Access Press

04/22/2026

Integrated Community Supports ( ): A problem of implementation more than intentional fraud. Justina Blatterman says it: "People with disabilities must be involved in designing and running any replacement."

She wishes more policymakers understood what it was like to depend on people for care and to face the potential question: “Am I going to be able to get out of bed today?”

A program to help people live independently was poorly designed, recipients and providers say. But they don’t like the state’s proposed fixes.

04/22/2026

Yes! "If fraud recoveries rise and homelessness and crisis rise too, the system is still failing....Fraud should be rooted out. Families and people with disabilities should not be uprooted with it."
1. Target the criminals, not the care.
2. Build client safeguards into every fraud action.
3. Publish provider information for comparisons.
4. Measure success by outcomes, not headlines.

“When government responds to fraud with blunt instruments, the people who rely on these programs can become collateral damage.” In a commentary published at The Hill, Able Americans Director Rachel Barkley commends the good intentions of those who want to root out fraud in the social safety net,

04/20/2026

While adults in Korea demonstrate for .

Police said Sunday they had launched a preliminary investigation into a disability rights group on suspicion of violating protest laws and obstructing traffic,

04/20/2026

Competing protests in Korea: some parents prostrate themselves to argue for , others for .

Deep divisions over care policy for the disabled were on display in Seoul on Monday, as rival groups held separate protests during events marking Korea's Day of

04/20/2026

Here's a good reminder on Awareness Day: get familiar with .

04/19/2026

Click past the bland "News Release" headline and take a look at the dashboard. See the huge budget and services loss in EVERY county of the state that will result from the federal government withholding $3.1 billion in Medicaid payments.
https://www.facebook.com/share/p/18XeVH9BqC/

04/18/2026

Aliya Rahman, a disabled Minneapolis resident who was violently detained by ICE officers in January during “Operation Metro Surge,” filed a federal tort claim against the Department of Homeland Security on Thursday, claiming the agency used excessive force and violated her rights. Rahman was never charged with any crime.

Aliya Rahman, a Minneapolis resident who was violently detained by ICE officers in January during “Operation Metro Surge,” filed a federal tort claim against the Department of Homeland Security on Thursday, claiming the agency used excessive force and violated her rights. Rahman was never charge...

04/17/2026

Great feature on & CBS News Minnesota about the Minnesota Governor's Council on Developmental Disabilities .

Here’s how the governor’s council helps provide information and craft policy for people with disabilities and their families.

04/17/2026

Planning to attend on April 29? New to advocacy? If you've got an hour on Monday, April 20 from 4-5 PM, The Minnesota Consortium for Citizens with Disabilities and Lutheran Social Service of Minnesota are offering "Advocacy 101." Make the most of your visibility and voice! Register: https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/vXjePyR_T2C7NHOs_7bobQ?fbclid=IwY2xjawRPNERleHRuA2FlbQIxMQBzcnRjBmFwcF9pZBAyMjIwMzkxNzg4MjAwODkyAAEea7XGzLnDOUCWT3yxIEoZU_Sug9vNen-50--cHg0Z0bf-6i1RJIih1TdpA5U_aem_Rf2sfxQVy8nE4lG3Uq5c9w #/registration

MCD is joining the Minnesota Consortium for Citizens with Disabilities (MNCCD) and other disability-led and allied organizations for 2026 Disability Advocacy Day at the Capitol on Wednesday, April 29, 2026.

The event brings people with disabilities, allies, and supporters together to advocate for policy change and connect with others across the disability community.

This year’s event returns to the Minnesota State Capitol with the theme “Disability Justice: Safety in Community.” Before the rally, attendees can make posters, learn more about the MNCCD policy agenda, and connect with other advocates. The rally will take place in the Capitol Rotunda, followed by meetings with legislators throughout the day.

Learn more: https://www.disability.state.mn.us/2026/04/08/join-2026-disability-advocacy-day-at-the-capitol-on-april-29/

04/16/2026

Thanks to Institute on Community Integration for the excellent article about our new focus and renewed mission at Access Press.

If you'd like to learn more, please join us at our pizza happy hour on April 23rd from 5–7 p.m. at King Coil Spirits in Saint Paul.

Institute on Community Integration

04/15/2026

Family provide over $1 TRILLION in services per year in the U.S. by working 49.5 BILLION hours, according to a new report by AARP. Most of that care is unpaid. Of the 59 million caregivers of adults, only 2 million were paid for ALL of their care hours, and another 9 million were paid for SOME of the hours they provided, leaving 48 million caregivers without compensation.