05/20/2026
Survival Coalition Action Alert:
Tired of waiting? Tell the Rehabilitation Council what waiting for DVR means to you Thursday May 21st
In December, the Department of Workforce Development created a waitlist Division of Vocational Rehabilitation because they were short $11million to cover the costs of providing services. Disability advocates pushed the Department and the legislature’s Joint Finance Committee to approve a funding request (called 13.10) to fully fund DVR services and draw down a nearly $75 million federal match.
The additional funding has not been granted and the waitlist continues to grow. More than 1000 people are added each month and it’s estimated 15,000 people with disabilities who want to work will be waiting by the end of 2026. People will wait a year in line before starting to get help.
The Wisconsin Rehabilitation Council will be meeting on Thursday May 21st with public comment happening at 12:15. If you have been impacted by the DVR waitlist we encourage you to join the WRC meeting during public comment and share your experience.
“Survival Coalition leadership formally sent a letter supporting the Department’s 13.10 request in January and subsequently met with Joint Finance and Majority party leadership in February to discuss the impact of the large and growing waitlist on people with disabilities who want to work, school transition programs, home and community based long term care programs (Family Care, IRIS) and Medicaid budget, additional administrative barriers and time delays for families and workers with disabilities, and concerns about continued funding shortfalls in the next budget if the current shortfall remains unaddressed. Survival Coalition has also met with and sent additional letters to the Department of Workforce Development stating our questions and concerns about the waitlist.
Click the link below to join the meeting and share your story.
https://teams.microsoft.com/l/meetup-join/19%3ameeting_M2JhODE0ZjEtNmI2MS00Njg4LThhZGQtMzM1NDAxMTQ5NjY5%40thread.v2/0?context=%7b%22Tid%22%3a%22f4e2d11c-fae4-453b-b6c0-2964663779aa%22%2c%22Oid%22%3a%220b6d9ec5-37d5-4dde-a5f5-66fe658cf2c6%22%7d
Survival Co-chairs:
Patti Becker, [email protected]; (608) 240-8503
Jason Glozier, [email protected]; (608) 422-0525
Tami Jackson, [email protected]; (608) 228-7285
