Trump's actions signal a move toward institutionalizing people with disabilities, advocates warn

Key Points:

• Advocates warn recent policy shifts signal a troubling return to marginalizing people with disabilities, moving away from decades of progress toward inclusion and community integration.
• Since the 1960s, laws and court rulings have promoted the social model of disability, supporting people with disabilities to live, learn, and work alongside nondisabled peers rather than being confined to institutions.
• The Department of Justice's recent memo challenges the longstanding interpretation that disability services must be provided in the most integrated settings, potentially allowing states to reduce support for inclusive education and community living.
• Families and advocates express concern that moving special education oversight to health departments and controversial statements by officials undermine efforts to provide equitable support and opportunities for students with disabilities.
• Parents highlight the importance of inclusive school programs and community-based services for their children's development and fear that policy changes could reverse these gains, pushing disabled individuals back into isolation.