The Pennsylvania Developmental Disabilities Council (PADDC) recently published its June 2025 Spotlight newsletter. Read highlights from the newsletter below, or read the full newsletter at this link.

Advocacy, Policy and Advising

PA Disability Budget Coalition
PADDC is supporting a PADisability Budget Coalition. Members are leaders from disability advocacy groups. The group meets monthly to talk about state budget priorities. Members will work together to advocate for funding. The coalition will release a public statement listing their priorities for the 2025/2026 State Budget.

The federal budget proposes cuts to Medicaid funding which could harm the disability community. PADDC is advocating to protect services for people with disabilities. Several council members and constituents with developmental disabilities and their families met with Congressional offices and Senator Fetterman’s staff. During these meetings, people shared stories about how Medicaid Home and Community-Based Services are essential. PADDC collected additional stories from Pennsylvanians by email. The National Association of Councils on Developmental Disabilities (NACDD) uses stories and from Councils across the country during Medicaid advocacy events and meetings in Washington DC. 

Eliminate sub-minimum wage and promote competitive integrated employment for people with developmental disabilities.
In February, the Information Sharing and Advisory Committee (ISAC) of the Office of Developmental Programs(ODP) discussed the recommendation to increase employment. During the meeting, Lisa Tesler, PADDC Executive Director, advocated for ODP to end the practice of sub-minimum wage in Pennsylvania. As a result, ODP committed to developing a plan to phase out the practice. In April, ODP scheduled time for ISAC members to begin talks about how to approach ending subminimum wages. This is an important step toward finally ending this discriminatory practice in PA.

Supporting Families State Team
This group recently met in Harrisburg for its annual planning meeting. Dana Thompson, Project Officer, and Lisa Tesler, Executive Director, represented PADDC and joined leaders from the Office of Developmental Programs, Self Advocates United as 1, and the PA Family Network. The group talked about new activities and initiatives for next year. In addition, the team met with representatives from The National Community of Practice for Supporting Families Across the LifeSpan to discuss how Pennsylvania will work with other states across the country. The National Community of Practice exists to enhance and drive policy, practice, and system transformation to support people with intellectual/developmental disabilities within their families and communities.