Cuts and Consequences: This Week Feels Different
Nine stories shaping life for disabled children and families: From the Medicaid fraud debate to budget cuts and access barriers worldwide
Readers, I have a question for you.
In my news round-up, I have consistently found three to four high-quality, important, relevant, illuminating, uplifting or otherwise shareable stories relating to disabled or neurodivergent children every week for nearly five years.
This week is different.
Because of the massive changes resulting from the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (H.R. 1) — and the charges of fraud, waste and abuse in the system — Medicaid and disabled children’s services are in the news in a way I’ve never seen before. When I finished my review of sources, I had not three but NINE stories that felt worth sharing this week.
So, I’m shaking up the news round-up this week and I’d like to know what you think. My goal for this publication has always been to get critical information to a community of people who have very little time and energy. I want to curate stories so that you can get a glimpse of the policy landscape at a national and global level, while juggling all of your other (numerous) life responsibilities.
So my question to you: If the stories are available, do you prefer this longer list of shorter clips or is it more helpful for you to see a fuller picture of the most important three stories?
Let me know in the comments or simply reply to this email.
Medical Motherhood’s news round up
Snippets of news and opinion from outlets around the world. Click the links for the full story.
• From Health Affairs: “Unfounded Fraud Allegations Threaten Vital Medicaid Home And Community-Based Services”
[…]Everyone would agree that, just as is true for all public and private health insurance programs, fraud prevention is essential in Medicaid, which finances care for more than 80 million Americans and accounts for nearly one-third of total state expenditures.[…]
[…]withdrawing support for HCBS and pursuing sweeping structural changes without clear evidence of systemic fraud jeopardizes services that have become foundational to our country’s modern long-term care system.
[…] If HCBS is retrenched under the banner of fraud prevention, the likely fiscal outcome is increased institutional spending—something which would cost far more than any purported savings from new efforts to reduce fraud.[…]
• From Illinois State University: “‘Locked Inside’ forum sparks urgent call to end harmful school restraint and seclusion”
[…Dr. Charles] Bell’s newly released book, “No Restraint: Disabled Children and Institutionalized Violence in America’s Schools,” reveals that U.S. public schools use restraint and seclusion practices far more frequently than federal data shows, which is over 100,000 students annually.
Drawing from interviews in 15 states, Bell confirmed significant underreporting of these practices, and states like Texas have been caught underreporting the number of students they’re restraining.[…]
• From CPR News (Colorado): “Impact of state budget cuts gets real as lawmakers start trimming Medicaid programs”
The state’s powerful Joint Budget Committee voted Thursday to make cuts to Medicaid caregivers and reduce services for Coloradans with developmental disabilities to help fill a massive budget gap.
The decision was expected, as Medicaid continues to take up a larger chunk of the state budget. The full Legislature will have to approve the cuts as part of the overall budget, but the votes mark a significant step in the budget-writing process.[…]
• From WMAR 2: “Maryland's disabled community rally for lawmakers to avoid funding cuts to services”
[…]The demonstration came as $150 million in cuts to the Developmental Disabilities Administration are expected to move forward. Those who rely on the services say the reductions could have devastating consequences for their daily lives.[…]
• From Boston Herald: “State Auditor’s office uncovers another $4.4M in public benefits fraud”
Massachusetts state Auditor Diana DiZoglio’s office has uncovered another $4.4 million in public benefits fraud, including $2.4 million in SNAP fraud, $1.7 million in MassHealth and Medicaid fraud and more ranging between July 1st and December 31st — the first two quarters of Fiscal Year 2026.[…]
• From The Times: “Disabled children were given £500 each. Why is it so hard to access?”
[…]Child trust funds (CTFs) were a type of savings account set up by the government in 2005. Children born between September 1, 2002, and January 2, 2011, were given up to £500 each by the Treasury, and they could cash it in when they became an adult by filling in a form.
It was only when the first account holders began turning 18 in 2020 that families began to point out that there was a problem for those with learning disabilities.
[…Mum Claire] Stockton said: “I didn’t realise how difficult it would be to get his money, I was very naive. I filled out at least thirty pages of forms and there were around forty emails and endless phone calls with the court.”[…]
• From The Conversation: “Do dads of disabled children do enough? Kenya study points to misunderstood ways of caring”
[…]In many African countries, fathers hold decision-making and financial authority within families. This gives them strong influence over children’s schooling.
But when a child has a disability – such as Down syndrome, epilepsy, autism or other conditions that significantly affect learning and daily functioning – a father’s involvement often shifts in complex ways.[…]
• From Disability Scoop: “Adult-Size Changing Tables To Be Required At Major Airports”
Many airports will soon be required to provide changing tables for adults with disabilities. Now federal officials are looking for input on how to go about implementing the new mandate.
Under the 2024 FAA Reauthorization Act, all medium and large airports seeking federal airport development project grants must have at least one private universal changing station in each terminal starting in 2030.[…]
• From The Hour: “CT advocates support bill for more transparency in DDS complaints of abuse, neglect”
After the release of a [Connecticut] state Department of Developmental Services report that showed the agency received more than 4,000 complaints of abuse and neglect, including 15 deaths, of developmentally and intellectually disabled individuals in 2024, advocates and parents are supporting a proposed law that would call for greater transparency and more training for staff.[…]
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