Wisconsin Board for People with Developmental Disabilities

10/23/2026

You can relive some of the best moments from the Self-Determination conference by watching the 2026 wrap-up video! Thank you so much to everyone who came out to build community, learn about advocacy, share information, and make new connections!

Wrap-up video: https://youtu.be/BfIdysvrGsw

Save the date for the 20th year of the Self-Determination conference and join us October 27-29th, 2027!

Enjoy the videos and music you love, upload original content, and share it all with friends, family, and the world on YouTube.

10/22/2026

Please help us congratulate the 2026 Diehard award winners! A Diehard is a person who has made a significant contribution to the advocacy work here in Wisconsin. A diehard is someone with a strong commitment to community integration and self-determination. Diehards go above and beyond to make sure everyone is counted.

Congratulations to Josh Gretebeck, Christie Carter, Dr. Cheryl Funmaker, Danielle Tolzmann, and a surprise award for the creator of the Diehard award Fil Clissa! Each one of these Diehards have made a significant impact to advocacy around Wisconsin. We will share their individual award video submissions throughout the next week so keep an eye out to learn more about their work around the state!

10/20/2026

Enjoy some photos from yesterday's Self-Determination Kick-Off! So many wonderful sessions today and a great keynote this morning from BPDD board chair Sydney Badeau. We will be posting more pictures through the week so stay tuned!

10/19/2026

Disability and Aging Policy Forum: Homecare Data

10/17/2026

We are just a couple of days away from the 2026 Self-Determination Conference! Monday Oct 19th starts with the conference Kick-Off in the afternoon and through dinner. We are looking forward to seeing so many people we know from all over the state! If you aren't able to attend this year, check back on our social media and the SD conference website in November as we will be recording most of the sessions so you won't miss any of the great information and advocacy that will be shared!

We will be sharing pictures each day at the conference right here and you can tag us to share your pictures also! See you next week!

10/14/2026

One of our Competitive Integrated Employment grantees (CIE) IndiGO, hosted a community conversation at the Superior Public Library! In partnership with the Douglas County Community on Transition they talked about all the good things happening in Superior and ways to expand to support people with disabilities to get jobs in their community. We love to see communities coming together to help support CIE for people with disabilities!

10/13/2026

Below is the link to the recording of this morning's Disability and Aging Policy Forum! The powerpoint slides used during the event along with an Op-Ed written by Tami Jackson of BPDD/Survival Coalition and Emily Petersen of the Wisconsin Aging Advocacy Network. We will be sharing clips, quotes, and some data discussed for you to share to your networks and in your advocacy, over the next couple of weeks.

Forum recording: https://youtu.be/fsLKdWe4-qk
Powerpoint slides:https://wi-bpdd.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/AD-Forum-slides-10.13.26.pdf
Op-Ed The issue that's missing from Wisconsin's debate for governor:https://wi-bpdd.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/OpEd_TheIssueMissingFromWisconsinGovDebate_101326.pdf
Facts about Wisconsin’s Home Care Programs:https://wi-bpdd.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/SurvivalWAAN_HomeCareCheaperThanInstitutionalCare_101226.pdf

10/13/2026

The Survival Coalition of WI in partnership with the Wisconsin Aging Advocacy Network are hosting a nonpartisan policy forum. The virtual event will focus on the Erosion of civil rights protections, Care infrastructure, Housing designed to work for everyone, and Schools.
The forum will include an expert panel of people with disabilities, older adults, advocates, and the professionals who know the people walking through their doors daily, desperate for help. They will share firsthand stories about what is happening on the ground in every community and what is needed to improve the lives of people with disabilities, older adults, and family caregivers.

Scheduled panelists include:
- Jennifer Fischer, President, Aging and Disability Professional Association of Wisconsin (ADPAW), an expert on issues seen day to day at the state’s aging and disability resource centers (ADRCs)
- Lisa Schneider, a family caregiver to her mom and daughter and Executive Director of the Respite Care Association of Wisconsin
- Carl Schulze, a disabled self-advocate from the Fox Valley
- Jason Glozier, Executive Director, Wisconsin Coalition of Independent Living Centers and co-chair of Survival Coalition and
- Brian Peters, Advocacy & Accessibility Services Specialist, Independence First, Milwaukee
- Megan Hufton, parent of two children who receive special education services and Director of Community Education and Training at the Autism Society of Wisconsin

10/13/2026

"We cannot afford to be overlooked."

Read this op-ed in today's Wisconsin State Journal by Tami Jackson and Emily Petersen.
https://madison.com/opinion/column/article_48bfda89-a7e0-42af-8f7e-d392d8ee70eb.html -source=home-top-story

Then, join Survival Coalition and Wisconsin Aging Advocacy Network TODAY at 11 a.m. to hear about the issues that matter most to our community. You can watch LIVE right here on the BPDD page or go to youtube.com/ or Wisconsin Eye at wiseye.org.

10/13/2026

Join us today at 11am right here on our Facebook as we livestream the Disability and Aging Policy Forum. This event is hosted by the Survival Coalition of WI and the Wisconsin Aging Advocacy Network!

The virtual event will focus on the erosion of civil rights protections, care infrastructure, housing designed to work for everyone, and special education. An expert panel will share firsthand perspectives about the struggles families face in providing care for their loved ones and increased barriers to people getting the care they need to live.