We post our bi-weekly bulletin to keep you up to date on disability-related resources, news, and other items of interest. This information is being provided solely for non-commercial, nonprofit educational purposes, including news reporting and research. It is not intended for commercial purposes. Further, we understand that our readers generally read the articles and information online, at the websites provided in the hyperlinks, rather than relying solely on our synopses or copies. We are not responsible for the accessibility or the content of other websites. Please be aware that some links provided are time sensitive, and may become inactive at any time.
We include links to articles, editorials and opinion pieces, press releases, and other materials that represent diverse perspectives. Inclusion does not imply endorsement of any products, services, sources, information, or opinions expressed in these materials.
General News
Mental Health Awareness Month: Turning Silence into Connection
Join the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) in sharing experiences and building community connections that challenge stigma and create spaces where people are supported and find healing.
Older Americans Month 2026: Champion Your Health
The Administration for Community Living (ACL) leads the nation’s observance of Older Americans Month, a time to recognize older adults’ contributions and reaffirm our commitment to supporting their health and independence. Support the campaign to promote healthy aging through preventive care and community partnerships!
ADA Legal News
Lori’s Gifts to Pay $600,000, Resolving EEOC ADA Lawsuit Alleging Unlawful Screening of Job Applicants
Lori’s Gift’s, Inc., a nationwide chain of hospital gift shops, will pay $600,000 and take other actions to settle a disability discrimination lawsuit filed by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC).
According to the lawsuit, Lori’s Gifts engaged in companywide unlawful practices, asking disability-related questions before making job offers, and refusing to hire qualified applicants based on the perceived need to make accommodations for them.
Beyond ADA: Federal Disability Rights News
Access Board Invites ABA Complaints
The U.S. Access Board enforces the Architectural Barriers Act (ABA), which is the law that requires accessibility in federal facilities such as post offices, Veterans Affairs medical facilities, national parks, Social Security Administration offices, federal office buildings, U.S. courthouses, and federal prisons. The Access Board invites ABA complaints about structural barriers in federal facilities.
To address other forms of disability discrimination (policies and operational issues) within the agencies of the executive branch of the federal government, which is covered by Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, the Board offers a list of Section 504 contacts, as well as information on other federal civil rights laws that protect people with disabilities in air travel, housing, voting and related activities, and much more.
Health and Wellness News
Caregivers with Disabilities: An Overlooked & Under-Supported Caregiving Population
According to recent data, an estimated 36% of adult family caregivers in the U.S. are disabled themselves. This brief explores the challenges faced by caregivers with disabilities, and offers recommendations to ensure that programs to support family caregivers are accessible, inclusive, and responsive to the needs of caregivers with disabilities.
Home and Community-Based Services Improve Outcomes While Reducing Costs
This policy brief highlights research on the value of Medicaid Home and Community-Based Services (HCBS). It summarizes major research findings that demonstrate that high-quality HCBS not only improves health outcomes for individuals, but can also reduce overall health care costs.
“A Broad Approach to Suicide Prevention Helped a Farmer in Need. Here’s How It Went Beyond Crisis Hotlines.”
This article reports on efforts to expand the focus of suicide prevention beyond care and treatment for individuals in crisis and address the broader social and economic conditions that often push people to the breaking point.
One suicide prevention researcher commented, “As long as we have that convenient narrative that it’s just a bunch of broken people needing medicine and treatment, then we’re never accountable for fixing the broken things in our communities.”
Accessibility News
Accessible and Universal Home Remodeling
This guide is chock-full of practical information on how to improve access, usability, and safety in older homes.
“The Paralympic Village Was Proof That Truly Accessible Cities Can and Should Exist”
This article reports on the “prototype for an accessibility utopia” that resulted from a design approach that centered access from the start.
Training, Events, and Opportunities to Participate
Webinar: Website Accessibility for Small Business
May 12, 2026
12:00 noon – 1:00 p.m. Eastern
Did you know that 1 in 4 adults in the U.S. has a disability? If your website isn’t accessible, you’re essentially closing your front door on 25% of your potential market. Website accessibility is more than just a legal checkbox—it’s a massive growth opportunity. Join us as we share simple, practical steps you can take to expand and enhance your digital presence.
Webinar: Inclusive Influence: Social Media Accessibility Best Practices
May 20, 2026
2:00 – 3:00 p.m. Eastern
Social media is a powerful tool for sharing information, but much of its content remains inaccessible to disabled users. Join us to learn why accessibility matters and identify common barriers. We’ll cover key best practices—both familiar and new—and provide clear, actionable steps to make your content more inclusive. Ideal for content creators, social media managers, marketers, and anyone who posts online.
Tony Coelho Media Scholarship
The Tony Coelho Media Scholarship will offer eight (8) scholarships to be used in the fall semester of 2026. High school seniors, undergraduate, and graduate students with disabilities who are pursuing careers in media, communications, or entertainment industries and who will be enrolled in college or a university during the fall of 2026 are eligible. The deadline to apply is May 29th, 2026.
Health at Home Challenge
The Administration for Community Living (ACL) launched Phase I of this national challenge, which seeks to leverage community care networks led by community care hubs (CCHs) to support people who are eligible for both Medicare and Medicaid and have multiple health conditions and at least one functional limitation. The competition will support scaling of community care networks with a CCH lead working in partnership with one or more health care organizations to reduce the total cost of care and increase days spent at home. Up to $2 million will be awarded in Phase I. Submissions are due by June 24th.
“Are You a Parent with a Disability? Share Your Experience in a Blog Post or Video.”
The National Research Center for Parents with Disabilities invites submissions in English or Spanish about experiences and needs of disabled parents. Submissions should be brief (blog posts should be about 1,000 words; video posts should be about one minute long) and original (not generated by AI or similar tool).
The Center is also interested in videos of “life hacks,” because parents with disabilities are master problem-solvers!