A Quiet but Meaningful Victory for Choice and High‑Acuity Care
Some victories don’t show up in the final vote tally. They show up in who stood with us. This year’s legislative push […]
Why PCA Services Are Growing and Why Families Are Not the Problem
Public conversations about Personal Care Attendant (PCA) services and home‑based supports often focus on the wrong question. Instead of asking why families […]
Why Budget Amendments #695, #699, and #703 Matter: Reinforcing Disability Rights that Exist Under Federal Law
As the Massachusetts House prepares to debate the FY2027 budget, families across the state are watching several important amendments that directly affect […]
Governor Healey’s Remarks at the PAA Summit: What They Signal and What Massachusetts Must Still Confront
Governor Healey’s new executive order acknowledges the needs of adults with profound autism, but the April 2026 Auditor’s report on DDS shows a system already failing to provide safe, coordinated, high‑acuity care. SWHA breaks down what the Governor’s remarks signal — and why Massachusetts must confront deep structural deficits before any statewide plan can succeed.
Opinion: The Caregivers Are Ignored While Executives Cash In
Across Massachusetts, families and frontline caregivers are living through a crisis that rarely makes it into official reports or press releases. While […]
Intentional Communities vs. ICF/IID: Why the Distinction Matters
Intentional communities and ICF/IID aren’t interchangeable. One is a housing model under HCBS; the other is a federally regulated clinical level of care. Understanding the difference is essential for Massachusetts families and policymakers—because real choice requires accurate information and a full continuum of supports.
Could My Autistic or Intellectually Disabled Loved One Be Arrested in Massachusetts?
Many Massachusetts families are facing a reality they never expected: when an adult with high-acuity autism and/or intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) […]
Hidden Trauma in Disability Services
Across the country, people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) are being harmed inside the very systems that exist to protect them. […]
Summary of Lawsuit Series: What Decades of Litigation Reveal About Massachusetts’ Disability System
Part 5: MA IDD Lawsuit Series Today’s crisis in high‑acuity care is not a sudden collapse. It is the predictable result of […]
Hutchinson v. Patrick: When Massachusetts Failed Adults with Acquired Brain Injury (ABI) — And What It Reveals About the System as a Whole
MA IDD Lawsuit Series: Part 4 Hutchinson v. Patrick revealed a simple but devastating truth: when Massachusetts lacks the services people need, […]