Disability News - April 25, 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.
RFK Jr. draws backlash for ripping Medicaid programs that pay people to care for relatives by Mike Hixenbaugh on April 23, 2026 at NBC News
"That work, advocates say, is far more complex than shuttling loved ones to doctor appointments. For many families, it involves constant, hands-on care for relatives who are unable to live independently — from managing medications and medical equipment to providing continuous supervision for those with significant physical or behavioral needs. The work can be physically and emotionally demanding, advocates say."
What RFK Jr. Doesn’t Get About Paid Family Care by Calli Ross as told to Julia Métraux on April 23, 2026 at Mother Jones
"Because Oregon passed the Children’s Extraordinary Needs waiver in 2023, parents of the highest-needs children are allowed to work up to 20 hours per week providing these supports, care that is clearly above and beyond typical parenting. Similar policies exist for adults with disabilities and the elderly, run by states but supplemented by federal matches. The few states that allow parents of minors to be paid are funded under the same principle."
Leading Disability Organizations: Delaying Digital Accessibility is Unacceptable Press Release by AADP staff posted April 21, 2026
"Most importantly, the delay prolongs the barriers that people with disabilities face in accessing essential services provided by state and local governments. Blind and deafblind people are routinely excluded from essential election websites because government platforms remain incompatible with screen readers, which can output digital content via speech or Braille. Deaf individuals also miss critical healthcare and public safety information when governments fail to provide content in accessible formats. Students with dyslexia or other cognitive or print disabilities are cut off from understanding school assignments, putting them at a structural disadvantage in academics. Disabled parents, too, struggle to help their children with homework when these platforms are inaccessible. These are only a few examples of how people with disabilities are excluded from essential government services when governments do not make their digital environments accessible."
Trump administration delays rule aimed at improving disability access in schools by Jonaki Mehta on April 22, 2026 at NPR
"Many institutions had been racing, for at least two years, toward a deadline that was originally set for this Friday to comply with new federal accessibility guidelines updating the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). It was a day disability rights advocates had been eagerly awaiting. But just four days ahead of the deadline, the Justice Department overrode the original rule and said public entities serving 50,000 or more people will now have until April 26, 2027. Smaller public institutions will have until that date in 2028."
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