Disability Network Michigan (DNM) represents Michigan’s 15 Centers for Independent Living (CILs). DNM is a unified voice for advocacy, resources, and expertise; it is your first step in learning more about what independent living is and how people with disabilities can achieve their goal to be their own decision makers.
At Disability Network Michigan, advocacy is at the heart of our mission. Whether it’s participating in a rally or sending a note to our state senators and representatives, your voice can make a difference.
See how advocates came together for the March for Medicaid rally and learn how you can take action with Protect MI Care.
Honor the legacy of Olmstead v L.C. by encouraging Congress to recognize this landmark civil rights decision
Make your voice heard by sending a postcard to your legislators sharing why supported decision-making matters to people with disabilities!
On behalf of its members, DNM focuses on connecting individuals, businesses, governments with tools, resources, and supports for integrating people with disabilities fully into their communities to promote equal opportunities, self-determination, and respect.
DNM has prioritized transportation, housing accessibility, direct care worker wages, and protecting Medicaid because these issues are essential to ensuring independence, opportunity, and community involement for people with disabilities across Michigan. Reliable transportation, accessible housing, and a stable direct care workforce form the foundation for daily living, employment, and full participation in society. By advocating for these priorities, DNM is working to strengthen the systems that sustain individuals, families, and communities, ensuring Michigan remains a state where everyone can thrive.
Enhancing Transportation Accessibility: Reliable transportation is a lifeline that connects individuals with disabilities to their communities, workplaces, and essential services. DNM and the CILs focus on enhancing accessibility of existing services and developing innovative, cross-county transportation solutions. By forging strategic local and regional partnerships and advocating for inclusive policy reforms, the plan aims to dismantle existing barriers and innovate new solutions that make transportation universally accessible. The plan seeks to expand accessible routes and policy changes that support comprehensive transportation systems. Public awareness campaigns will also play a critical role in garnering support and understanding from the wider community, ensuring that the necessity of investment in accessible transportation is both recognized and acted upon. – From the current State Plan for Independent Living (SPIL)
Accessible, adaptable, and affordable housing is foundational to independent living. The CILs aim to increase the availability of accessible, adaptable, and affordable housing. Our advocacy efforts focus on ensuring housing policies and building codes encompass the needs of individuals with disabilities. DNM and the CILs also advocate for housing developments that meet the diverse needs of individuals with disabilities, promoting designs From the current State Plan for Independent Living (SPIL)
Direct care workers (DCWs) provide essential support that helps people with disabilities live independently, assisting with daily activities, offering behavioral health support, and enabling individuals to remain in their homes and communities. In Michigan’s behavioral health system alone, more than 50,000 DCWs deliver this vital care, yet wages have not kept pace with the demands of the work. Low pay and limited benefits have led to high turnover rates, creating challenges for both workers and those who rely on their services.
The Direct Care Worker Wage Coalition advocates for fair compensation, calling for a base wage of $20 per hour, streamlined administrative systems to ensure funding reaches workers, and greater recognition of the critical role DCWs play in Michigan’s care network. Disability Network Michigan (DNM) supports these efforts by helping raise awareness about the importance of strengthening and sustaining the direct care workforce—because when caregivers are supported, individuals with disabilities and their communities thrive.
The Protect MI Care Coalition is a statewide alliance of health care providers, advocacy groups, and community organizations working to ensure continued access to care for Michiganders who rely on Medicaid. The coalition focuses on raising awareness about the importance of protecting Medicaid funding and the vital role it plays in supporting children, seniors, people with disabilities, and families across the state.
Disability Network Michigan supports this effort by helping to share information, engage communities, and elevate the voices of those most affected. Together, we are working to protect the health care resources that allow people with disabilities to live healthy, independent lives.
For media and any media-related information, please contact Teri Langley, our Executive Director.
LANSING—The disability community is one of the largest marginalized groups in Michigan with 18% of residents living with a disability. People with disabilities have been navigating physical, programmatic, and attitudinal barriers in society for decades. Too often, barriers in the physical and programmatic environment make it difficult for people with disabilities to access facilities and services and create segregated communities and feelings of isolation.
The COVID-19 pandemic created physical and programmatic barriers for everyone – not just those with disabilities. As a result, we were all forced to redefine how work got done, whether it was in our schools, offices or government. As the pandemic highlighted the need for safety for everyone, technology played an integral role in balancing that need with the importance of accessibility. Today, Attorney General Nessel issued an opinion that ensures access to meetings should continue for all Michigan residents.
“Participation in our government is a fundamental key to democracy. All citizens should have access to their government and today’s Attorney General opinion highlights that,” said Lori A. Hill-Sanders, President of Disability Network/Michigan Board of Directors and Executive Director of Disability Network Wayne County Detroit.
“Disability Network/Michigan is committed to eliminating barriers at the local, state, and national levels for all citizens,” said Hill-Sanders. “Continuing these accessible and inclusive practices ensures that every voice is heard; this is true inclusion.”
The Disability Network/Michigan represents the collective voice of Michigan’s 15 Centers for Independent Living (CILs). Its focus is on leadership development, relationship building, effective communication and mobilizing around issues that will have the greatest impact on delivering high-quality independent living services to people with disabilities.
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Lansing — The Michigan Supreme Court ruled Monday that a key provision of the 2019 law reforming Michigan’s no-fault auto insurance system does not apply to the 17,000 to 18,000 individuals injured prior to the law’s passage — a decision that strikes at, but doesn’t completely eliminate, a key cost-saving component in the legislation. View the full article here
Later this month, I will deliver my sixth State of the State address to lay out our plans to make Michigan the best place to live, work, and raise a family by focusing on lowering costs, strengthening our education system and infrastructure, building on Michigan’s strong economic progress, and so much more. These plans represent the future and will move Michigan forward.
To make this event the best it can possibly be, I need you – young, creative Michiganders – to come up with a design for the program cover on the theme “A Classic Michigan Story.”
Students are welcome to use crayon, marker, paint or any other material. To submit your design, please visit michigan.gov/artcontest and follow the instructions on the webpage. Submissions will be accepted exclusively through the online system and must be received no later than 11:59PM on Sunday, January 14.
What makes our state strong are the people that live here, and I am delighted to share a student’s artwork on the 2024 State of the State program that highlights what they see as Michigan’s strengths. I look forward to reviewing your submissions for the State of the State Art Contest. Learn more HERE
WHEREAS, President George H.W. Bush signed into law the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) on July 26, 1990, to ensure the civil rights of people with disabilities; and,
WHEREAS, the ADA established a clear and comprehensive national mandate for eliminating discrimination against individuals with disabilities and expanding opportunities by reducing barriers, changing perceptions, and increasing full participation in professional and community life; and,
WHEREAS, according to the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services, about 27 percent of people in Michigan have disabilities; these rates increase with age, with 41 percent of Michigan adults who are 75 years or older having a disability of some kind; and, view the full proclamation here.
Disability Network/Michigan is excited to help spread the word about the Delta Dental Foundation‘s upcoming photo shoots in Marquette, Michigan and Detroit, Michigan for people with disabilities as a part of their partnership with Positive Exposure. Through art the Delta Dental Foundation is advocating for access to dental care for those with disabilities.
For 25 years, Positive Exposure, a nonprofit which promotes a more inclusive world through award-winning photography, has collaborated globally to promote a more equitable and compassionate world where individuals and communities at risk of stigma and exclusion are understood, embraced and celebrated. (Watch a video of Delta Dental Foundation’s last photo shoot and see our photo exhibition.)
Now, you can be part of this amazing project! Positive Exposure is coming to Detroit, Michigan, on October 22nd, and Marquette, Michigan on November 5th! Learn more HERE
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LANSING—Governor Gretchen Whitmer signed into law House Bills 4075 and 4076, sponsored by State Rep. Beau LaFave. The new laws update signs used to designate parking spaces for people with disabilities. Specifically, Public Acts 182 and 183 of 2022 will establish a design that better represents those who use wheelchairs or need mobility assistance, as well as remove the word “handicapped” from the sign.
Disability Network/Michigan (DN/M), an organization whose members advocate for independent living for people with disabilities, has worked for several years to address the current design, adopted in 1969. View the full press release here.
On February 4, 2022, Michigan Attorney General Nessel issued an opinion that ensures access to meetings should continue for all Michigan residents.
Disability Network/Michigan believes that participation in our government is a fundamental key to democracy. “All citizens should have access to their government and the Attorney General’s opinion highlights that,” said Lori A. Hill-Sanders, President of Disability Network/Michigan Board of Directors. Disability Network/Michigan is committed to eliminating barriers at the local, state, and national levels for all citizens. Continuing these accessible and inclusive practices ensures that every voice is heard; this is true inclusion.
Follow this link to read Attorney General Nessel’s press release.
