VOICEOVER: Once again, MCD Council Chair Nikki Villavicencio.
NIKKI VILLAVICENCIO: Thank you all for being here today to discuss an issue that affects families across Minnesota, ensuring that parents with disabilities have the services and supports they need to raise their children without fear of discrimination or unnecessary child welfare involvement.
Despite the protections of the 14th Amendment, the Americans with Disabilities Act and the Olmstead Act, parents with disabilities remain the only distinct community in the United States that must actively fight to retain custody of their children. As Jonathan Young of the National Council on Disability stated in 2012, this is a fundamental civil rights issue.
Here in Minnesota, the numbers tell a troubling story. Between 2000 and 2009, parents who had a disability label in their school records were more than three times more likely to have their parental rights terminated than those without such a label. They were also more than twice as likely to be involved in the child welfare system.
Let me be clear. This is not because parents with disabilities are less capable of raising their children. This is because of systemic bias, lack of access to adaptive parenting supports, and the simple fact that parenting with a disability often comes with added economic challenges. Instead of addressing these challenges with support and services, our system too often penalizes parents for having a disability.
The biggest difference between parenting with a disability and parenting without one is not a parent’s love, commitment, or skill. It’s economics. Parents with disabilities face higher rates of unemployment, additional health care costs, and barriers to securing the adaptive equipment and/or personal care assistance they may need to care for their children.
If we provide these supports, just as we do for other parents facing economic hardships, we can prevent unnecessary family separations. We must stop treating disability as an automatic risk factor and start recognizing it as simply another aspect of human diversity. Thanks to the Minnesota legislature’s commitment to disability justice, we now have a system that prioritizes support over separation.
The commissioner of Human Services was tasked with, one, studying the feasibility of supportive parenting services and adaptive parenting equipment under Medicaid. Two, developing recommendations for eligibility, service design, and cost. Three, providing a legislative framework for ensuring these services become reality. And now, we are seeing the real impact of that legislation. With over 60 families so far accessing these services, children who might have been placed in foster care are instead growing up with their parents in their own homes with the support they need.
Minnesota’s success is not just a victory for our state. It’s a model for the entire country. Other states have passed similar laws, but few have implemented services as effectively as we have. Our next step is to ensure this pilot program becomes a permanent, fully funded initiative. We have proven that these services work. Now we must expand them so that every parent who needs support can access it.
While the progress we’ve made is worth celebrating, we know that our work isn’t finished. Too many parents still lack access to the resources they need, and too many families still live with the fear of losing their children simply because they have a disability. That’s why this year we’re fighting for the next step. Representative Peter Fischer is leading the charge as chief author of the new bill that will expand and strengthen supportive parenting services in Minnesota.
This bill directs the commissioner of Human Services to seek a federal waiver amendment to allow home and community-based services to deliver supportive parenting services and supports under Medicaid. Minnesota has taken a bold and necessary step toward justice, but our work isn’t finished. We must build on this momentum and ensure that no parent in our state fears losing their child simply because they have a disability.
Let’s be clear. This bill isn’t about special treatment. It’s about fair treatment. It’s about recognizing that disability should never be a reason to separate a family, and that every parent deserves the right to raise their child with dignity and support. By passing this bill, we ensure that parenting supports become a permanent part of Minnesota’s Medicaid system. Families get the services they need before a crisis occurs. Parents are empowered, not penalized, for seeking help.
This bill is a game-changer, but it won’t pass without your voices. We need to keep the momentum going. Here’s how you can help. One, call or email your legislators. Tell them why this bill matters. Tell them that families deserve support, not separation. Two, share your stories. If you or someone you know has benefited from these services, let the world know how they make a difference. Three, show up and advocate. Attend hearings, write letters, and make sure our leaders know that this issue isn’t going away.
Minnesota has already set an example for the nation by recognizing and supporting parents with disabilities. But the fight isn’t just about one bill or one program. It’s about changing the way we think about disability and parenting altogether. We have the opportunity to create a future where every parent, regardless of ability, has the support they need to raise their child, a future where fear of discrimination is replaced with the promise of inclusion and empowerment.
Let’s get this bill passed. Let’s continue the fight, and let’s make sure that every family in Minnesota has the chance to stay together, thrive, and succeed. Thank you. Now, I’d like to turn things over to some of our other council members so they can tell you more about the things they are working on.