Disability Issues

After two years of almost complete inaction, the current U.S. Congress is considering several bills benefiting people with special needs.

A new book of essays, Identity, Self, and the World: Learning from Adults with Developmental Disabilities, distills what author David Wizansky has learned over 30 years of running group homes for people with special needs.

Many insurance companies are routinely denying doctor requests that patients receive coverage for inpatient psychiatric treatment, sometimes with disastrous consequences, according to a recent investigative report by the CBS News show 60 Minutes. ...

The Special Needs Trust Fairness Act, federal legislation that would allow people with disabilities to create their own special needs trusts instead of having to rely on others, has cleared a key Senate hurdle.  ...

In one of its first acts of the new Congress, the Republican-controlled House of Representatives changed its rules to prevent lawmakers from shifting money from the Social Security retirement trust fund to the Social Security disability trust fund unless the...

Many people with special needs choose to live in group homes or supportive housing with other people with special needs.

The Achieving a Better Life Experience (ABLE) Act gives some people with disabilities or their families the ability to establish tax-free savings accounts, but they may not be for everyone.  Here are some pros and cons of these new accounts...

President Obama's recently-released Fiscal Year 2016 Budget proposes a reallocation of payroll taxes to fix the anticipated shortfall in the Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) trust fund, along with increased employment assistance for people with disabilities and additional funding for...

One of the greatest challenges for many individuals with disabilities is finding a safe, clean, and affordable place to live.  A new guide can help applicants and their advocates understand the complicated "Section 8" housing program.  ...