Press Releases

Contact: Barbara Beckert, barbara.beckert@drwi.org, 414-292-2724 Voters with disabilities are historically underrepresented at the polls, and COVID-19 has created additional barriers. The Wisconsin Disability Vote Coalition is working to advance full participation of voters with disabilities and provide guidance on how to safely vote during the pandemic. Approximately 23% of the electorate will be people with disabilities, according to the American Association of People with Disabilities (AAPD). Early voting begins in many communities today, October 20….

Disability Rights Wisconsin is extremely pleased with the Department of Health Services’ announcement that it will no longer terminate Medicaid eligibility for individuals for entering Wisconsin jails and prisons and will suspend their coverage instead. Read the full press release about this new policy.

Disability Rights Wisconsin has issued a statement recommending that Wisconsin schools stop relying on school resource officers (SROs) as a response to school violence and invest instead in appropriate school personnel and programs to address the needs and safety of students with disabilities. DRW Press Release: SROs Do Not Belong in Wisconsin Schools Full Statement: School Resource Officers Do Not Belong in Wisconsin Schools  

DRW is pleased with the recommendations put forth by the Governor’s Task Force on Caregiving. The recommendations cover a wide range of issues that affect the availability of caregivers in Wisconsin. Read our press release here.

Disability Rights Wisconsin condemns the law enforcement treatment of Jacob Blake. After a racially charged incident in which Mr. Blake was shot in the back by police, he was shackled to his hospital bed. Though the shackles have now been removed, his treatment after being rendered paralyzed from the waist down put his health at further risk and violated his right to a disability accommodation. Read the statement here.

Disability Rights Wisconsin applauds DWD Secretary Frostman, U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin and Representatives Ron Kind, Mark Pocan, and Gwen Moore, for their work to secure Pandemic Emergency Unemployment relief (PUA) for Wisconsin SSDI recipients out of work due to COVID-19. Read the full press release about the PUA benefit that is now available to SSDI recipients in Wisconsin.

Disability Rights Wisconsin thanks Governor Evers for allocating CARES Act funding to provide financial assistance to providers who serve people with disabilities, including home and community based-services and long term care providers.  Read DRW’s statement. The Governor will use $100 million of the federal COVID CARES Act funds provided to Wisconsin to target support for Long-Term Care in Wisconsin, including support for providers of home and community based services.  Read Governor Ever’s Press Release.

Disability Rights Wisconsin joined Black Leaders Organizing for Communities (BLOC) and several individuals with disabilities in filing suit in the Federal Court of the Western District of Wisconsin against the Wisconsin Election Commission, to make voting in upcoming elections safer and accessible for people with disabilities and other at risk communities. The lawsuit asks the court to remedy Wisconsin’s shortcomings of the recent April election and ensure that all Wisconsin voters will be able to…

Disability Rights Wisconsin was disappointed to see that the Wisconsin Supreme Court has struck down Secretary-Designee Palm’s Safer at Home order. DRW filed an amicus brief in this case, in collaboration with a number of national and local disability advocacy organizations, to provide the Court with insight into the heightened risk COVID-19 poses for people with disabilities and concerns for opening up the state too soon or suddenly. Read DRW’s statement about the Supreme Court…

Disability Rights Wisconsin, in partnership with 32 state and national disability advocacy organizations, filed an Amicus Brief with the Wisconsin Supreme Court on Wednesday warning the WSC about the potential catastrophic risk to life for people with disabilities and older adults if the Safer at Home emergency order is lifted at this time. Follow this link to the press release. Read DRW’s press release about this amicus brief.