Access Ready, Inc., a cross-disability advocacy nonprofit, has joined disability rights organizations in voicing serious concerns over the Heritage Foundation’s Project 2025, which proposes significant changes to federal policies impacting healthcare, education, housing, and civil rights protections for people with disabilities. Access Ready’s CEO, Douglas George Towne, warns that the project could reverse decades of progress in accessibility and inclusivity. The plan suggests transforming Medicaid funding, reducing educational and housing support, dismantling FEMA’s disaster preparedness roles, and rolling back civil rights protections, potentially marginalizing disabled communities. Access Ready pledges continued advocacy to protect and expand these essential rights.
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Access Ready, Inc.
November 5, 2024, 6:00 AM GMT
Washington, D.C., USA, November 5, 2024 — AT-Newswire.com / TopTechTidbits.com — Access Ready, Inc., a cross-disability advocacy nonprofit dedicated to ensuring Information and Communications Technology (ICT) accessibility for all, joins prominent disability rights organizations in expressing serious concerns over the policy implications of the Heritage Foundation’s Project 2025. In alignment with leaders across the Consortium for Constituents with Disabilities (CCD), Access Ready’s Chair and CEO, Douglas George Towne, warns that the Project 2025 blueprint threatens to roll back essential services and protections for individuals with disabilities, undermining decades of progress toward inclusivity and accessibility in American society.
“Project 2025, as it stands, threatens to reverse vital protections and marginalize millions of Americans with disabilities. Access Ready is committed to working with partners, policymakers, and the public to preserve and expand the rights that allow individuals with disabilities to live, work, and thrive in their communities.”
Project 2025 proposes significant shifts in federal healthcare, education, housing, and civil rights policy, which Access Ready and CCD leaders believe would severely impact the disability community. “The rights of individuals with disabilities to access the services and support that allow them to live independently and participate fully in society are at risk,” stated Towne. “Access Ready stands firmly against any policies that jeopardize these hard-won protections and restrict access to vital ICT and healthcare resources.”
Key Concerns Over Project 2025
1.) Healthcare and Medicaid
Project 2025 recommends transforming Medicaid into a block grant or per capita cap program, which would limit federal funding for Medicaid and introduce work requirements for coverage. These changes could restrict access to essential services that millions of people with disabilities rely on for daily living, independence, and community engagement. As Access Ready and CCD emphasize, reduced Medicaid funding threatens Long-Term Services and Supports (LTSS), which provide critical assistance in mobility, personal care, and case management. Such proposals would likely result in restrictive eligibility requirements, cuts in coverage, and significant financial and accessibility barriers for individuals with disabilities.
2.) Education Rights Under Threat
Project 2025 outlines a restructuring of federal education funding, including a proposal to convert grants under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and Title I into block grants, giving states more discretion over their allocation. This shift risks inconsistent support for students with disabilities and reduced access to critical educational services. Additionally, Project 2025 calls for the dismantling of the U.S. Department of Education, potentially limiting oversight and enforcement of educational standards for students with disabilities.
3.) Impact on Housing for People with Disabilities
The plan proposes the dismantling of critical housing support programs managed by the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), along with eliminating the Housing First initiative, which prioritizes safe housing for individuals experiencing homelessness, including those with disabilities. Further, new work requirements and time limits on housing assistance could increase barriers for disabled individuals in accessing affordable housing options.
4.) Emergency Management and Disaster Preparedness
Access Ready and CCD leaders express concern that Project 2025 would reduce the effectiveness of federal disaster management for people with disabilities by restructuring FEMA under departments with limited focus on emergency response. The proposed changes could restrict vital resources during disasters, disproportionately impacting disabled communities and risking increased injury and death among vulnerable populations.
5.) Rollback of Civil Rights Protections
Project 2025 suggests rolling back provisions under the Affordable Care Act (ACA) and Section 1557, which prevent discrimination in federally funded programs. Additionally, the plan calls for removing civil rights protections related to sexual orientation, gender identity, and disparate impact—an essential tool in fighting systemic discrimination that impacts people with disabilities. Access Ready warns that eliminating such protections would reverse years of progress in ensuring equal treatment and accessibility for all individuals, regardless of disability.
Access Ready’s Commitment to Disability Rights and Inclusion
Founded in 2018, Access Ready is dedicated to promoting policies and technological innovation that enhance ICT accessibility for people of all abilities. Through advocacy, research, and policy initiatives, Access Ready strives to ensure that individuals with disabilities have equitable access to technology and the independence it affords. The organization’s Tax Recovery Act proposal exemplifies its commitment to incentivizing accessibility and reducing financial barriers for developers building inclusive technology.
“We are at a pivotal moment in history,” stated Towne. “The policies we support today will define the future of accessibility and inclusion in our society. Project 2025, as it stands, threatens to reverse vital protections and marginalize millions of Americans with disabilities. Access Ready is committed to working with partners, policymakers, and the public to preserve and expand the rights that allow individuals with disabilities to live, work, and thrive in their communities.”
About Access Ready, Inc.
Access Ready, Inc. is a nonprofit cross-disability advocacy organization focused on advancing ICT accessibility for people with disabilities. Established in 2018, the organization envisions a world where ICT is inherently accessible, ensuring equal opportunity for people of all abilities. Led by Douglas George Towne, Access Ready’s initiatives include promoting policies that support accessible technology development and advocating for legislative changes that make ICT accessibility a core priority across sectors.