Disability Rights Florida Blog

From Barriers to Solutions: How Disability Rights Strengthen Our Communities

Monday, December 29, 2025

Barriers We Faced in 2025

People with disabilities in Florida faced many obstacles this year. These barriers are not new, but 2025 made it clear there is still a long way to go before everyone can live, work, and participate fully in their community. The roots of these challenges are deep:

  • Complex eligibility rules: Laws and requirements often make it hard to qualify for or keep needed supports.
  • Funding shortfalls: State and federal budgets frequently fall short of what’s truly needed.
  • Attitudinal barriers: Society still underestimates people with disabilities and often fails to plan for accessibility.

All of these factors shape where people can live, how they get care, and whether their rights are respected.

Not Enough Funding and Long Waits for Services

Thousands of Floridians with developmental disabilities remain stuck on waiting lists for help at home or in the community. According to the latest report from Florida’s Agency for Persons with Disabilities (APD), about 35,997 people are currently served through the state’s iBudget waiver program, while more than 20,800 individuals are still waiting for these essential supports. With limited funding, families must make hard choices:

  • Pay out of pocket for care they cannot afford.
  • Leave their jobs to care for loved ones.
  • See family members placed in institutions against their wishes.

Waitlists can last for years, making life much harder for people with disabilities and their families.

Lack of Accessible and Affordable Housing

Finding a safe, affordable, and accessible place to live is harder than ever. According to a 2025 report from the Shimberg Center for Housing Studies at the University of Florida, nearly 905,000 low-income renter households in Florida, including many people with disabilities, could not find affordable housing. For people with disabilities, it’s not just about cost. Many homes are not accessible, which means:

  • Living far from essential services, jobs, or transit.
  • Moving in with family, sacrificing independence.
  • Settling for housing that does not meet their needs.

Programs exist to help, but there are not enough affordable or accessible homes to go around.

Service Disruptions from the 2025 Government Shutdown

In late 2025, the federal government shut down for 43 days. While basic benefits like Social Security and Medicaid continued, many other supports were delayed or paused. People worried about losing services or having applications stuck in limbo. Organizations like Disability Rights Florida (DRF) received many calls from people who needed answers, but even they could not always help. When the government reopened, backlogs and confusion remained, causing ongoing stress and uncertainty for many.

Food and Nutrition Insecurity Got Worse

Getting enough food was even harder for many in 2025. Changes to rules and delays in funding for programs like SNAP and WIC meant more people faced obstacles getting the nutrition they need. The government shutdown and new work requirements put thousands at risk of losing food benefits. Food banks saw more people coming for help, including those who never needed it before. For people with disabilities who have special diets or need help shopping and cooking, these problems were even tougher.

Prepared for Disaster, Even Without a Storm

Florida did not have a hurricane landfall in 2025, but the risk was always there. State and local groups spent time getting ready, improving emergency plans, training staff, and making sure shelters would be accessible if needed. The Florida Division of Emergency Management used Hurricane Preparedness Week to remind everyone to make a plan, check supplies, and think about transportation or power needs. For people with disabilities, it was a reminder that disasters can happen anytime, and being prepared matters.

Ongoing Stigma and Exclusion

Many people with disabilities still face bias and barriers every day:

  • Inaccessible buildings or transportation.
  • Workplaces that don’t offer needed supports.
  • Widespread misconceptions about what people with disabilities can do.

These challenges showed up in calls to DRF from people all over Florida. From young adults looking for work to parents trying to get their children the right to learn alongside others. For people who are also Black, Latinx, older, or living in rural areas, these barriers can be even tougher. No single fix works for everyone.

Why These Barriers Remain

These problems have been around for years, driven by:

  • Underinvestment in public programs.
  • Confusion between different agencies.
  • Policy changes that create instability.

When budgets get cut or policies change, people who need the most help are often hurt the most. That is why DRF’s advocacy is ongoing. Real progress means keeping up the fight on every front.

Solutions in Action: Florida and DRF in 2025

Despite all these barriers, 2025 brought meaningful progress. These “wins” didn’t always make the news, but they mattered. Sometimes changing a single life, sometimes changing the system for everyone.

Expanding Home and Community-Based Services

This year, Florida improved its Medicaid program to help more people with intellectual and developmental disabilities get the supports they need at home or in their communities. This was a major policy change, launched as the Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Comprehensive Managed Care Program (ICMC), after years of hard work by advocates and self-advocates. More families can stay together, and more people can live where and how they choose.

Legal Victory for People with Disabilities in Prison

Disability Rights Florida (DRF) won an important lawsuit against the Florida Department of Corrections. The settlement means that people with disabilities who are in prison now have stronger protections:

  • Prisons must provide better healthcare.
  • Communication must be accessible.
  • People must be treated with respect and dignity.

This step forward proves that legal action can improve lives, even in places where people are often forgotten.

Standing Up for Students’ Rights

When the federal government cut funding and jobs in the Department of Education, students with disabilities across the country risked losing important supports. Disability Rights Florida joined a national coalition of advocates to urge leaders to reverse these changes. Their work brought attention to the issue and showed decision-makers that the community is watching.

Lessons Learned in 2025

Looking back, 2025 was a year full of challenges and lessons about what works, what still needs to change, and why community action is so powerful.

Key Lessons from 2025:

  • Partnerships matter: Joining forces with families, agencies, and nonprofits brought the strongest progress, especially in emergencies and education.
  • Legal advocacy works, but is slow: Lawsuits like the DOC settlement improved rights, but these are never quick fixes.
  • Policy wins help, but need patience: Policy change is crucial, but government moves slowly. Many still wait for services, even after laws are passed.
  • Lack of funding limits progress: Long waitlists and workforce shortages remain the biggest obstacles.
  • People power moves the needle: Self-advocates who shared their stories made disability rights more visible and kept leaders accountable.
  • Crisis show both gaps and strength: The government shutdown and disaster planning efforts revealed system weaknesses, but also the resilience of Florida’s disability community.
  • Change is gradual: Not every effort led to immediate results, but every step forward matters.

What’s Next?

Big changes are still on the horizon for Florida’s disability rights community. The work isn’t finished, and every year brings new challenges and new chances to make a difference. In 2026, several important bills are moving forward that could directly improve the lives of people with disabilities and their families. Here are just a few to watch and support:

  • Student Elopement Safety (SB 494 / HB 423):
    • Requires public schools to create safety plans for students with autism or other developmental disabilities who are at risk of wandering or elopement. This year’s proposal more clearly defines “elopement” and the purpose of the SAFE teams school districts would put in place.
  • Repair of Mobility Devices (SB 686 / HB 487):
    • Expands the right to repair mobility devices—including power and manual wheelchairs, mobility scooters, and power assist devices. This bill builds on last year’s success by including non-powered devices and ensuring people can choose who repairs their equipment.
  • Autism Spectrum Disorder Supports (HB 717):
    • Updates Florida’s legal definition of autism to match the current DSM standard. Requires K-12 teachers in classes where most students have autism to hold a specialized Autism Spectrum Disorder Endorsement, or have equivalent experience and high performance in teaching students with autism.
  • Law Enforcement and Autism (SB 418 / HB 365):
    • Requires new training for law enforcement officers on interacting with people with autism spectrum disorder. Also establishes the “Blue Envelope” program, designed to improve communication and safety during law enforcement interactions.

These bills represent opportunities to make Florida safer, more supportive, and more inclusive for all. Disability Rights Florida will continue to track these proposals, share updates, and advocate for laws that protect and empower our community.

How You Can Get Involved

No one changes the system alone. Here are a few ways you can make a difference:

  • Subscribe to Our Newsletter:
    Stay up to date with news, advocacy opportunities, and important resources by signing up for the Disability Rights Florida newsletter. Sign up here
  • Visit Our Newsroom:
    Find the latest updates, advocacy stories, and announcements.
  • Share Your Story:
    Your experience can help make change. Tell your story to Disability Rights Florida, your legislators, or the media.
  • Participate in Trainings and Webinars:
    Join online or in-person events to build your skills as a self-advocate and stay informed about key issues.
  • Stay Connected:
    Follow Disability Rights Florida on social media and encourage friends and allies to do the same.

We’re not done. Every voice matters. The next chapter of disability rights in Florida will be written by all of us, together.

Closing

As we look back on 2025, one thing stands out: When challenges arise, Florida’s disability community does not stand still. Whether it’s facing waitlists, working for new laws, or simply supporting each other in everyday life, people with disabilities, families, advocates, and allies keep showing up. We saw the power of people who refuse to give up, who keep speaking out, demanding better, and building connections even in the most difficult moments.

Progress doesn’t always come quickly, and there are still barriers that need breaking. But every story shared, every partnership formed, and every voice raised brings us closer to a future where everyone can participate fully and equally. Our greatest strength comes from the commitment, resilience, and courage of the community itself.

As we move forward, let’s remember: When we move from barriers to solutions, we build a stronger, fairer Florida for everyone. The journey continues, and together, we can make it happen.

Citations

Disability Services & Waitlists

Housing Crisis

Food Insecurity & SNAP

Emergency Preparedness & Natural Disasters

Barriers & Advocacy

Policy, Legal, and Education Advances

Government Shutdown Impact

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