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Disability Policy Consortium

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Disability Policy Consortium

About Us. By Us. Delivering systems change at every level since 1996. Everything about the disability community should be led by the disability community.

What we do:

- Legislative Advocacy
- Community Organizing
- Research
- Peer Support

For 25 years, the Disability Policy Consortium has fought for the rights of people with disabilities. We have a rich history of innovative and effective work in community organizing, participatory research, public policy development, and peer support. As an organization run by and for people with disabilities, w

e prove every day what members of our community can accomplish when they are allowed to reach their full potential. For that reason, the Disability Policy Consortium (DPC) leads efforts to advocate for, conduct research with, and deliver services to our disabled peers. Board of Directors:

John Chappell, President
Joe Bellil, Treasurer

Anita Albright
Ellen Bresin
Cheryl Cumings
Jini Fairley
Allegra Heath-Stout
Carol Hilbinger
Jennifer Lee
Josh Montgomery
Robyn Powell
Jason Savageau
Penny Shaw
Chloe Slocum
Andrew Veith
Heather Watkins
Casandra Xavier

Executive Director:
Harry Weissman

Check out our Website: www.dpcma.org

Check out DPC’s store for exclusive AboutUsByUsaurus disabled dino swag — bold, witty, and one-of-a-kind designs created by disabled artist Emma Gelbard, only at DPC! https://dpcma.printful.me/

04/24/2026

🌟 April of Advocacy Friday Fundraising Update 🌟

THANK YOU to everybody who has donated, shared, and showed support for our 2026 April of Advocacy fundraising campaign. With your help, we've already raised $1,102 to support DPC's disability justice advocacy work in Massachusetts.

👉 But we are not done yet! With just 6 days left in April, we are only 22% of the way to our goal of $5,000! Will you donate to help DPC fill the bar and meet our goal? tinyurl.com/AOA-2026

As a grassroots organization, every donation makes a huge difference to DPC. If you're able to contribute $5, $10, or $20 to DPC, your donation will help us power our team of organizers, researchers, and educators to reach even more disabled community members across the state. And if you're not able to donate right now, sharing this post with your friends and family helps a lot too.

However you can support our April of Advocacy campaign means so much and is a testament to the power of this community.

👉 Donate today and help us meet our goal! tinyurl.com/AOA-2026

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Questions about other ways to contribute to DPC's fundraising efforts? Reach out to the Development team at dev@dpcma.org.

04/24/2026

It’s powerful to see this list come together. To the legislators who have already signed on to co-sponsor Amendment 803, and to those who have taken the time to reach out with messages of support, thank you. And a sincere thank you to Representative Jim O’Day for filing Amendment 803 and for his continued leadership on this issue.

This amendment is about something very real. Right now, when a wheelchair breaks, people are left waiting weeks or even months for repairs. That means being stuck. Missing work. Relying on others for basic needs. Losing the independence we’ve fought so hard to build. Amendment 803 offers a real path to change that.

If you don’t see your Representative listed above, there’s still time to act. Reach out today and ask them to co-sponsor Amendment 803 before the end of day Friday, 4/24.

And to those not yet on the list, we hope you’ll join your colleagues in supporting Amendment 803 and standing with wheelchair users.

and , especially those in Massachusetts don't forget to take action before end of day tomorrow! Tag your Representative in the comments below and ask them to sign on as a cosponsor to Amendment 803!

04/23/2026

Take Action Thursday

We have a short window to move wheelchair repair protections forward and we need your help.

Right now, Amendment #803 would push H.4358 one step closer to becoming law. For wheelchair users, this is about more than policy. It is about whether we can safely live our daily lives without waiting weeks or months for the equipment we rely on.

What to do:
1) Email or call your State Representative and ask them to co-sponsor Amendment #803. Share why timely repairs matter and ask if you can count on them to vote in favor.
2) Ask them to send a letter of support to the House Ways and Means Chairman

Find your Rep here: https://malegislature.gov/Search/FindMyLegislator:

If you do not have the capacity to reach out individually, you can still take action. Use this link to send a pre-written message directly to your legislator:
tinyurl.com/Support803

Deadline: Tomorrow, Friday 4/24

This is one of those moments where a small action can have a real impact. Let’s make sure our legislators hear from us.

State Representative Steve Xiarhos

04/23/2026

Do you want to help sustain the work DPC is doing behind the scenes? Be part of our April of Advocacy Campaign and contribute to this work! tinyurl.com/AOA-2026

The Emotional Weight of Advocacy

This is for the people who carry the stories. The organizers. The advocates. The community members who keep showing up because they care deeply about the people around them.

Because advocacy is not just strategy. It is not just policy. It is people trusting you with the hardest parts of their lives. It is sitting with someone as they explain what happened when a system failed them. Hearing about the weeks they waited for help. The service that never came. The moment their independence was suddenly fragile.

You listen because that is part of the work. And because you care. Care for the people who trust you enough to tell you what they have lived through. Care for the community that continues to show up even when the system makes things harder than it should be. Care for the belief that things can be better, even when change moves slowly.

But that care also carries weight.

Advocates spend their days hearing story after story about systems that are not working. About people waiting too long for the supports they rely on. About barriers that make everyday life harder than it should be. You hear these stories because people trust that someone will do something with them. And so you carry them. You carry them into strategy conversations and campaign planning. Into emails and testimony. Into the quiet moments where you are trying to figure out how to move something forward in a system that does not change overnight.

Because the hardest part of advocacy is knowing there is rarely an instant way to take away someone’s struggle. You cannot fix everything the moment someone shares it. Often the most honest thing you can do is listen, believe them, and commit to doing the work that might eventually make things better.

For many advocates, the work does not stay neatly within office hours. When the issues you organize around are the same systems you navigate in your own life, there is no clean separation between work and lived experience. The advocacy continues in doctor’s offices, housing conversations, transportation challenges, and the everyday moments where access and independence are still being negotiated. The work stays with you.

And still, people continue to show up. They show up because they care about their communities. They show up because they believe these stories matter. They show up because even when progress is slow, the possibility of something better is worth carrying forward. We carry the weight of these stories. We carry the care we feel for our community. We carry the hope that things can be better.

But we do not have to carry it alone. Advocacy is strongest when others step in to help hold that weight. When community members keep showing up. When new voices join the conversation. When systems begin to listen and take responsibility for the changes that are needed.

Because the responsibility for change should never rest on the shoulders of a few people who care deeply. It belongs with the systems that must do better, and with the communities who continue to raise their voices until they do. We carry this work because we care. Because we need to. Because we believe in our communities. And because when we carry it together, the weight becomes something that can move the world forward.

04/21/2026

How a Bill Moves Through the Legislature
Problem → Bill Filed → Committee Hearing → Committee Decision → House & Senate Votes → Conference Committee (if needed) → Governor → Law

Many of the policies that shape our daily lives move through a process that can take months, sometimes years. Bills do not become law overnight.

In Massachusetts, the legislative process typically unfolds over a two-year session, which means a bill can take the full two years to move through hearings, committee decisions, votes, and negotiations before it has the chance to become law. It begins with a problem. Someone experiences a barrier. A community begins to recognize that something in the system is not working the way it should. Stories start to surface. What may have once felt like an individual frustration becomes something larger when people realize others are facing the same challenge.

That is when a bill can begin to take shape. Legislators work with advocates, organizations, and community members to draft a bill that proposes a solution. The bill outlines what needs to change in the law and how the system could work better.

Once filed, the bill is assigned to a committee that focuses on the issue area. Committees are responsible for reviewing bills and holding public hearings where community members, advocates, and organizations can testify about why the issue matters and how it affects their lives. After the hearing, the committee must decide what to do with the bill. In Massachusetts, committees generally have three options. They can issue an “ought to pass” recommendation, which means the committee supports the bill moving forward. They can issue an “ought not to pass” recommendation, which means the committee does not support the bill and it is unlikely to advance. Or they can send the bill to “study.” While this can sound neutral, sending a bill to study usually means it will not move forward during that legislative session. If the committee recommends that the bill move forward, it can continue through additional stages of review. Some committees examine policy details, while others focus on the financial impact of the proposal.

Eventually, the bill may move to the House of Representatives or the Senate for debate and a vote. The House and Senate are two separate chambers of the legislature, and they act independently of one another. Each chamber reviews the bill and decides whether to pass it.

For a bill to become law, both chambers must pass the same version. If the House and Senate pass different versions of the bill, it may go to a conference committee. A small group of legislators from both chambers works together to reconcile the differences and produce a final version that both sides can approve. Unlike committee hearings or floor debates, conference committee negotiations happen behind closed doors. The public cannot observe these discussions, and there is very little transparency into how the final compromises are reached.

Once both chambers pass the same final version of the bill, it is sent to the Governor. The Governor can sign the bill into law, allow it to become law without signing, or veto it. Even after a bill becomes law, advocates often continue working to ensure the policy is implemented in ways that truly improve people’s lives.

Now let’s look at what this process looks like in practice using the wheelchair repair legislation. The problem was clear. Wheelchair users across Massachusetts were experiencing long and dangerous delays when their mobility equipment needed repairs. Advocates began sharing these stories and working with legislators to develop a solution. The bill was drafted in collaboration with advocates, Representative Jim O’Day, and Senator John Cronin. Once filed, the bill was assigned to the Joint Committee on Consumer Protection and Professional Licensure (CPPL), where it received a public hearing. During that hearing, wheelchair users, advocates, industry representatives, and other stakeholders shared their experiences and perspectives. After reviewing the testimony and the bill itself, the CPPL committee chose to redraft the legislation with some changes to strengthen it before moving it forward.

From there, the bill advanced to Ways and Means in both the House and the Senate, where lawmakers now review the financial and policy implications. At this stage, advocates continue raising their voices and educating decision makers while the Ways and Means committees determine whether the bill will move forward. Because the House and Senate versions of the bill differ slightly, if both chambers pass their versions, the legislation will likely move to a conference committee where members from both chambers will negotiate the final version that could become law.

That is where the process stands today. And that is why advocacy continues at every stage.

Do you want to help sustain DPC's advocacy? tinyurl.com/AOA-2026

And a huge thank you to our this week for all your support!

04/20/2026

Why It Matters Monday: The Power of Collective Voices

Every voice has power. One person sharing their story can open someone’s eyes. One experience can reveal a barrier others never noticed before. One moment of honesty about what life is really like inside a broken system can shift how people think.

Individual voices carry truth. They carry lived experience. And they carry the strength that comes from speaking up.

But something powerful happens when those voices begin to come together. When individual stories start to echo one another, patterns begin to appear. What once sounded like a single experience becomes something larger. Lawmakers start to hear the same barriers again and again. Communities begin to recognize that what they are facing is not isolated, but part of a system that needs to change.

This is how movements begin. The disability rights movement is filled with moments where collective voices changed the course of history. When disabled activists took part in the Capitol Crawl, leaving their wheelchairs and mobility devices behind to crawl up the steps of the U.S. Capitol, they showed the country exactly what inaccessibility looked like. Their voices, their bodies, and their determination made it impossible to ignore the urgency of passing the Americans with Disabilities Act.

We have seen this same power closer to home as well. When hundreds of people showed up at the PCA rally in Massachusetts, it was not just a gathering. It was a message. It was disabled people, caregivers, families, and allies standing together to say that the services people rely on to live independently matter.

Moments like these remind us that strength in numbers is not just a phrase we say for the sake of it. It is the truth. One voice telling the truth is powerful. But when those voices rise together, they become impossible to ignore.

A story becomes a conversation. A conversation becomes a movement. And movements are what drive lasting change.

So we want to hear from you. Have you ever experienced a moment where people coming together created change? What is an issue where you believe collective voices could make a difference?

04/17/2026

April of Advocacy Friday Fundraising Update ‼️

We have already raised $1,000 this month in support of DPC's disability-led advocacy, education, and research programs. THANK YOU to everybody who has donated, shared our posts, and gotten the word out!

But we're not done yet! Our goal is to raise $5,000 by the end of April. Will you pledge your support for disability justice and equity with a donation to DPC today? tinyurl.com/AOA-2026

Every dollar truly makes a huge difference for our amazing team of organizers, researchers, and community educators. And if you can't donate right now, sharing this post with your friends and family helps a lot too.

You can donate and track our progress at tinyurl.com/AOA-2026

04/17/2026

⭐️ From Story to Change ⭐️
Story → Community → Strategy → Action → Change

This is often how advocacy begins. It starts with a story. Someone shares an experience about a barrier they face. Maybe it is a wheelchair repair that takes months. Maybe it is a service that makes independent living possible but is constantly at risk. Maybe it is a policy that makes everyday life harder than it needs to be.

At first, it can feel like a personal frustration. Something unfair. Something that should work better than it does. But when that story is shared, something important happens. Other people recognize themselves in it. What once felt like a single experience begins to echo across a community. More people speak up. Similar stories surface. The same barriers appear again and again until it becomes clear that the problem is not just individual. It is systemic.

That is where advocacy begins to take shape. Community members begin connecting with one another. Conversations grow. Experiences are shared. And behind the scenes, organizers begin doing the work of turning those experiences into a path forward. They listen. They gather stories. They begin identifying patterns and the systems responsible for the barriers people are facing. They map power, asking questions like who makes this decision, who influences them, and where pressure can create change. They identify targets, build coalitions, and work with the community to shape strategies that can move an issue forward.

This work takes time. It takes relationship building, coordination, and trust. It takes helping people prepare to tell their stories, organizing calls and meetings, and bringing community voices together so they can move with purpose.

Then action begins to take shape. Advocates reach out to legislators. Community members respond to calls to action. People testify, share their stories publicly, and show up together in spaces where decisions are made. What once began as a single story now carries the weight of a community behind it. Because advocacy is not just about one powerful moment. It is about a process.

A story becomes a community. A community builds a strategy. A strategy becomes organized action. And organized action creates change. Every movement begins somewhere. Often, it begins with someone deciding their story is worth sharing.

What story can you share?

04/16/2026

Advocacy can take many shapes. It can look like meeting with policymakers about important legislation, attending rallies, or creating relationships in your community. For many people - especially members of the disability community - storytelling is a powerful form of advocacy.

DPC Board Member Sandy Novack recently published an article in Disability Issues about the power of storytelling as a tool for advocacy and why it is so important for people with disabilities, whose stories are not often told in the history books. Here is what she had to say about why we should tell our stories:

"Stories can show a way forward. They can change minds, educate without preaching, and bring important issues into the open. Stories can reveal horrifying situations or provide inspiration and, in doing so, bringing prominence to many issues. They reveal themes of both strength and vulnerability—helping others feel seen, informed, and less alone.

Just as stories can benefit others, they also matter deeply to the person telling them. Sharing a story can bring a sense of satisfaction when the teller knows it has been received. Let me repeat this because it is crucial. Storytelling has two essential parts: someone willing to share their experience, and others willing to listen—or to see it through art, dance, writing, or other forms of expression. When both happen, the story is complete. In this way, storytelling is also advocacy: it is speaking up about one’s life and inviting others to understand the messages within it."

To read Sandy's full article (which first appeared in the Spring 2026 edition of Disability Issues), visit: https://www.dpcma.org/news/story-telling-as-advocacy

🤔 Do you want to tell your story of disability? DPC is working on a project called the Disability Histories Project, where we are documenting the stories of disabled people across Massachusetts. And we want you to get involved!

👉 To share your story with the Disability Histories Project, please email disabilityhistory@dpcma.org or call (617) 307-7775. We are accepting submissions of personal stories told in a variety of ways like prose, visual art, audio recordings, poetry, and more.

👏 For more support with crafting your story, you can also join DPC's weekly storytelling workshop that takes place Mondays from 5:30 to 7:30pm on Zoom. Space is limited, so you need to register ahead of time! The next workshop is on April 27th. Learn more about the workshops and register at tinyurl.com/DPC-ShareYourStory

To learn more about DPC's Disability Histories Project, visit: https://www.dpcma.org/disability-histories-project

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If you support DPC's mission to achieve disability justice and health equity in Massachusetts and beyond, please consider making a donation to our April of Advocacy campaign! tinyurl.com/AOA-2026

04/10/2026

⭐️ April of Advocacy Friday Fundraising Update ⭐️

We have raised $387 so far this month in support of DPC's critical advocacy, education, and research programs! Thank you to everybody who has donated and shared our posts. With your help, we can meet our $5,000 goal by the end of April!

DPC relies on grassroots donations to support our critical work empowering the voices of people with disabilities across Massachusetts. Every dollar you are able to contribute makes a huge difference for our amazing team of organizers, researchers, and community educators. And if you can't donate right now, sharing this post with your friends and family helps a lot too. However you can support our April of Advocacy campaign means so much, and is a testament to the power of this community.

You can donate and track our progress at tinyurl.com/AOA-2026

A huge thank you to this week's and our longtime supporters and for your continued support. Help DPC fill the bar and meet our $5,000 goal this April of Advocacy!

04/09/2026

Join MDDC on April 14th from 3pm-5pm for an important update from MassHealth.

The meeting will open with a presentation from Elizabeth LaMontagne, Chief Operating Officer of MassHealth, on the implementation of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OB3), signed into federal law in July 2025.

The presentation will cover the new rules and when they take effect, how these federal changes will impact MassHealth members, and the financial impact on Massachusetts. Attendees will also learn about MassHealth’s communication plan and implementation timeline.

There will be time for attendees to ask questions and share concerns.

Register here: https://lp.constantcontactpages.com/ev/reg/5fvnh9a/lp/00d20327-59fe-40f6-a85d-7ffa9828016d

04/09/2026

Take Action Thursday

What if getting involved in your community felt possible?

This spring, DPC is partnering with the Boston Disabilities Commission to launch the Accessible Boston Leadership & Empowerment (ABLE) Lab, a civic engagement course designed for Boston residents connected to the disability community who are ready to take that next step.

This is for people who are new to civic engagement. People who care about their communities but are not sure where to start.
People who know things need to change and want to be part of that change.

Through six sessions, you will learn how local government works, how to advocate, and how to use your voice in spaces where decisions are being made. Most importantly, you will be doing it alongside others who share that same drive.

The ABLE Lab will run from May 12 through June 23, with most sessions held at Boston City Hall from 5:30 to 7:00 PM. *Participants who attend the majority of sessions will receive a $250 stipend.*

Take action today by applying:
https://shorturl.at/UOB55

Applications are open through the end of April.

If you are a Boston resident connected to the disability community and have been thinking about getting more involved, this is your moment.

Because leadership in our communities should not be reserved for a few. It should be built by all of us.

Address

25 Kingston Street , Fourth Floor
Boston, MA
02111

Opening Hours

Monday	9am - 5pm
Tuesday	9am - 5pm
Wednesday	9am - 5pm
Thursday	9am - 5pm
Friday	9am - 5pm

Website

http://dpcma.org/, https://dpcma.printful.me/

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