November 2025 Highlights and Hot Topics
The November 2025 issue of Highlights & Hot Topics includes a message from NCCDD's executive director, a celebration of five Disability Advocacy and Leadership Award winners, a public policy update, NCCDD's Impact Report, and upcoming webinars hosted by NCCDD.
- Letter from the Executive Director
- NCCDD Honors Five North Carolinians for Their Disability Advocacy and Leadership Across the State
- Public Policy Update as of 10/23/25
- NCCDD Releases its 2024-2025 Impact Report
- Upcoming NCCDD Webinars in December
- BoletĂn en español
- Newsletter in Accessible Audio
Letter from the Executive Director
It is the season of gratitude and holidays. I am grateful for each of you in the intellectual and other developmental disability (I/DD) community. We have great people facing difficult challenges but who support one another.
Every day, I meet parents and individuals with I/DD who amaze me. We have peers with I/DD mentoring others. We have parents looking out for other parents. We have providers and Direct Support Professionals who go out of their way to provide support even when faced with terrible Medicaid cuts.
Our leadership at the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) is the best in the country. They are facing vacancies, budget cuts, massive workloads, impossible choices, and a barrage of policy changes. They keep doing their work for our community.
I am grateful that so many of you have shared your stories and personal experiences of the challenges you face from Medicaid cuts, the waiting list, and the workforce shortage this year. We needed you during this year of unprecedented challenges. Over and over again, you reached out to your state and federal leaders to advocate and educate on the needs of people with I/DD.
I am grateful for the Council Members at the North Carolina Council on Developmental Disabilities. We have the largest and most active and engaged Council in the country. They show up every quarter and often monthly to lead the I/DD community in North Carolina.
Our staff at NCCDD is extraordinary. They run the best quarterly meetings and champion our community on the critical issues.
I am grateful to be reminded of all the leaders who stepped up in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene to care for the I/DD community. It was wonderful to celebrate two of those leaders, Lauren Howard and LaDonna Huffaker, at our awards dinner in November.
I am also grateful for leaders like Ray Hemachandra, Laura Newell, and Pat Keul. They are outstanding leaders of the I/DD community we celebrated at our awards dinner.
This is a challenging time, but we have a great community. Thank you to each of you for all the ways you make North Carolina better for the I/DD community.
Talley Wells, NCCDD Executive Director
NCCDD Honors Five North Carolinians for Their Disability Advocacy and Leadership Across the State
Five North Carolina leaders in disability advocacy were honored at the 2025 Advocacy and Leadership Awards presentation at NCCDDâs November meeting in Cary, NC. The awards celebrate advocates who have advanced opportunities and access for people with I/DD in North Carolina.
Kerri Eaker Mountain Mover Award: Lauren Howard and LaDonna Huffaker
The Kerri Eaker Mountain Mover Award is given to individuals whose unwavering commitment has driven transformative systems change for North Carolinaâs I/DD community. The honorees were Lauren Howard, Director, NC Office on Disability and Health, and LaDonna Huffaker, Workforce Engagement Manager, Division of Human Resources, NC Department of Health and Human Services, for their work in Western North Carolina during the aftermath of Hurricane Helene.
Howard took the initiative to lead daily video conferences from the North Carolina Emergency Operations Center, focusing on people with disabilities affected by the storm. She created a vital daily link among western North Carolina residents, state and federal emergency responders, local communities, disability providers, and disability leadersâensuring people with disabilities in the region remained a priority.
Huffaker worked on the ground to address needs identified through disability calls, providers, and local communities. She ensured that people with disabilities were being checked on and that shelters were prepared to meet their needs.
North Carolina Leadership Award: Laura Newell
The North Carolina Leadership Achievement Award recognizes advocates with I/DD. Laura Newell from Charlotte, NC Newell has been a long-time leader of a self-advocacy organization, Self Advocates of Mecklenburg. She supports self-advocates like herself to advocate and lead. Each year, she organizes people with I/DD to travel to the NC General Assembly to meet their legislators and to speak up on what matters to them. Newell works at InReach, a nonprofit that provides housing, employment, and community support for individuals with I/DD in Charlotte/Mecklenburg and nearby counties. Newell is also a noted published author.
Jack B. Hefner Memorial Award: Ray Hemachandra
Ray Hemachandra, from Asheville, was this yearâs recipient of the Jack B. Hefner Memorial Award. Hefner, also referred to as âBig Jackâ was a fierce advocate for his son with I/DD. Hemachandra is a business consultant, an advocate for equity, and an author of many op-eds on disabilities in North Carolina. He served on the Vaya Consumer and Family Advisory Committee for seven years. Most importantly, he is a parent of and champion for his autistic son Nicholas.
Helen C. "Holly" Riddle Distinguished Service Award: Pat Keul
The Helen C. "Holly" Riddle Distinguished Service Award recognizes professionals who work with people with I/DD. Pat Keul, a champion of employment for people with I/DD, was this yearâs recipient. She is the Director of Operations at Disability:IN where she has led several projects funded by NCCDD to increase I/DD employment across the state. Pat Keul has been a champion of employment for people with I/DD for over 35 years. She is the Director of Operations at Disability:IN where she has led several projects funded by NCCDD to increase I/DD employment across the state. She collaborated with people with disabilities to create the curriculum for the I/DD Peer Mentor training program, a pioneering curriculum that NCCDD and its partners have used to teach people with I/DD to mentor others with I/DD. She also founded Supported Employment Training (SET, Inc.) as one of the first supported employment programs in the state.
Talley Wells, Executive Director of NCCDD, said, âWe celebrate these individuals whose steadfast advocacy transformed lives and brought communities together across North Carolina. Our award recipients are committed to supporting individuals in navigating the complex care and service systems in our state, while advocating for essential resources, information, and empowerment. They are ensuring North Carolina is a place where individuals with I/DD have a voice and the support to thrive in their communities.â
For more information about NCCDDâs Advocacy & Leadership Awards, go to https://nccdd.org/get-involved/advocacy-leadership-awards.
Public Policy Update (as of 11/20/25)
Federal
Budget
The longest government shutdown in history ended on November 12, 2025 with the passage of a continuing resolution (CR) to fund the government through January 30, 2026. The legislation will make the government rehire the government workers that the Administration fired during the shutdown (more than 4,000 people). This includes the people who were fired from these offices that support students with disabilities: Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP), Rehabilitation Services Administration (RSA), and the Office for Civil Rights (OCR). These offices are responsible for making sure that students with disabilities receive the education and services they are guaranteed under IDEA, and that people with disabilities are protected from discrimination under the Rehabilitation Act, the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA), and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).
The legislation also restores full funding to the USDA, which oversees SNAP, after benefits were paused for the first time in the programâs history on November 1, 2025. SNAP benefits support more than 40 million low-income people, including about 4 million people with disabilities. States are working to ensure the full November benefit amount is available on EBT cards, though specific timing may vary by state.
Many Democrats in Congress wanted the bill to include an extension of Affordable Care Act (ACA) tax credits so there is division within the Congressional Democratic caucus. The promise from Senate leadership to allow a December vote on a Democrat-led healthcare bill applies only to the Senate; House Republican leadership has made no such promise. There continues to be concern about health insurance premiums increasing dramatically with the end of the tax credits.
Department of Education
Although the Continuing Resolution required the rehiring of staff, the Trump administration announced on November 18, 2025 that it plans to continue dismantling the Education Department by moving some of the duties to other departments. This aligns with the Presidentâs previously stated goal of eventually closing the Department of Education, although this can only be accomplished with an act of Congress. His reason for closing is to give states more control over school policies. This is concerning because the functions of the Department of Education are key to ensuring civil rights and making sure states follow regulations that guarantee that every student can learn and succeed.
Department of Labor
On November 11, 2025, several Congressional representatives led by Senator Elizabeth Warren, Senator Tammy Duckworth, Representative Debbie Dingell, and Representative Lateefah Simon sent a letter to the Department of Labor Secretary requesting the rationale behind several recent actions that could negatively affect disability programs. These include:
- Section 503: The Administration proposed a rule that would eliminate hiring goals for contractors and stop the collection of data about how many people with disabilities are hired by federal contractors. Also, many staff who monitor compliance with Section 504 have been fired.
- Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP): The Presidentâs proposed FY26 budget reduces the ODEP budget by 21%. ODEP promotes policies that increase employment opportunities in the federal government for people with disabilities.
- Subminimum Wage: The Biden Administration had begun a rulemaking process to phase out subminimum wage for people with disabilities, but the Trump Administration stopped this process. The Department of Labor continues to issue certificates that allow businesses to pay people with disabilities a wage below the federal minimum wage.
- Job Corps: The Department of Labor has proposed a rule to get rid of equal opportunity regulations in the Job Corps program. This program provides free job training and education for young adults to help them on their career path. In the past, this program included that sponsors of the Job Corps had hiring goals for people with disabilities. The Department of Labor is trying to get rid of this regulation.
State
Medicaid Cuts
On October 21, 2025, more than 200 people with disabilities, advocates, and representatives of provider agencies showed up at the legislature but it did not result in any change to the Medicaid rate reductions. There was some hope that a November session might bring action. Despite being called into emergency session by the Governor, the General Assembly has not returned to Raleigh and providers are facing rate cuts. The General Assembly asserts that the Department of Health and Human Services has funds to support the Medicaid program without cuts through April. The Department of Health & Human Services contends that they are mandated to balance its budget within the funding appropriated by the General Assembly. While this disagreement continues to play out, the reduced rates may make it financially unsustainable for some providers to continue offering care, potentially impacting access to critical services, especially for vulnerable populations such as those with disabilities. Continued advocacy is critical. Reach out to your representatives and to the Governorâs office to share how devastating these cuts will be for people with I/DD.
Olmstead Plan Feedback Opportunity
NCDHHS is seeking feedback on North Carolina's Olmstead plan which is designed to advance disability inclusion and equity. This plan centers the voices of people with disabilities, families, providers, and advocates to ensure our systems are equitable, accessible, and person-centered. NCDHHS wants to hear from you! There are a few ways to provide feedback. They are accepting written feedback via email at
NCDHHS also wants to engage with the community through virtual and in-person sessions, which will include ASL, interpreters and plain-language materials. If you are interested in participating, contact
The Technical Assistance Collaborative is working with the state to enhance services for people with disabilities and has created an online survey. The survey asks for public input on two things: how disability services are working in North Carolina, and proposed new principles to serve as the foundation for its work. The survey will be available through December 15, 2025.
NCCDD Releases its 2024-2025 Impact Report
NCCDD has released its Impact Report for the federal fiscal year 2024-2025. The report explains what the Council worked on during the year and the progress made to improve supports and services for North Carolinaâs I/DD community. The report is available on NCCDDâs website.
In the December Highlights and Hot Topics newsletter, weâll share more details and highlights from the report. Stay tuned!
Upcoming NCCDD Webinars in December
The North Carolina Council on Developmental Disabilities (NCCDD) offers several monthly webinars to help you stay educated and informed. All meetings are free and open to the public. Stay informed and become involved in important conversations â thereâs something for everyone in the I/DD community!
Policy Education Meeting
Thursday, December 11, 2025, from 10:30 AM to Noon
Learn about important updates about state and federal policies, budget developments, and other issues that affect people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD). There will also be time for questions and open discussion. Please note that NCCDD only provides public policy education. The Council does not lobby on specific legislation.
Register here: https://www.zoomgov.com/meeting/register/vJItdu-uqD8oHpxzFX9FiES_lSmk_8OP4r4#/registration
Self-Advocate Discussion Series: Gifting as a Self-Advocate
Wednesday, December 17, 2025, from 1 - 2 PM
The holiday season is here! We will discuss what it means to make an impact, and share stories about how small acts of kindness can make a bigger impact than we think for ourselves and others.
Register here: https://www.zoomgov.com/meeting/register/vJIscuqsqTIuHKmNsMe66wT4whwK0hPGVAM#/registration
BoletĂn en español
Lea el boletĂn aquĂ: Aspectos destacados & temas de noviembre de 2025
Newsletter in Accessible Audio
Listen to the audio version here or click on the image below: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2526321/episodes/18230625