Disability Policy Consortium

06/17/2026

Myth vs. Fact

Myth: Accommodations and disability supports are special benefits.

Fact: Accommodations and disability supports help create equal access.

Too often, accommodations are viewed as extras, perks, or special treatment. In reality, they are tools that help remove barriers and ensure disabled people can participate alongside their peers. A ramp doesn't provide an advantage over stairs. Closed captions don't give someone an unfair benefit. Extended testing time doesn't make an exam easier.

These accommodations exist because people experience the world differently, and equal access sometimes requires different supports.

The goal of accommodations is not to give someone more than everyone else. The goal is to ensure people have what they need to fully participate in school, work, healthcare, community life, and the activities that matter to them.

When accommodations and supports are misunderstood as optional benefits rather than necessities, it becomes easier to question their value or view them as something that can be reduced, delayed, or removed.

But for many disabled people, these supports are essential. Without them, equal participation may not be possible. Access is not a luxury. It is a requirement for inclusion.

What is one accommodation, support, or accessibility feature that has helped create a more equitable experience for you or someone you know? Share in the comments below.

06/16/2026

If you are a MA resident, the Massachusetts Statewide Independent Living Council (MASILC) wants to know what is most important to people with disabilities, their families, and their communities.

Your answers will help set the direction of the next State Plan for Independent Living (SPIL).

We want to hear from you! Please share your thoughts in any (or all!) of the below ways:

~Fill out the Needs Assessment survey
~Fill out a postcard (3 question survey)

Español

El MASILC quiere saber qué es lo más importante para las personas con discapacidades, sus familias y sus comunidades. Los resultados de la encuesta ayudarán a establecer la dirección del próximo Plan Estatal de Vida Independiente.

Encuesta de Evaluación de necesidades 2026
Breve enquesta (3 preguntas)

06/16/2026

Words matter.

Last week, Governor Healey signed legislation that updates Massachusetts law by removing outdated and offensive disability-related language and replacing it with respectful, person-centered terminology.

The law removes terms such as "handicapped" and the "r-word" from state statutes and replaces them with language that reflects dignity, respect, and inclusion.

At DPC, we know this change is about more than words on a page. Language shapes attitudes. It influences how people with disabilities are viewed, how policies are written, and whether people feel valued and respected in their communities.

While changing language alone does not remove barriers, it is an important step toward a Commonwealth where people with disabilities are recognized as full and equal members of society.

We are grateful to the advocates, self-advocates, legislators, and disability organizations who worked for years to make this happen.

Progress is built one step at a time, and today is a step worth celebrating.

Read the full press release here: https://www.mass.gov/news/governor-healey-signs-legislation-modernizing-state-law-and-promoting-respect-for-people-with-disabilities

06/15/2026

Today is the final day.

Today is the deadline for the House version of the Health Care Anti-Discrimination Act, H.1360, to receive a favorable recommendation from the Joint Committee on Health Care Financing and continue moving forward this session.

This bill would help protect people with disabilities from discrimination in health care settings and ensure that disability alone is never used to determine the value of a person's life or access to care.

Over the past several weeks, advocates, self-advocates, family members, and allies have worked hard to make their voices heard. Community members dropped off postcards at the State House, mailed postcards from across Massachusetts, and shared personal stories about why these protections matter.

Legislation moves because people speak up. Today, we're grateful to everyone who took the time to advocate, educate, and remind lawmakers that disability rights are civil rights.

Now we wait.

We're keeping our fingers crossed that people with disabilities across Massachusetts will see a win today.

06/15/2026

A wheelchair is not a luxury. It is how people get to work, attend school, care for their families, and participate in their communities.

Today, we are grateful to GBH for highlighting the ongoing wheelchair repair crisis affecting people across Massachusetts, including DPC Community Organizer Destiny Maxam, who shares her own experience navigating months-long repair delays and the medical consequences of these delayed repairs.

Right now, two wheelchair repair bills, S2662 and H4358, are before the Senate and House Ways and Means Committees. These bills would help reduce repair delays by defining and enforcing a repair timeline of 10 days, strengthen consumer protections, and provide much-needed accountability in a system that too often leaves wheelchair users stranded for weeks or months.

No one should lose their independence, health, employment, or community connection because they are waiting for a wheelchair repair.

Read the article below and help us keep pushing for change.

https://www.wgbh.org/news/local/2026-06-15/mass-wheelchair-users-wait-months-for-simple-repairs-critics-say-private-equity-is-to-blame

The wheelchair repair market in Massachusetts is dominated by two companies.

06/15/2026

Why It Matters Monday: The Supports Behind Independence

Most people see independence as the outcome.

They see someone at work, spending time with friends, attending community events, advocating for change, or living in their own home. What often goes unseen are the supports that make those things possible.

For many people with disabilities, independence is built on a foundation of services, accommodations, equipment, technology, and community support. When those supports are working, they can fade into the background. A wheelchair that functions properly isn't something most people notice. Neither is an accessible entrance, reliable transportation, communication access, personal care assistance, or a service dog quietly doing its job.

Because these supports often go unnoticed, they're frequently viewed as extras. Something helpful. Something nice to have. Something that can wait. But that's only because people are seeing the support itself instead of what the support makes possible. A wheelchair repair isn't just about fixing equipment. It's about getting to work, attending medical appointments, caring for family, and participating in the community. Transportation isn't just a ride. It's access to employment, education, healthcare, and connection. Personal care services aren't simply assistance with daily tasks. They are often the difference between living independently and being forced to rely on others for basic needs.

When supports are viewed as benefits instead of necessities, they become easier to delay, easier to limit, and easier to cut.

The impact of those decisions is often invisible to the people making them, but not to the people whose lives are built around those supports. Independence doesn't happen because people try harder. It happens when people have consistent access to the tools and supports they need to participate fully in their communities.

What is one support, service, accommodation, or tool that helps make your daily life possible? Share in the comments below.

State Representative Steve Xiarhos

06/12/2026

What You Don't See: The Preparation

A friend invites you to dinner. A family member plans a barbecue. A community event pops up that you'd love to attend. For many people, the response is simple.

"Sounds great. What time?"

For many disabled people, that's when the planning begins.

Before saying yes, there may be a dozen other questions to answer. Is the location accessible? Is there accessible parking? Will transportation be available? Is there an accessible bathroom? Will support staff be available? Do medications, medical supplies, or equipment need to come along? How much energy will this take, and what else is already planned for that week?

What may look like a simple invitation can quickly become a series of decisions and logistics that must be worked through before an answer can even be given.

And sometimes, after all that preparation, the answer is still no. Not because the person doesn't want to attend. Not because they aren't interested. But because one piece of the puzzle couldn't come together.

Over time, this can create another challenge. Friends and family may stop extending invitations altogether, believing they are helping by removing the pressure to decline.

But often, the invitation itself matters. Being included matters. Being remembered matters. Having the opportunity to choose matters.

What many people don't see is that independence often starts long before someone arrives. It begins with planning, coordinating, problem-solving, and making decisions about what is needed to successfully participate.

Disabled people become experts in their own needs because they often have to be. This is one reason self-determination matters so much. The person living the experience is often the person best equipped to understand what they need to participate, succeed, and thrive.

What's something you've had to prepare for that others may not realize required so much planning? Share in the comments below.

06/11/2026

Myth vs. Fact

Myth: Independence means doing everything by yourself.

Fact: Independence means being in charge of your own life.

For generations, people with disabilities have often been excluded from decisions about their own lives. Too often, others have assumed they know what is best without taking the time to listen to the person most affected.

But needing support does not mean giving up the right to make choices.

Independence is not about doing everything alone. It is about having the ability to direct your own life, express your preferences, set your goals, and make decisions about what matters to you. Sometimes people make those decisions independently. Sometimes they rely on trusted family members, friends, professionals, or supported decision-making to help them understand their options.

The important part is that the person's voice remains at the center.

Being supported and being in control are not opposites. In fact, the right support can create more choice, more freedom, and more control over your life.

What does being in charge of your own life mean to you? Share your thoughts in the comments below.

06/10/2026

We are pleased to announce that Audrey Shelto, Former President and CEO of the BCBSMA Foundation, and Monika Mitra, Director of the Lurie Institute for Disability Policy at Brandeis University, will serve as Co-Chairs of the DPC 30th Anniversary Gala!

Audrey and Monika have been outstanding champions of DPC and the Massachusetts disability community for decades. Their leadership, dedication, and commitment to the credo "About Us, By Us" make them the perfect people to help guide this milestone celebration. We look forward to working with them as we honor our history, celebrate our impact, and gather with friends and supporters for an unforgettable evening.

Thank you for your continued support and leadership, Audrey and Monika!

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Join us at the DPC 30th Anniversary Gala!

Date: Thursday, November 19th
Time: 6-8:30 PM
Location: Artists for Humanity (100 W 2nd Street Boston, MA 02127) and livestreamed on Zoom
Tickets: dpcma.org/dpc-30-gala

Interested in sponsoring the event? Reach out to [email protected].

06/08/2026

Why It Matters Monday: What Independence Really Means

When people hear the word independence, they often picture someone doing everything on their own. No help, no support, no assistance.

It's a common belief, but it's also a definition that leaves a lot of people out.

The reality is that everyone relies on something. Family and friends, transportation, healthcare, technology, coworkers, and community supports all play a role in helping people live their lives.

Yet when disabled people use supports, those same supports are often viewed differently. Instead of being seen as tools that create independence, they're sometimes seen as signs of dependence. That's why this matters.

When independence is defined as doing everything alone, it becomes easy to overlook the value of things like accessible transportation, personal care attendants, service dogs, interpreters, wheelchair repairs, and other supports that make community living possible. It can also lead people to underestimate what disabled people can do simply because we do it differently.

For many disabled people, independence isn't about having no support. It's about having the freedom to make choices, pursue goals, participate in the community, and live life on our own terms.

The right supports don't take independence away. They help make it possible. This month, DPC will be exploring what Independence is and the supports, services, and systems that help make community living possible.

What does independence mean to you? Share your thoughts in the comments below.