July 24, 2026
Letter from the Advocacy Director
Happy Disability Pride Month! Every July, we celebrate disability identities and our community. July is also the month we remember when the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) was signed.
We have great news! Governor Kehoe did not cut pay rates for Personal Assistants, Medical Personal Assistants, or Day Programs. Thank you to everyone who spoke up, sent emails, or met with lawmakers. Your voices made a difference. You can read more in my budget update below.
We also have more good news. Missouri has officially withdrawn from the Texas v. Kennedy case, also called the 504 Lawsuit. Your advocacy helped make this change, and we appreciate Attorney General Hanaway for listening. This is a big win, and it shows what we can do together. There is still more work to do to protect the rights of people with disabilities to live and get services in their homes and communities, but we should celebrate this victory.
Even though Missouri withdrew from the lawsuit, the U.S. Department of Justice recently shared new guidance and rules that concern other disability advocates and us. You can read more about that below.
Our Kansas City Coffee for Change event went very well. (Link and photo will be added here.) Our next coffee is in Springfield on August 5th, and after that in Moberly on August 15th. Please join us if you can and sign up ahead of time. Visit our website for more details about upcoming Coffee for Change events.
Remember to vote on August 4th! See below for more information about what will be on your ballot.
Thank you for staying in MOtion!
Christina Ingoglia
Policy Advocacy Director
Attendees from the Coffee for Change event held in Kansas City on July 10, 2026
US Department of Justice Memo and Notice
On June 18, 2026, the US Department of Justice (DOJ) issued a memo saying it would no longer use guidance from the Olmstead decision to enforce community integration. Below is a plain language summary of the memo.
The federal government reviewed whether two disability laws—the Rehabilitation Act and the ADA—require states to move people with serious mental illness or disabilities out of institutions and into community-based settings.
Their conclusion: Neither law requires states to always place people in the “most integrated” (community) setting.
They also determined: Congress did not give federal agencies the power to force states to do this through regulations.
The DOJ’s Key Points in Simple Terms
- The Supreme Court’s Olmstead decision (1999) did not say states must always move people out of institutions. It only said that unjustified isolation can count as discrimination.
- The Court did not define exactly when institutional care is “unjustified.”
- States may have many legitimate reasons for providing treatment in hospitals or institutions—such as safety, available resources, medical needs, or lack of capacity in community settings.
- Because the law doesn’t clearly require forced integration, federal agencies (like DOJ or HHS) cannot impose that requirement through regulations.
- If Congress did want to require states to move people to community settings, it would raise serious constitutional issues about federal overreach into state control of health and safety.
- Therefore, the existing federal “integration mandate” regulations go beyond what the law allows and are not valid.
The Bottom Line
The federal laws prohibit discrimination against people with disabilities, but they do not force states to provide mental-health services in the most integrated setting. States may use institutional care when they have reasonable, non-discriminatory reasons for doing so.
On July 20, 2026, the US DOJ posted a notice that it will not use the 2020 Olmstead guidance. They said they will not use the 2020 Olmstead guidance anymore. This means the integration mandate in the Medicaid Final Rule has no start date. This is a big deal because it means the DOJ will not enforce the integration mandate. Now states can decide whether or not they want to follow it.
This means protecting the right to live in the community will depend on people like us—disability advocates, people with disabilities, and allies.
We expect a court case, similar to the 504 Lawsuit, to eventually reach the Supreme Court. We do not know how the Court will rule.
This change could lead to more people with disabilities being placed in institutions, but it depends on each state and how much they value home and community-based services.
What can we do in Missouri as disability advocates?
- Ask questions about Missouri’s waitlist for Home and Community-Based Services (HCBS) and make sure people are being moved into the community. Right now, there is no waitlist for the Department of Mental Health/Division of Developmental Disabilities waivers, but one may start soon because this year’s budget did not include many new waiver spots.
- Continue teaching state leaders and lawmakers why we want services in the community instead of in nursing homes or state institutions.
- Explain to allies and lawmakers how expensive institutions are, especially because Missouri’s budget is very tight. More Medicaid cuts are coming because of last summer’s federal HR 1 law. States will have less money for HCBS and other Medicaid programs.
Please watch for a possible call to action soon. But you can always ask your lawmakers to meet with you in your community. Share your concerns and explain how HCBS helps you live and thrive in your own home.
August 4th Primary — What You Need to Know
Borrowed and edited with permission from The Easterseals Advocate Brief
Early Voting: July 21 – August 3, 2026: Between July 21 and August 3, you can vote early in person. Missouri allows no-excuse in-person absentee voting during the two weeks before Election Day. You don’t need a reason to vote early. You can visit your local election authority’s early voting sites and cast your vote! Be sure to check to see where the early voting location is. It is often NOT your typical polling place. Find your local election authority
Election Day: Tuesday, August 4, 2026: Polls are open 6:00 AM to 7:00 PM. If you’re in line by 7:00 PM, you have the right to vote. No matter when you vote, don’t forget to bring a valid ID. To vote in person, bring one of these:
- Missouri driver’s license
- Missouri non-driver ID
- U.S. passport
- U.S. military or veteran ID
- Another photo ID issued by the State of Missouri or the U.S. government that meets state requirements
If you don’t have one of these IDs, you can ask for a provisional ballot.
Learn What’s on Your Ballot: Before you vote, you can:
- Find your polling place
- View your sample ballot via your local election authority
- Learn about statewide constitutional amendments
Accessible Voting: Missouri law offers several ways to make voting more accessible:
- Curbside voting: Vote from your vehicle. Have someone notify election workers, and they’ll bring a ballot to you.
- Alternate polling location: If your assigned polling place isn’t accessible, you can request a different site or vote at a central accessible location.
- Accessible voting systems: Every polling place must offer one, with features like audio ballots and enlarged text.
- Permanent absentee voting: Voters with a permanent physical disability can apply to receive an absentee ballot application automatically before each election.
Need help? Contact your local election authority or call (800) NOW-VOTE.
Constitutional Amendments on Your August 4 Ballot
Watch a video from the Missouri Developmental Disability Council’s July meeting. You can learn about the constitutional amendments that will be on your August 4th ballot. The presentation was given by Robyn Schelp, Director of Policy and Advocacy for Kids Win Missouri.
August Ballot Initiatives and What They Mean
https://youtu.be/ypP-JiSbyiA?si=ePubwvIThptyiOJc
Making Our Voices Heard: MODDC’s 2026 Legislative Session Recap
In 2026, MODDC worked with advocates, lawmakers, and partners to protect services for people with disabilities. We focused on Medicaid, Home and Community-Based Services (HCBS), safer schools, and policies that support full inclusion. Our legislative priorities include:
Protect Medicaid: Federal rule changes and new state work requirements made it hard to measure progress, but MODDC submitted public comments, spoke at hearings, and met with lawmakers to share concerns.
Protect HCBS Funding: When the Governor proposed cuts in January, strong advocacy—including MODDC’s efforts—helped lawmakers restore funding. Governor Kehoe ultimately reinstated HCBS rates in the state budget.
Our Work This Session
- Multiple Capitol visits to meet with lawmakers.
- Three Action Alerts resulting in about 4,000 emails to state leaders.
- Most emails focused on stopping HCBS cuts; 400 addressed the 504 lawsuit; others pushed for solutions to reduce seclusion in schools.
- Written testimony supporting an IEP-improvement bill that gained historic progress, receiving over 90% support on the House floor (though it didn’t pass).
- Testimony on proposed Medicaid work requirement changes (which did not pass).
- In-person testimony on eliminating the State Income Tax (appearing as Amendment 5 on the August ballot).
- Public comments on DOT’s 25-year plan, DD waiver changes, and Healthy SNAP proposals.
- Media outreach and stronger relationships with budget-decision lawmakers.
Thank You!
Because Council members and grassroots advocates stayed engaged, this progress was possible. Thank you to everyone who visited the Capitol, shared your stories, and helped amplify our priorities—you made a difference.
Help Us Reach More People in the IDD Community
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