October is National Disability Employment Awareness Month

As we all know, people with disabilities bring valuable perspectives, skills, and talents that strengthen our workforce and fuel innovation. Yet despite decades of progress, significant barriers to employment remain – including accessibility challenges, systemic bias, and inadequate accommodations. In some areas, these barriers are even growing.

The current political climate poses serious threats to disability inclusion in the workforce – from the rollback of DEI/A initiatives, to cuts to Medicaid and pending cuts to the ACA, to diminished funding and protections for students with disabilities in schools.

Let’s use National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM) as a time to advocate for truly inclusive workplaces – where people of all abilities are welcomed, supported, and empowered to succeed.

Are You Ready to Vote?

Municipal elections are your chance to vote for Mayors, Managers, City Councillors, Select Boards, School Committee Members, etc – all of your locally elected officials. For most cities in Massachusetts, these elections will be held on Tuesday, November 4th. Not sure if your municipality is holding an election? Click here for a list of upcoming elections. Make sure you register to vote by October 25th – which, for Boston and Worcester voters, is also the day early voting begins. 

Did you know that voters with a disability that affects their ability to mark a paper ballot can request an accessible vote by mail ballot? The accessible electronic vote by mail system allows voters to independently and privately submit their ballot via a secure electronic delivery system using a computer or mobile device. Once marked, the ballot can either be returned electronically, or printed and mailed. See accessible vote by mail ballot for information on applying for a mail-in ballot.

Prefer to vote in person? Every polling location in Massachusetts is required to have at least one AutoMARK machine that is accessible to voters who use wheelchairs or other mobility devices. This machine can assist you in independently marking your ballot, and features a touch screen and keypad to make selections. Once marked, the AutoMARK prints your ballot for submission. The AutoMARK also has ports for sip and puff or foot pedal assistive devices, if you would like to bring your own.

Visit the Secretary’s Elections Division webpage for voters with disabilities for more information. 

Wheelchair Repair Advocacy Day

Join the Disability Policy Consortium at the Massachusetts State House for Wheelchair Repair Advocacy Day on October 9th, from 11:00 am – 2:00 pm. This is an opportunity to share your experiences with waiting for wheelchair repairs with members of the House Ways & Means Committee. In order for legislators to understand the impact of repair delays, they need to hear your stories. Please RSVP here and consider setting up a meeting with your Representative!

What Does a Government Shutdown Actually Mean?

On October 1, the federal government officially shut down after Congress failed to pass a funding bill to keep it running. But what does that really mean for services and everyday life?

During a shutdown, most federal operations funded through the annual appropriations process come to a halt – with exceptions made for functions related to national security and public safety. Essential services like emergency medical care, air traffic control, border security, and disaster response continue to operate.

Some federally funded programs also remain active – including Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, and the U.S. Postal Service. However, disruptions can still occur. For example:

• New applications for housing, food assistance, or disability benefits may be delayed or paused.
• SNAP relies on reserve funding and could face service disruptions if the shutdown is prolonged.
• The Education Department’s Office for Civil Rights, already under strain this year, has paused its investigations.
• The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) are unlikely to approve state plan amendments or waivers, delaying important state-level health care changes.

In addition, Medicare coverage for telehealth appointments is currently at risk. Temporary extensions that allowed patients to receive care remotely have lapsed, meaning some individuals may now be required to attend in-person visits. 

Community health centers are also facing funding gaps due to the shutdown. Without renewed federal support, these centers – which serve millions of patients, particularly in low-income and rural communities – may experience staffing challenges, reduced services, or delayed care.

In Massachusetts, an estimated 25,000 federal employees may be affected -- facing furloughs, delayed paychecks, or potential job loss depending on how long the shutdown lasts.

So, when will the shutdown end?

Shutdowns only end when Congress passes a funding bill and the president signs it. For context, the longest shutdown in U.S. history lasted 35 days, while the shortest was just 1 hour and 28 minutes – there’s no set timeline for how long one can last. So far it has been six days, and neither party shows signs of coming to an agreement.

For more details on what is -- and isn’t -- affected, you can find helpful resources [here] and [here].

TAKE ACTION!

• Email your Legislators to tell them why the health care antidiscrimination bill, H.1360/S.869, is critical to protecting disabled people from life-threatening discrimination in the healthcare system. Send the email here.

• Share your story! Are hotel rooms accessible for people who use wheelchairs? NPR wants to hear from you. Click here to share your story.

Studies & Surveys:

• The United Spinal Association is collecting information from the community to improve advocacy efforts, research initiatives, and grant programs, and are seeking ideas for new programming. Click here to take the Community Survey.
• The Model Systems Knowledge Translation Center (MSKTC) is seeking input about your information needs about spinal cord injury to help improve the work of the MSKTC and the SCI Model Systems. Click here to take the MSKTC User Needs Survey
• The Disability Law Center (DLC) wants to hear from you! Unfortunately, DLC is facing significant funding cuts due to changes in funding on the federal level. They need to be strategic about how they use their limited funding in order to have the biggest impact. This is where you come in. Please take a moment to let the DLC know which issues should be prioritized. Take the survey.
• The Boston Center for Independent Living and the union, 32BJ SEIU, are seeking input on disability access at Boston Logan International Airport. Click here to take the survey.

This year’s SCI Awareness Day at the State House was a huge success!

Nearly 75 community members, researchers, clinicians and legislators gathered for SCI Awareness Day at the Statehouse. The new room provided an intimate and impactful setting for speakers to present their work, share powerful stories, and connect with the community.

The event spotlighted five researchers currently funded by the Thomas P. Kennedy Trust Fund, whose work is directly advancing treatments and technologies for individuals with SCI. From successful nerve transfers improving mobility and independence, to the use of artificial intelligence to understand blood pressure regulation and spinal cord regeneration, the message was clear: continued investment in SCI research is transforming lives.

We also heard from two community members with lived experience of SCI, whose stories reminded us why this work matters – not just in labs and clinics, but in the day-to-day lives of individuals and families navigating spinal cord injuries.

In addition to longtime legislative champions like Senator Brady and Dr. Eric Ruby, whose leadership has helped drive decades of progress, five other legislators attended the event – a testament to growing support, much of it sparked by community outreach. This year also marked a new milestone: a dedicated networking session that brought together lawmakers, clinicians, researchers, and individuals with SCI to foster deeper collaboration and strengthen advocacy partnerships.

SCI Awareness Day is more than just one day -- Progress in SCI research and policy depends on keeping these conversations going, building strong partnerships, and ensuring the community stays visible and heard. 

Watch a recording of the event on our YouTube channel. 

 To view the full DPH spinal cord injury in Massachusetts slideshow, click here.

MBTA The RIDE:

On August 30th, The RIDE launched a new paratransit software, called Spare, which is supposed to improve the efficiency of The RIDE program. There have been a number of changes including how you can book a trip, manage your account and funds, and limits to your personal items. There is also a new online booking portal and a new mobile app; both can be used to book trips online, add funds to your account, and track your vehicle’s arrival. If you have experienced any difficulties with the new system, the MBTA encourages you to file a complaint which you can do online here or by calling 617-222-3200. You can also attend the next Rider’s Transportation Access Group Advisory Meeting on October 15th, 2025 at 5:30 pm via Zoom. 

Related: The Make Way for Buses Program will use Automated Camera Enforcement, MBTA

Events:

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