May 2, 2025
The Boost News
Study finds severe autism rates are not the rise, a program to train people with disabilities to work in manufacturing, and more developmental disability news for the week ending May 2, 2025.
SPOTLIGHT
Some good news, and yet more proof that certain government funding cuts are deeply unpopular: A KFF Health poll found partisan agreement when it comes to funding cuts to Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security. More than nine in 10 Democrats, eight in 10 independents, and more than half of Republicans oppose cuts to each of the three programs.
NEW YORK
NYC Ed Dept. partners with film festival to educate students about disability and filmmaking (City & State)
Rockland County Launches Initiative to Foster Autism-Supportive Environments (Rockland County Gov. Website)
CDPAP
Legal Aid Society alleges CDPAP administrator not paying workers (Times Union)
Immigrant Caregivers Say State-Backed Home Care Agency Stole Their Wages The new program’s fiscal administrator has been plagued with missed payments and language access issues. (Documented NY)
“Not enough training”: Former PPL workers say poor training plagued CDPAP payroll shift (CBS 6 Albany)
Health Execs’ Charity Gave Away Millions. Don’t Ask Where it Went. The company is providing bare-bones health insurance through CDPAP. (NY Focus)
OUTSIDE OF NEW YORK
Passaic County in NJ launches registry for individuals with disabilities (NJ.com)
Oklahoma reduces Developmental Disabilities Services wait time from 13 years down to 1 (News 9)
Manufacturing camp in Va. designed for individuals with disabilities (WBDJ 7)
AUTISM
New research contradicts RFK Jr.’s claim that severe autism cases are rising Research suggests that the share of autism cases with moderate or significant symptoms remained relatively consistent from 2000 to 2016. (NBC News)
Autism evaluations still being canceled over fears about now-canceled national registry (STAT)
Trump Administration Shuts Out Advocates, Researchers In Probe Targeting Autism (Disability Scoop)
‘I Can Hear Thoughts’ This takes a look at the Telepathy Tapes podcast, and the claim that some nonspeaking autistic people can read minds. (The Cut)
EDUCATION
Not One Generation Removed, Disability Advocates Fear Return to a Dark Era Three families share what it took to win the right for special ed students to learn with nondisabled kids — and what’s at risk now. (The 74 Million)
A.J.T. v. Osseo Area Schools: The Case That Could Help or Harm America’s Disabled Students A pending U.S. Supreme Court case could make it much harder for students with disabilities to sue their schools for discrimination. (Center for American Progress)
Supreme Court appears likely to side with student in disability discrimination case (USA Today)
Special needs students are underserved in Defense Dept. schools, watchdog report finds (Stars and Stripes)
HHS
HHS Plans to Cut Funds Used to Investigate Abuse at Group Homes A leaked draft of the budget document shows by eliminating almost all of the disability infrastructure in this country providing for services, supports, [and] research will take away protection and advocacy agencies’ “access authority,” powers that allow them to independently investigate reports of abuse in facilities and community settings. (Mother Jones)