Disability Economic Power & AAPD Internships

For more than two decades, the American Association of People with Disabilities (AAPD) has run an internship program that opens doors to access meaningful and accessible employment opportunities. The AAPD Summer Internship Program develops stronger disability identities for students and recent graduates so they can shape the future of our workplaces and communities.

AAPD conducted a comprehensive evaluation of the program’s first 20 years, and the results are incredible. Our new report, Building Disability Economic Power Through AAPD’s Internship Program, shares the practices and insights about what truly moves the needle on disability employment and economic power.

This report shows not only what our alumni have achieved, but why those outcomes are possible — and what it takes for institutions, employers, and leaders to replicate this success. In early 2026, we will be sharing opportunities for people to put the findings we’ve learned into practice in their own workplaces so that we can all collaborate to strengthen and expand our disability career and leadership efforts.

Read the 2025 report

Introduction

At the American Association of People with Disabilities (AAPD), we want to see disabled people thrive in decision-making roles, earn competitive wages, take pride in their disability identity, and find a sense of belonging at work.

Despite significant federal and state legislation that has improved the lives and employment prospects of people with disabilities over the last 20 years, inaccessible and inequitable workplaces remain commonplace. Workplace discrimination complaints filed with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) may be made in cases of discrimination because of an employee or applicants’ race, color, religion, sex (including transgender status, sexual orientation, and pregnancy), national origin, age (40 or older), and disability or genetic information. Out of all of those categories, in 2023, the EEOC reported that discrimination on the basis of disability was the largest category of new EEOC employment discrimination complaint filings. Disability-based discrimination complaints also saw the most significant percentage increase of any EEOC employment discrimination category, at 77% in 2023 (“EEOC’s Final FY 2023 Enforcement Statistics Show 10% Increase in Charges Filed,” 2024).

In addition, adults with disabilities are employed at less than half the rate of people without disabilities, and twice as likely to live in poverty. Benefit programs like Medicaid or Social Security force recipients to live in poverty in order because of income and asset limit policies (National Council on Disability, 2023). This impacts the ability of people with disabilities to become financially secure and achieve economic independence.

The 2020 Census reported that people with disabilities are less likely to complete their high school education, enter and complete college, find jobs paying competitive wages, or earn as much as their contemporaries without disabilities. Many organizations that design career development opportunities like internship programs do not recognize the inequities that disabled people face leading up to when they enter the workforce.

Nondisabled students report that work experience gained during internships is critical to forming professional networks that lead to positive employment outcomes post-college (Briel & Getzel, 2001). Many internships or fellowships require a transcript or a certain grade point average to be eligible. Many disabled students’ grades or class records may not accurately reflect their learning, but rather their lack of access or discrimination experienced in the classroom.

Furthermore, if disabled students are isolated in education, this impacts their number of opportunities to network with others in their field who could offer learning and employment opportunities. Disabled people of color face further barriers to obtaining education and employment opportunities (Losen et al., 2021, 2021; Shaw, et al., 2012). Studies show that the majority of students with disabilities in the United States are students of color (Musu-Gillette et al., 2017).

There have also been extensive studies that share how higher socioeconomic status correlates with a higher quality of life and improves access to housing and medical care (Nutakor, et al., 2023). These studies also show that having social capital is positively correlated with a high quality of life. It is currently legal to pay people with disabilities less than minimum wage. In addition, people with disabilities experience a higher degree of loneliness and social isolation compared to people without disabilities. Studies have found that low social connectedness was associated with lower well-being (Emerson, et al., 2021).

For more than two decades, AAPD has run its Summer Internship Program to address the significant gaps that remain for people with disabilities. The program has provided hundreds of disabled students and recent graduates with career opportunities, along with resources and community support to make sure they obtain meaningful skills and knowledge to create change. Our goal for the Summer Internship Program is to ensure that students and recent graduates can develop stronger disability identities and develop the skills to shape the future of our workplaces and our communities.

To understand our progress towards this goal, AAPD hired an external evaluator to assess the impact of our program on the participants’ career growth, as well as the impact on placement sites and mentors. Interns, supervisors, mentors, and community members, including AAPD staff, board members, and key stakeholders, provided feedback to guide program improvement and impact for future years.

This report is an overview of the external evaluator’s findings and future recommendations. We share some changes that we have already implemented from 2019 to 2023, as well as reflections on challenges and future changes. We also plan to use the findings as a way to assess how accessibility and equity are embedded into our program. By sharing our proven methods and successes in strategy, activities, and impact, our program model can serve as a resource for other organizations on how to implement inclusive programming with a focus on community building to increase impact on the participants’ career opportunities and leadership development.

Organization Overview

Founded in 1995, the American Association of People with Disabilities (AAPD) is a convener, connector, and catalyst for change, working to increase the political and economic power of people with disabilities. As one of the leading national cross-disability civil rights organizations, AAPD advocates for full civil rights for the over 70 million Americans with disabilities by promoting equal opportunity, economic power, independent living, and political participation. One of the ways AAPD achieves our mission is through our Summer Internship Program.

AAPD Summer Internship Program Overview

Established in 2002, the AAPD Summer Internship Program strives to develop stronger disability identities within students and recent graduates to better equip them to shape the future of our workplaces and communities. The comprehensive program provides participants with an opportunity to advance their career goals, gain leadership and advocacy skills, and connect with the broader disability community. To minimize barriers to participation, AAPD offers the internship program in either a hybrid or fully remote format. AAPD provides interns with a competitive wage, technology support, and accessible housing or a housing stipend. For in-person interns and remote interns who come to Washington, D.C. for orientation, AAPD covers travel to and from D.C. After interns get accepted to the AAPD internship, AAPD matches interns with a placement site based on career goals, pairs them with a one-on-one mentor based on their interests, and provides weekly programming.

Career Development

AAPD’s internship program provides an opportunity for disabled students and recent graduates to feel more confident as a person with a disability in their field of work. While placement site opportunities were initially focused on Capitol Hill internships in 2002, AAPD now provides high-level paid internships across all sectors, including government agencies, nonprofit organizations, and for-profit companies. The internship program may be the first time AAPD interns experience disclosing their disability in a workplace and going through the formal accommodations process with their supervisor. Throughout the program, interns have many opportunities to network and connect with a variety of people with disabilities in different career sectors and fields of interest.

Leadership Development

Throughout the internship program, AAPD provides several opportunities for interns to learn and explore different leadership styles through meeting disability community leaders and participating in a variety of advocacy opportunities. Opportunities include the National Council on Independent Living Annual Conference, participating in AAPD partner organizations’ rallies and vigils, workshops, webinars, and more. Interns also have opportunities to lead presentations on disability topics, write a blog post or a policy memo, and meet with their legislators. In 2018, AAPD established the Disability Advocacy Certificate Program to further develop interns’ leadership and advocacy skills. The Certificate Program prepares participants to be knowledgeable and effective advocates in the disability community on the local, state, and national levels. The course focuses on using one’s story to impact change in their community and workplace. They also learn about different tactics of advocacy (e.g., digital, art, campaigns, coalition building, etc). After the program, interns receive a Certificate in Disability Advocacy from AAPD.

Community Building

For many interns, being a part of the program is their first introduction to the disability community and disability pride. AAPD kicks off the program with a book club for the book Disability Visibility by Alice Wong to introduce interns to different disability experiences and facilitate discussion among the cohort. AAPD hosts several informal weekly events for only the interns and also provides opportunities for the interns to meet other disabled people by inviting AAPD alumni and disability community members to participate in our gatherings virtually and in-person, providing support to attend conferences or networking events, and more. 

In addition to participating in the internship and Certificate Program, each intern is matched with a mentor. The matching is determined by the mentee’s personal and professional goals and other demographic preferences such as identity and location.

Formal Evaluation

In 2022, AAPD celebrated two decades of the Summer Internship Program. After 20 years and one formal external evaluation in 2007, AAPD decided to contract an external evaluator, Third Sight, LLC.  Third Sight assessed the program’s effectiveness and provided recommendations for continued program improvement for the future, including program expansion. Their goals were:

1. Examining the program and its evolution over two decades.
2. Collecting information from alumni to determine if and how the program might have affected their employment and life goals.
3. Learning about the value of the program for internship placement sites and mentors.
4. Identifying strengths of the program and recommendations for further improvements.

Third Sight developed a report with their findings after gathering feedback from various key community members (i.e., alums, supervisors, mentors, AAPD Board members and staff, and partners) through surveys and interviews. The report discussed implications and shared a list of recommendations.

A brief infographic with high-level results of their findings is also available.

Download the one pager

Key Findings

These are key findings from people who participated in surveys and interviews conducted in 2022. Not all who engaged with the Summer Internship Program responded.

 

Alumni

• The majority of alums strongly agreed or agreed that the internship program contributed to greater awareness of their disability identity, their experience in the world of work, their understanding of public policy, and their ability to network.
• Most alumni reported that the program strengthened their identity as a person with a disability by providing the opportunity for them to be around other people with disabilities in general, people with similar disabilities, and those with disabilities in their age group.
• All the alumni interviewed reported that the internship program positively impacted their self-confidence at work or in their community.
• More than 68% of alum respondents are employed full-time. In comparison, 14.9% of the general disability population and 55% of the nondisabled population are employed full time (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2023).
• Nearly 85% of alum respondents are employed. In comparison, 21.3% of the general disability population and 65.4% of the nondisabled population are employed (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2023).
• Alumni reported their average hourly wage is $34.59. The national hourly wage of people with disabilities is $13.74, compared to $17.73 for people without disabilities (Third Sight LLC authors’ calculation, U.S. Census, 2020).
• Alumni are more likely to be in the workforce and employed than the national average for people with disabilities. Alumni also have a higher attainment of a bachelor’s degree than the average for people with and without disabilities.

Mentors

• The majority of mentors enjoyed the opportunity to share their knowledge and connections with interns, learn from the interns, and build lasting relationships while contributing to the expansion of leaders with disabilities.
• Mentors benefited from “giving back” by helping interns build their networks and have successful, positive job experiences. Mentors could share their disability experiences with their mentees and broaden their understanding of the disability community through learning from the new perspectives and life experiences of the interns.

Supervisors and Internship Placement Sites

• The majority of supervisors were satisfied or very satisfied with their experiences with the internship program. They gave high ratings to AAPD across the board, including on communication from AAPD staff, clarity about the supervisory role, matching of the interns to the position, professionalism of the intern, quality of communication about participation in AAPD-sponsored events, and AAPD staff’s support during the internship.
• About a third of supervisors agreed or strongly agreed that the internship led them to hire more people with disabilities, and more than half responded that working with AAPD interns led their organizations to make their workplace more inclusive.
• Eighty percent of supervisor survey respondents are still in touch with the interns, and a majority continue to have a professional relationship with the interns.

Recommendations

Third Sight also provided several recommendations for AAPD. Their recommendations centered on improving program structure, providing additional supports for interns, increasing alumni engagement, diversifying intern recruitment, expanding internship programming, and strengthening mentorship activities.

 

Program Structure

• Increase stipends.
• Consider adding professional development components, including:
  • Leadership development,
  • Guidance on how to network,
  • Orientation to DC, including how to get around,
  • Guidance on how to address interpersonal conflicts,
  • Team building,
  • Diversity and equity training
  • Practice advocating, including self-advocacy skills.
• Provide practical tools and tips for advocacy.
• Implement a pre- and post-evaluation of interns’ knowledge, skills, and engagement to measure impact.

Greater Intern Interest Alignment and Support

• Ensure that selected interns receive all supports and accommodations needed for their full participation. This may require additional training or orientation for some interns, and an early review of their housing and transportation to ensure they have adequate services.
• Continue to ensure that interns are well-matched with the job placement.

Alumni Engagement

• Increase the number of alumni events offered.
• Ensure that interns across cohorts have the opportunity to engage with each other.
• Identify alumni experts for speaking engagements and events. Leverage key alumni with successful careers.

Diversity in Recruitment

• Expand outreach to different schools and locations across the country to increase the diversity of cohorts.
• Highlight alumni who are women, people of color, LGBTQIA+, and from different regions of the country to support diversity in recruitment.

Internship Expansion

• Create a year-round internship program with summer, spring, and fall cohorts.

Mentorship Component

• Review the process for matching interns to mentors. Consider sharing professional interests and the opportunity for interns to engage with mentors who have similar disabilities.
• Create more opportunities to bring together mentors and interns through planned activities. Include virtual opportunities for greater flexibility and engagement.
• Clarify expectations of the mentoring program with mentors. Ensure mentors are prepared to dedicate the time required to participate in the program.
• Provide interns with structured guidance on how to engage with mentors.

AAPD Summer Internship Program Changes

Approximately 85% of alumni who responded to the survey were from the Summer of 2019 and prior. Since the leadership changes described below were implemented, there have been notable changes throughout the internship program that respond to most of the recommendations identified by Third Sight’s evaluation report.

Staff and Personnel

In Summer 2018 and 2019, the internship program was led by the AAPD Programs Manager with the support of the President & Chief Executive Officer (CEO). The Programs Manager was responsible for developing and executing all aspects of the Summer Internship Program and Disability Advocacy Certificate Program in addition to several other of AAPD’s national programming initiatives, including the Disability Rights Storyteller Fellowship, Disability Mentoring Day, Paul G. Hearne Emerging Leader Award, and the NBCUniversal Tony Coelho Media Scholarship. In 2019, AAPD contracted a part-time Summer Internship Program Assistant who worked full-time during the summer internship program and part-time hours leading up to and following the completion of the internship program.

In Fall 2019, AAPD welcomed a new President & CEO to the organization and a new Programs Manager to lead the Summer Internship Program. Similar to in 2018, the Programs Manager continued to manage multiple programs in addition to the internship program focused on emerging leaders, such as awards and scholarships. AAPD also added a part-time Program Coordinator to focus on Disability Mentoring Day and Alumni Network to support staff sustainability in the organization. This allowed the Programs Manager to have more capacity to implement changes to the internship program. In 2022, the Programs Manager became the Programs Director to manage the growing internship program team, along with the Programs team.

In Summer 2021, AAPD expanded the Internship Program Team by hiring a Summer Internship Program Coordinator. The Program Coordinator was solely dedicated to the internship program to increase capacity. In fall 2023, AAPD promoted the Internship Program Coordinator role to Manager to recognize the full scope of responsibilities of managing all of AAPD’s internship programs. This also recognizes the increased responsibilities of the internship expansion to include a fall cohort. Due to the expansion of the internship program, AAPD hired a year-round part-time Program Assistant working 10-20 hours a week to support the Program Manager. 

In Summer 2023, AAPD hired an Events & Logistics Coordinator to provide additional support to the Internship Program team. The Events & Logistics Coordinator provides support with travel, supplies, inventory, technology, speaker honorariums, on-site support, and more. AAPD also hired a full-time Programs Coordinator to focus on the Alumni Network, to continue supporting the professional development of former AAPD interns and other program participants, and to help manage Disability Mentoring Day each October. With the Programs Team comprised of a team of four people, and three of the four Programs Team members supporting the internship program, this further increased the Internship Program team’s capacity to implement more meaningful changes.

The last significant change in 2023 was that AAPD hired a Chief Operating Officer (COO). The COO helps develop additional structure and policies, and streamlines processes to strengthen the internship programs. The COO also works closely with the Internship Program team to work on evaluation and impact.

By the end of 2023, the AAPD Leadership Team supported the long-term sustainability and effectiveness of the internship program:

• President & CEO
• Chief Operating Officer
• Programs Director

The Internship Program Team supported the day-to-day execution:

• Internship Program Manager
• Programs Coordinator (Alumni Network focus)
• Events & Logistics Coordinator
• Program Assistant

Budget

Throughout this report, AAPD will detail many changes that have impacted our budget. To the right is a table that summarizes how the expenses have changed each year.

We chose Summer 2019 as a reference point, as it was the last summer before the COVID-19 pandemic and before new leadership joined the organization. Some notes:

 

• Summer 2019 was fully in-person.
• Summer 2020 was not included due to only offering the Disability Advocacy Certificate Program.
• Summer 2021 reflected our first fully virtual internship. We had two classes, since interns from 2020 were invited to return in 2021.
• Summer 2022 was our first hybrid program (i.e., interns participated in DC or remotely).
• Summer 2023 was the first time we offered a remote housing stipend.

* The total direct expenses do not include everything listed in the table. Travel line items may fluctuate depending on sponsorship available. Other expenses may include subscriptions or contractors.

Program Format

From 2002 – 2017, AAPD hosted the Summer Internship Program entirely in-person with internship placements requiring 40 hours of work a week over ten weeks. The program components, including mentors, placement sites, and activities, were all based in Washington, DC. In 2018, AAPD added the Disability Advocacy Certificate Program, which reduced the weekly placement site hours to 32 hours, from Monday to Thursday.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic in March 2020, AAPD pivoted to offer only the Disability Advocacy Certificate Program remotely that summer. Many placement site partners needed more time to be ready to host entirely virtual interns by the summer. While we could not place participants in internships at this point, we continued to pay the interns for their time due to a lack of financial opportunities amid the pandemic. We also paired our interns one-on-one with a virtual mentor for the first time. The 2020 cohort was offered an opportunity to return in summer 2021 to gain internship experience.

Due to a virtual format and wanting to create similar opportunities to an in-person environment, AAPD strengthened our community engagement by providing weekly virtual informal events for interns to meet and get to know each other. Some examples include a monthly book club, with topics determined by the interns, such as disability and dating, disability and abolition, LGBTQIA+ pride, and more. We received significant positive feedback surrounding the creation of intentional spaces for engagement of our internship cohort, and we have continued providing spaces for our interns to informally connect with each other and the broader community in multiple formats. Many interns also took the initiative to plan their own virtual gatherings, such as co-working spaces.

In 2021, since the COVID-19 vaccines and tests were not yet widely available, AAPD hosted the entire internship program remotely. This ensured the safety of the AAPD interns while providing high-level quality access to career opportunities, leadership development, and connections with the disability community. AAPD’s first-ever remote internship program was built on the success of the remote Disability Advocacy Certificate Program in 2020. By providing remote opportunities, AAPD created more opportunities for internship placement and participation across the country in a modality that is more accessible to many. 

At the conclusion of the 2021 program, AAPD surveyed our interns to ensure the remote format was an accessible and meaningful experience. Ninety-two percent of the respondents recommended that AAPD continue to provide a remote option. In addition, 92% of the interns who responded to the survey reported that they strongly agreed or agreed that their virtual internship placement site was a meaningful experience. Lastly, 40% of the interns who responded to the survey shared that the virtual format was more accessible for them than an in-person format. However, 16% of the interns reported that an in-person environment would have been more accessible for them.

As a result of the responses, AAPD decided to continue offering both in-person and remote internship opportunities. In 2022, AAPD hosted our first-ever hybrid program successfully, with an opportunity to join in-person in Washington, DC, or participate fully remotely. The in-person interns also experienced a true hybrid environment (going to the office a few times a week). All remote interns have the opportunity to attend in person for the weeklong orientation in Washington, DC, during which AAPD covers their travel and lodging. A hybrid internship program allows remote interns to access meaningful internship opportunities without worrying about their access to healthcare in their home state or leaving their place of safety (e.g., COVID-19 protocols, support systems, etc.). Based on the continued success of a hybrid model in Summer 2022, AAPD will offer a hybrid summer internship program going forward.  

Based on feedback from the Summer Internship Program evaluation and with the support of a challenge grant from Arconic Foundation, AAPD launched our Fall Internship Program in September 2023. The Fall Internship Program is entirely virtual and part-time.  This is an opportunity to offer part-time internships to provide more opportunities for students who may be managing school or work obligations. Additionally, part-time opportunities allow flexibility for income limits that may impact people with disabilities who receive public benefits. We do not want prospective interns to choose between impactful career development and the benefits they need to survive.

Recruitment and Outreach

Beginning in the Summer 2021 cycle, AAPD diversified our recruitment efforts by intentionally reaching out to several organizations or institutions that primarily serve people who experience intersecting oppression or are historically excluded. Some examples include, but are not limited to: Historically Black Colleges and Universities, Tribal Colleges, Minority Serving Institutions, community colleges, and postsecondary education programs specifically for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. In addition, we contacted different organizations outside of university Disability Resource Offices, such as student-led organizations on campus, Offices of Diversity & Inclusion on campuses, youth-led organizations, and vocational rehabilitation services.

We see the impact of our intentional recruitment among disabled people of color. The following spread showcases the percentages across cohorts for interns’ racial and ethnic identities, gender identities, and those identifying as LGBTQIA+. The number of people identifying as a specific race may exceed the number of interns due to interns identifying with more than one race.

The year 2020 was excluded because numerous interns opted to defer their participation to 2021 due to no internship component being offered or wanting to focus on their well-being during the summer.

In 2021, AAPD staff began hosting a virtual information session on the Summer Internship Program, which features a panel of intern alumni. This is an opportunity to access information about the program in real-time beyond written materials and it also allows prospective interns to engage with AAPD staff and alumni.

Interview Process

During the interview stage, we have continued the practice implemented in 2018 of engaging alumni in the interviews. We provide alumni opportunities to share feedback on the interview questions and format. Alumni’s perspectives significantly impact how we consider applicants who will benefit the most from the program.

We also changed our interview process to be more accessible in 2020. We reduced the length of the interview from 60 minutes to 30 minutes (unless an accommodation has been requested that asks for more time), and we reduced the number of questions asked. We also conducted our interviews on the Zoom platform instead of Google Meet to allow integration with real-time captioning.

Intern Onboarding Materials

In 2021, AAPD drafted and developed several onboarding documents to formalize the internship program and establish a shared understanding between AAPD staff and interns.

When an intern was officially matched with a placement site, AAPD required more formal agreements for shared understanding. First, the placement site had to fill out a form to agree and adhere to all the placement site responsibilities. The placement site would also share more information upfront about the intern’s activities and tasks for the summer. After the form was completed, AAPD prepared an offer letter for the intern to agree to and accept.

AAPD developed a Code of Conduct and Community Guidelines. The Code of Conduct outlined expectations of intern engagement and behavior, such as communication expectations between interns and supervisors, staff, and mentors. It was included as part of the intern’s offer letter to the program. The Community Guidelines were co-developed with each cohort of interns during their first day of orientation and revisited throughout the summer. It included items such as checking in with people about their accommodation and access needs before planning a restaurant outing, speaking based on their own experience instead of generalizing it to the entire community, confidentiality, and so forth.

From 2022 onwards, AAPD included COVID-19 protocols as part of our Code of Conduct.

Program Supports

Before 2020, AAPD provided interns with a living stipend equal to $8.75/hr for 32 hours a week over a 10-week period, accessible housing, and transportation to and from Washington, DC. AAPD also budgeted in personal care attendants to travel with and support the interns during the summer, and meal stipends of $200 for the entire summer.  Since then, the hourly wage, housing stipends, meal stipends, and other program supports have all increased.

Hourly Wage

Our interns with disabilities come from diverse backgrounds that add value and expertise to their placement sites. However, people with disabilities frequently go unpaid or are often paid subminimum wage. While this contributes to the pay gap between nondisabled and disabled people, many people with disabilities cannot accept unpaid work due to paying for additional support or resources to live independently in their community.

In the summer of 2020, AAPD provided a stipend of $20/hour for our interns during their time in the Certificate Program, as they may have planned on relying on the internship program as a source of income. The Certificate Program was six hours a week over a 10-week period.

In 2021, AAPD increased the living stipend per hour to match at least the District of Columbia’s (DC) minimum wage or higher. For 2021, it was $15/hour. The hourly wage increased again in 2023 to $18/hour.

Due to the increase in stipend, AAPD works on a case-by-case basis with interns who may need a different payment schedule due to their public benefits. If interns are concerned about the hourly wages impacting their benefits, AAPD will split up the payments over a longer period of time to minimize the impact. AAPD will also work on a case-by-case basis to figure out alternative payment methods to ensure interns are compensated for their time and expertise.

Housing

For the majority of the internship program, AAPD has provided in-person interns with accessible housing at George Washington (GW) University. In 2022, AAPD started to provide remote interns with hotel lodging during orientation week. In 2023, AAPD began offering remote interns a monthly housing stipend of up to $2,000. This rate is comparable to the monthly rate AAPD pays to cover in-person interns in Washington, DC. Because the Internal Revenue Services (IRS) considers housing stipends as income since we pay the interns directly, AAPD informs interns that the housing stipend may impact their benefits before they officially accept their spot as an AAPD intern. Like with the hourly wages, AAPD will work with interns individually to figure out an alternative if this stipend threatens their benefits.

Meal Stipends

In 2018 and 2019, AAPD provided a meal stipend of $200 over 10 weeks through American Express gift cards as part of Friday’s Disability Advocacy Certificate Program lunches. When the full internship program resumed virtually in 2021, AAPD continued providing meal stipends. In 2021 and 2022, AAPD increased the amount to $400 over 10 weeks through grocery or food delivery gift cards to factor in fees and tips. Instead of adding the meal stipend to their living wages, AAPD provides gift cards to minimize potential impacts on interns’ taxes or benefits.

In 2023, GW University offered meal plans for its summer residents, including AAPD interns. The meal plan was $550 for the summer, which included 50 meal swipes (prices vary based on meal) and $50 declining debit balance on their GW card.

Due to this change, AAPD allowed all interns to choose one of the three options:

1. Participate in GW’s Meal Plan
2. Receive a $550 Visa gift card or food delivery service gift card*
3. Receive $550 as part of their stipend.

*On a case-by-case basis, AAPD provided a grocery gift card of the intern’s choosing if food delivery is not accessible in their area or does not meet their dietary accommodations.

Similar to the housing stipend, AAPD informed interns that if they opt out of a meal stipend and choose to combine it with their living wages, this may impact their taxes and/or benefits.

Technology and Equipment

Starting in 2020, AAPD provided internet stipends for remote interns and developed a budget for technology support. The internet stipend provides additional support for interns who may not have access to high-speed internet. Technology supports include, but are not limited to, laptops, monitors, accessible software, and accessories (e.g., headphones, ergonomic mouse, monitor, etc). Since many placement sites’ organizational policies provide limited technology offerings for interns (especially remote interns), AAPD purchases equipment for interns to use during their internship experience. 

Sustained Engagement

In 2020, AAPD launched the Alumni Network to continue investing in our program participants. Alumni can obtain professional development support related to their career goals, make new community connections, and sustain existing connections. As part of the Alumni Network, AAPD established the Ambassadors Council. They are alumni who help guide AAPD’s planning for future initiatives. Due to AAPD implementing more structure to keep in contact with alumni, we are able to execute a more intentional effort to uplift and continue building relationships with them. They are frequently invited to participate in the internship program as guest speakers and mentors and attend community events. Because of our continued relationships with alumni, we can also recommend them for other professional development opportunities, such as a guest speaker on a Hill briefing, subject matter expert webinars, blog posts, and so forth.

Information and Preparation

In 2022, AAPD developed a more comprehensive resource guide to support interns during the summer. This includes information on national resources and mental health services. For in-person interns, this includes access to healthcare, including COVID-19 testing and treatment, and transportation.

We also provided pre-orientation sessions, which share information with interns before they arrive in Washington, DC. Sessions included how to navigate transportation in DC, such as how to use the Metro, and discussing accommodations while flying.

Placement Site Matching

AAPD completes a thorough vetting process with every placement site before officially pairing them with an intern. As part of our vetting process, we ask about the supervisor’s comfort level with providing and implementing accommodations and the organization’s disability inclusion policies or beliefs. We also ensure interns will be assigned meaningful tasks and activities. Historically, AAPD has required that administrative duties not take up more than 25% of the interns’ time.

In 2021, AAPD began a more formal process with our placement partners. All placement site supervisors must sign an agreement that outlines each intern’s responsibilities and confirms the interns’ scope of work. This gives AAPD an opportunity to review the activities and enforce our requirement of limited allocation to administrative duties. This information is also included in the interns’ offer letters before they agree, so interns have a chance to ask questions about their responsibilities and expectations. This creates greater transparency and sets expectations for the summer. This process also mirrors what an intern may experience when applying for jobs and finalizing an offer. AAPD references this information during the check-ins throughout the summer between supervisors and interns.

In 2022, AAPD started collecting more information from placement sites to share with interns ahead of time before starting the formal process. Since AAPD does not do a background check on our interns or require U.S. citizenship, many of our placement sites have an independent process.  Some placement sites may require U.S. citizenship, current enrollment in a university or college, and background checks, including fingerprinting, paperwork, and/or reference checks. The information from the placement site allows interns to determine whether they want to proceed with a specific placement site’s selection process. This information is also available to applicants as part of our recruitment efforts.

In 2023, AAPD continued to work with placement site supervisors to streamline the matching process and ensure the interns are set up for success. We began collecting more information on what resources (e.g., technology equipment) or existing skills are required to ensure a meaningful experience for the interns.

AAPD also made intentional efforts to diversify our placement partners for two reasons: to ensure the placement site was tailored to the intern’s career goals and to increase AAPD’s impact on different organizations. From 2021 to 2023, AAPD averaged nine new placement site partnerships each year.

Mentors

Beginning in 2020 , AAPD offered the option of virtual mentors in addition to in-person mentors. The virtual format allowed us to find mentors more aligned with the interns’ interests and advocacy development, if desired. AAPD also developed mentorship guidance with prompted questions to better support facilitation between the mentor and mentee.

AAPD also asked more questions about interns’ preferences for their mentors. We asked if they prefer their mentor to have a specific background or expertise and shared identity (disability, race, gender, etc). As a result of recruiting a more diverse intern cohort, we end up matching more interns with mentors with a disability, particularly mentors with a disability who are also people of color.

In 2021, AAPD shifted our traditional “How to Network in DC” orientation workshop to focus on how to build and sustain meaningful relationships with their mentors, supervisors, peers, and community members.

Disability Advocacy Certificate Program

AAPD offers the Disability Advocacy Certificate Program to complement the Summer Internship Program experience. Created in 2018, it was initially designed for interns to learn more about the electoral and legislative process in Washington, DC. This included learning about different legislation that impacts the disability community. In 2018, this was established in partnership with a DC-based university (American University and George Washington University both served as partners). As a result of the university partnership, interns could opt to pay to take the course for credits that can be transferred to their home university.

In 2022, due to the low interest in interns taking the course for credit and feedback on the Certificate Program, AAPD decided not to continue a partnership with the university. The program was redesigned to focus on preparing interns to be knowledgeable and effective advocates in the disability community through storytelling. This also includes understanding their individual, local, state, and national audience.

By the end of the course, interns learn how to:

1. Communicate their story to different audiences across multiple mediums (e.g. social media, blog posts, policy memos, Hill visits, presentations, etc.)
2. Identify a variety of advocacy strategies and tactics to address issues the disability community faces.
3. Describe approaches to developing relationships and coalitions.
4. Apply an intersectional lens to their advocacy.
5. Understand their role and responsibility in the collective disability movement.

They receive a certificate from AAPD upon completion of the program.

In 2020, AAPD started offering honorariums to Certificate Program speakers. We also prioritized guest speakers who identify as a person with a disability. This is an opportunity to not only pay disability experts for their work and knowledge, but also uplift community members and provide professional development opportunities for them. As of 2023, we offered the following honorariums:

• $300 for a single speaker on a topic between 1 – 2 hours, including breaks
• $150 each for co-speakers on a topic between 1 – 2 hours, including breaks
• $75 for each panelist on a topic up to 1.5 hours, including breaks

In 2023, AAPD started collecting the other identities of speakers in addition to disability identity. Guest speakers can opt in to share this information, and only demographics are shared publicly. This allows AAPD to better understand how we are engaging disabled people with intersecting identities.

COVID-19 Protocols

The pandemic continues to impact the lives of people with disabilities. Despite the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency ending in May 2023, AAPD continued to implement COVID-19 protocols for all in-person components of our internship programs. 

In 2022 and 2023, AAPD had COVID-19 protocols and contingency plans to ensure in-person interns could safely participate. For both years, any in-person intern could change their preference to work remotely (up until a reasonable “drop date” of March, to allow time for coordination). Reasonable accommodations were provided upon request.

AAPD asked questions about individuals’ COVID-19 safety precautions as part of the roommate match process for DC-based interns.

The 2022 and 2023 protocols applied to all of the in-person internship program participants, including remote interns who participated in-person for Orientation week, personal care attendants, and AAPD staff.

Requirements included:

• Most recent COVID-19 booster vaccine as of the time of the internship program 
• Weekly COVID-19 rapid antigen test, provided by AAPD
• Wearing masks provided by AAPD during weekly Friday programming
• In-person interns have their own private bathrooms in their dormitories
• HyperHEPA air purifier in the room during Orientation week and Friday classes

Interns could request a private suite instead of a shared suite. A shared suite is defined as having multiple private bedrooms with private bathrooms, but shared living spaces, such as a kitchen and living room.

For remote interns who opted to visit Washington, DC, they had their own hotel room.

If an intern tested positive for COVID-19, they were required to immediately notify both AAPD and GW University Housing in 2021 and just AAPD in 2022. From there, interns were expected to isolate themselves in their room for at least five days or until a negative test, whichever was longer. In both 2022 and 2023, AAPD provided additional rapid tests as needed, thermometers, and pulse oximeters. GW University Housing provided support to interns on a case-by-case basis, including supporting delivery services related to food and/or essential items. 

If an intern tested positive and their suitemate did not, the suitemate took daily rapid tests for up to 1 week. AAPD provided daily test kits.

AAPD also reserved the right to shift the Friday Certificate Program class to a fully virtual format if the following occurred:

1. Five (5) interns and/or one AAPD Summer Internship Program staff member tests positive
2. When fewer than five (5) in-person interns attend due to concerns about COVID-19 or due to accommodation needs

Guest speakers and access vendors (e.g., ASL interpreters) participating in-person during community events or the Disability Advocacy Certificate Program were required to have a negative COVID-19 rapid antigen test and wear a mask. AAPD provided masks and tests.

Aid Association for the Blind of the District of Columbia

Aid Association for the Blind of the District of Columbia

The post Disability Economic Power & AAPD Internships appeared first on AAPD.

This means Congress has until January 30, 2026, to reach a deal on funding bills for all other federal agencies and programs, except for the Department of Agriculture and the Department of Veterans Affairs.

The agreement also reinstates all federal employees who received Reduction in Force (RIF) notices – or layoffs – during the shutdown, bans new RIFs until January 2026, and provides backpay to all working and furloughed federal workers who haven’t been paid since September 30, 2025. The Office of Personnel Management has said that federal employees could start to receive backpay as early as Sunday, with a goal of getting all federal employees paid by Wednesday, November 19th.

What Does this Mean for People with Disabilities?

With the shutdown over, funding will again begin to flow to critical programs like SNAP and the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP), a program that helps many people with disabilities heat their homes in the winter.

As of Wednesday, November 12, 25% of states had not paid November SNAP benefits due to conflicting court orders, which are now moot since the shutdown has ended and Congress has appropriated funding for SNAP benefits through September 2026. The U.S. Department of Agriculture, which oversees the SNAP program, says that funds will be available to states within 24 hours; however, it may take longer for states to load the benefits onto recipients’ EBT cards. Check your state department of human services website for updates about when you can expect to receive your November SNAP benefits.

It may take up to four weeks or more for states to receive LIHEAP grants and distribute energy assistance payments to recipients. The shutdown led many states to pause acceptance of applications due to the lapse in LIHEAP funding, and many states announced a delay in the start of their winter LIHEAP program during the shutdown. Now that a funding bill has been passed into law, it will take time for furloughed federal employees to calculate and distribute funding to the states. State social services departments will also need time to accept and process energy assistance applications. As a result, some states may not be able to distribute benefits until December or even January.

If your energy assistance benefits are interrupted, contact your electric, gas, or oil service provider, explain the situation, and inquire about available arrangements and assistance. Check whether your state has a law that prohibits disconnecting utility services during the winter months.

If your state DOES have a moratorium on disconnection of utility services during cold weather months, it is important that you:

• Beware of scams. Hang up on threatening calls that demand immediate payment or request payment through gift cards, payment apps, or wire transfers.
• If you receive a call demanding immediate payment of utility bills, check your bank account and contact your utility company at its official customer service number to report the call.

Check your state department of human services website for updates about when you can expect to receive energy assistance benefits.

Medicare Extensions Included in Bill

The bill passed by Congress to fund the government and end the shutdown also extends the following provisions for Medicare:

• Telehealth flexibility: The government funding bill extends the ability of healthcare providers to offer care via telehealth until January 30, 2026. This ability was first expanded during the COVID-19 pandemic and last extended in the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2023. This extension is retroactive to October 1, meaning that if you’re on Medicare and received healthcare via telehealth during the shutdown, your provider can submit a claim and be reimbursed for the visit.
• Delay of Medicare Payment Cuts: The bill also delays until the end of January the 2% reduction in Medicare reimbursement rates, which were mandated by the Budget Control Act of 2013. Congress must pass full-year funding bills by January 30, 2026 to further delay this cut.
• Waiver of Mandatory PAYGO Budget Cuts: The government funding agreement also waives the 4% funding cuts to Medicare, the U.S. Department of Agriculture, and other federal programs mandated by the “Pay-As-You-Go” Congressional budget rules. This means that if Congress spends beyond a certain amount, they must pay for it with new revenue or cut funding by 4% from Medicare and other programs unless Congress waives the rule.
  
  If Congress had not waived the mandatory PAYGO budget cuts, this would have resulted in reduced payments to healthcare providers, Medicare Advantage plans, Medicare prescription drug benefits, and more.

The Fight is Not Over

While the government is reopening today, unfortunately, this agreement does not extend the enhanced Affordable Care Act (ACA) premium tax credits, which are scheduled to end on December 31. Without these vital insurance subsidies, roughly 24 million Americans could face steep premium increases in 2026—some by 100% or more.

These enhanced ACA premium subsidies allow millions of people with disabilities who make too much to be eligible for Medicaid, do not have access to employer-sponsored health insurance,  or are entrepreneurs or self-employed individuals, to afford and maintain health insurance from the ACA marketplace.

Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) has promised to hold a vote on extending the ACA subsidies by mid-December as part of the deal to reopen the government; however, there is no guarantee it will happen.

The shorter-term funding timeline (through January 30) means our work is far from over. Congress will soon return to negotiations on appropriations for the full fiscal year and health insurance subsidies before January 30, 2026, and we need to keep applying pressure.

If you rely on ACA premium subsidies to afford health insurance, we want to hear from you now. Your stories about how these subsidies make coverage accessible are powerful tools to show Congress why they need to act.

Click here to share your story. You can add personal details about how the loss of enhanced ACA premium subsidies would impact your ability to keep healthcare coverage, afford critical medications, or remain independent.

Your voices will help us show how important these subsidies are for millions of Americans with disabilities and others who rely on them for affordable care.

AAPD will keep you updated as this situation unfolds.

The post Explainer: The Government Shutdown Is Over. What Does This Mean for Disabled Americans? appeared first on AAPD.

A Reduction-in-Force (RIF) is a process in which an employer permanently eliminates some positions, resulting in layoffs. For any employer, RIFs can happen for reasons like budget cuts, reorganization, or shifting priorities. Unlike a temporary furlough or hiring freeze, a RIF leads to permanent job loss. In a RIF, not only are employees laid off, but the positions that they worked in are entirely eliminated. In this case, the employer is the federal government, the largest employer of people with disabilities in the country. A RIF reduces the federal capacity to deliver essential services. 

What’s happening now?

On Friday, October 10, the Trump administration issued RIF notices to about 4,100 federal employees across various agencies. These include the Department of Education, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the Administration on Children and Families (ACF), and the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), among others. The Office of Management and Budget, part of the Executive Office of the President that assists the President in implementing their policy, management, and regulatory agenda, has said that more than 10,000 federal employees could receive RIF notices during the shutdown.

On Wednesday, October 15, a federal judge issued an emergency order halting the RIFs while the lawsuit continues, calling them “unlawful.”

Impact on Special Education

Disability offices at the Department of Education have been heavily affected by the RIFs, including:

• The Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services (OSERS)
• The Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP)
• The Office for Civil Rights (OCR)
• The Rehabilitation Services Administration (RSA)
  

These offices are essential for making sure students with disabilities get the right accommodations in schools, and that adults with disabilities can access training, support, and opportunities to join and stay in the workforce.

Why this matters

The loss of staff in these offices results in real harm for disabled people. For example, the mass layoffs in the Department of Education will make it significantly more difficult for people with disabilities to:

• Access special education services guaranteed by the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) 
• Obtain reasonable accommodations in educational settings, 
• Secure vocational rehabilitation and employment supports, and; 
• Receive civil rights protections against discrimination in educational settings 

The Office for Civil Rights investigates cases when students with disabilities are denied access to education. For example, in 2018, the Department of Education found that Texas had violated the IDEA by placing a cap on the number of students who could receive special education services. OCR worked with the state to develop a plan ensuring that students with disabilities had access to education and continued to monitor its implementation. Without the staff to conduct this work, thousands of students with disabilities would have lost out on access to education. 

These RIFs are part of a long-term plan by the Trump administration to dismantle and eventually shut down the Department of Education. This effort has been ongoing since the beginning of this year. 

Impact on Mental Health

The RIFs go beyond the Department of Education. Agencies such as SAMHSA, CDC, and HUD — which offer essential health and housing assistance — have also been impacted.

At SAMHSA, the impact is especially concerning. SAMHSA oversees programs that directly support people with mental health and substance use disabilities, including:

• The Protection & Advocacy for Individuals with Mental Illness (PAIMI) Program, 
• The 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, and; 
• National initiatives supporting mental health and addiction treatment.

At a time when the nation is already facing a mental health crisis, reducing SAMHSA’s capacity endangers the stability and safety of millions.

SAMHSA’s work is crucial for improving outcomes, expanding access, and building an equitable, person-centered system for mental health and substance use services. These programs help prevent over-reliance on restrictive hospital settings and make sure that people with disabilities can access the community-based supports they need to live and thrive.

For example, within the cuts to SAMHSA, the Children’s Branch was eliminated. The Children’s Branch helps to support school-based mental health services for children, including children with dually diagnosed disabilities and mental health conditions. Schools are the primary place where kids and youth receive mental health support, especially youth with disabilities, because of the lack of accessible mental health services more broadly. 

Impact on Early Intervention

Within the Administration for Children and Families, all employees working on Preschool Development Grants Birth to Five in the Office of Early Childhood Development were laid off. These employees support grants that are provided to states and territories to facilitate early intervention services and service coordination for children with disabilities. Without publicly funded early intervention services, fewer children will be diagnosed, making it harder to get treatments, accommodations, and special education for years to come. 

Impact on Housing

The HUD Office of Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity investigates and enforces violations of fair housing laws. In just one example of their work, HUD intervened for a disabled veteran in Maine when he was turned away from renting an apartment because he had a service animal. This type of everyday work to prohibit discrimination against people with disabilities cannot happen without staff. The majority of the staff in both the national and regional offices of Fair Housing and Equality Opportunity have been laid off.

Many communities with smaller populations around the country have used Section 108 loans from HUD’s Office of Community Planning and Development to build large affordable housing communities. High Point, North Carolina, used this funding multiple times to build hundreds of affordable homes for low-income families, many of whom were families with a disabled loved one. But today, there are only two people left on the team that runs and supports this program for the entire country.

RIFs and the Government Shutdown

The administration had previously threatened to issue RIFs in the event of a government shutdown. However, it is essential to understand that a government shutdown does not automatically result in permanent reductions in the federal workforce. The current RIFs are not a result of the shutdown and are being challenged in court. These RIFs are a part of an existing long-term strategy to eliminate certain federal agencies that has been in motion since the beginning of the year. 

What’s next

Disability rights advocates, federal worker unions, and legal experts challenged these RIFs in court, arguing that they violate federal workforce protections and surpass the administration’s authority. As noted above, a federal judge issued an emergency order to stop the layoffs while the legal challenge proceeds. The Trump administration will appeal this emergency order, and the matter is likely to end up before the Supreme Court. AAPD will continue to monitor the situation closely and provide updates as they become available.

What you can do

Stay informed through AAPD updates and information from our partner organizations. Reach out to the White House via our outreach tool here to tell the Administration that you oppose these RIFs and their unfair impact on the disability community. Urge them to restore critical positions in federal agencies immediately. AAPD’s tool provides a pre-written letter and message, so all you have to do is provide your contact information and hit send.

Additionally, you can share verified information on social media to raise awareness about how these cuts threaten vital services and civil rights protections.

The post Explainer: What the Trump Administration’s Reduction-in-Force Means for People with Disabilities appeared first on AAPD.

The federal government shutdown is now in its fourth week, with no immediate end in sight. As you can read about in our previous explainer, Congress has failed to pass a funding bill, leaving millions without access to critical programs.

On October 22, at least 25 states announced that Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits will not be paid in November if the shutdown continues. Many people with disabilities depend on SNAP for food, making this an urgent threat to our community. 

While the Trump administration has authorized tariff revenue to fund the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC benefits), the Trump Administration has said that it will not use any of the $6 billion in reserve funds held by the US Department of Agriculture to fund SNAP. This news arrives just before the holiday season, when many gather with friends and family to share a meal. Some states are using their own emergency funds to pay November SNAP benefits, including California, Colorado, Louisiana, and Virginia; however, not all states have the ability to do this.

Additionally, as the coldest weather since last winter arrives in much of the country, some states have announced delays in starting the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP), which helps low-income individuals and families with their home heating costs. Some states may still have funds available to continue providing assistance. Reach out to your state social services department to find out the current status of energy assistance programs in your area.

Also, while housing assistance payments for current Section 8 voucher holders are expected to continue until November, new Section 8 vouchers will not be issued. Landlords will possibly need to cover expenses out of their own pockets if the shutdown lasts a long time and begins to impact housing assistance payments for renters who get Section 8 vouchers. This can lead to foreclosure and greater housing instability. 

In addition to the delays affecting when people with disabilities will receive their benefits, there are also potential delays in processing administrative requests, disability benefits applications, and casework. 

Even if a deal is reached to reopen the government by the end of October, benefits for November will probably be delayed because it will take time for federal agencies to distribute funding to states.

What You Can Do If Your Benefits Are Interrupted

• • Find a local food pantry: feedingamerica.org
  • Seek help from local churches, charities, and organizations like Kelly’s Kitchen. Kelly’s Kitchen also hosts the Food Security Network that you can use to locate food banks, food pantries, soup kitchens, rural farms, urban farms, and food justice organizations.

• If your energy assistance benefits are interrupted, contact your electric, gas, or oil service provider, explain the situation, and ask about available arrangements and assistance. 

• Other companies, like your bank, internet, and cell service provider, may offer flexibility in bill payments if you reach out to them. 
• If you are receiving public assistance currently, Amazon offers a 50% discount on Prime Memberships via the Amazon Access Program, which may help reduce food costs. Also,DoorDash  has launched an emergency food response where they will waive merchant fees for all 300+ Project DASH partner food banks, food pantries, and community organizations nationwide, cover the delivery and service fees for about 300,000 orders for SNAP recipients, and donate directly to local food banks.
• On Thursday, October 30th at 3 PM Eastern, the National Council on Independent Living will host a virtual Community Conversation about how the government shutdown is affecting programs like SNAP, how to find food resources to fill the gap, and how local Centers for Independent Living can assist people with disabilities who are experiencing food insecurity. ASL and CART will be provided. Click here to register.

Take Action

Contact your Members of Congress and urge them to reopen the government before tens of millions of people, including many people with disabilities, face even more hardship. Your advocacy matters and can make a real difference.

We will keep you updated as the situation develops. Thank you for your commitment to supporting disabled people.

Previous versions of this resource

On Wednesday, October 1, at 12:01 AM, part of the federal government shut down because Congress could not  agree on a funding plan. As of now, the government has been shut down for two weeks. Congress and the White House are still working to reach a deal to reopen it.

What Happens During a Government Shutdown?

When the government shuts down, all “non-essential” government activities come to a halt. Essential workers — such as those in defense, national security, or air traffic control — keep working. Some get paid, and others are expected to work without pay. Most other federal employees are sent home and do not receive pay until Congress funds the government again, which is called a furlough.

Right now, around 750,000 federal workers are furloughed. If the shutdown goes on, many might miss their next paycheck and have trouble paying rent, mortgages, or other bills. Furloughed federal workers are required by law to receive pay that covers the time that they were furloughed, but the White House has illegally threatened that this may not happen for federal employees affected by this shutdown. 

Why Is Congress Stuck?

Congress cannot agree on how to fund the government. The President and many Republicans want to pass a short-term seven-week funding bill. However, Democrats prefer a longer-term deal that also:

• Extends enhanced health insurance subsidies under the Affordable Care Act, which are scheduled to expire this year. These subsidies are called ACA Tax Credits. ACA Tax Credits lower the cost of health care for people who receive health insurance through their state’s Affordable Care Act marketplace.  
• Cancels Medicaid cuts that were passed earlier this year.
• Ensures the President cannot block funding that Congress already approved. Since January, the Trump administration has refused to disburse funding for many federal programs that were authorized by Congress without following the proper procedure under the Impoundment Control Act, which limits the President’s ability to cancel spending approved by Congress.

If those insurance subsidies expire, around 24 million Americans could face steep premium increases in 2026 — some by 100% or more.

The $1 trillion in Medicaid cuts included in the budget reconciliation bill passed this summer will cause millions of Americans to lose access to healthcare coverage, home- and community-based services, employment support services, and other vital benefits if those cuts are not repealed.

How the Shutdown Affects Government Programs

Medicaid and Medicare:

Medicaid and Medicare benefits will continue during the shutdown.

Medicare and Medicaid are funded separately from regular government operations, so those benefits will stay active even in a shutdown. 

However, some people might not be able to get help with tasks like Medicaid eligibility verification because of reduced staffing at federal agencies. Additionally, healthcare providers may experience delays in processing claims. It may be harder for people who depend on Medicare and/or Medicaid to access healthcare during the shutdown. About 43% of adults with disabilities under age 65 are covered by Medicaid. Medicaid covers over half of all long-term care in the United States. 

Medicare provides health insurance coverage for people 65 and older.  Approximately 45% of all Medicare beneficiaries report having a disability, while about 12% of beneficiaries are under age 65 and qualify for Medicare due to a disability, meaning there are a significant number of both older and younger individuals with disabilities who are covered by Medicare. 

Social Security and Disability Benefits:

Social Security payments will continue being paid as scheduled.

Social Security provides benefits for low-income children and adults with disabilities, retirees, older adults, and surviving spouses and children of deceased individuals  through a variety of programs. 

This includes:

• Supplemental Security Income (SSI) 
• Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI)
• Social Security Retirement and Survivor benefits

These benefits are funded separately from the government’s annual budget, so they are unaffected by the shutdown. However, some services — such as obtaining a replacement Medicare card or a benefit verification letter — may be delayed or interrupted due to staffing furloughs. If people have any problems with their Social Security benefits during the shutdown, it will take longer to fix those problems, potentially cutting people off from benefits they need to live. Check the Social Security Administration’s website for updates on which services are available.

SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) benefits:

The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) is a program that helps low income people buy the food they need for good health. About 80% of households who receive SNAP benefits are households with children, a disabled person, or an older adult. People with disabilities are more likely to be food insecure than people without disabilities, which means that SNAP is an essential program to make sure many people with disabilities do not go hungry and still have healthy food to eat. 

The federal government sends states SNAP benefits every month, and then states send these benefits to low income individuals who are eligible for SNAP. The October SNAP benefits have already been distributed to states, so payments to individuals will be made on schedule. However, if the shutdown continues, November SNAP benefits might be delayed or interrupted, and people will go hungry, including people with disabilities and their families. 

WIC (Women, Infants, and Children) benefits: 

WIC funding could run out within days because the program has not yet received new funding for the new fiscal year, which started on October 1. Some states may fill the gap with their own funds, but others cannot.

WIC benefits support pregnant, postpartum, or breastfeeding individuals, as well as their infants and children. If funds run out, families could lose access to food benefits, including formula for babies. Parents with disabilities and babies with disabilities are among those who will be hurt if WIC benefits run out. 

The White House has announced that it plans to use revenue from tariffs — taxes on goods imported from overseas — to fund WIC. However, the details of that plan are not yet clear. 

Food stores that need to renew their WIC or SNAP licenses may also have to wait until the shutdown ends.

If your SNAP or WIC benefits are delayed, you can visit Feeding America to locate a nearby food bank or food pantry. Additionally, many churches, community centers, or charity organizations in your local area may be able to assist if SNAP or WIC benefits are disrupted.

Housing Assistance

Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher benefits will continue. However, a long-lasting shutdown could delay lease renewals or jeopardize payments, causing landlords to cover the shortfall with their own funds. This may cause landlords to fall into foreclosure and cause housing instability for their tenants.

The Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher program helps eligible low-income families, seniors, and individuals with disabilities afford housing in the private rental market by providing vouchers that subsidize a portion of their rent. About 25% of Section 8 beneficiaries are people with disabilities. People with disabilities face many barriers to housing, and Section 8 is an important program to help disabled people keep a roof over their head during the shutdown.  

If you receive a Section 8 housing voucher, you are still responsible for paying your share of rent during the shutdown, even if you are experiencing additional financial hardship due to the shutdown.

Other services, like housing inspections and new housing assistance applications, will be paused until the government reopens.

Energy Assistance

The Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) is affected during the shutdown, but the impact on families varies by state. LIHEAP helps low-income households cover their energy bills, which includes many families with disabilities. During the shutdown, states will not receive new grants to assist families with electric or gas bills. Additionally, the entire staff of the Division of Energy Assistance at the Administration for Children and Families, which manages LIHEAP, had their jobs cut earlier this year.

Some states might have leftover funds to keep offering assistance. Contact your local or state social services department to learn about the current status of energy assistance programs in your state.

If your energy assistance benefits are interrupted, contact your electric, gas, or oil service provider, explain the situation, and inquire about available arrangements and assistance. Utility companies understand that shutdowns are heavily affecting consumers who depend on energy assistance programs.

What You Can Do

Call Your Bank and Other Creditors if You Need Help

If your benefits are delayed or disrupted and you need to use your own funds to buy groceries instead of paying utility, cell phone, or other bills, contact your bank or service provider and explain the situation. Financial institutions, including banks, credit card companies, and utility providers, are aware that a federal government shutdown can cause financial hardship for many people. They may be able to offer flexible arrangements, such as postponing payment due dates until the shutdown ends. While there’s no guarantee they will do so, it’s worthwhile to ask what they can do to support your financial security during this time.

Contact Your Representatives and Senators

AAPD urges people with disabilities and their allies to contact their Senators and Representatives and implore them to:

• Fund and reopen the government,
• Protect access to healthcare, and;
• Prevent further harm to people who rely on federal benefits.

The longer the shutdown continues, the harder it will be for families, especially those with disabilities or low incomes, to make ends meet. Additionally, if federal workers miss paychecks, it can have a significant impact on the broader economy.

The post Explainer: What the Government Shutdown Means for SNAP, WIC, and Disability Programs appeared first on AAPD.

Founded by grassroots disabled activists in Texas in 2016, REV UP maintains the core belief that change happens at the local level and that disabled leaders must be at the forefront of building an accessible democracy. REV UP’s commitment to providing community funding through initiatives like the REV UP Small Grants helps ensure that disabled leaders have the resources and support they need to best reach their communities. In 2025, we are proud to be giving out $92,500 in small grants to 17 organizations across 11 states. 

The Transformation Project 

State: South Dakota
Organization Overview: The Transformation Project is a Sioux Falls-based nonprofit that empowers transgender and gender non-conforming individuals across South Dakota. Through programs like Marty’s Closet, name-change assistance, support groups, and South Dakota’s first LGBTQ2S+ center, Prism, the organization fosters understanding, celebrates identity, and builds community for TGNC people and their families.

Project Summary: In 2025, The Transformation Project will launch “Neurodivergent Voices Count,” a civic engagement series specifically for neurodivergent LGBTQ2S+ youth ages 16–24. Hosted at the Prism Community Center, the four-part workshop series will use sensory-friendly activities, voting simulations, and peer-led discussion to build confidence and voting literacy in a safe and affirming space. The goal is to engage 50 youth, register 20 new voters or pledges, and develop accessible civic materials in South Dakota where few tailored resources currently exist. Youth advisors will help lead the planning, and all events will incorporate accessibility tools including stim kits, quiet rooms, visual aids.

Washington Civil & Disability Advocate (WACDA)
State: Washington
Organization Overview: Based in Seattle, WACDA is a legal and civil rights nonprofit that centers disability justice through advocacy, education, and free legal services. WACDA helps people with disabilities navigate barriers to access and dignity, while advocating for policy change across Washington state.

Project Summary: WACDA will host Seattle’s first disability-centered citywide candidate forum in 2025, connecting people with disabilities, their families, and caregivers directly with those running for Mayor, City Attorney, and City Council. The event will be co-created with at least 15 disabled community members who will help craft the candidate questions and conduct community outreach. The forum will also feature on-site voter registration, accessibility support (ASL, captions, hybrid format), and live polling to gather feedback. By educating both voters and candidates, the project builds political power in communities historically excluded from civic decision-making.

Keystone Progress Education Fund

State: Pennsylvania
Organization Overview: Keystone Progress Education Fund is a long-standing leader in progressive civic education, digital organizing, and coalition building across Western Pennsylvania. Their work focuses on reaching disabled people, incarcerated individuals, and people seeking comprehensive reproductive healthcare, particularly in under-resourced urban and rural areas of Western Pennsylvania. 

Project Summary: In 2025, Keystone Progress will bring voting access directly into Skilled Nursing Facilities, spaces where disabled residents often face compounded barriers to civic participation. The program will train staff, residents, and disability advocates on how to support voter registration and absentee ballot access, using a replicable curriculum that includes a handbook, accessible slide deck, and hands-on training. With a goal of training six voter advocates, implementing the program in at least three facilities, and supporting over 70 residents with voting, the project addresses a critical equity gap. 

BLAC–SWPA (Black Liberation Autonomous Collective of Southwestern PA)
State: Pennsylvania
Organization Overview: BLAC–SWPA is the first youth-led nonprofit in the region founded by and for Black trans youth. Focused on civic education, mutual aid, and healing justice, they support queer and disabled Black youth who have been excluded from traditional systems and often face multiple layers of harm and disenfranchisement.

Project Summary: BLAC–SWPA’s 2025 project, “From Isolation to Influence,” is a three-part series of civic healing gatherings for Black trans disabled youth. Each trauma-informed event will combine voter education, movement, creative expression, and peer support. The goal: to transform shame into solidarity, and political isolation into empowered participation. The series aims to reach at least 75 youth, with over half reporting increased civic confidence and at least 30 committing to vote or organize in the future. Events will offer  ASL, transportation support, and sensory kit, and will be spaces rooted in joy, healing, and disability justice. Led by youth with lived experience, this is the first project of its kind in Southwestern Pennsylvania.

One Heart One Vision Inc.
State: New York
Organization Overview: One Heart One Vision (OHOV) is a grassroots nonprofit led by blind/low-vision and disabled women, dedicated to empowering blind/low vision and disabled women from underserved neighborhoods across the country. The organization provides community services, social connection, education, and disability advocacy.

Project Summary: In 2025, OHOV is launching GIVE – Girls Involved in Voter Registration and Education, a civic engagement program for blind and disabled girls ages 15–25. The GIVE program trains young women to lead voter registration drives, host outreach events, and educate their peers on the voting process using both in-person and virtual platforms. GIVE events will be held monthly throughout NYC, targeting high schools, colleges, and youth-centered disability spaces. The project aims to register 100 disabled youth voters and will use mentorship, social media campaigns, and accessible swag to connect with Gen Z. The initiative is entirely led by disabled women and girls.

Denison University – DU Votes
State: Ohio
Organization Overview: DU Votes is a nonpartisan, student-led civic engagement organization at Denison University, committed to expanding voter access, education, and turnout. In partnership with the Denison Disability Advocacy Association (DDAA), the League of Women Voters, and other community groups, DU Votes is working to build an inclusive democracy on campus and across Licking County.

Project Summary: For Disability Voting Rights Week (Sept 8–12, 2025), DU Votes will launch a campus- and county-wide campaign to educate, register, and empower voters with disabilities. Programming will include educational tabling, a public panel on disability voting rights, and voter registration drives in collaboration with local partners like the Licking County Board of Developmental Disabilities. Voter resource kits with accessible information will be distributed throughout the year. The campaign aims to register 120 new voters (students and residents) and educate over 550 individuals on voting access and disability rights. Panels, pamphlets in braille, closed captioning, and ASL interpretation (budget allowing) will ensure accessibility for all.

Metropolitan Asian Deaf Association (MADA)
State: New York
Organization Overview: The Metropolitan Asian Deaf Association (MADA) works to empower and preserve Asian cultural values within the Deaf community in the Greater New York Metropolitan Area and beyond. MADA rallies Deaf and Hard of Hearing Asian-American and immigrant communities within the Greater New York area and beyond for civic engagement, accessibility, and racial justice.

Project Summary: Building on its 2024 efforts, MADA will expand voter outreach and education to Deaf and Disabled Asian Americans in NYC and other major cities. Their 2025 project will include bilingual ASL voter education workshops, in-person registration drives at events like the Deaf Asian Street Festival, and social media campaigns featuring GOTV videos in ASL with captions. With a goal of registering at least 25 new voters, the project will also provide culturally relevant support to new voters and partner with nonprofits serving Deaf and BIPOC communities. The team of Deaf ASL users will ensure that language access, accessibility, and cultural context are central to every phase of the work.

CUNY Coalition for Students with Disabilities at York College (CCSD@York)
State: New York
Organization Overview: CCSD@York is a student-led group advocating for the rights and inclusion of disabled students at York College, CUNY. Located in Jamaica, Queens, the organization engages BIPOC, LGBTQIA+, and low-income students with disabilities through civic education and peer organizing.

Project Summary: For the first time, York College will see a campus-wide disability-led civic campaign. CCSD@York will host a campus-wide, disability-led civic campaign called “Vote Without Limits.” During October 2025, the initiative will include voter registration drives, peer-led workshops, and a disability-centered candidate forum. The campaign aims to register at least 50 new voters and increase political participation among disabled young adults in Southeast Queens. 

Disability Rights & Resources
State: North Carolina
Organization Overview: Disability Rights & Resources is a Center for Independent Living based in Charlotte, NC, serving people with disabilities across Cabarrus, Gaston, Mecklenburg, and Union counties. The cross-disability organization works to support people with disabilities in living, working, and participating in the community.

Project Summary: Building on a successful 2024 project, Disability Rights & Resources will expand its accessible voting education through a three-part training series. The series will include a “Know Your Voting Rights” workshop designed in plain language for youth with intellectual disabilities, poll worker training in partnership with the Mecklenburg County Board of Elections, and a new “NC Disability Voting Rights” card for voters to carry. The project will also include taking summer youth program participants (Summer of Independent Living or SOIL) on a field trip to the local Board of Elections office to practice casting their vote on either standard or accessible voting machines, depending on their individual needs.  

Project READY
State: New York
Organization Overview: Project READY is a grassroots nonprofit serving Asian American families and individuals with developmental disabilities across the New York metro area. Founded by and for families, the organization provides advocacy, education, and inclusive support to empower the community and ensure equal access to civic life.

Project Summary: Project READY is launching the Asian American Disability Voting Coalition, the first of its kind in New York. Through the coalition, partners across the state will lead bilingual voter education sessions titled “You Can Vote Too!” focused on correcting misconceptions about voting rights for people with developmental disabilities. Digital outreach, social media campaigns, and multilingual materials will support widespread civic participation—reaching over 1,300 individuals. The coalition’s culturally and linguistically relevant approach aims to break down barriers to voting for one of the most underserved communities in the disability rights movement.

League of Women Voters of Greater Rockford
State: Illinois
Organization Overview: The League of Women Voters of Greater Rockford is a nonpartisan organization committed to empowering voters and strengthening democracy through education, advocacy, and community engagement.

Project Summary: The Rockford League will host two major civic engagement events in 2025: Light 4 Democracy during Disability Voting Rights Week and the Your Voice, Your Vote Civic Empowerment Fair in September. These events will center disabled youth, immigrants with disabilities and mixed-status families, and multiply marginalized voters offering accessible voter education, legal rights materials, multilingual support, and trauma-informed outreach to break down participation barriers and support informed, safe civic engagement. The events and materials will include community space and resources that acknowledge the presence of ICE and support voter safety.

LWSC Community Circle
State: Michigan
Organization Overview: LWSC Community Circle is a grassroots, intergenerational Black women-led collective rooted in disability justice, healing, and mutual aid. Based in Detroit, the group serves Black and brown disabled communities, particularly those with invisible disabilities, through political education, restorative gatherings, and affirming spaces that challenge isolation and systemic injustice.

Project Summary: The #WinFromWithin initiative will host monthly community-led, healing-centered gatherings for Black disabled individuals, especially women, nonbinary people, and caregivers. The events will reach people living with invisible disabilities such as chronic illness, neurodivergence, and trauma-related mental health conditions, intentionaly working to engage those who have been disconnected from traditional organizing or civic engagement due to systemic barriers, medical neglect, or stigma. Many in the #WinFromWithin audience may not identify with mainstream disability labels but are deeply impacted by ableism, racism, and state violence. The events will blend political education, storytelling, and joyful cultural connection, creating spaces where people with invisible disabilities can build power, deepen solidarity, and engage in civic life from a place of rest and relationship.

REV UP Georgia
State: Georgia
Organization Overview: REV UP Georgia is a grassroots, disability-led initiative working to build the political power of people with disabilities—particularly in rural communities of color. Primary leadership is disabled people of color in those rural communities. The coalition’s mission is to ensure that every person has the tools, access, and support they need to participate fully in civic life. 

Project Summary: REV UP Georgia will launch the Gaylon Tootle Youth Power & Participation Toolkit as part of its “Are You Vote Ready?” campaign. Co-designed by youth with disabilities from rural communities of color, the project will train 30 Youth Vote Ambassadors to lead accessible, peer-driven outreach efforts. Through pop-up events, digital campaigns, and leadership development, the initiative will uplift a new generation of disabled civic leaders across Georgia.

FEBO Vintage Rare Inc.
State: Georgia
Organization Overview: FEBO Vintage Rare Inc. is a nonprofit, nonpartisan grassroots organization focused on expanding voter education and engagement among Black disabled voters in West Savannah and surrounding precincts. Through canvassing, rallies, and resource events, FEBO connects residents with tools to participate in elections and build community power.

Project Summary: FEBO will host its 3rd Annual Juneteenth Celebration in West Savannah, combining cultural festivities with voter education, registration, and rides to the polls. The event will feature music, food, games, and an ADA-accessible environment (including for the first time, ADA-accessible porta pottys). The project will also be providing accessible transportation to older adults and people with disabilities to the polls. Voters will be able to connect to this service at the event. 

DEAFs, Inc. (Deaf Empowering Advocating Florida Southwest, Inc.)
State: Florida
Organization Overview: DEAFs, Inc. is a Deaf-led nonprofit based in Southwest Florida serving the Deaf and DeafBlind community across five counties. Founded in 2023, the organization provides education, advocacy, and communication access with a mission to empower Deaf individuals and foster an inclusive society.

Project Summary: Through their inaugural civic engagement initiative, BUILD UP, DEAFs, Inc. will offer ASL-accessible workshops, one-on-one voter education, and leadership development to increase Deaf and DeafBlind participation in civic life. The project will also recruit and train Deaf and hearing allies to serve as ASL-accessible poll workers and community liaisons. This project introduces the first fully ASL-accessible civic engagement initiative in the region, addressing a critical gap in voter education, accessibility, and leadership for Deaf and DeafBlind individuals. The grant will  fund interpreters, materials, outreach, and training that would otherwise be unavailable to an underserved community.

BAIN, Inc.
State: Georgia
Organization Overview: BAIN, Inc. is a Center for Independent Living serving ten counties in Southwest Georgia. With a focus on disability rights and independent living, BAIN works to remove barriers in transportation, voting, and community access for individuals with disabilities—especially those in rural areas.

Project Summary: BAIN will enhance polling place accessibility by conducting ADA compliance surveys at key polling locations during peak voting times, training poll workers, and offering transportation stipends to 25 voters with disabilities. The initiative will also distribute accessible voter materials to ensure voters with disabilities can cast their ballots during the 2025 election.

The Arc Arizona
State: Arizona
Organization Overview: The Arc of Arizona is a statewide nonprofit dedicated to advancing the rights of individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) and ensuring their full inclusion in all aspects of community life, including civic participation. With a network of over 10,000 individuals, The Arc Arizona works to advocate with and alongside rural, underserved, and multiply marginalized disability communities

Project Summary: The Arc Arizona will launch a nonpartisan voter engagement campaign tailored to individuals with IDD, particularly those in rural and underserved areas. The campaign includes in-person outreach, digital education, and plain-language materials to help voters navigate registration and access the polls. Grounded in feedback from self-advocates, the initiative will focus on communities often excluded from civic life and will work to educate voters who may now have the right to vote, after Arizona’s law around guardianship and voting changed in 2024.

The post 2025 REV UP Small Grants appeared first on AAPD.

The post Medicaid State Advocacy Guides appeared first on AAPD.

To access this resource as a PDF, click here.

What does it mean to advocate?

Advocacy simply means promoting the best interests and needs of a person or a group, including yourself. Advocates identify a problem and voice their opinion about potential solutions.

Why should you advocate?

An advocate is anyone who presses for change and improvement to the status quo to better their own lives and the lives of their communities. Advocacy helps people become more involved in important decisions that affect their daily lives, enables the voices of the masses to be heard, and, if done effectively, can sway policies and laws for the better. 

How do you advocate?

You can advocate in multiple ways, and you should engage in as many levels and ways as possible. Advocacy can happen at the local, state, and federal levels. You can 

• Participate in town hall and city council meetings
• Join organizations that support causes important to you
• Spread awareness and knowledge on social media
• Produce data and research that highlights your community’s pressing needs
• Host educational conferences and trainings

Who should you be talking to? 

Aside from raising awareness among your community and working in coalition with like-minded people and organizations, you should be talking to local, state, and federal-level decision-makers and politicians. Meet with your local and state officials as often as possible and send them emails, letters, petitions, and phone calls. You can do the same with your members of Congress as well. Try to meet with your member of Congress in person while they are at their in-district offices during congressional recess. You can also meet with them virtually if it is more accessible and if the offices can set it up.

Find your elected officials here. 

Where do you advocate? 

Face-to-face meetings with elected officials are the best way to communicate your message. You can meet with them or their staff in their offices in Washington, D.C, or their districts. While it is always great to advocate directly in front of your members of Congress in their DC offices, it is not always accessible to travel that far.  Members are often in recess, so they hold meetings within their state and district. Below are the steps to schedule either a Capitol Hill meeting or an in-district meeting with your elected officials. 

1. Find the contact information for your elected officials and their staffers here. 
2. Send an invitation to the office and request a meeting to discuss your concerns – you are more likely to meet with a staffer than the official themselves, but these meetings with staffers are just as important. 
3. Don’t be afraid to follow up if you don’t hear back within a reasonable time (they are busy people, but so are you!)
4. Once you hear back, respond with an email confirming your attendance and thanking the office.
5. Research the representative or senator and the issues that are important to them or what they are known for, and find ways to connect your problems and concerns to their areas of interest. 
6. Create a state/district-specific one-pager to leave behind
   1. For example, AAPD has a Medicaid leave-behind on our website that is free for everyone to use
7. Make it personal and tell your story! The whole point of this meeting is for elected officials and their staffers to hear from the people they are directly representing
8. Send a follow-up email after the meeting – thank them for their time, reiterate your message, and include any materials that were referenced or promised during the discussion

What should you be talking about?

One of the mottos of the disability community is “every issue is a disability issue”. However, you have limited time when speaking with a member of Congress and/or their staff, so you must pick the most urgent issue to discuss with them. This is often an issue that is a top priority for your area/state and relevant to the current political atmosphere. For example, since the start of President Trump’s second term, the top issues AAPD has been working on are cuts to Medicaid and the dismantling of the Department of Education. You can find talking points for those issues on our website. 

The post AAPD Advocacy Guide appeared first on AAPD.

To access this resource as a PDF, click here.

The Issue

Medicaid supports over 70 million Americans, especially people with disabilities, by providing essential services like healthcare, Home and Community-Based Services (HCBS), employment supports, and school-based care, including preventive health screenings and physical, occupational, and speech therapies.

Right now, the system is already strained. There is a severe shortage of care workers, and over 700,000 people with disabilities are on waiting lists for HCBS, most of which are delivered through Medicaid I/DD waivers. The proposed cuts of $930 billion would further endanger access to critical services and deepen this crisis. Cutting or converting Medicaid funding to block grants could reduce services and increase wait times, forcing more people into institutional care and limiting their independence.

Additionally, the proposed change to impose mandatory work requirements for Medicaid is also dangerous since most adult beneficiaries are already working or are exempt from work requirements because they are unable to work. The consequences would be devastating; up to 5.2 million Medicaid beneficiaries could lose their coverage in 2026. 

Medicaid is the nation’s largest health insurer and is critical to the financial stability of our healthcare system, particularly in rural areas where often providers are already operating on scarce funds. In 2023, over 700 rural hospitals faced potential closure, predominantly in states that did not adopt Medicaid expansion. Therefore, reducing Medicaid funding would trigger a significant healthcare crisis in rural communities. Also, it would make things harder for family caregivers, who benefit from Medicaid as enrollees and the Medicaid-covered services for their care recipient. About 1 out of 10 family caregivers nationally receive Medicaid coverage for their own health care.

Medicaid can be the difference between life and death for our most vulnerable communities. Please join us in fighting to preserve and expand Medicaid, instead of supporting devastating cuts.

Calls to Action

• Do NOT support any cuts to Medicaid, including per-capita caps, work requirements, or block grants 
• Make sure Medicaid is fully funded and supported, and spread that message throughout Congress and the states—your constituents need and deserve full access to Medicaid!

The post Reject Harmful Cuts to Medicaid appeared first on AAPD.

Note: This resource is based on a rapidly evolving situation and will be updated as we receive more information.

UPDATE from July 3, 2025:

Last night, the House started a vote on the rule to open debate around 9:30 pm ET. Initially, the rule did not have enough votes to pass, but vote was held open for five hours in order to get some Members of Congress to change their vote. The rule passed 219-213, and the bill could move forward for a full floor vote. The only Republican member of Congress to vote no was Representative Brian Fitzpatrick from Pennsylvania, the Chair of the Bi-Partisan Disabilities Caucus.

The House floor is currently debating the Senate-passed version with no changes. Majority Leader Hakeem Jeffries has been speaking for more than four hours reading stories about the importance of Medicaid from all 50 states. There is still time to contact your Representatives to ask them to oppose this bill and to protect Medicaid and SNAP.

UPDATE from July 2, 2025 at 7:53PM:

Current State of Play: Speaker Johnson brought the House to the floor today to vote on the rule to debate and the budget reconciliation text from the Senate, but the Republican  leadership is short of the votes needed to pass the rule for debate. The House floor has been frozen since the vote began around 2:00 pm ET as the leadership tries to have conversations to sway Members of Congress who have not decided how they will vote yet. This means that the bill is stalled. 

The content of the bill is still the same as what was in the Senate bill. It is critical that you contact your Representatives to ask them to oppose this bill and to protect Medicaid and SNAP.

UPDATE from July 2, 2025:

Current State of Play: Early Wednesday morning, the House Rules Committee advanced the budget reconciliation bill after 12 hours of debate. The House Rules Committee plays an important role in determining how a bill will be considered on the floor. The committee can set time limits for debate, restrict or allow amendments, and even determine how certain amendments will be handled. 

There were no changes to the Senate’s version of the budget reconciliation bill in the House Rules Committee. The content of the bill remains the same as described in the update from July 1st update. The House is set to convene Wednesday morning and start voting on the rules to advance the legislation.

UPDATE from July 1, 2025:

Current State of Play: The Senate passed its version of the budget reconciliation bill on July 1st, with Vice President Vance casting a tie-breaking vote. This bill must still pass the House in order to be final.  Contact your Representatives to ask them to oppose this bill and to protect Medicaid and SNAP. 

The Senate budget reconciliation bill makes the largest cuts to Medicaid in history, almost $1 trillion in Medicaid cuts. This is about 20% of the federal Medicaid budget and would cause 17 million people to lose access to healthcare. The bill also contains nearly $200 billion in cuts to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). Four out of five households that receive SNAP benefits include a person with a disability. If passed by the House, these cuts will mean that disabled people and our families will go hungry. 

Throughout the Vote-A-Rama process, amendments were passed that changed what was in the original bill. Some parts of the bill were also taken out because they violated rules about what can be voted on by a simple majority through the reconciliation process. 

The following amendments were added to the Senate bill:

• The rural health fund was increased to $50 billion from $25 billion. It directs money to mental health and behavioral health clinics, but not other disability-specific providers.
• Minor funding for Home and Community-Based Services (HCBS)

Neither of the increases within these amendments will come close to fully addressing the closures of rural health providers or the reduction of HCBS that this bill will cause if passed by the House.  

Some dangerous provisions got removed:

• The Medicaid funding reduction for states that cover undocumented immigrants with their own funds. This means that states that provide Medicaid coverage for undocumented immigrants with state funding will still receive their full federal match for Medicaid. 
• The prohibition on Medicaid coverage of gender-affirming care. 
• A requirement for Medicaid applicants to verify citizenship 
• A 5-year moratorium on the regulation of artificial intelligence (AI) platforms by states as a condition of accessing funding for broadband infrastructure and bridging the digital divide faced by marginalized communities. This means that states can still 

But there are many harmful parts remaining. Here are a few examples of what’s still in the bill:

• Stricter work requirements for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), and increased program costs for states with high overpayment rates
• A one-year prohibition on Medicaid payments to reproductive health 
• Medicaid cuts to states through provider tax caps, work requirements, more frequent eligibility determinations, and new copays for Medicaid recipients. All of these changes will make it harder for people to become eligible for and stay on Medicaid, resulting in people losing benefits. 
• A national school voucher program that will divert $30 billion from public schools to fund private school tuition, making it more difficult for students with disabilities to access special education services

What’s Next? We take the fight to the House. 

This fight is not over. Because the bill the Senate passed is different from the bill the House passed, the House has to pass this version of the bill for these changes to be final.

The House Rules Committee has already come together to prepare the Senate-passed bill for House floor consideration. The bill could be on the House floor as early as Wednesday morning, and debate and final votes on the Senate-passed bill begin. Please contact your Representatives to ask them to oppose this bill and to protect Medicaid and SNAP. 

We are encouraged that some House members have already indicated their opposition to this harmful legislation. We urge everyone to contact their Representatives immediately and demand they vote NO on this destructive bill.

 AAPD is firmly against any legislation that undermines the rights and well-being of people with disabilities. We call on Congress to protect Medicaid and ensure that people with disabilities have continued access to the services they need to thrive.

UPDATE from June 29, 2025:

Current state of play: Very late on Saturday night, the Senate passed the motion to proceed by a vote of 51-49. Passage of the motion to proceed allows the Senate to begin debate on the reconciliation bill.

Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) and Sen. Thom Tillis (R-NC) joined with all Senate Democrats voting against the motion to proceed. Senator Paul has been outspoken in his opposition to the bill because of its substantial increase to the federal debt. Senator Tillis has been making headlines for his very recent, but very vocal, opposition to the bill’s Medicaid cuts.

After intense negotiations with Senate Republican leadership and Vice President Vance, several Republican holdouts withdrew their opposition. Sen. Ron Johnson (R-WI) reported that he and Sen. Rick Scott (R-FL) agreed to vote for the motion in exchange for an amendment to the final bill that would end the 90% Federal Medical Assistance Percentages (FMAP) for Medicaid expansion. Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) did not confirm Senator Johnson’s statement. Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) was given several Alaska-specific provisions, including an increased FMAP for the state (although this was later ruled out by the parliamentarian after senator Murkowski voted for the motion to proceed). A previously included $25 billion rural hospital fund was enough to quell opposition from Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME) and Sen. Josh Hawley (R-MO).

Next steps: Last night’s vote was only the beginning of the Senate floor process. Senate Democrats are forcing a full reading of the 900+ page bill by the Senate clerks. The Senate has now entered 20 continuous hours of debate, called “vote-a-rama.” The hours are divided evenly between Democrats and Republicans. Democrats will likely use all of their 10 hours of debate to highlight the unpopular parts of the bill. Republicans will probably forfeit most of their time to speed up vote-a-rama. If all stays on track for Republicans, a vote on the final bill should occur sometime on Monday.

Negotiations with Senate Parliamentarian still not finished: While a Monday vote is ideal for Senate Republicans, Sunday morning rulings from the Senate parliamentarian are casting doubt on that goal. The parliamentarian is still working but here’s what we know as of now, according to Senate Democrats. As of writing, more than 209 amendments have been filed.

What’s been removed from the bill?:
Repealing parts of the Biden era eligibility and enrollment rule for Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP)
Repealing parts of the eligibility and enrollment rule for the Medicare Shared Savings Program
Repealing parts of the nursing home staffing rule
Increased FMAP for high poverty states – this is an Alaska-specific provision
Increased payment for outpatient hospital treatments in Alaska and Hawaii
Expansion of the orphan drug exclusion in Medicare drug price negotiations

What’s still in the bill?:
Provider tax language provision that remains unchanged from Saturday morning draft
Limiting receipt of Affordable Care Act (ACA) tax credits by certain immigrants
Barring Medicare participation for most non-citizens

What does this all mean?: Passage of any sort of reconciliation bill is not guaranteed! Thune continues to say a Monday vote is aspirational, and parliamentarian rulings are making that even harder. This makes all the more important that your Senators need to hear from you NOW that you oppose this budget and all cuts to Medicaid. Click here to tell them to vote NO on cuts to Medicaid and SNAP!

*If* the bill passes the Senate, it still has to be passed by the House. Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) says he will give House members 48 hours to return to DC to vote. As of now, several House Republicans are on record as no votes, with a potential final vote occurring Wednesday or Thursday.

Original Post from June 28, 2025:

This weekend, the Senate is trying to pass the budget reconciliation bill. AAPD is an outspoken opponent of the budget reconciliation bill, because of its significant cuts to Medicaid, SNAP, and other essential programs. 

The Senate Parliamentarian – a person whose job is to help the Senate follow its rules – found that some key parts of the bill violate budget reconciliation rules (read more about the budget reconciliation process here). In response, Senate leadership released a rewritten 1000-page bill early this morning. The Senate is trying to push through a vote on it today, even though there is no way Senators will be able to read all 1000 pages of the bill before they vote. 

This is especially concerning because the contents of this bill have the power to drastically change the country by taking away food and healthcare from millions of Americans, force millions of Americans into poverty, and kill at least 51,000 Americans every year whose deaths would have otherwise been preventable without this budget.

Your Senators need to hear from you NOW that you oppose this budget and all cuts to Medicaid. Click here to tell them to vote NO on cuts to Medicaid and SNAP!

The bill caps Medicaid provider taxes, which  makes it harder for states to fund Medicaid. Currently, Medicaid makes up 30% of state budgets, much of which is funded by Medicaid provider taxes. The bill also cuts federal Medicaid funding for states that expanded Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act, or currently provide coverage to undocumented immigrants with their own state funds. The bill also requires more people who receive Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits to work, also known as “work requirements.” SNAP is an essential program that helps millions of people with disabilities, seniors, and their families buy food each month.

These rules will add substantial new costs for states, which could result in state cuts to Medicaid, SNAP, or other key areas like education and transportation. 

In addition, the revised bill says that states are not allowed to regulate Artificial Intelligence (AI) platforms for ten years. States must agree to this if they want to access the bill’s funds for AI deployment and increasing access to broadband internet. States are more likely to agree to this because they want – or need – to access the bill’s $500 million in AI deployment and $42 billion in broadband internet funding. 

Artificial intelligence is a fast-evolving technology, and regulatory frameworks around AI are still under development. Without regulations and laws, it is easier for AI to discriminate based on disability, race, sex, sexual orientation, gender, or other identities. This leaves marginalized groups, including people with disabilities, at risk of discrimination by the AI platforms and algorithms the government and many companies are now  using for everything from hiring processes to approving (or denying) benefit applications.

There are some positive things in the bill that would help disabled people. The bill does include minor funding increases for Home- and Community-Based Services (HCBS) waivers. It also extends certain tax advantages for people with disabilities who have ABLE Accounts. These tax benefits help people with disabilities save money, which can be used for expenses that Medicaid or other insurance does not cover. 

However, these helpful parts are overshadowed by the bill’s massive cuts to Medicaid. These cuts would result in new, burdensome administrative and work requirements that will result in many people being unenrolled from Medicaid, even though they qualify for it. 

AAPD remains strongly opposed to the budget reconciliation bill. 

If successful, this afternoon’s procedural vote will trigger what is known as a “Vote-a-Rama”.  During this step of reconciliation, any Senator can offer an amendment to the bill to add or remove harmful provisions.  Once the Senate votes on final passage, the bill has to go back to the House of Representatives to work out the differences between the Senate Bill and the House Bill. Once the House approves the Senate’s version, the bill goes to the President to be signed into law. You can read more about the Budget Reconciliation process in AAPD’s Reconciliation Explainer here. 

Senator Ron Wyden (D-OR), Ranking Member of the Senate Finance Committee, plans to offer an amendment to the reconciliation bill during the “Vote-a-Rama” that would strike all provisions that cut Medicaid from the bill, and ensure that the ultra-wealthy and large corporations pay their fair share of taxes. AAPD has endorsed Sen. Wyden’s amendment.

The bill’s text could still change, especially during Vote-a-Rama. Several Senators have expressed continued reservations about the bill’s contents, and there are many hours of debate to come. AAPD will share updates as this process continues. 

Your Senators need to hear from you NOW that you oppose this budget and all cuts to Medicaid. Click here to tell them to support Sen. Wyden’s amendment and vote NO on cuts to Medicaid and SNAP!

The post Action Alert: Senate Budget Reconciliation Update appeared first on AAPD.

Note: This resource is not intended to be legal advice and should not be used as such. These are tips for organizers and attendees on making protest spaces more accessible so everyone can use their power. If you have feedback on these suggestions or additional resources you would like AAPD to consider sharing, please email revup@aapd.com.

Tips for Protest Organizers 

Preparation

• Provide as much information as possible about the march, protest, or action so that disabled attendees can make informed decisions about their participation and access needs. Be clear about the access features you do or do not have. If you are not able to provide all information publicly, provide a point of contact that people can reach to ask questions. 
  • Consider providing the following information and other relevant details:
    • Location and route information
    • Timeline of action 
    • Available accommodations (seating, mobility devices available, American Sign Language Interpreting, trained first aid volunteers available, etc.) 
    • Bathroom access
    • Spots along the route to rest and take a break
    • Transcripts of chants, rally cries, and any planned remarks  
• If possible, consider providing accommodations like American Sign Language interpretation, captioning transcripts of speeches, microphone amplification for speakers, mobility devices, chairs for people to sit in, golf carts and more.
• Encourage attendees to wear KN95 masks and take a COVID-19 test before attending. If possible, provide COVID-19 tests and KN95 masks for attendees  
• Train organizers who are helping guide the action on how to create safe aisles for people with disabilities to move, march at their own pace, and participate.
• Clearly label any food that is provided or distributed with ingredients and allergens.
• Provide ways for people to support your cause remotely, if they are not able to attend in person. 
• Make sure advertisements and materials:
  • Are written in plain language, with an 8th-grade or below reading level. You can check the reading level of your writing for free using Hemingwayapp.com
  • Have large enough text
  • Have strong color contrast
  • Are accessible to screen readers if shared in an online format

During the Action

• Leave seating for people with disabilities and older adults. Know that not all disabilities are visible.
• Keep paths to ramps and curb cuts clear.
• Ask someone if they need or would like assistance first. Do not touch people, their mobility devices, or service animals without their consent. Accept the answer if it is “No, I do not need help.”
• Talk directly to the person with a disability, not their aide, companion, or interpreter first. If the person designates someone else for you to speak with, then you can speak to that person. 
• In groups, state your name before speaking.
  • Some people who are blind or low-vision may also find visual descriptions helpful. You can ask if they would like that visual information.

Additional Resources for Protest Organizers 

• Action Network: Ability Access/Disability Inclusion Checklist for Marches and Rallies
• AAPD Checklist for Accessible In-Person Events
• Showing Up for Racial Justice: Nuts and Bolts of Disability Access
• HEARD: The Revolution Must Be Accessible
  • The Revolution Must Be Accessible: Spanish Resource
  • The Revolution Must Be Accessible: ASL Resource

Tips for Disabled Protestors 

Preparation

Depending on whether you are attending a high-risk or a low-risk protest, you want to be prepared. 

For both types of protests, make sure you have:

• Travel logistics planned
• Comfortable clothing and shoes
• Face mask (plus one extra)
• Water bottle
• Snacks
• Check to see if you know someone else going and plan to go with a friend

When attending a high-risk protest, you may want to wear glasses instead of  wearing contact lenses, bring a two-day supply of medication in the case of arrest, and bring goggles to protect against chemical irritants. You may also want to cover tattoos, wear plain or all black clothing, carry cash, and turn off your cellphone’s location services. It is also a good idea to let someone know where you are going and to memorize or write down an emergency contact’s phone number.

Etiquette and Safety

Safety can look different based on the identities that you hold. People with disabilities are generally at an increased risk of police violence.

• Black, Indigenous, and other people of color may have even greater increased risks when interacting with the police at protests.
• Undocumented people and people with previous interactions with the criminal legal system may face heightened risk in the event of an arrest.
• Disabled people may face specific obstacles that can impact safety. For example,  mobility disabilities can make it more difficult to get away quickly from unsafe interactions, and communication disabilities can impede access to rapid directions communicated verbally or visually. 

For everyone, going to a protest with a friend is one of the most important ways you can stay safe. It is key to discuss with your group any specific needs and your comfort level with certain risks. For example, discuss whether you are comfortable with being arrested or whether that risk is too great for your situation.  Discuss any access needs and any plans if the action becomes greater than your risk tolerance.

Another crucial part of maintaining safety during protests is not to talk to the police. If possible, you may want to maintain distance from the police. If you have interactions with the police while protesting, you have a right to refuse to talk with them and to request a lawyer. You should not tell the police anything about yourself or anyone else at the protest. The organizers may have specific people who are tasked with interacting with the police at an action.

Some protests ask that people not take photos or videos that show protestors’ faces. It is best etiquette to follow the direction of the organizers to make sure everyone is safe.

General Tips for Disabled Protestors

Protests can be more physically and emotionally taxing than you think. You can improve your experience at protests by:

• Using earplugs or headphones if you experience noise sensitivity
• Bringing a portable stool/chair or a walking stick that converts into a seat if you struggle to stand or walk for long periods
• Staying with your mobility device at all times 
• Being familiar with the route of the march
• Checking if the organizer has provided any access information
• Bringing extra medication, since the protest might last for longer than you anticipate
• Bringing chargers and batteries
• Ensuring you have enough food, water, and electrolytes
• Wearing a medical alert or ID badge
• Wearing sunscreen
• Planning space to debrief and take care of each other when the action is over

Access Needs and Direct Actions

You don’t have to tell anyone that you are disabled or about your condition or impairment, but it may be helpful to tell the organizer or the group you are going with about any access needs you have. This could include:

• Wheelchair access or access for other mobility equipment
• Access to public transit or parking
• Access to toilets or seating
• Sensory needs
• ASL or language interpretation
• Sighted Guide Support

If you have questions about the route or questions specific to your access needs, organizers are often open to discussing these with you directly, even if the route is not publicly shared. It is best to contact the organizers to discuss your participation and to improve access to a protest. 

While not all actions will be made accessible to everyone, there also may be alternative roles disabled people can play in direct actions to support what is happening on the ground.

Other Resources for Protesting While Disabled

• DREDF Webinar: Tips and Tools for Protestors with Disabilities
• DREDF: Know Your Rights as a Protestor with a Disability – Check this resource for answers to legal questions and learning about your rights if you’ve been arrested.
• DREDF: Protesting While Disabled Pocket Guide 
• Cripping the Resistance: No Revolution Without Us
• ACLU: Know Your Rights as a Protestor (English, Spanish)

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