Do you need a break from the doom and gloom? Yeah, me too. That’s why it’s nice that this week’s roundup features several good news stories: new funding for disability services in Ohio, dental care for disabled children in California, a new respite program in Ukraine, and a children’s album from rapper Lachi celebrating disability. We also found a review of the new film about Judy Heumann (the godmother of disability rights), a story about the new federal initiative for autism research and a bittersweet story about a North Carolina family honoring their daughter’s life.
But of course, it’s not all good news. The Medicaid fraud witch-hunt is creating delays and missing care for Minnesotans and a recent announcement to provide partial support to children on a years-long waiver waitlist in Arkansas is not the same thing as providing them full Medicaid coverage and benefits.
Read more in this week’s Medical Motherhood news roundup.
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Medical Motherhood’s news round up
Snippets of news and opinion from outlets around the world. Click the links for the full story.
• From Dayton Daily News (Ohio): “County’s $87M support for Children Services, Developmental Disabilities involves no cuts elsewhere”
An additional $18 million annually through 2030 will support Montgomery County Children Services and the Montgomery County Board of Developmental Disabilities — without deep cuts to other services funded by the Human Service Levy, county officials say.
This is possible through the use of Human Service Levy reserves and other levy-funded agencies using alternative revenues to fund their budgets, county officials said.
[…]Group home costs have nearly doubled since 2020. The average number of children in care decreased 4.3%, from 671 in 2023 to 642 in 2025. But average monthly placement costs increased from roughly $3.08 million to $3.29 million.
Statewide, the number of children placed in care decreased by nearly 10% between 2019 and 2023, but the cost of that care increased 19%, according to the Public Children Services Association of Ohio.[…]
• From MinnPost: “Minnesota’s most vulnerable citizens are collateral damage in federal crackdown on Medicaid program”
[…]A Bloomington family is among thousands who have relied on services that are now going through a painful scrutiny for fraud.
“It’s always been a far from perfect system, but now they have made it so much worse,” said Caroline McGuire of the new requirements placed on her family. “People with disabilities are paying the price and it’s so much worse when it’s children.”
[…]McGuire’s son Colin suffered a four-month delay in physical therapy sessions, which his mother said are crucial at his young age.
She said the delay was caused by a new portal run by Acentra Health, the DHS’s third-party authorization agent. “And now we have to prove every month that Colin needs services,” McGuire said.[…]
• From KUSI News (California): “HHS Secretary announces grant to improve dental care for children with disabilities in San Diego County”
Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr. stopped in Escondido Wednesday morning to announce a new $51 million pilot program that will expand dental programs and access for children with disabilities.
[…]Secretary Kennedy said one in five children with autism haven’t had a deep cleaning in the last year, and only one in ten have a dental plan. This initiative is designed to enhance pediatric care.
Neighborhood Healthcare CEO, Dr. Rakesh Patel, says the center has over 7,000 patients who fall into this need of care and believes this is a win for San Diego County.[…]
• From Arkansas Democrat-Gazette: “OPINION | GWEN FAULKENBERRY: Aid needed now, not later”
[…]Paige described how she recently applied for a Community and Employment Support waiver, which waives a couple of the requirements for help under Medicaid for families like hers who want to care for their disabled children at home instead of putting them into an institution.
[…] the paperwork Paige had to fill out was 180 pages long, and this is while trying to work and take care of two little boys, one who is very ill. Then after she sent it and confirmed receipt, the government office told her they lost it. So, she had to fill it out again and send a new one. Then the office found the first one they had lost.
All this confusion led to a phone call Paige made to check the status of the waiver. She ended up in a conversation that blew her mind. When she asked if services could be backdated for the month the paperwork was lost at the office, the worker enlightened her on the reality of her child’s opportunity for help. The worker said, “Well, Paige, you’re not actually getting coverage. You’re getting put on a waitlist for coverage.”
Paige thought she heard wrong. “What do you mean, a waitlist?” Then that poor DHS worker had to tell her, “Ma’am, this waitlist can last up to a decade. Your child is not receiving the help at this time. This is a waitlist you just applied for.”[…]
• From Forbes: “Lachi's New Album Gives Disabled Kids The Story They're Missing”
Lachi's new album, "Magnificent," is a groundbreaking anthemic pop record for children, celebrating disability culture, identity, and pride. Featuring over 70 disabled collaborators, including Grammy winners, the album aims to provide disabled children with empowering music that affirms their belonging, a stark contrast to traditional narratives of tragedy. Lachi, a blind and neurodivergent entrepreneur, created the album she wished she had as a child, challenging the music industry to recognize disabled artists. […]
• From Disability Scoop: “New Autism Research Initiative Aims To Speed Diagnosis, Personalize Care”
Federal officials are rolling out a major new research effort to “transform” autism diagnosis and care.
The program known as Systems for Phenotypic Evaluation, Clinical Trajectories, Response, and Agency, or SPECTRA, will bring together “biological, clinical, behavioral, and real-world data with advanced computational tools,” the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services said.
The idea is to enable earlier and more accurate diagnosis and a better understanding of what influences each person’s health and development in order to establish more individualized approaches to care. […]
• From ICS Film: “Toronto 2026 review: Being Heumann (Siân Heder)”
Opening this year’s Toronto International Film Festival is the latest film from Siân Heder, Being Heumann. The film, which follows in the footsteps of Heder’s Oscar Best Picture-winning film CODA, tells the story of disability rights activist Judy Heumann in 1977, as she leads the charge for equal rights for disabled people, particularly in access and accommodations to government properties and buildings. The film is constantly engaging, rousing, and moving, while telling an important story about the history of the disability rights movement and the people who fought to make basic accessibility a right rather than a privilege.[…]
• From Judicial and Legal Newspaper (Ukraine): “Two weeks of rest for parents of children with disabilities: how the new service will work”
From January 1, 2027, parents and other persons who permanently care for children with disabilities will be able to receive two weeks of temporary rest once a year. During this period, the care of the child will be taken over by the appropriate social service provider.
[…]According to [government minister Halyna] Tretiakova, it is not about simply giving money to the family and offering them to find a caregiver themselves.
“We cannot just say: ‘Here is the money, find anyone.’ If parents transfer the child to another person for care, the state must create a safe and understandable system,” she emphasized.[…]
• From CBS 17 (North Carolina): “After daughter’s death, Raleigh parents donate medical supplies, work to change views on disability”
[…]Olivia’s life wasn’t easy; her loss was absolutely devastating. Still, her parents are grateful for the time they had.
“I would go back and I would do it again every single time, and I would never hesitate because for six years and 10 months and 29 days I was her mother,” Marisa said. “And even now, I am still her mother.”
Olivia changed her family’s perspective, and her parents will make sure her legacy lives on.
“For the rest of our lives, Olivia’s name will be spoken, will never be forgotten,” Marisa said. “Everyone will remember my daughter, and everyone will remember that disabled children – disabled people – are people too.”
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