On February 4, 2026, the Minnesota Council on Disability brought together disability advocates, service users, caregivers, providers and elected officials for “Let’s Talk About Disability Services in Minnesota,” a statewide virtual forum on recent disruptions to disability services.

More than 700 Minnesotans registered from urban, suburban and Greater Minnesota communities, making it the event with the most participants in MCD’s history. MCD held the forum to hear directly from people affected by these disruptions. The discussion is also helping shape public policy work during a period of fraud investigations and Medicaid payment reviews.

Moderator Quinn Nystrom opened by naming the urgency many participants were feeling: “The consequences of recent fraud investigations… are being felt in people’s bodies, in their homes, and in their daily struggle to survive.”

Throughout the discussion, participants made clear that these disruptions are not abstract policy issues. They affect independence, safety, and daily life.

What Participants Said

Live polling during the event showed widespread uncertainty and fear among Minnesotans with disabilities:

• 48% reported concern about services being reduced or disrupted
• 31% reported uncertainty about what comes next
• Only 1% said they trust the system will be fair
• 22% reported feeling overwhelmed and afraid

Together, these responses pointed to fear, uncertainty and low trust. Those themes also came through in the stories people shared. For MCD, they also pointed to several policy priorities this session.

Advocate Alma Silver described how payment suspensions put her ability to live independently at risk: “Without these services, I would not be able to sustain my independence…I would likely be placed in an institutional setting.”

She also made clear that fraud prevention efforts should not unintentionally remove life-sustaining care: “Disabled people never needed to be put into this crisis in the first place…We should not need to justify our right to exist.”

Other speakers focused on what happens when people have to navigate the system during a health crisis. Advocate Cassandra McWade described failures in coordinated care while recovering from surgery: “My biggest question is, why was my voice not enough?” She raised concerns about:

• inadequate care coordination
• heavy documentation burdens
• billing errors that disrupted services
• limited response to patient concerns

McWade urged policymakers to shift accountability toward administrative systems rather than frontline caregivers: “Putting 15 minutes of documentation on a care provider is 15 minutes taken away from hands-on care.”

Advocate Lydia Dawley described how service interruptions affect not only individuals but also the workers they rely on: “When services are stopped, I cannot eat, I cannot shower… it affects the people who help me.” She said low wages and limits on hours make it harder to keep trusted staff.

Dawley also underscored the need for people with disabilities to be included in decisions that affect their lives: “Please listen. Please see us. And please include us in decisions for the services that affect our daily lives.”

What MCD Heard

The discussion pointed to several clear priorities for MCD’s public policy work. Participants and speakers emphasized the need to:

• protect continuity of life-sustaining services during investigations
• improve communication with people who use services and the providers who deliver them
• strengthen the disability services workforce
• reduce administrative burden on direct care staff
• make sure fraud enforcement is proportionate and does not harm people who rely on services
• include people with disabilities in policy decisions that affect their lives

These concerns were echoed by state leaders and lawmakers who joined the event.

Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan acknowledged the trauma experienced by families: “These are not just administrative details. They are real-life disruptions.”

She also said accountability efforts should not come at the expense of essential services: “Preventing fraud and protecting people should not be in conflict with one another.” The administration committed to improving transparency, payment timelines and continuity protections.

Sen. Jim Abeler also reflected on the human impact: “In all this fraud discussion, we have to remember the people… we don’t want to have one person come to harm or not get services that they need.”

Sen. Paul Utke stressed communication failures: “When all of a sudden you find out the day of that your services are being interrupted… that’s not acceptable.”

He also encouraged continued advocacy: “Keep telling your story. Those living it, that’s the most impactful.”

Overall, the event showed broad concern across Minnesota communities and political lines. It also reinforced a central message: people with disabilities must be included in policy decisions that affect their lives.

What MCD Is Doing

The experiences shared during this event are already informing policy work. MCD has incorporated themes from these discussions into meetings with legislators, policy briefings and proposed bill amendments related to disability services.

Insights from the event were also highlighted in MCD’s presentation at the Minnesota Social Services Association conference on March 13, 2026.

As the legislative session continues, MCD will keep monitoring policy developments and supporting solutions that protect continuity of care, strengthen communication and ensure the voices of Minnesotans with disabilities remain central to policymaking.

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