Yesterday, Access had the honor of joining disability rights advocate Carl Schulze and fellow activists for the final mile of his powerful journey to the State Capitol.
Schulze traveled by wheelchair for 11 days to ask elected officials how they plan to preserve Medicaid-funded home and community-based care. These essential services allow people with disabilities and older adults to live independently while providing critical support to families and caregivers.
At the Capitol, Access stood alongside Schulze as he delivered a moving speech about proposed Medicaid cuts and the devastating consequences they could have for the people who rely on these services every day.
“People with disabilities are asking for the basic tools that allow us to live with dignity and independence: reliable home healthcare that keeps us out of nursing homes and other institutions,” Schulze said. “I am campaigning for the largest minority group in the country – the only one that anyone can join at any moment.”
This was Schulze’s second wheelchair journey to the State Capitol. Last year, he made the trip to advocate for higher wages for caregivers. This year, his journey was driven by concerns about major cuts to federal Medicaid funding and a Department of Justice memo questioning whether people with disabilities have the right to receive care in their communities.
Medicaid-funded home care is more than a service. It is a lifeline that gives people the freedom to remain in their homes, participate in their communities, and live with dignity. Reducing access to this care could force more people into nursing homes and other institutions while placing additional pressure on families and an already strained caregiving workforce.
Schulze’s determination was inspiring, and his speech was a powerful reminder that decisions about Medicaid have real and lasting effects on people’s lives.
Access is proud to have walked the final mile with Carl and the disability rights advocates who joined him. We will continue standing with people with disabilities, older adults, family caregivers, and direct care workers as they call on elected officials to protect the services that make independence possible.