The Wisconsin Board for People with Developmental Disabilities has released its legislative priorities, calling for stronger protections to help people with disabilities live, learn, and work in their communities.
The board says its priorities focus on protecting access to in-home care, strengthening special education, expanding employment opportunities, and increasing access to affordable, accessible housing and transportation.
Board Chair Sydney Badeau says state legislation is needed to help people with disabilities receive the support they need at home and avoid unnecessary placement in institutions or nursing homes.
Executive Director Jenny Price says people with disabilities and their families are important contributors to Wisconsin communities as workers, taxpayers, and neighbors.
Among the board’s specific proposals are creating an insurance pool to support caregivers, requiring private schools that receive public funding to educate students with disabilities to follow the same rules as public schools, and removing income limits from a state work incentive program so people with disabilities can earn and save more without losing health care or home care benefits.
The board also wants incentives for new homes to include accessible features and for existing properties to be renovated to improve accessibility.
The Wisconsin Board for People with Developmental Disabilities is an independent state agency that advises policymakers on issues affecting people with intellectual and developmental disabilities and their families.
More information about the board’s legislative priorities is available through the Wisconsin Board for People with Developmental Disabilities website.
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