Center for Disabilities Studies

The federal Health and Human Services (HHS) Department issued guidance saying states, hospitals and doctors cannot exclude people with disabilities or older people from care under “crisis of care” standards. A top administrator says HHS will soon open discrimination investigations in multiple states. Disability advocates expressed concern that the guidance may provide immunity in certain cases involving defective products provided by companies asked to quickly scale up operations.

Instead of drafting and voting on bills in Dover, lawmakers have become intermediaries for constituents while working from home offices and living rooms. Issues such as clean water, education reform and gun control have yielded to basic survival needs such as unemployment, mortgage payments, food and toilet paper.

As the state tries to contain the spread of coronavirus, Gov. John Carney and the Delaware State Housing Authority on Tuesday announced a new program to help people pay rent and utility bills.

Sens. Tom Carper and Chris Coons see many positives in the nearly two trillion dollar coronavirus relief bill that’s expected to quickly pass Congress and get President Trump’s signature. “We haven’t got all the details for the cities and counties but the state of Delaware will get at least 1.5 billion dollars,” said Coons.

Activists and advocates for people with disabilities charge that the provisions of the $2 trillion coronavirus stimulus package do not do enough for the community while noting resources for them have been strained by the pandemic.