AANE Statement on Federal Actions Weakening Community-Based Care, Special Education, and Civil Rights

About the Author

Brenda Dater, MSW, MPH, is the executive director at AANE and the author of “Parenting Without Panic.” Brenda is a mom of three, and her eldest is an Autistic woman. Brenda has facilitated parent support groups for over 20 years and thoroughly enjoys creating an environment where parents can find the support, information, and the community they need.

The past few days have brought two deeply troubling developments for the disability community. They come at a time when many Autistic and Neurodivergent people and families are already exhausted by constant uncertainty.

These actions are a step backward. One raises concerns about the future of community-based living and the long-standing principle that disabled people should be able to receive supports and services in their communities rather than being unnecessarily placed in institutions. The other shifts key disability rights and special education responsibilities away from the Department of Education, creating ambiguity about how those protections will be upheld. 

It is important to remember that these actions do not change the Americans with Disabilities Act or overturn the Supreme Court’s Olmstead decision. However, they may affect how aggressively those protections are enforced at the federal level. Disability advocates across the country continue to work to protect these rights and ensure that disabled people can fully participate in their communities.  

The rights and opportunities disabled people have today were hard-won through decades of advocacy. AANE will continue to work alongside disability advocacy organizations, including The Arc of Massachusetts, to help protect that progress by sharing accurate information and supporting efforts to preserve the rights, services, and opportunities that Autistic and Neurodivergent people need to live, learn, work, and thrive in their communities.

We are grateful to The Arc of Massachusetts for their thoughtful summary of these developments and encourage our community to read it for additional information and context.