Cities and town governments are responsible for planning and responding to a disaster. Individuals should also prepare themselves, their families, and their caregivers. We offer guidance on what to think about, record, and practice to complete your emergency preparedness plan.

People with disabilities are more than twice as likely to be homeless as their nondisabled peers. Together, AHVP and AAHG help solve the urgent issue of homelessness and institutionalization in the disability community by creating more accessible homes and helping people pay for them.

This bill ensures more accessible housing units and workplaces are available in the state by bringing such buildings under the purview of the Massachusetts Architectural Access Board (AAB) when newly built or when major renovations take place.

This bill establishes the legal framework for Supported Decision-Making in Massachusetts, an alternative to guardianship in which adults can choose a group of trusted supporters to assist them with making and communicating decisions.

This bill builds more accessible and affordable homes by improving the Alternative Housing Voucher Program (AHVP) and allowing project-basing of AHVP vouchers.

These bills address high and rising prescription drug costs and reduce co-pays for people with certain chronic conditions.

This bill will allow spouses to be authorized to serve as paid caregivers in the MassHealth program for the provision of certain home-based care and services just as other relatives are already permitted to serve as paid caregivers.

People with disabilities are frequently the victims of explicit and implicit bias in the healthcare system, often with harmful and even deadly consequences. Some disabled patients have been denied treatments, medications, and even removed from life support, while others report being pressured to sign Do Not Resuscitate orders–all based on the presumption that the lives of people with disabilities have less worth and are less worth saving than the lives of people without disabilities. During the worst days of the COVID-19 pandemic, our own state government took the same approach, adopting Crisis Standards of Care that would have sent thousands of people with disabilities to the back of the line for lifesaving ventilators and ICU beds.

Estate recovery is the practice of MassHealth recouping the cost of medical services from the deceased enrollee's family. While mandated by federal law, estate recovery is made even more aggressive by requirements under Massachusetts law. It can result in the sale of the family home, causing excessive financial burden and perpetuating poverty, especially among communities of color and people with disabilities.

CODA formed in the spring of 2013 or 2014. Read on for a history of CODA and how DPC came to play a vital role in organizing and leading calls.

A new study revealed that there was a substantial increase in adverse events occurring while patients were hospitalized, such as falls and infections, at private equity-owned hospitals.

Community Catalyst’s Center for Community Engagement in Health Innovation partnered with the Disability Policy Consortium to publish two issue briefs focused on ensuring an equity-centered model of care for individuals that are dually eligible for both Medicare and Medicaid.

Today, while this fight is by no means won, we have made significant progress. There is still significant opposition to the idea of doing anything to stop discrimination against our community in this sector, but we have begun to move from arguing about whether we should address the way these metrics devalue disabled life to how we should address it, and that is exciting.

February has been action-packed for DPC, including legislative updates, opportunities to take action, job openings, and more.

The Affordable Housing Act is THE housing bill of the session. Governor Healey wrote it as an overarching bill that will touch all parts of the housing landscape in Massachusetts. We’re asking for improvements to the bill. Please consider writing testimony or signing up to testify in-person.

Our Housing Bond Bill advocacy is far from over. Governor Healey's version of the Affordable Homes Act has a lot of promising proposals for affordable and accessible housing, but we (along with our allies at CHAPA, the Boston Center for Independent Living, and Stavros) will be advocating for a few key changes.

As reported in the State House News, one of our priority bills, the Wheelchair Warranty Bill (now labeled S.2541), will be voted on by the Senate tomorrow, and we expect it to pass!

MassAccess is an online registry of affordable, accessible units, overseen by the Housing Navigator and MyMassHousing. Increased funding will help more low income people with disabilities find accessible units with up-to-date resources where they’re already looking.

2024 has gotten off to a great start for DPC. Last week saw a huge milestone in our campaign to fix our state's broken wheelchair repair system, as the wheelchair warranty bill we've been championing passed the state Senate and was sent over to the House.

It can be especially difficult for people with disabilities to find homes that meet their access needs. The Accessible Affordable Housing Grants (AAHG) offers developers and landlords grants to create or rehabilitate physically accessible housing that prioritizes AHVP recipients. This program has funded projects across the state since its inception a few years ago. The Governor’s budget did not include this program.