'It's institutionalized ableism'

Changes to Wisconsin's IRIS program are hurting people with disabilities and their advocates

Peter, a Milwaukee man I talked to last week, is disabled. He has a traumatic brain injury and is legally blind. He’s also part of the IRIS program. I’ve written about the program before; it is one of Wisconsin’s Medicaid programs which provides support for people with disabilities through community and home-based supports rather than in institutions.

IRIS stands for Include, Respect, I Self-Direct. Self-direction and self-determination are key components of the program. People with disabilities who are eligible for Medicaid are evaluated by IRIS to determine the degree of support they need in order to achieve their goals and live their lives according to their priorities. They are then provided an annual budget, and — with the help of whomever they deem appropriate — they choose the supports they wish to pay for each year.