DC Week of Action (and Joy)
Little Lobbyists' intern Grace Heuer writes about taking the fight to Capitol Hill...and rethinking what advocacy can look like.
Home and Community-Based Services Are a Human Right (by Jeneva Stone)
President Reagan knew this was wrong, so he created the Medicaid waiver program, allowing states to "waive" Medicaid's institutional bias for people with disabilities, like Katie, who wanted to get the care they needed in their own homes and communities.
Coping During Difficult Times: Safety, Control, Connection
Most of what’s going on in the world right now appears beyond our control; thus, we freeze. Recovering from a single incidence of trauma is difficult; recovering from a series of traumatic events is even harder, especially when the trauma is ongoing.
Wear a Mask at School! Protect Our Children!
Now imagine having a child with this condition during this global pandemic and you can maybe emphasize with a fraction of the terror we feel daily in making basic decisions like, should my son go play outside with friends?
Why My Family Says “Disabled” Instead of “Special Needs”
When we say people have “special needs” instead of disabilities, we’re emphasizing “needs” instead of “rights.” In fact, disabled people have rights granted to them by law, including the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).
Broad Sign on for Medicaid Home and Community Based Services (HCBS) Investment
A large investment is essential for building a sustainable HCBS infrastructure that can begin to address the magnitude of need in our communities, both increasing access to Medicaid HCBS and addressing the direct care workforce crisis.
What the ACA Means To Me
Getting my social work degree is the long-delayed answer to a professional calling to a helping profession. A calling I ignored for over a decade because good health benefits, so critical for my family, kept me tied to my old job.
A Reflection on the Healing Power of the Affordable Care Act
Today, the Supreme Court once again affirmed that the Affordable Care Act and Patient Protection and Affordability Act (the ACA) is the law of the land. An effort led by Republican Attorneys General to overturn a key provision, the ACA’s protection for pre-existing conditions, has been defeated.
“Thought in Action”: Art & Advocacy with Angela Weddle
I’m a BIPOC, queer, autistic, and disabled visual artist, poet, and autistic advocate originally from New Orleans, LA. I currently reside in San Antonio, TX.
What Does Advocacy Mean to You?
These last weeks, I’ve been reflecting on my own plunge into state and federal advocacy, which began in late 2018, the result of my son Rob’s transition from high school to adult life.
Using Our Words: Being a Better Disability Ally
So let’s talk about a few terms in use by nondisabled people that are not preferred! These terms can be infantilizing, misleading, or derogatory. The best way to unlearn them is to understand why they are harmful and what we can say instead.
Children with Complex Medical Needs and Disabilities Must be Prioritized for COVID-19 Vaccination
It is urgent that we prioritize these children because they have already been disproportionately negatively impacted by the pandemic through social isolation, lack of access to equal and appropriate education, family economic factors, morbidity and mortality rates.
Independence Can’t Wait: An Interview with Ande Kolp about Home & Community-Based Services
Growing up in Iowa, I was fortunate to attend a school that was highly inclusive. I’m fairly sure that was not typical back in the 70s.