The Urgent Threat to Our Community

A dangerous legislative pincer maneuver is quietly threatening to strip thousands of disabled Americans of their independence. If passed, these policy changes could force a return to the dark era of state run institutions.

For years, the standard was simple and fair: if a family qualified for SNAP (food stamps), the government recognized they were living below the poverty line and could not financially absorb the cost of a disabled relative.  This allowed individuals to receive full Supplemental Security Income (SSI) while living at home, surrounded by the people who love them.

 

New legislation aims to scrap that standard. By no longer recognizing the SNAP application as proof of financial need, the government could significantly slash SSI benefits for those living with family.  This effectively targets the most vulnerable families in our country.

 

Why This Matters: A Legacy at 

Risk

In 1999, the Supreme Court’s landmark Olmstead v. L.C. ruling declared that disabled individuals have a right to live in their communities rather than being shuttered in hospitals. This ushered in a vital era where children attended local schools and adults held jobs in their own neighborhoods, supported by Medicaid waivers.

 

Now, that progress is under direct fire:

 The Multi-State Lawsuit:  

Nine states have joined forces to sue the federal government, arguing that the mandate for community-based living is unconstitutional.

 The "Institutional Bias":  

Despite community care being cheaper for taxpayers and vastly better for human dignity, a federal loophole known as "institutional bias" makes it easier for states to claim funding for nursing homes and hospitals than for complex home care waivers.

 

Following the Money: The Reality of Defunding Independence.

If community living is defunded and home benefits are slashed, the result is a forced exodus.  Without the means to survive at home, disabled individuals will be funneled back into large scale state institutions.

 

Our Demand to Legislators

We demand that our elected officials block any legislation that weakens SSI benefits for families receiving SNAP, protect the integrity of the Olmstead ruling, and close the "institutional bias" loophole to fund home based care.  Disabled Americans belong in their communities and with their families.  Not hidden away in institutions.