Nancy Jensen feels she would still be residing in an abusive group home if it hadn’t been closed down in 2004 with the assistance of the Disability Rights Center ofKansas, which for many years has been funded by the government to safeguard the rights of Americans with disabilities.
However, the flow of funding during the Trump administration is now uncertain, according to disability rights organizations across the country, which has affected their outlook as Saturday commemorates the 35th anniversary of the historic Americans with Disabilities Act. Federal funds support a significant portion of their activities, including assisting individuals seeking government-supported services and legal actions currently underway.Iowa and Texas toward better community services.
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Documents outlining President Donald TrumpTheir budget suggestions indicate they would eliminate funding designated for three grants to disability rights centers and reduce support for a fourth.CongressThe initial conversation about them, by the Senate Appropriations Committee, is scheduled for Thursday, although the centers are worried about losing over 60% of their federal funding.
The risk of reductions arises as the organizations anticipate increased need for assistance following the Republican-led tax and financial legislation that introduced a new work-reporting obligation, making Medicaid healthcare coverage more complex.
There is also the pain of the timing: this year marks the 50th anniversary of another federal law that established the network of state organizations dedicated to supporting individuals with disabilities, and Trump’s proposals could lead to the most significant reductions in funding over this period, according to advocates. These organizations are permitted to conduct surprise visits to group homes and speak with residents individually.
“Many individuals with disabilities will be left behind,” said Jensen, who is now the president of Colorado’s advisory council responsible for federal funding aimed at protecting people with mental health conditions. She is concerned that those with disabilities will have “no safety net” when it comes to challenging housing discrimination or accessing support at school or workplace accommodations.
The possible financial benefits involve a slight reduction in copper from every federal tax dollar. The organizations get approximately $180 million annually — compared to $1.8 trillion in optional spending.
The Trump administration highlights adaptability for states
The President’s Office of Management and Budget did not reply to an email requesting a response to the criticism from disability rights organizations. However, in budget papers, the administration stated that its proposals would provide states with essential flexibility.
The U.S. Department of Education stated that allocating funds for disability rights centers imposed an unnecessary administrative load on states. Russell Vought, Trump’s leading budget advisor, informed senators in a letter that an analysis of 2025 spending revealed excessive funding was directed towards “specialized” organizations outside of government.
“We also examined, for every program, if the government service delivered could be more effectively handled by state or local authorities (if it was provided at all),” Vought wrote.
Disability rights campaigners question whether state protection and advocacy groups — referred to as P&As — would recognize any funds not explicitly designated for their use.
They take legal action against states, which is why advocates prefer that states do not determine if their work receives funding. The 1975 federal law that established P&As stated they are independent from the states, and more recent laws have strengthened this position.
“We require an autonomous system capable of holding them and other offenders responsible,” stated Rocky Nichols, executive director of the Kansas center.
Assisting individuals with disabilities in accessing Medicaid benefits
The center led by Nichols has supported Matthew Hull for many years in securing state coverage for services, and Hull aims to secure employment. He relies on a nurse funded by Medicaid to assist with errands.
“I must be capable of doing that to maintain my energy,” he stated, noting that exercise helps maintain his well-being.
Sean Jackson, executive director of Disability Rights Texas, mentioned that Medicaid applicants frequently faced challenges navigating its procedures even prior to the recent tax and budget law adjustments.
With less money, he stated, “As cases come in, we’ll have to accept fewer cases.”
A group from Texas gets financial support from a legal aid foundation and other entities, although federal funding makes up 68% of its total resources. The Kansas center and Disability Rights Iowa depend completely on federal financing.
“Most people would likely be 85% or more,” stated Marlene Sallo, executive director of the National Disability Rights Network, which advocates for P&As.
The suggestions from the Trump administration indicate a desire to close P&As, according to Steven Schwartz, who established the Center for Public Representation, a Massachusetts-based group that collaborates with them in legal cases.
Examining claims of mistreatment and urging governments
Federal support led to a call in 2009, prompting Disability Rights Iowa to start an immediate review of a program that employed men with developmental disabilities at a turkey processing facility. Officials stated that the individuals resided in a hazardous, insect-ridden dormitory and were economically taken advantage of.
Without the funds, executive director Catherine Johnson stated, “That’s perhaps something we wouldn’t have been able to accomplish.”
The private interview conducted in 2004 by the Kansas center with one of Jensen’s roommates ultimately resulted in extended federal prison terms for the couple who ran the Kaufman House, a facility for individuals with mental health conditions located approximately 25 miles (40 kilometers) north of Wichita.
It was not until Disability Rights Iowa initiated a federal lawsuit in 2023 that the state committed to developing a strategy to offer community-based services for children with significant mental and behavioral challenges.
For 15 years, Schwartz’s team and Disability Rights Texas have been involved in a federal legal case, claiming that Texas placed several thousand individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities in nursing homes without sufficient support. Texas sent at least three men to care facilities following their employment at an Iowa turkey processing plant.
Last month, a federal judge mandated the initiation of a plan aimed at addressing the “serious and continuous” issues. Schwartz mentioned that Disability Rights Texas conducted interviews and collected essential documents for the case.
“There are no superior eyes or ears,” he stated.
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Hunter reported from Atlanta.
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