Wisconsin Board for People with Developmental Disabilities

03/13/2026

Below is the link to the recording from today's Federal Funding webinar! Join us next week Friday (3/20) from 9-1030am for another update on federal funding. You can also find all the resources from today's webinar on our website here: https://wi-bpdd.org/index.php/federal-funding-updates/

3/13 recording: https://youtu.be/y716dCaMjSI

3/20 English Registration: https://bit.ly/FedFundsEng320
3/20 Spanish Registration: https://bit.ly/FedFundSpa320

03/13/2026

This video is so right on...

https://www.facebook.com/share/v/1CM7hoKxXn/?mibextid=wwXIfr

03/13/2026

This new federal effort to put vets in involuntary guardianships and put them in institutions is concerning, given the parallel history in the disability community to do the same.

The Trump administration will expand the power of government attorneys to initiate court proceedings for veterans “unable to make their own health care decisions.”

03/12/2026

Congratulations to our fantastic colleague and friend Cindy Bentley on her well-deserved lifetime achievement award from the WI Chapter of American Association of Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities. CIndy is a rock star in every way, and has taught so much to so many in Wisconsin, nationally and across the world! Congrats, Cindy!!

People First Wisconsin congratulates Cindy Bentley for being named the recipient of a Lifetime Achievement Award by the Wisconsin Chapter of the American Association on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (AAIDD.) She will receive the award on Friday, March 13th at their annual conference. Watch for more photos of the event. Way to go Cindy!

Image Description: A newspaper clipping with a picture of a short-haired, smiling African american woman. The newspaper text reads, Bentley named Lifetime Achievement award recognition. Milwaukee--Cindy Bentley of Milwaukee has been named the 2026 Lifetime Achievement Award recipient by the Wisconsin Chapter of the American Association of Intellectual and Developmental Disability (AAIDD). Bentley serves as Executive Director of People First Wisconsin and has been a life-long advocate for the rights and accessibility of people with developmental disabilities. Born with a disability in 1957, she spent most of her young life in an institution and the foster care system,. She became active in Special Olympics, winning her first gold medal at the age of 13. She was named the Special Olympics International Athlete of the year in 1991 and became the international spokesperson for the organization. In 1999, she helped found People First Wisconsin and today serves as its Executive Director. In honor of her achievements, UW-MIlwaukee granted her an honorary doctorate in 2025. AAIDD is the oldest and largest professional organization in the Developmental Disability field. Founded in 1876, the group is celebrating it's 150th anniversary this year. it's very fitting in our anniversary year that this life-time achievement award is presented to Cindy Bentley, said Dan Drury of the Wisconsin Chapter. In the disability field there is no voice more important than that of the self-advocate. The Lifetime Achievement Award will be presented at AAIDD-Wisconsin's annual conference on March 13 on the campus of UW-River Falls. For more information about the conference, visit http://www.aaiddwi.com/conference/

03/10/2026

The Wisconsin Disability Vote Coalition is concerned about the negative impact on voting rights and access for people with disabilities if the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) Act, the SAVE America Act, and the Make Elections Great Again (MEGA) Act are passed by the Senate. The SAVE Act was already passed in the House, and now the President is putting pressure on the Senate to pass the bill, saying he will not sign any bills until it passes.

This act would add more barriers to voting, such as:
• Requiring every American citizen to provide specific documents, such as a costly passport or an original birth certificate, in person when registering to vote and whenever they update their voter registration.
• Eliminating mail-in and online registrations.
• Eliminating mail-in voting.
• Requiring photo ID in every state (WI already requires photo ID to vote).
• Limiting who can provide help to voters with disabilities.
• Requiring the voter rolls from each state to be provided to the federal government. Voter rolls contain sensitive information, including your name, address, phone number, and birthdate.

The SAVE Act conflicts with voter protections under the Americans with Disabilities Act and the Voting Rights Act. It would disproportionately impact people with disabilities, older adults, women who change their name when they get married, and people with low incomes. The Election Assistance Commission (EAC) has found that disabled voters are three times more likely to face difficulties casting a ballot than nondisabled voters.
Eliminating mail-in voting options and online voter registration adds transportation barriers that already pose problems for non-drivers.

Voter fraud is exceedingly rare, and non-citizens voting is even more rare; therefore, these bills are trying to fix a problem that doesn’t exist. Voter fraud is already a felony. Rather than protect voting, the SAVE Act would disenfranchise millions of Americans.

Wisconsin's U.S. Senators' contact info here: https://www.senate.gov/states/WI/intro.htm

Full statement here:
https://disabilityvote.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/DVC-Statement-SAVEAct-03-09-2026-acc.pdf?utm_source=mailpoet&utm_medium=email&utm_source_platform=mailpoet&utm_campaign=dvc-action-alert-more-barriers-to-voting-127

03/06/2026

You can still register for our Federal Funding Webinar tomorrow 3/6 from 9-1030 am! This series is a great way to stay informed on changes to federal funding and how this impacts people with disabilities and their families.

English registration: https://bit.ly/FedFunds36

Spanish Registration: https://bit.ly/FedFundSpan36

03/05/2026

Each year we put together an Impact Sheet which details some of the impacts your participation and our projects have had on the state of Wisconsin. We want to thank all of the committed families, individuals and organizations who spend countless hours advocating!

You can download a copy of the new pdf by clicking this link:https://wi-bpdd.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/WIBPDD-2025-Impact_final.pdf

03/04/2026

Welcome to Just Ask — a video series about being different, being brave, and being you. Inspired by Justice Sonia Sotomayor’s book Just Ask, this series brings together self-advocates and community leaders in one-of-a-kind conversations fueled by curiosity and mutual respect.

In each episode, two people interview each other — asking honest questions, sharing stories, and discovering the strength in their differences. It’s about seeing each other, learning from each other, and celebrating what makes us us.

In this eighth episode, watch Michael and Martha take turns asking and answering questions — breaking down barriers and building connection through conversation.
Let’s begin — just ask.

Link: https://youtu.be/mkf-bYt5hDw

03/04/2026

Calling all moms in the Madison, Fox Point, and West Bend areas! Are you looking to connect with other moms and their families? If so, check out the upcoming activities hosted by Family Voices of Wisconsin and their Nurture Network. These activities are partially funded by BPDD’s and Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction's Families Supporting Families project.

You can sign up on Family Voices event calendar here: https://familyvoiceswi.org/events-calendar/

03/03/2026

We told policymakers and the public that cuts to Medicaid would impact the optional supports people with disabilities and older adults depend on to live at home and stay out of costly facilities. Now states are already starting to cut/eliminate their Medicaid long-term supports.

From Kaiser Family Foundation: "Concerns for such care arose when Idaho Gov. Brad Little, a Republican, proposed cutting $22 million from Medicaid ...to balance the state budget. Home- and community-based services such as caregiving, nursing, and residential rehabilitation are optional under Medicaid, and Little listed them as possible targets for the cuts.

Across the country, people with disabilities and their families are confronting similar plans to cut Medicaid as states grapple with budget challenges compounded by congressional Republicans’ One Big Beautiful Bill Act, which is expected to reduce federal spending on Medicaid by nearly $1 trillion over the next decade.

A four-hour town hall on the proposal in Idaho drew more than 500 people to the state capitol. Colorado lawmakers heard hours of testimony from concerned residents before pausing a pay cut for family caregivers. In Missouri, families raised alarms about a proposed $80.7 million cut to services for people with disabilities.

“We saw this coming. We’ve tried to educate members of Congress,” said Kim Musheno, the senior director of Medicaid policy at The Arc, a national disability rights organization.

Still, Musheno said she was surprised by how quickly Idaho targeted services for people with disabilities. “I couldn’t believe it.”

Idaho is positioning to slash Medicaid funding as state lawmakers grapple with the effects of the federal One Big Beautiful Bill Act, which President Donald Trump signed into law last year. On the table are in-home care services.

03/03/2026

March is Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month! Our Board Chair Sydney Badeau released a statement to discuss the meaning of the month and why it's an important thing to celebrate and the contributions people with disabilities make to their communities and society!

"March is Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month time to recognize something that should be obvious but still isn’t said nearly enough: people with developmental disabilities absolutely can work and be strong, contributing members of their communities. Many of us already are.

I’ve been working for almost four years now. I started part‑time with People First Wisconsin and The Arc Wisconsin, and today I work full‑time, serve as chair of my state’s Developmental Disabilities Council, and contribute to statewide and national advocacy efforts. My story isn’t rare, just one example of what becomes possible when people with developmental disabilities are given opportunity, respect, and the right tools."

You can read Sydney's full statement by using this link:https://wi-bpdd.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/DDAM_SydneyStatement_2026.pdf

03/02/2026

Today is the final day to register for Disability Advocacy Day 2026! Join us in Madison on Thursday March 19th with other advocates from around the state and meet with your elected officials. This is a great opportunity to share your story and educate your legislators on disability rights!

Registration is free but required to attend.

English registration: https://bit.ly/DAD2026

Spanish registration: https://bit.ly/DAD2026Span