The Disability Community Budget Priorities Pennsylvania State Budget 2025/2026

The disability community came together to identify key funding needs in the state budget. Our goal is to ensure all people with disabilities have access to services they need, the opportunity to live in the community, and the freedom to make their own choices. The participating organizations agreed to the following priorities.

Our Main Priorities are:

  1. Funding for quality services and increases for staff salaries.
  2. Addressing waiting lists for services.

Department of Human Services:

  • We support proposed funding for Home and Community-Based Waivers in the Office of Developmental Programs (ODP). The $175 million funding is needed to:
    • Maintain provider rates at current levels.
    • Provide full year of funding for people who started receiving services this year.

Any reductions to the Governor’s proposal will cut into current services and reduce rates.

  • We ask for increases to home care funding in the Office of Long Term Living (OLTL).
    • We support the $21 million for workers in the Participant Directed Model.
    • We ask for additional funding to increase wages for ALL Direct Care Workers, including those who work for agencies.
    • We recommend increasing rates for providers to keep up with costs and deliver quality services.
  • We support proposed increases to Mental Health funding for counties through the Office of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services (OMHSAS).
    • We support the $20 million to recoup losses from drastic cuts back in 2012. We ask for additional funding to address the underfunding in the system. We suggest engagement with the MH community to best understand the need.

Housing, Special Education, Employment and Transportation were identified as important needs for the disability community.

  • Housing funding: Under DCED (Department of Community & Economic Development),  we ask for support regarding Housing Stock Restoration (home repairs) and full funding of Keystone Communities (includes PA Accessible Housing for home modifications, zeroed out currently).
  • Special Education Funding: We support proposed funding of $40 million for special education. We recommend additional funding for a total of $60 million. This is needed to cover increased costs for wages and delivery of necessary special education services to students.
  • Infant/Toddler Early Intervention program: We support the proposed increase of $16.2 million to provide rate increases for providers and serve an additional 3,000 children and families. Additional funding support is recommended (estimated at $49 million) to address increased costs and projected numbers served.
  • Employment funding: We support the proposed $5 million to support the Office of Vocational Rehabilitation (OVR). This funding will help people with disabilities find jobs in the community.
  • Transportation funding: We support the proposed $292.5 million public transit investment. We recommend an additional $384 million to maintain current levels of service, including paratransit. PennDOT’s recent Shared Ride Study (People with Disabilities and Seniors) indicates that the system has at least a $50 million funding gap. Amtrak service disability (ADA) station upgrades must continue along with additional locations in underserved communities. Many people with disabilities and their staff rely on accessible public transportation.

Federal Funding Changes and Challenges

Advocates are unsure what will happen to funding from the federal government. Medicaid dollars pay for services for people with disabilities, like healthcare and home and community-based services.

We ask for a commitment from state government officials that all essential services will be maintained so that people with disabilities can remain in their homes and communities and no one will lose eligibility or benefits due to federal funding changes.

The following organizations are united behind these budget priorities:

Center for Advocacy for the Rights and Interests of Elders (CARIE)
Delaware County Advocacy & Resource Organization
Disability Equality In Education (DEE)
Everett Deibler, J. Badger Consulting Inc.
Pennsylvania Developmental Disabilities Council
Speaking for Ourselves
Susan Tomasic, Board Chair, Pennsylvania Statewide Independent Living Council
Tammy Carr Darville’s Tasks
The Arc of Greater Pittsburgh
The Arc of Indiana County
The Arc of Pennsylvania
The Coalition on Disability Inclusive Curriculum
The Provider Alliance
Values into Action – Pennsylvania
Vision for Equality

If you would like to add your agency as a supporter of these disability focused priorities, please contact Lisa Tesler, Executive Director ltesler@pa.gov or 717-787-5504