Wisconsin Board for People with Developmental Disabilities

11/16/2025

In partnership with the Dept. of Public Instruction and our Families Supporting Families project, we awarded six grants to disability service providers to improve business engagement strategies and to reduce Medicaid-funded job coaching support for adults with disabilities. Using best practice strategies and internal workplace supports, we can increase the independence of employees with disabilities. This lessens the need for external job coaches and helps integrate employees with disabilities into the fabric of the business.

Grantees include:

AchieveAbilities based in Madison
Employment Resources Inc (ERI) serving communities across Wisconsin
Essential Connections Services in Milwaukee
Goodwill North Central Wisconsin serving 35 counties
Goodwill of South Central Wisconsin serving 14 counties
KANDU in Milton

You can learn more about Families Supporting Families here: https://wi-bpdd.org/index.php/families-supporting-families/

11/15/2025

The world lost a tireless voice for the disability community and against ableism with the passing of Alice Wong, announced today.  if you ever heard of crip the vote, that was Alice. She created the Disability Visibility project.

From the NYTimes: "She called attention to laws that, while sometimes well-intentioned, overlooked the needs and rights of people with disabilities — for example, bans on plastic straws, which many people with physical impairments need to drink, or campus mask bans, which colleges have justified on public safety grounds, but which also increase the risk of disease for high-risk people like Ms. Wong."

Born with muscular dystrophy, she received a MacArthur “Genius” grant in 2024 for her decades of calling attention to the need for equal rights for disabled people.

11/15/2025

Below is the recording from today's federal funding webinar! Our next webinar will be on Friday November 21st. You can register using the links below.

You can also find the recordings, presentation slides, and other resources on our website: https://wi-bpdd.org/index.php/federal-funding-updates/

English Registration: https://bit.ly/FedFunds1121
Registro Español: https://bit.ly/FedFundSpa1121

https://youtu.be/4xxT-k9qX9M?si=e3-RreX4Nh08mUfJ

The government shutdown. Medicaid. Social Security. Disability Programs. Education. Federal Budget. Watch this webinar recording to get the latest on Federal...

11/14/2025

Yesterday the Division of Vocational Rehabilitation (DVR) held a public hearing after announcing the week before that they are facing a state/federal budget shortfall of more than $20 million while serving the highest caseloads in 10 years and facing increased costs for goods and services.

The employment rate for individuals with disabilities in Wisconsin for the last three years have been at a record high. DVR announced it plans to implement an Order of Selection for consumers who are in Category 1 and 2 and do not have an Individualized Plan for Employment (IPE) in place. Category 3 is currently on a waitlist. Existing consumers who currently have an approved IPE with DVR would not be affected.

Here are BPDD's questions we posed in our testimony for DVR:https://wi-bpdd.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/DVR_Comments_1113205.pdf

The public hearing deadline was yesterday, but you can send your questions to: dvrpolicyanalysts@dwd.wisconsin.gov

11/14/2025

You can still register for our Federal Funding webinar tomorrow, 11/14 from 9-10am. Even if you can't attend register to receive the recording and slides tomorrow afternoon.

We also have registration and info from the previous week's webinar on our website here: https://wi-bpdd.org/index.php/federal-funding-updates/

English registration: https://bit.ly/FedFunds1114
Spanish registration: https://bit.ly/FedFundsSpan1114

11/13/2025

Each year, we survey people with disabilities and family members who participated in our projects and activities. Please tell us about the BPDD activities you participated in this year. Your answers help us understand our impact on your lives.

English survey: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/2025AnnualSurvey_Eng
Encuesta Española: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/2025AnnualSurvey_Esp

11/12/2025

The Wisconsin Board for People with Developmental Disabilities (BPDD) along with many other aging and disability groups is testifying today in the Capitol on our concerns about AB598/SB578 which gives hospitals broad authority to name a next of kin for patients who are incapitated and do not have an identified guardian/power of attorney. Legal advocates have done an analysis of other 46 states' Next of Kin laws. This bill gives more decision-making authority to the person the hospital chooses to make decisions about a patient than is currently allowed in any other state. You can call your state legislators if this issue is important to you. Read our full testimony at:

https://wi-bpdd.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/BPDD_AB598SB578_PatientRep_111125.pdf

11/12/2025

If you want to learn more about the importance of social connection during Social Connection Awareness Week, you can sign up for the free webinar Local Links, Lasting Impact on Nov 14th from 9-10am.

Join leaders from around WI to discuss the role neighborhoods and professional networks play in supporting older adults and people with disabilities.

register here: https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/cT0oQvCiQC2xZ8qL85W-DA #/registration

11/11/2025

On Wednesday November 12th, the Assembly Heath, Aging and Long Term Care committee is having a public hearing on AB 598, which would let hospitals pick a decision-maker if a patient becomes unable to make medical decisions so they can discharge them quickly and empty hospital beds. This bill is almost the same as a bill that failed last session and does not resolve any of the concerns raised by aging, disability, legal, and patient advocates last session

If you would like to attend the hearing it will be held at the WI State Capitol on November 12th at 10:01 am in 417 North (GAR Hall).

If you can't attend the hearing and this is an important issue to you, you can contact your state legislators. Find your legislators here: https://myvote.wi.gov/en-us/My-Elected-Officials

You can see our full breakdown of the bill here: https://www3.thedatabank.com/dpg/579/pm.asp?ID=30057&Publication=Action+Alerts%3A+Take+Action+Now

11/10/2025

The Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development’s Division of Vocation Rehabilitation (DVR) will hold a virtual public hearing on Thursday, November 13 at 2:00 p.m. to gather public input about their proposed plan for dealing with a severe funding shortage that includes putting in place waiting lists to receive services.

Here are 4 questions to ask at the hearing or to submit online by November 13th.
- Why is DVR putting a wait list on all new applications instead of prioritizing those with the most significant disabilities.
- Can DVR get more money from the state so people don't have to wait for services?
- If DVR doesn't get more money, what will happen in the future?
- Will the funding shortage mean services and plans are changed?

You can use the link below to get more information about the hearing and to join virtually: https://publicmeetings.wi.gov/view/b9ea2763-4d6a-4a0e-9bd7-c9bbb13ff20e

If you are unable to attend the hearing, you can also submit comments via email at dvrpolicyanalysts@dwd.wisconsin.gov; by fax to 608-266-1133; or by calling 800-442-3477. Comments must be received by 4:30 p.m. on Nov. 13, at 4:30 p.m.

11/09/2025

Social Connection Awareness week is November 9-15th. Thank you to Governor Tony Evers for the official state proclamation recognizing the week! According to the CDC social isolation and loneliness can increase your risk of physical, emotional, and psychological health impacts.

If you want to learn more about the importance of social connections, you can use the link below for the Wisconsin Coalition for Social Connection.

https://connectwi.org/

11/08/2025

Below is the recording from today's federal funding webinar! Our next webinar will be on Friday November 14th. You can register using the links below.

English Registration: https://bit.ly/FedFunds1114

Registro Español: https://bit.ly/FedFundsSpan1114

https://youtu.be/Y8BlT_lEdFA?si=gumHzBhX_4C2EbVk

The government shutdown. Medicaid. Social Security. Disability Programs. Education. Federal Budget. Watch this webinar recording to get the latest on Federal...