensure that the rights of their children with disabilities are upheld, advocates warn. At least 243 staffers, including many...
FDA Green-Lights First Treatment For Prader-Willi Syndrome
by Shaun Heasley | March 28, 2025 "Federal regulators are clearing a first-of-its-kind treatment for symptoms of a rare neurodevelopmental disorder that is characterized by insatiable hunger. The Food and Drug Administration approved a medication this week known as...
Disability Advocates Worry New Federal Spending Plan Will Lead To More Programs Being Slashed
by Michelle Diament | March 27, 2025 "After months of delays, lawmakers recently approved a federal funding bill narrowly averting a government shutdown, but advocates say it may bring more questions than answers for disability programs. The spending measure will fund...
Medicaid Recipients Struggle To Find Mental Health Care. Looming Cuts Could Make It Harder
by Shalina Chatlani, Stateline "Charmeka Newton, a psychologist who has her own practice in Lansing, Mich., is passionate about serving Black and Hispanic patients. They’re often looking for therapists who will understand how their race, ethnicity and culture may...
What happens to my child’s IEP if the U.S. Department of Education closes?
By Gail Belsky "A federal judge in Massachusetts issued a preliminary injunction on May 22 to block President Trump’s executive order to close the Department of Education. The judge also ordered the agency to rehire the 1,300 employees — half of the department’s...