Disability Items - September 26, 2026
Editor's Note: The disability community is increasingly preferring to use identity-first language (disabled person) in place of person-first language (person with a disability). This is because many in the community view disability as being a core component of identity, much like race and gender. Some members of the community, such as people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, still prefer person-first language. Both should be considered valid. Articles shared in this newsletter may contain one or the other (or both) depending on the author's preference, and if they themselves have a disability.
Texas v. Kennedy Abandons Federal Commitment to Community Integration by AAPD Press team on September 24, 2026 at the American Association of People with Disabilities
"[Thursday], the federal judge in the case of Texas v. Kennedy entered an order throwing out the community integration provisions of the Section 504 rule issued in 2024 by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). The order applies across the country. The Defend Community Integration Coalition (DCIC) condemns the federal government’s action resulting in this order, and urges renewed advocacy to protect our right to community integration."
Denial is a tactic for both the COVID-19 and climate crisesby Selina Nwulu on September 15, 2026 at the Sick Times
"We’re living in a time highly steeped in denial and minimization. For many, this is protective armor against the sheer intensity of the polycrisis we’re living through, which can be all-consuming and harrowing. But for oppressive states, denial serves a different function. It’s a tactic governments and corporate powers use to distort reality and avoid responsibility when terrible things follow. "
Forced Psychiatric Care Can Feel Like a “Forever Sentence,” Victims Say by Leah Ida Harris on September 25, 2026 at Truthout
"The newest study of AOT [Assisted Outpatient Treatment], released in July 2026, underscored several prior research findings — namely, that court orders add no benefit over voluntary access to housing and community care, while causing significant harm to participants. In addition, researchers documented an alarming lack of due process through dozens of qualitative interviews. The program also displays clear racialized bias: As Sakeena Trice from New York Lawyers for the Public Interest wrote, “The evaluation shows a system that does not outperform voluntary care, falls disproportionately on Black New Yorkers, and inflicts real, documented harm.” "
What civil rights enforcement cuts mean for students with disabilities – fewer staff, closed offices, longer waits by David Edward DeMatthews on September 25, 2026 at The Conversation
"For decades, the Office for Civil Rights, or OCR, served as a critical safety net when local schools failed to meet federal disability standards. Now, sweeping budget and workforce cuts have restructured the office, leading to the dismissal of thousands of complaints without investigation and raising urgent questions about who will enforce federal special education laws when states fall short."
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