Wisconsin Board for People with Developmental Disabilities

01/11/2026

Make sure you are ready to vote in the 2026 elections. Our “Make Your Plan to Vote” fact sheet will help you prepare for the February 17 Primary and the April 7 Spring Elections.

View the fact sheet here:
https://disabilityvote.org/2025/be-ready-to-vote-in-2026/
Image description: Graphic reads, “Make your plan to vote! View now!”

01/11/2026

“What’s the Word?” is an opportunity to hear directly from self-advocates about what’s important to them. This month’s article features Stacy Ellingen.

Click the link below to read the article!

https://wi-bpdd.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/WTW_StacyE_January2026.pdf

If you or somebody you know would like to be featured in “What’s the Word?” contact Jeremy at jeremy.gundlach@wisconsin.gov.

01/10/2026

Below is the link from today's Federal Funding Webinar. Our plan is to continue hosting these Friday Federal Funding Webinar series going forward so mark your calendars and we will see you next week (1/16). You can find the registration link below!

1/9 recording: https://youtu.be/FwRvS3vtJBM?si=ebhRqkwAYUeoTQCp

1/16 registration: https://bit.ly/FedFunds116
1/16 registro: https://bit.ly/FedFundSpan116

01/08/2026

Survival Coalition of WI is hosting a 3-part virtual Community Organizing Training in January/February! This 3-part, 9-hour training is free to members of the disability community in Wisconsin who want to explore the principles of collective action to impact issues important to the disability community. Whether it’s cuts to Medicaid and SNAP, the lack of caregivers, quality education, or other issues important to the disability community, this training will give you the connections and skills to have greater impact on public policy.

Sessions are 10 a.m. until 1 p.m. on the dates below and will not be recorded so participation in ALL THREE sessions is strongly recommended in order to improve your effectiveness in community organizing. We encourage people to participate in groups because there will be opportunities for small group discussions.

Register here: https://bit.ly/CommunityOrganizing2026

Session #1 (January 28th): Learning the basics of power, control, and how to motivate others.
Session #2 (February 11th): Identifying challenges and developing strategies for change.
Session #3 (February 25th): Forming cohesive groups and maximizing strengths for bigger impact

01/07/2026

Temple Grandin was one of 4 Americans honored this fall with an installation of their portrait in the Smithsonian's National Portrai Gallery, and Wisconsin's own David Lenz was the artist who painted the portrait!

Watch this PBS segment on Temple Grandin that includes comments from David:

Four new portraits have gone up at the Smithsonian National Portrait Gallery, showcasing this year’s recipients of the Portrait of a Nation award for their transformative contributions to American history and culture. One of them is Temple Grandin, who has transformed animal welfare around the wor...

01/02/2026

Happy New Year! Welcome to Just Ask — a video series about being different, being brave, and being you. Inspired by Justice Sonia Sotomayor’s book Just Ask, this series brings together self-advocates and community leaders in one-of-a-kind conversations fueled by curiosity and mutual respect.

In each episode, two people interview each other — asking honest questions, sharing stories, and discovering the strength in their differences. It’s about seeing each other, learning from each other, and celebrating what makes us us.
In this fourth episode, watch Ben and Dan take turns asking and answering questions — breaking down barriers and building connection through conversation.
Let’s begin — just ask.

Link: https://youtu.be/XoCjghkcMH8

01/02/2026

Former BPDD board member Nathaniel Lentz
shares how starting today his health insurance premiums through the ACA are going from under five dollars a month to almost $600.

MADISON, Wis. -- "It's still a shock."

01/01/2026

Happy New Year! Make a New Year’s Resolution to vote in every election in 2026. Save the date for the Spring Primary on February 17 and the Spring Election on April 7.

Visit https://myvote.wi.gov/ today to make sure you are registered. You can also request your absentee ballot. Tag 3 friends to make sure they have a plan to vote.

Image description: Image of an american flag reads, “ .”

01/01/2026

Bring in the New Year right by getting informed on federal funding changes! Join us January 9th from 9-10am as we continue our Federal Funding Webinar series.

1/9 English Registration: https://bit.ly/FedFunds1926
1/9 Registro Español: https://bit.ly/FedFundsSpa1926

12/30/2025

The number of family caregivers in the US has doubled since 2014. Nearly half of all older adults will eventually need caregiving support yet Medicare does not pay for any of it.

 A national coalition called Care Cant Wait is working at the federal level for better caregiving support. Sharing your story with your members of Congress and state legislators about the need for better. Caregiving support is a great goal for 2026.

Family members carry the burden and costs of caring for America's aging population. Federal policy change is slow to come but a new movement and state actions are building momentum.

12/30/2025

BPDD stands with the National Down Syndrome Congress in condemning the use of harmful and demeaning language referencing people with developmental disabilities. That the head of the US Department of justice office of civil rights is the latest public leader to use this slur is especially concerning given their role in enforcing the ADA and other laws  protecting the civil rights of people with disabilities

As we begin a new year—a time when leaders often talk about fresh starts and better choices—we are deeply disappointed that another public official has used the “R-word,” a slur that has long been recognized as harmful and unacceptable. It is particularly alarming that this slur was used on social media by the head of the US Department of Justice Civil Rights Division, the highest official charged with enforcing the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). National Down Syndrome Congress (NDSC) unequivocally condemns the use of the “R-word” in all contexts, regardless of intention and without exception, because it is disrespectful and dehumanizing to all people with intellectual disabilities. Words matter. They shape attitudes, influence behavior, and imply whose dignity is valued. We urge everyone - especially public officials - to make a New Year’s resolution to stop using this term, to learn why it causes harm, and to commit to language that reflects basic respect for people with disabilities and their families.

Read here for NDSC's full statement on the recent increase in the use of the "R-word" > https://bit.ly/NDSC_R_Word_Statement

12/29/2025

We are saddened to learn of the passing of disability rights pioneer and advocate Bob Kafka. You can learn more about his life and legacy through this NPR feature.

Bob Kafka was an organizer with ADAPT (American Disabled for Attendant Programs Today), a group which advocates for policy change to support people with disabilities.