Disabled Adults Face Uncertain Future as Funding Shrinks

Aging parents worry about the fate of their adult children with intellectual and developmental disabilities as government support declines.

Apr. 1, 2026 at 7:57pm

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Nancy Mietz, a parent of a 43-year-old son with cerebral palsy and legal blindness, shares her family's experience navigating the complex web of services and supports for adults with disabilities. As her son and others like him approach adulthood, they face a 'quiet crisis' as school-based supports disappear and funding for critical programs like Medicaid, Medicare, and Social Security are threatened by potential federal budget cuts.

Why it matters

This story highlights the growing challenges facing families of adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities, who often rely on a patchwork of nonprofit organizations and government programs to help their loved ones live independently and with dignity. As the population of disabled adults increases and public funding declines, there are concerns that many will be left without the essential services they need, putting them at risk of homelessness, institutionalization, or severe isolation.

The details

When children with disabilities turn 22, they lose access to the school-based supports they've relied on for years, leaving them to navigate the complex world of adult services on their own. Organizations like Becoming Independent provide vital programs, advocacy, and human connection for these adults, helping them with daily living, government benefits, housing, employment, and self-advocacy. However, public funding for these services has been shrinking, even as the need continues to grow.

  • When children with disabilities turn 22, many school-based supports disappear.
  • Nancy Mietz's son has been living independently with the support of Becoming Independent for the past 15 years.

The players

Nancy Mietz

A parent advocate for people with disabilities and the parent of a 43-year-old son with cerebral palsy and legal blindness.

Becoming Independent

A nonprofit organization that supports the full spectrum of adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities, providing programs, advocacy, and human connection to help them live independently.

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What they’re saying

“Because of its support, my son has been able to live independently for the past 15 years. He requires 24-hour assistance, yet through the guidance, advocacy and services provided by Becoming Independent, he has been able to live with dignity in his own home — not in an institution, not dependent solely on aging parents, but as a valued member of his community.”

— Nancy Mietz, Parent advocate for people with disabilities

“If my son's funding was reduced or eliminated, I am at an age where I physically cannot step back into full-time caregiving. There are thousands of parents in the same position — aging caregivers who have spent decades advocating for and protecting their children and now are lying awake at night wondering what will happen if the safety net disappears.”

— Nancy Mietz, Parent advocate for people with disabilities

What’s next

Advocates for people with disabilities are urging lawmakers to maintain and increase funding for critical programs that support independent living, such as Medicaid, Medicare, and Social Security, to ensure that adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities can continue to access the services they need.

The takeaway

This story highlights the vital role that nonprofit organizations and government-funded programs play in supporting the independence and dignity of adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities. As the population of disabled adults grows and public funding declines, there is a pressing need to protect and strengthen these essential services to prevent vulnerable individuals from being left behind.