At least 25 states plan to cut off SNAP in November (Politico)
SNAP recipients told to buy shelf-stable food or go to food banks as funding deadline looms (NBC News)
The Trump Administration Has the Power and Legal Obligation To Pay SNAP Benefits During the Shutdown (Center for American Progress)
How Will Ed Dept’s Latest Layoffs Affect Students With Disabilities? (Inside Higher Ed)
Ed Dept. ‘exploring’ ways to move special education elsewhere (K-12 Dive)
Is RFK Jr. about to get the special ed portfolio? Trump admin mulls a change (USA Today)
N.Y. state Sen. James Skoufis discusses investigation into CDPAP transition (Spectrum Local News)
Focus on NYC’s vulnerable students: Mamdani pledges to boost special education (Chalkbeat)
Los Angeles County Expands Tracking Program for Residents With Cognitive Disabilities (Governing.com)
Chicago Public Schools HSAT technical issues impact students with disabilities, English learners (Chalkbeat)
Waitlist for disability services in WV climbs to more than 1,000; mostly children waiting for help (West Virginia Watch)
Ohio expands 911 database to better aid people with disabilities (State Scoop)
Two years after Maine passed a paid parent caregiver law, experts say it’s inaccessible (Central Maine)
SPOTLIGHT: SNAP
At least 25 states plan to cut off SNAP in November They include California, Arkansas, Hawaii, Indiana, Mississippi and New Jersey. The Trump administration reportedly would have to find more than $8 billion to keep SNAP afloat if the shutdown continues. (Politico)
SNAP recipients told to buy shelf-stable food or go to food banks as funding deadline looms The recommendation comes from some state leaders. But food banks say it will be impossible to fill the gap. (NBC News)
‘Uncharted territory’: Ongoing shutdown threatens food aid for 42 million people “If the SNAP program shuts down, we will have the most mass hunger suffering we’ve had in America since the Great Depression.” (NPR)
The Trump Administration Has the Power and Legal Obligation To Pay SNAP Benefits During the Shutdown (Center for American Progress)
How Will Ed Dept’s Latest Layoffs Affect Students With Disabilities? A look at what the consequences would be across colleges and universities should the gutting of the Education Department go ahead. (Inside Higher Ed)
OPINION: ‘Educational Exile’: How Trump’s Layoffs Threaten Students With Disabilities What’s at stake if we lose federal enforcement of IDEA. (Education Week)
Ed Dept. ‘exploring’ ways to move special education elsewhere While no official plan is in place yet, Education Secretary Linda McMahon’s goal is to shut down the department. (K-12 Dive)
Is RFK Jr. about to get the special ed portfolio? Trump admin mulls a change The Dept. of Ed is in the early stages of recruiting another agency to help oversee federal special education programs. (USA Today)
OPINION: Ed Tech Can Unlock STEM Potential of Students With Disabilities — If It’s Funded The National Assessment of Educational Progress — better known as the nation’s report card — recently released 2024 science scores for eighth graders and math scores for 12th graders. It found that three-quarters of students with disabilities scored below NAEP basic, the lowest-performing subgroup. (The 74)
N.Y. state Sen. James Skoufis discusses investigation into CDPAP transition Skoufis and state Sen. Gustavo Rivera push for more information regarding how Public Partnerships LLC was chosen as the single fiscal intermediary for New York’s CDPAP program. (Spectrum Local News)
Center for Disability Services New York dropping psychiatry services Psychiatrists are retiring and it’s difficult to find ones trained in developmental disabilities. Plus, Medicaid payments have stayed flat since 2007, while costs rise every year. “These problems are happening across the country, not just at CFDS.” (Spectrum Local News)
Focus on NYC’s vulnerable students: Mamdani pledges to boost special education (Chalkbeat)
Los Angeles County Expands Tracking Program for Residents With Cognitive Disabilities GPS-enabled smartwatches and radio transmitters aim to help locate missing residents with dementia, autism or other conditions. (Governing.com)
Chicago Public Schools HSAT technical issues impact students with disabilities, English learners At least 1,000 students experienced technical problems while taking the High School Admissions Test earlier this month. (Chalkbeat)
Waitlist for disability services in WV climbs to more than 1,000; mostly children waiting for help (West Virginia Watch)
Ohio expands 911 database to better aid people with disabilities (State Scoop)
Two years after Maine passed a paid parent caregiver law, experts say it’s inaccessible (Central Maine)
Can Nonprofits Restrain Trump’s Autism Agenda? (Nonprofit Quarterly)
Tylenol maker urges FDA to reject request for an autism warning (NBC News)
In a small Alabama town, a dentist weighs whether to stop treating kids on Medicaid Dentists in many states won’t see Medicaid patients because they’re paid too little for providing care. (Stateline)
Mother speaks out after teen with disabilities mistakenly arrested in immigration raid (PBS)
The United Nations isn’t doing enough on disability A look at the UN’s evaluation of its 2019 Disability Inclusion Strategy (UNDIS). A key finding: a disconnect between policy change and the experience of disabled people, and progress to meeting ambitions on disability rights is ‘extremely slow’.” (Disability Debrief)
Judge temporarily blocks Trump administration from firing workers during government shutdown (AP)
What the Shutdown Means for SNAP & Other Programs (AAPD)
Jefferson Parish in Louisiana to install cameras in all special ed classrooms under new law (Nola.com)
Disability groups urge against assessment and accountability waivers
KFF Tracking Poll on Health Information and Trust: Tylenol-Autism Link and Vaccine Policies
Debunking 3 claims about Tylenol after White House links drug’s use in pregnancy to autism (ABC News)
A Furious Debate Over Autism’s Causes Leaves Parents Grasping for Answers (New York Times)
RFK Jr. suggests circumcision is linked to autism. Here’s what experts say. They say “no.” (CBS News)
Autism Is Not a Single Condition and Has No Single Cause, Scientists Conclude (Wired)
NYS education leaders say more supports after high school needed for students with disabilities (WXXI News)
Debating New York’s CDPAP changes (Rochester Beacon)
Oregon is the first state to be ‘Accessibility Verified’ by platform for travelers with disabilities (KLCC Oregon)
‘Accessible’ Playgrounds Not Always Inclusive Enough in Maryland (Disability Scoop)
Idaho Medicaid cuts could force disability providers to close. The state wants to exempt services. (Idaho Capital Sun)
‘Catastrophic’ service cuts for Arizona kids with disabilities on hold (ABC 15)
Supreme Court To Weigh How Intellectual Disability Is Defined (Disability Scoop)
OPINION: Seniors with Disabilities: Caring for a Unique Population (Healthcare Business Today)
When the shutdown, which will extend into next week, started on Oct. 1, the Trump administration announced mass reductions in force (RIFs), or layoffs, of the federal workforce.
The layoffs, reports the AP, are part of a politically motivated effort by the Trump administration to exert more pressure on Democratic lawmakers as the government shutdown continue. They’re also in keeping with the Heritage Foundation’s Project 2025, which Trump is closely following, and which aims to align the government with far-right values and consolidate presidential power. One of its missions is to shut down the Department of Education.
Judge temporarily blocks Trump administration from firing workers during government shutdown In good news, a federal judge has issued a temporary restraining order. In not good news, it’s likely to be appealed. (AP)
What the Shutdown Means for SNAP & Other Programs November SNAP benefits might be delayed or interrupted, and “people will go hungry, including people with disabilities and their families.” (AAPD)
What happened before the temporary restraining order, and what could still happen:
White House Guts Education Department With More Layoffs The Office of Special Education Programs, the principal government arm overseeing billions of dollars that support about 10% of the nation’s school-aged children, has been decimated. It will have fewer than a half-dozen employees, a reduction of about 95% since the start of the year. The Office for Civil Rights in the department was also slashed. (NYT)
Education Department layoffs hit offices that oversee special education and civil rights enforcement (Chalkbeat)
Jefferson Parish in Louisiana to install cameras in all special ed classrooms under new law Every classroom for students with disabilities in Louisiana must have microphone-equipped cameras up and running by February 2026. The law also requires districts to update their seclusion and restraint policies. (Nola.com)
MORE SPECIAL ED
Disability groups urge against assessment and accountability waivers Concerns are being raised about states and districts waiving K-12 accountability and assessment requirements, saying these standards help set high expectations for all students, including those receiving special ed services. (K12 Dive)
KFF Tracking Poll on Health Information and Trust: Tylenol-Autism Link and Vaccine Policies The poll’s key findings show how HHS head Robert F. Kennedy Jr., is sowing confusion with his false claims that pregnant women using acetaminophen (brand name Tylenol) and vaccines cause autism.
Debunking 3 claims about Tylenol after White House links drug’s use in pregnancy to autism (ABC News)
A Furious Debate Over Autism’s Causes Leaves Parents Grasping for Answers (New York Times)
RFK Jr. suggests circumcision is linked to autism. Here’s what experts say. They say “no.” (CBS News)
Autism Is Not a Single Condition and Has No Single Cause, Scientists Conclude (Wired)
700 times, boy with autism ran from class. He wandered one final time from home. More children with autism died in 2024 after wandering away — 82 — than in any other year since the National Autism Association began tracking cases over 20 years ago. (Washington Post)
NYS education leaders say more supports after high school needed for students with disabilities (WXXI News)
Debating New York’s CDPAP changes (Rochester Beacon)
N.J. is worst in America at putting kids with disabilities in regular classes. Here’s why that may change. A state special education advisory group has pledged to examine the issue. (nj.com)
Renewed accessible parking protections are headed to Delaware. For some, it’s long overdue (Delaware Online)
Oregon is the first state to be ‘Accessibility Verified’ by platform for travelers with disabilities There are a handful of platforms handing out accessible or “autism certified” designations. (KLCC Oregon)
‘Accessible’ Playgrounds Not Always Inclusive Enough in Maryland With the “Playgrounds for All” initiative, the state set out to increase inclusive playgrounds. (Note: If you hit the Disability Scoop paywall, this report was originally published on The Baltimore Sun’s website; I was having trouble with the link so couldn’t attach it.) (Disability Scoop)
Idaho Medicaid cuts could force disability providers to close. The state wants to exempt services. (Idaho Capital Sun)
‘Catastrophic’ service cuts for Arizona kids with disabilities on hold (ABC 15)
Supreme Court To Weigh How Intellectual Disability Is Defined You can find more on the case on Scotus Blog. Just scroll down until you hit “A death penalty case asks who is intellectually disabled.” (Disability Scoop)
OPINION: Seniors with Disabilities: Caring for a Unique Population Americans 60 and older living with an intellectual or developmental disability occupy a unique community within the I/DD and senior-care field, and one that remain largely overlooked. (Healthcare Business Today)
Who Deserves an Organ? The Dilemma of Severe Mental Illness. While the focus here is mental illness, it raises obvious questions about the impact on people with I/DD. (New York Times)
The Best Smart Assistive Devices for People With Disabilities (Wirecutter/NYT)
Senate GOP leaders are expected to call for another vote today, Friday, on the House-passed stopgap bill that funds federal agencies through Nov. 21, NPR reports, with leaders still discussing plans for possible weekend votes.
“‘Programs like Medicaid, Medicare and Social Security will continue to be funded because they are mandatory programs. But the vast majority of disability programs, including all of those funded by the Administration for Community Living, are discretionary programs that would be impacted by a shutdown,’” Alison Barkoff, who led the Department of Health and Human Services’ Administration for Community Living under the Biden administration, told Disability Scoop.
Jill Jacobs, exec director of the Natl. Assn. of Councils on Developmental Disabilities, also spoke to the news site, saying, “The president’s threat to fire additional federal workers … only increases the insecurity faced by people with disabilities who rely on these staff to administer the annual appropriations for disability programs such as the state councils on developmental disabilities.”
Chalkbeat’s daily National Newsletter notes that in the education world, “a lot will continue as usual — at least for now. … But 87% of the Education Department’s staff are on furlough, which means programs won’t be monitored and states and schools generally won’t get answers to their questions during the shutdown. The Office for Civil rights is pausing all reviews and investigations of civil rights complaints.”
More:
Federal Government Shutdown: What People with Disabilities Should Know (The Arc)
New N.Y. task force looking at options for older individuals with developmental disabilities (Spectrum News)
NYS’s Gov. Hochul Announces $25 Million to Expand Access to Health Care for People With Developmental Disabilities (Gov. Press Office)
Changes to developmental disabilities assessment mean AZ families will lose caregiving funds (KJZZ)
Kansas disability service providers say conflict of interest rule could cause ‘massive’ problems Kansas is out of compliance with the rule and stands to lose $350 to $400 million in federal funding if changes aren’t made. (Kansas Reflector)
5 Key Facts About Medicaid Coverage for People With I/DD Just a good overview. (KFF)
Federal report on Georgia suggests implementing Medicaid work rules will be expensive Georgia spent twice as much to administer the country’s only Medicaid program with work requirements than it did to provide health care to enrollees. (Stateline.org)
How Calif. families are already bracing for looming Medicaid cuts The spotlight here goes to one family scrambling to figure out how to care for a child with cerebral palsy should his benefits go away, but it’s also a good look at the broader issues. (Los Angeles Times)
Should the Autism Spectrum Be Split Apart? The diagnostic expansion of autism has become a flashpoint in a long-running debate over how autism should be defined. (New York Times)
Why it’s time to rethink the notion of an autism ‘spectrum’ A look at research suggesting the American Psychiatric Assn.’s diagnostic manual dividing autism into three “levels” are vague and inconsistently applied. (The Conversation)
Tylenol, Autism and the Perils of Basic-Level Literacy When most Americans lack the reading skills to judge competing claims in critical debates, they are at the mercy of others. (The 74 Million)
Ed Dept takes a preliminary step toward revamping its research and statistics arm (Hechinger Report)
Only 18 states differentiate compensation for special ed teachers (K-12 Dive)
Ed Dept. brings back mental health grants Some are concerned the focus is only on school psychologists and does not include school counselors and social workers. (K-12 Dive)
School systems are remaking the old yellow bus into a high-tech machine FYI, research suggests that students with disabilities are disproportionately affected by school bus delays. (Stateline.org)
What schools stand to lose in the battle over the next federal ed budget Congress and the White House have released three competing funding visions for fiscal year 2026. Researchers warn that two of those proposals — from the White House and House Republicans — would impose steep cuts on some of the most vulnerable students and disadvantaged school communities. (NPR)
Report: Home care industry to face 6.1M job openings by 2034 as low wages fuel turnover Home care workers earn an average annual income of $22,429, with 60% receiving public assistance. Medicaid payments constitute 68% of the $312.9 billion spent on HCBS annually. (Home Health Care News)
US will not enforce Biden wheelchair passenger protection rule The U.S. Transportation Dept, said it will not enforce key provisions of a rule issued by former President Biden’s administration. (Reuters)
Fox News’ Brian Kilmeade says comment about killing mentally ill homeless people an ‘extremely callous remark’ Increasingly, those on the far right feel empowered to denigrate and “other” the vulnerable. (CNN)
Special ed teacher empowers students with coffee carts (WTNH)
The Boost’s Best Podcasts list is a way to discover the conversations and people who know exactly what parents, caregivers and self-advocates are going through. Ranging from let-it-all-out takes on raising children with disabilities to what an inclusive education can actually look like, there’s sure to be a podcast you’ll enjoy.
If you know of an exceptional podcast you think should be included, reach out! Contact The Boost or email fromtheboost@gmail.com
A Little Something Extra with Nancy Gianni & The GiGi
Just Needs: Parenting children with disabilities
If you’ve ever found yourself confusedly scrolling an attraction’s website or standing in a long line on-site to request an accommodation for an individual with a disability, this card from the International Board of Credentialing and Continuing Education Standards (IBCCES) might be for you.
The Digital Accessibility Card (IAC) is free and designed to help expedite the process in what it promises are three easy steps. (Note: The Boost doesn’t know how well this card works, it’s just passing along information!)
The card can be used only at participating amusement parks and attractions.
The video below explains the whole deal, including what you need to do to get one. You can also read all about it on the IAC website.
The card is for anyone requesting accommodations — including but not limited to individuals who are autistic, use a wheelchair, are blind/low vision, deaf/hard of hearing, have mobility support needs, are accompanied by a service animal, have sensory sensitivities, cognitive disabilities, or have other needs and concerns.
Photo: Unsplash.com
First posted May 2024
Project SHINE, a sexual health initiative for youth with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD) launched in Spring 2021, has released a new Sexual Health Toolkit and sexual health game.
The toolkit, designed to help individuals make informed decisions around sexual and reproductive health, includes an illustrated glossary, real-life video testimonials from self-advocates and a resource hub.
It also features a “sexuality wheel” made up of spokes that tackle subjects such as “Anatomy,” “Sexual Orientation” and “Body Image.” The easy-to-understand explanations make up a useful, straightforward guide to issues often challenging to address.
There’s also an online game. Our Stories, Our Journeys: A Sexual Health Game explores more information about sexuality and sexual health. It’s based on stories and ideas from youth and others with I/DD.
The “SHINE” in Project SHINE stands for Sexual Health Innovation Network for Equitable Education with Youth with Intellectual Disabilities. It’s the brainchild of seven community-based New York organizations: Planned Parenthood of Greater New York; AHRC New York City; Disability and Aging Justice Clinic at CUNY School of Law; New Alternatives for Children; Self-Advocacy Association of New York State; Sinergia; and YAI.
“Historically, people with intellectual and developmental disabilities have been excluded from any conversations on sex and sexuality. They have been denied the human rights to sexual expression, comprehensive education, and social-sexual support. Education and related services on these topics are fundamental rights,” YAI’s Consuelo Senior, then-assistant director of Training, said in a statement when the project launched.
“I know that Project SHINE is going to help raise awareness and help to equip people with intellectual disabilities and their supports with tools to form positive relationships, develop sexual advocacy and, ultimately, increase people’s ability to make informed decisions regarding their bodies.”
The project is funded by a three-year grant from Health and Human Services. The Boost has written Planned Parenthood asking what will become of initiative when the funding stops. Stay tuned!
Image: Freepix.com
First posted 2024
If you have a child with autism or any kind of developmental disability who wanders, Project Lifesaver might be of interest.
The program, used in all 50 states and Canada, employs radio frequency technology to find children and young adults with autism or developmental disabilities who wander, and works to safely returns them home. Project Lifesaver claims that it’s “the first to apply such locating techniques to aid in the search and rescue of individuals.”
Individuals who are part of the program wear a personalized bracelet that emits a locating signal. The bracelet is a one-ounce battery-operated radio transmitter that produces an automatic locating signal every second, 24 hours a day, according to Westchester County’s Project Lifesaver program, which has been operational since approximately 2009. The signal can be traced on the ground or in the air up to 6-10 miles. The bracelet is water resistant and can be worn in the bath, shower, pool, etc., and is made out of very strong plastic material.
After caregivers call 911, their local police department will be dispatched to the area to begin the search for the missing person. In Westchester County, Westchester County Police also need to be called and dispatched to the area to search with a mobile locator receiver system.
To be eligible for sign-up, a person must:
To locate the Project Lifesaver member agency that serves your area, click here, or call 1-877-580-LIFE for assistance. You can also just do a search using your county and “Project Lifesaver,” which will likely bring up the needed information.
In Westchester, Project Lifesaver is a partnership between Westchester Jewish Community Services (WJSC), Westchester County Department of Community Mental Health (WCDCMH), and Westchester County Department of Public Safety (WCDPS).
Those interested in the program there should contact WJCS Project Lifesaver Program Manager Isabel Pettersen at 914-761-0600 x2230; ipettersen@wjcs.com.
First published May 9, 2025.
This week marks the 50th anniversary of the signing of the Consent Decree in May, 1975, which ended the legal battle to improve conditions at the Willowbrook State School in Staten Island, N.Y. The institution, which warehoused some 5,000 people with intellectual and development disabilities (I/DD) in horrifying and inhumane conditions, wasn’t closed until 1987.
The decree was signed by then-Governor Hugh L. Carey who, not long after, extended similar benefits to all individuals served in the state’s then-Office of Mental Retardation and Developmental Disabilities (OMRDD) system.
RELATED NEWS: Award-Winning ‘Willowbrook’ Documentary Gets NYC Screening
With the very programs meant to include and support people with I/DD in their communities currently under attack and struggling for funds, it’s exactly the right time to remember what happened at the country’s largest institution for people labeled “mental defectives” when it opened in the early 1940s.
The Boost has pulled together some important links and information to commemorate the anniversary, starting with the profoundly disturbing 1972 WABC-TV Geraldo Rivera documentary that blew open the doors and led to the lawsuit that improved conditions.
The report starts with footage from a visit Robert Kennedy made to Willowbrook in 1965 that was equally and profoundly disturbing, yet tragically did not lead to any real changes. The state of New York did go on to develop a five-year improvement plan, according to Disability Justice, but “after making minor adjustments, conditions at the institution quickly reverted to the inhumane conditions that had thrust it into public consciousness.”
As Rivera puts it, Kennedy talked about the horrors of what he saw and “somehow we’d all forgotten.”
The case that followed, New York State Association for Retarded Children v. Carey, “set important precedents for the humane and ethical treatment of people with developmental disabilities living in institutions,” Disability Justice writes on its website.
The consent judgement “created guidelines and requirements for operating the institution and established new standards of care,” and recognized, among other things, that people with developmental disabilities are capable of intellectual, emotional and social growth.
It also declared “as the primary goal of the institution and the New York Department of Mental Hygiene to ‘ready each resident…for life in the community at large’ and called for the placement of Willowbrook residents in less restrictive settings.”
Disability Justice: Read more about the lawsuit and what followed.
Revisiting Willowbrook 50 years later with reporter Geraldo Rivera
Below is an anniversary celebration and panel held this week at The College of Staten Island, which is located on the former site of Willowbrook.
College of Staten Island’s History of Willowbrook
Milestones in OMRDD’s History Related to Willowbrook: An excellent timeline of events from Disability Minnesota.