Wisconsin Board for People with Developmental Disabilities

10/14/2026

One of our Competitive Integrated Employment grantees (CIE) IndiGO, hosted a community conversation at the Superior Public Library! In partnership with the Douglas County Community on Transition they talked about all the good things happening in Superior and ways to expand to support people with disabilities to get jobs in their community. We love to see communities coming together to help support CIE for people with disabilities!

10/13/2026

Below is the link to the recording of this morning's Disability and Aging Policy Forum! The powerpoint slides used during the event along with an Op-Ed written by Tami Jackson of BPDD/Survival Coalition and Emily Petersen of the Wisconsin Aging Advocacy Network. We will be sharing clips, quotes, and some data discussed for you to share to your networks and in your advocacy, over the next couple of weeks.

Forum recording: https://youtu.be/fsLKdWe4-qk
Powerpoint slides:https://wi-bpdd.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/AD-Forum-slides-10.13.26.pdf
Op-Ed The issue that's missing from Wisconsin's debate for governor:https://wi-bpdd.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/OpEd_TheIssueMissingFromWisconsinGovDebate_101326.pdf
Facts about Wisconsin’s Home Care Programs:https://wi-bpdd.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/SurvivalWAAN_HomeCareCheaperThanInstitutionalCare_101226.pdf

10/13/2026

The Survival Coalition of WI in partnership with the Wisconsin Aging Advocacy Network are hosting a nonpartisan policy forum. The virtual event will focus on the Erosion of civil rights protections, Care infrastructure, Housing designed to work for everyone, and Schools.
The forum will include an expert panel of people with disabilities, older adults, advocates, and the professionals who know the people walking through their doors daily, desperate for help. They will share firsthand stories about what is happening on the ground in every community and what is needed to improve the lives of people with disabilities, older adults, and family caregivers.

Scheduled panelists include:
- Jennifer Fischer, President, Aging and Disability Professional Association of Wisconsin (ADPAW), an expert on issues seen day to day at the state’s aging and disability resource centers (ADRCs)
- Lisa Schneider, a family caregiver to her mom and daughter and Executive Director of the Respite Care Association of Wisconsin
- Carl Schulze, a disabled self-advocate from the Fox Valley
- Jason Glozier, Executive Director, Wisconsin Coalition of Independent Living Centers and co-chair of Survival Coalition and
- Brian Peters, Advocacy & Accessibility Services Specialist, Independence First, Milwaukee
- Megan Hufton, parent of two children who receive special education services and Director of Community Education and Training at the Autism Society of Wisconsin

10/13/2026

"We cannot afford to be overlooked."

Read this op-ed in today's Wisconsin State Journal by Tami Jackson and Emily Petersen.
https://madison.com/opinion/column/article_48bfda89-a7e0-42af-8f7e-d392d8ee70eb.html -source=home-top-story

Then, join Survival Coalition and Wisconsin Aging Advocacy Network TODAY at 11 a.m. to hear about the issues that matter most to our community. You can watch LIVE right here on the BPDD page or go to youtube.com/ or Wisconsin Eye at wiseye.org.

10/13/2026

Join us today at 11am right here on our Facebook as we livestream the Disability and Aging Policy Forum. This event is hosted by the Survival Coalition of WI and the Wisconsin Aging Advocacy Network!

The virtual event will focus on the erosion of civil rights protections, care infrastructure, housing designed to work for everyone, and special education. An expert panel will share firsthand perspectives about the struggles families face in providing care for their loved ones and increased barriers to people getting the care they need to live.

10/13/2026

BPDD Executive Director, Jenny Price was interviewed recently about community living and integration for people with disabilities. You can read the full article using the link below!

Don't forget to tune in live right here on Facebook tomorrow at 11am if you want to hear more about civil rights protections, care infrastructure, housing designed to work for everyone, and special education for people with disabilities and aging adults.

‘It should be all of us’

10/12/2026

The 42nd annual Circles of Life Conference will be held at the Wilderness Resort in the Wisconsin Dells on May 6 and 7, 2027. This unique event brings together Wisconsin families who have children with disabilities and the professionals who work with them to learn, grow and connect.

The conference is currently looking for presenter proposals. Use the link below to submit a proposal before Oct 23rd!

https://familyvoiceswi.org/circles-of-life-conference/

10/10/2026

Below is the link for the Federal Funding webinar recording from this morning! We will not be having a Friday Webinar on October 16th or 23rd. We will instead be sending out an email with a pdf presentation and updates/resources. You can register to receive the updates by using the link below. We will be back to our regular Friday morning webinar format on 10/30. See you then!

Registration, recordings, slides, and other resources for these webinars can all be found on our website here: https://wi-bpdd.org/index.php/federal-funding-updates/

10/9 webinar: https://youtu.be/w-QYYSsxPEs

10/23 email update registration: https://bit.ly/4hGPNoU

10/09/2026

Having a guardian does not automatically mean losing your right to vote.



Graphic reads: Guardianship & Voting Rights. Only a judge can take away someone’s right to vote. Many people under guardianship retain the right to vote. You can get your right to vote back after it’s been taken away.
Having a Power of Attorney does not mean you have lost your right to vote.

10/09/2026

“What’s the Word?” is an opportunity to hear directly from self-advocates about what’s important to them. This month’s article features David Pinno a former board member for WI-BPDD and WI Partners in Policymaking Graduate.

Click the link below to read the full article!
https://wi-bpdd.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/WTW_DavidPinno_October2026_final.pdf

If you or somebody you know would like to be featured in “What’s the Word?” contact Jeremy at [email protected].