At KenCCID, we believe that every person deserves the opportunity to live with dignity, make choices about their own life, participate in their community, and receive the support they need to pursue their goals.
That is why a recent letter from Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro to Pennsylvanians with disabilities, families, advocates, and allies is important to our community.
In his August 2026 letter, Governor Shapiro reaffirmed the Commonwealth’s commitment to protecting the rights, choices, dignity, independence, and active participation of people with disabilities. He also emphasized that Pennsylvanians with disabilities should have the opportunity to live, work, and participate in the communities of their choosing.
For KenCCID, these aren’t simply policy goals. They reflect the work we do every day.
Community Is Where People Belong
KenCCID’s mission is rooted in supporting individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities as they build meaningful, fulfilling lives within their communities.
Governor Shapiro’s letter reaffirms Pennsylvania’s commitment to the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and the U.S. Supreme Court’s Olmstead decision, which protect people with disabilities from discrimination and unjustified segregation.
The progress made because of these protections has helped move disability services toward something KenCCID strongly believes in: people should have choices about where and how they live and the opportunity to be active participants in their communities.
That means having a home. Going to work. Building friendships. Trying something new. Going shopping or out to lunch. Participating in community events. Developing new skills. Making decisions. Being heard.
These everyday experiences are an important part of independence, inclusion, and belonging.
Having a Voice Matters
The Governor also highlighted the creation of the Governor’s Advisory Commission on People with Disabilities and emphasized the importance of including people with disabilities in decisions that affect their lives.
As he stated in the letter, people with disabilities deserve “a real seat at the table.”
We couldn’t agree more.
At KenCCID, person-centered support means recognizing that every individual has their own goals, preferences, abilities, interests, and dreams. Supporting someone doesn’t mean making their decisions for them. It means providing opportunities, resources, encouragement, and assistance that help each person have greater choices and control over their own life.
Investing in Community-Based Services
The Governor’s letter also recognizes something critically important to organizations providing disability services across Pennsylvania: meaningful community inclusion requires strong community-based services and a strong direct support workforce.
The letter notes that the 2024–25 bipartisan budget included $354.8 million in state and federal funding to expand home- and community-based services and strengthen the direct support workforce, followed by another $74 million in the 2026–27 budget to continue that work.
Today, more than 42,000 Pennsylvanians with intellectual disabilities and autism receive services in their homes or communities, the highest number in Commonwealth history. Investments since February 2024 have also helped reduce Pennsylvania’s adult emergency waiting list for intellectual disability and autism services by 39 percent.
Behind those numbers are real people, real families, and the dedicated professionals who support them.
At KenCCID, we know firsthand the tremendous impact that Direct Support Professionals and other members of the disability services workforce have on people’s lives. They help make greater independence, community participation, employment, relationships, personal growth, and everyday experiences possible.
Continued investment in this workforce is an investment in the people and families who depend on these essential supports.
Progress Has Been Made — But There Is More Work Ahead
Governor Shapiro also acknowledges that Pennsylvanians with disabilities continue to face barriers involving accessible housing, transportation, education, employment, healthcare, communication, and full participation in their communities.
Those challenges cannot be solved by one organization, one administration, or one program.
They require collaboration among people with disabilities, families, advocates, service providers, Direct Support Professionals, employers, community organizations, policymakers, and neighbors.
And they require us to continue listening to the people most affected.
KenCCID’s Commitment
The Governor closes his letter by committing Pennsylvania to continuing to protect disability rights and supporting opportunities for Pennsylvanians to live with “dignity, choices, and independence in their communities.”
At KenCCID, we share that commitment.
We will continue working to create opportunities for the people we support to be seen, heard, valued, and included. We will continue advocating for strong community-based services and recognizing the essential work of the professionals who provide them. Most importantly, we will continue supporting individuals in pursuing lives shaped by their own choices, goals, interests, and dreams.
Because inclusion isn’t simply about being present in the community.
It’s about belonging to it.
We encourage our families, staff, supporters, community partners, and fellow advocates to read Governor Shapiro’s full letter and stay engaged in the conversations shaping the future of disability services in Pennsylvania.