The Lurie Institute for Disability Policy

Current Events at Lurie and Centers

January Webinar | Money Follows the Person and LTSS Rebalancing: Opportunities for States

wheelchair user driving with money following him. Information provided on webpage provided on graphic.Date and time: January 29, 2026 at 2 PM ET

Accessibility: ASL interpretation and closed captioning

Please join us for our Money Follows the Person (MFP) webinar where national policy advocates and state administrators highlight the history of the program, State snap shots, and Tribal MFP Initiatives. Speakers will highlight the cost-effectiveness of the program and also provide 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

Disabled Parents' Adoption Experiences (webinar)

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

Permission, Pleasure, and Power: Consent as the Foundation for Disability and Reproductive JusticeReproductive 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

Lactation and Breastfeeding with a DisabilityParents 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

Disaster Preparedness for Parents with Disabilities webinar - July 21, 2025 at 12pm ETPeople 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.

Watch recording on YouTube.

At Our Centers:

National Research Center for Parents with Disabilities

Upcoming Events at the NRCPD

National Center for Disability and Pregnancy Research

Upcoming Events at the NCDPR

Community Living Policy Center

Upcoming Events at the CLPC

Community Living Equity Center

Upcoming Events at the CLEC