Carrie Buck Distinguished Fellowship 2026
The 2026 Carrie Buck Distinguished Fellowship Keynote Event will be held on April 28, 2026 at 1 p.m. ET. The event will be held online only.
For far too long, the conversation around disability and autonomy has focused almost exclusively on basic survival and medical necessity. In this keynote lecture, writer and disability advocate Evan Sweeney will challenge this "survival-only" paradigm by centering pleasure as a fundamental human right.
Drawing from his work as a sex educator and founder of Cripping Up Sex, Evan will explore the systemic barriers that desexualize disabled bodies and the radical act of reclaiming intimacy. This session will introduce the Access Archive—a new digital library of adaptive techniques and storytelling—and offer a roadmap for moving beyond mere "access" toward a future where disabled joy and desire are recognized as essential to the human experience.
Register for the 2026 Keynote Event, Pleasure as a Human Right
Co-Creating Pregnancy Plans with Disabled People: The Accessible Pregnancy Action Plan Model
"Co-Creating Pregnancy Plans with Disabled People: The Accessible Pregnancy Action Plan Model" was presented by Dr. Kara Ayers on February 27 at 1 p.m. ET.
Recording available soon!
Money Follows the Person and LTSS Rebalancing: Opportunities for States
On January 29, 2026, the Community Living Policy Center held a webinar on the Money Follows the Person (MFP) program. National policy advocates and state administrators highlighted the history of the program, State snap shots, and Tribal MFP Initiatives. Speakers discussed the cost-effectiveness of the program and also provided recommendations looking forward.
The Money Follows the Person (MFP) program is one of the longest and most successful Medicaid demonstrations. MFP supports states to transition people residing in nursing homes and other institutional settings back to the community. It assists states with “rebalancing” their Long-Term Services and Supports (LTSS) systems by advancing access to Home and Community-Based Services (HCBS) and improving community living outcomes.
Disabled Parents' Adoption Experiences
People with disabilities can face barriers and stigma when adopting kids. In this webinar, facilitated by researcher and adoptive parent Kara Ayers, we hear from two disabled parents, Robin Wilson-Beattie and Yomi Young, about their experiences with adoption. They share what they wish they knew before navigating adoption, what support helped them, and what professionals should know about adoptive disabled parents and families.
Access the Adoption Experiences 1-Page Webinar Recap
Access recording of Disabled Parents' Adoption Experiences
Announcing the 3rd Carrie Buck Distinguished Fellowship Keynote Event with Laura Millar
Reproductive Justice and Disability Justice are deeply connected, and honoring that connection strengthens individuals and communities. Our third Carrie Buck Distinguished Fellow is Laura Millar, an independent consultant and the co-executive director of the Blind Sexuality Access Network. Laura's work is focused on how blind and disabled people are systematically denied access—not just to sexual healthcare or education, but also to autonomy, pleasure, relationships, and even basic conversations that should never have been out of reach in the first place.
Watch the Carrie Buck Fellowship event recording.
View the ASL interpretation only recording.
Lactation and Breastfeeding with a Disability
Parents with disabilities have babies at about the same rate as those without disabilities. However, all too often, disabled parents don’t get the support they need postpartum. In this webinar, we will discuss how to support new parents with a variety of disabilities in lactation and breastfeeding their child.
We hear from Alesha Thomas, BS, IBCLC, a disabled certified lactation consultant, mom, and founder of the Adaptive Parent Project, about tips and strategies for successful breastfeeding. Then, we hear stories from Elizabeth Soper and Norma Morán about their experiences with lactation and breastfeeding and the challenges they encountered as new disabled and Deaf moms.
Watch the Lactation and Breastfeeding with a Disability webinar recording.
Disaster Preparedness for Parents with Disabilities
People with disabilities are often excluded from conversations about emergency preparedness. This includes parents with disabilities who need to keep themselves and their children safe during a disaster. Watch to learn from Shari Myers and Melissa Marshall from the Partnership for Inclusive Disaster Strategies about preparedness best practices and from National Research Center for Parents with Disabilities' Advisory Board member Judy Brown about her personal experiences.
At Our Centers:
National Research Center for Parents with Disabilities
National Center for Disability and Pregnancy Research
Community Living Policy Center
Community Living Equity Center