Cleared for Takeoff — Except If You’re Disabled
Most people expect air travel to go smoothly. You book a ticket, pack a suitcase, and head to the airport. That’s how it should work. But for disabled travelers, that expectation can vanish the moment they reach the boarding gate. Marissa Bode found this out firsthand recently. Bode, an actress in “Wicked,” uses a wheelchair.…
The Human Cost of an Overlooked SSI Policy Change
CW: Poverty & Food Insecurity A quiet change in policy is coming that could really affect hundreds of thousands of Americans with disabilities. There’s a proposed change to the Supplemental Security Income (SSI) program – which is designed to help older and disabled people afford their basic needs – that isn’t getting much public notice.…
Pride, Possibility, and the Paperwork That Holds People Back
CW: Poverty Lucy Robinson felt proud when she received an invitation to speak at a prestigious conference in Germany. Robinson is a leader in disability advocacy. The invitation seemed like a well-deserved recognition of her own hard work and dedication. But underneath that pride was an undercurrent of anxiety as she figured out the logistics…
Rethinking Disability in Healthcare
CW: Ableism We often overlook the challenges facing disabled patients in medicine. In medicine most professionals are focused on how patients are healing. But equally critical are the ways in which care is provided for vulnerable patients. Patients with intellectual and developmental disabilities encounter barriers to medical care that exacerbate their lived experiences. Take the…
The Oversight Paradox: Protecting Medicaid While Undermining Independence
CW: Fraud & Institulization Policymakers across the country are grappling with a hard and pressing question: how to prevent fraud within Medicaid programs without upending the systems that millions of people depend on to live. Recent reporting from the Star Tribune highlights what is happening in Minnesota. They note that the existing programs—especially the Consumer…
Inside a Criminal Justice System He Couldn’t Understand
CW: Death, Police Brutality, & Incarceration It’s a story that stays with you because it reveals something uncomfortable about how systems are constructed — and who they fail. That has become painfully clear to us in the case of Shawn Fraraccio. He ended up in the Tarrant County Jail, not because it turned out to…
Life in the Gap Between Policy and Reality
Discussions about disability services are happening internationally, and millions of people are being affected. Every budget cut can be devastating for those who rely on essential supports. These changes reflect not only shifting economic pressures but also deeper questions about how societies value disabled people. Earlier this month, I got a notice from MassHealth saying…
Disabled Students Face Digital Roadblocks as Federal Standards Stall
The Department of Justice has delivered a major blow to disability rights advocates by delaying a highly anticipated rule that would require public schools, public colleges and universities, and local governments to make their websites and mobile apps accessible. For years, disabled people have navigated a digital world filled with barriers, from uncaptioned educational videos…
The Human Toll of Pausing HCBS Protections
For many disabled Americans, Medicaid’s home and community-based services, known as HCBS, are vital. They aren’t just another government program; these services often determine whether someone can live on their own or if they’ll need to live in a long-term care facility. That’s why it is disappointing that new federal rules, intended to strengthen these…
The Human Cost of a Strained Safety Net
There’s a discussion happening in Massachusetts about its expanding safety net. The question is whether it truly provides necessary support for residents, or if the system itself is becoming too expensive and inefficient to maintain. This discussion is largely fueled by two significant concerns: rising administrative error rates in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)…
Something went wrong. Please refresh the page and/or try again.
Follow My Blog
Get new content delivered directly to your inbox.