ElevateDD and the Down Syndrome Association of Central Ohio (DSACO) have joined with national and state organizations, led by the National Down Syndrome Congress (NDSC), urging Congress to protect the right of people with Down syndrome and other disabilities to live and participate in their communities. The letter was signed by 136 national, state, and local organizations across 47 states and the District of Columbia.
In our listening sessions with adults with Down syndrome and other developmental disabilities, and their families, we’ve been asking what a good life looks like and what supports would help people build the lives they want. Those conversations bring community integration down to everyday decisions. Where do you want to live? What kind of work would you like to do? How do you want to spend your time, and what support would help you do it?
Medicaid home and community-based services waivers can help adults act on those choices. Depending on the waiver and a person’s needs, services can include help with daily routines at home, support to get involved in community activities, or job coaching to learn a role and succeed at work. Having dependable support can give someone more control over their day, more opportunities to build relationships, and a greater chance to find and keep a job they choose.
“Independence includes being able to decide where you live, what work you want to do, and how you spend your time,” said Troy Hunter, President & CEO of ElevateDD. “When people can count on the support they need, they have more freedom to make those decisions and more opportunities to follow through on them. Congress has a role in protecting the civil rights that make community living possible.”
Groups nationwide are asking Congress to work across party lines during the FY 2027 appropriations process to reaffirm its commitment to the Americans with Disabilities Act’s community integration protections and the Supreme Court’s Olmstead decision, and to support continued federal enforcement. In Olmstead, the Supreme Court held that unjustified segregation of people with disabilities is discrimination under the ADA.
We thank NDSC for bringing this coalition together. We’ll continue listening to adults with disabilities and their families and bringing their priorities into our advocacy for dependable community-based supports and meaningful opportunities to live and work in Ohio communities.
Read the coalition letter to Congress · Read ElevateDD’s explainer on Texas v. Kennedy and community integration