Author: Grace W. Dow

CW: Discrimination The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), is a significant civil rights law passed in 1990, helps ensure equal access to public businesses for disabled people. Most business owners are supportive when it comes to accessibility. Nevertheless, an increasing number of small business owners are expressing concerns that the increase in ADA lawsuits presents… Continue reading Accessibility Meets Reality

CW: Death Getting older was never something that people with intellectual and developmental disabilities could take for granted. Instead, their lives were often cut short by the fact that the world around them didn’t really work for them, either because it didn’t understand them, or because it simply didn’t provide the most basic kinds of… Continue reading Growing Older Even When the Odds Say You Won’t

People tend to associate Medicaid with doctor visits, prescriptions, and hospitalizations. Those services are certainly important, but for millions of disabled Americans, Medicaid represents something much greater: the ability to live independently. I recently read the story of Chicago attorney Rebecca Anger, who has built a successful career, happy marriage, and a life she loves.… Continue reading Why Medicaid Is Personal

CW: Violence, Death, & Incarceration Healthcare workers nationwide face serious risks on the job. Threats, assaults. And dangerous encounters are on the rise. Lawmakers nationwide are debating how to protect these employees while also considering medical and psychiatric conditions that can lead to aggressive behavior. In Massachusetts, Senate Bill 1718 is at the center of… Continue reading When Caring Hurts the Caregivers 

CW: Institutionalization & Lobotomization Eunice Kennedy Shriver’s birthday was yesterday. She was the founder of the Special Olympics. Her unwavering commitment to people with intellectual and developmental disabilities transformed millions of lives. Her legacy is often celebrated through the organization she created. Years ago, when asked if she was satisfied with all the good the… Continue reading Eunice Kennedy Shriver Looked for Those Left Out, and Many Still Are

A recent report found that most states aren’t fully complying with the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. This comes as the federal government plans to move oversight of special education programs from the U.S. Department of Education to the Department of Health And Human Services. The findings raise questions for educators, students, and parents about… Continue reading From Preschool to Graduation: How IDEA Shaped My Education

For people living with complex medical conditions, in-home nursing care is lifesaving, not a luxury. It keeps patients safe, prevents medical emergencies, and supports families caring for loved ones with dignity. However, families are often forced to battle insurance companies to keep medically necessary care. Insurers claim patients are “stable” or family members can handle… Continue reading When Coverage Changes, Lives Change

The July 1 student loan overhaul doesn’t just adjust repayment rules; it deepens the inequities disabled students already live with, and those inequities become even sharper when race and institutional type enter the picture. Disabled borrowers have long been at higher risk of financial instability, and the new policies remove tools that once helped them… Continue reading Student Debt Hits Disabled Borrowers Hard

As a person with cerebral palsy, Medicaid is much more than health insurance to me. It’s what allows me to live in my own home, rather than in a nursing home or other facility. It funds the  PCA (personal care assistant)hours that I need every day. If I didn’t have it, my independence would be… Continue reading Work Requirements Won’t Cure a Disability

Maddux Remillet is an 11-year-old who loves swimming, cars, adaptive baseball, and filmmaking. He recently received national PTA recognition for a documentary he produced with a classmate on his life as a student who has a physical disability. He’s bright, curious, and determined. He also has spina bifida and achondroplasia, uses a wheelchair, and has… Continue reading Inclusion Is Hollow Without Safety