Advocates, Counselors, and Representatives for the Disabled

Advocates, Counselors, and Representatives for the Disabled At ACRD, we champion disability rights, inclusion, and equal access through advocacy, education, and policy reform.

Our mission is to empower individuals, break down barriers, and drive systemic change for a more accessible and equitable world.

Big news! 🚨ACRD proudly introduces our new Board Members. These trusted experts are championing innovation, advocacy, an...
04/09/2026

Big news! 🚨

ACRD proudly introduces our new Board Members. These trusted experts are championing innovation, advocacy, and accountability in disability representation 😌

If you see them, be sure to congratulate them on this well‑deserved honor!

Explore their profiles: https://www.acrd.org/about/board-members

Meet Your Emcee 🎤 Scotty B (Im_scottyb)Not your average conference and not your average emcee! Scotty B, official DJ and...
04/03/2026

Meet Your Emcee 🎤 Scotty B (Im_scottyb)

Not your average conference and not your average emcee! Scotty B, official DJ and emcee for the Orlando Magic, is taking the stage at Ga***rd Palms, April 9–10.

With 20+ years entertaining for brands like Disney, Universal, the NFL, and more, he brings unmatched energy to every crowd.

Add a $100,000 live giveaway and a powerhouse lineup and this will be one to remember.

See you in Orlando!

Not yet registered? Buy your ticket here: https://shorturl.at/qP7z8

🎉 The ACRD App is Live – Download Today! The official ACRD app is now live on Apple and Android as of April 2, 2026. You...
04/02/2026

🎉 The ACRD App is Live – Download Today!

The official ACRD app is now live on Apple and Android as of April 2, 2026.

Your all-in-one companion for the 2026 ACRD Conference.

Download now:

Apple: https://shorturl.at/mkpK6
Android: https://shorturl.at/VjFsL

With the ACRD app, you can:
- Stay up to date with the latest conference announcements
- Explore presenter bios and get to know our speakers
- Access the full conference agenda anytime
- Navigate the event and never miss a session
- Use the AI face swap feature

Not registered yet? There’s still time: https://shorturl.at/UlyEW

Everything you need, right at your fingertips. Download now and get ready for the conference.

We’re two weeks out from the ACRD 2026 Annual Conference, and this is shaping up to be one of our strongest programs yet...
03/25/2026

We’re two weeks out from the ACRD 2026 Annual Conference, and this is shaping up to be one of our strongest programs yet.

On April 9–10 at the Ga***rd Palms Resort, we’re bringing together disability representatives and attorneys for two days focused on real strategy, real challenges, and real progress in this field.

We’re especially looking forward to hearing from Leland Dudek, who will share his perspective on where SSA is headed and what that means for those doing this work every day. It’s the kind of insight you simply don’t get access to anywhere else.

Across both days, the focus stays practical and forward-looking. From sharpening cross-examination and case strategy to navigating policy shifts, AI, and evolving hearing practices, every session is built to help you do this work better.

Take a look at everything we’ve put together: https://tinyurl.com/28u8y9xj

And yes, we’re closing things out with something big. One registered ACRD member in the room will walk away with $100,000 cash. It’s real, and you have to be there to win.

This conference exists for a reason. The people who represent disability claimants deserve a place to grow, connect, and push this work forward together.

We’d love to see you there.

Register now: https://tinyurl.com/mbzpecfc

Many of your clients have waited months for medical records that already exist in electronic systems. You’ve seen the de...
03/12/2026

Many of your clients have waited months for medical records that already exist in electronic systems. You’ve seen the delays. You’ve felt the impact on their claims.

Now there’s something simple they can do.

If you or your clients have struggled to obtain medical records, a federal complaint can be filed with the ONC in about 2 minutes: endinfoblocking.org

The goal is 10,000 complaints on file. Each one strengthens the case.

If record access delays have affected your clients’ disability claims, share your experience in the comments or message AADJ directly. Your voice matters.

Denied. Insufficient medical evidence. How many times have you read those words on a denial letter, knowing the evidence...
03/11/2026

Denied. Insufficient medical evidence.

How many times have you read those words on a denial letter, knowing the evidence exists, knowing it’s sitting in a system that just won’t release it?

How many times has your client called you in tears because they can’t make rent and you’re still chasing records from the third hospital on the list?

How many times have you thought: this can’t be the way it’s supposed to work?

It’s not. It’s the way one company designed it to work.

AADJ’s class action against Epic Systems puts a name to the barrier that disability representatives across this country already know is there. Now it’s in federal court.

Here’s what will make a real difference: every one of your clients who has struggled to get records can file a federal complaint with the ONC. It takes 2 minutes. Send them this link: endinfoblocking.org

The goal is 10,000 complaints on file. Every one makes the case stronger.

You’ve been waiting 90 days for records that exist in an electronic system. Your client just called again. They’re about...
03/10/2026

You’ve been waiting 90 days for records that exist in an electronic system. Your client just called again. They’re about to lose their housing. You’re still waiting on records.

You already know what this lawsuit is about.

This week, the American Association for Disability Justice filed a class action lawsuit against Epic Systems Corporation. The complaint alleges that Epic, the company whose software controls medical records for over 250 million Americans across roughly 78% of U.S. hospitals, has intentionally built and maintained a system that fragments records, blocks interoperable access, and prevents disabled individuals from assembling the evidence they need for disability determinations.

Every disability representative in this network has felt this. The records that should take days take months. The portals that should work together don’t. The claimants who should be approved sit waiting. Losing income, losing stability, losing everything while the system runs out the clock.

Meanwhile SSA is cutting staff and backlogs keep growing. Epic’s system is making an already broken process worse.

The complaint brings nine causes of action including federal antitrust violations, the ADA, the Rehabilitation Act, and the 21st Century Cures Act.

ACRD has long advocated for real interoperability and the removal of systemic barriers that slow disability determinations. This lawsuit names the root cause our members have been fighting against for years.

Here’s what you can do right now: tell your clients to file a federal complaint with the ONC against Epic. It takes 2 minutes and every complaint goes on the federal record: endinfoblocking.org

If you’ve experienced record access barriers that delayed your clients’ claims, your voice matters now more than ever. Comment below or reach out to AADJ directly.

International Women’s Day: Honoring the Women Who Built Social Security This International Women’s Day, we honor the rem...
03/08/2026

International Women’s Day: Honoring the Women Who Built Social Security

This International Women’s Day, we honor the remarkable women who helped shape the Social Security program millions rely on today.

From Frances Perkins, who led the creation of the Social Security Act, to Ida Mae Fuller, the program’s first beneficiary, these pioneers helped lay the foundation. Leaders like Evaline Burns, Betty Villemarette, Millie Parsons, and Gwen Moore strengthened the program through policy, service, and public access.

Their legacy continues to provide dignity, stability, and security for millions of Americans.

Thank you for being part of a mission that uplifts and empowers communities.

Luis Gracia | Featured Session ACRD is pleased to welcome Luis Gracia, partner at Rue & Ziffra, as a featured speaker at...
03/06/2026

Luis Gracia | Featured Session

ACRD is pleased to welcome Luis Gracia, partner at Rue & Ziffra, as a featured speaker at the 2026 ACRD Annual Conference.

Mr. Gracia earned his law degree from Texas Southern University in 1998 and focuses his practice on Social Security Disability, Workers’ Compensation, personal injury, and wrongful death cases. He is board-certified in Social Security Disability law by the National Board of Trial Advocacy and holds an AV Preeminent rating from Martindale-Hubbell, the publication’s highest distinction for professional excellence and ethical standards.

Mr. Gracia is also a frequent speaker on the cross-examination of Medical Experts in Social Security hearings. He is admitted to practice before the United States District Court for the Southern and Middle Districts of Florida and the United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit.

Read the full bio and view the complete conference schedule at: https://shorturl.at/dYmqp

🚨 Hotel Block Closes March 12 The discounted room block for the ACRD 2026 Annual Conference at the Ga***rd Palms Resort ...
03/03/2026

🚨 Hotel Block Closes March 12

The discounted room block for the ACRD 2026 Annual Conference at the Ga***rd Palms Resort & Convention Center closes March 12. After that, rooms return to general inventory and the conference rate will no longer be available.

If you're joining us in April, secure your room now and remind your team to do the same. The negotiated rate is only available through our official block and availability is not guaranteed once it closes.

This year’s conference features some of our strongest programming yet, including a keynote from Advisory Council Chair Leland Dudek.

Book your room today and we’ll see you in April: https://shorturl.at/6w1WW

Leland Dudek | Keynote Speaker ACRD is honored to welcome Leland Dudek, former Acting Commissioner of the Social Securit...
03/02/2026

Leland Dudek | Keynote Speaker

ACRD is honored to welcome Leland Dudek, former Acting Commissioner of the Social Security Administration, as a Keynote Speaker at the 2026 ACRD Annual Conference.

With more than twenty-five years of federal service, Lee has held senior leadership roles spanning cybersecurity, fraud prevention, and large-scale IT modernization at SSA. Most recently, as Acting Commissioner, he worked directly with ACRD and national advocates on critical policy decisions, including identity proofing changes that preserved phone-based claims access for disability, SSI, and Medicare applicants.

His experience at the highest levels of operational leadership reinforces a simple truth: “There is no inside and outside advocacy. That distinction is a myth. There is only the work.”

Join us as he brings a rare perspective shaped by policy, technology, and direct collaboration with the advocacy community.

Read full bio and complete conference schedule by visiting: https://shorturl.at/62ja6

Thank you to everyone who showed up for Rare Disease Day 2026. To the patients who shared their stories. To the advocate...
03/02/2026

Thank you to everyone who showed up for Rare Disease Day 2026.

To the patients who shared their stories. To the advocates who amplified them. To the disability representatives who show up every day for the most complex cases. To everyone who learned something new about the 30 million Americans navigating rare conditions.

But awareness without action is just a hashtag. So here’s our commitment:

ACRD will continue training accredited disability representatives who are equipped to handle the most challenging cases, including those involving rare diseases with fragmented, hard-to-access medical records.

AADJ will continue fighting information blocking and systemic barriers that prevent patients from accessing their own health data, because medical records access is a civil right, not a privilege.

The theme this year was “More Than You Can Imagine.” The barriers are real. But so is our determination to tear them down.

See you in the fight. 💙💚💜

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