The BTPM Disabilities Beat is dedicated to promoting equity and acceptance by amplifying marginalized voices, holding corporations and governments accountable, and combatting misinformation and stigma through education about the disability community.
Coverage highlights the often-overlooked implications of economic, educational, policy, and environmental factors on the disability community, offering regional and national perspectives. Key topics include:
- Economic Disparities: Examining wage gaps for employees with disabilities and employment opportunities
- Civic Participation: Investigating the accessibility of ballot machines and voter resources
- Mobility and Accessibility: Addressing paratransit availability and infrastructure needs
- Policy Impact: Analyzing legislation and its effects on the lives of people with disabilities
Hear reports from the Disabilities Beat every Wednesday on BTPM NPR during Morning Edition and All Things Considered for impactful reports in about 5 minutes. These stories aim to spark meaningful conversations and drive positive change in our communities.
The BTPM Disabilities Beat is funded in part by the Peter & Elizabeth Tower Foundation.
Understanding Autism
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Recent public statements by federal sources and “influencer” culture have contributed to confusion and fear around vaccines, and Tylenol use during pregnancy. Join local experts and advocates for a virtual discussion of these recent statements about autism. Make informed decisions based on science and lived experience, not speculation.
Latest from the Disabilities Beat
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New York’s Family Care program, which gives people with disabilities the choice to live with a family instead of in group homes, could expand if funding increases. -
Buffalo’s Funny Bones comedy night brings disabled performers together to build community, challenge stigma, and connect through humor. -
A Buffalo exhibit showcases the stories of women institutionalized in the Buffalo State Asylum, meanwhile, families and advocates push for access to more records. -
Advocates say the death of a blind Rohingya refugee in Buffalo highlights failures to recognize disability and connect people to community resources. -
For two scientist parents in Buffalo, their daughter’s rare FOXG1 syndrome diagnosis led them to groundbreaking research, helping launch a gene therapy now headed to a clinical trial. -
Buffalo General seeks state approval to cut rehab unit beds in half, but local doctors, hospital staff and former patients warned at a public meeting the move would hurt patient care. -
Buffalo Public Schools face discipline reforms after AG findings, highlighting a national pattern of harsher punishment for students of color and disabled students. -
On Thursday, users of the Consumer Directed Personal Assistance Program, or CDPAP, called for transparency from the state on how taxpayer dollars are spent on home care. -
We share a recent report that came out on national disability policy, how several organizations are speaking out, and what disabled people can do in light of concerning changes. -
The memorial service of Western New York disability advocate Natalie Barnhard Castrogiovanni was held on February 7 in Amherst, New York. -
Medicaid cuts fuel ECMC layoffs, NYS specialized disability schools seek more funding and autistic advocates raise concerns over new HHS autism committee appointees. -
This week on the Disabilities Beat, we dive into Governor Kathy Hochul's budget proposal for New York State, which has been met with mixed reactions from the disability community.
Additional BTPM NPR Disabilities Reporting
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The closing of a prominent Buffalo pain doctor's clinic several years ago raised questions. But forgotten in the mix was what happened to his chronic pain patients, that came to him with a legitimate concern? The aftermath of Dr. Eugene Gosy's clinic closure has highlighted the challenges Americans face in getting chronic pain treatment while our country confronts the opioid epidemic. -
Governor Kathy Hochul’s Executive Budget included $1 million for Special Olympics New York. WBFO’s Disability Reporter Emyle Watkins first reported in December that the organization was asking the state for at least $1.5 million in the next budget to prevent program cuts. Watkins spoke with their CEO after the budget was released to get her reaction. -
On Tuesday, New York Governor Kathy Hochul shared her vision for New York in her State of the State address, which often previews what may be included in her budget proposal. WBFO’s Disability Reporter Emyle Watkins spoke with the head of a local disability services agency to get her reaction. -
Ahead of New York Gov. Kathy Hochul's State of the State address, one disability organization is asking the state to make a change that could rescue important programs for people with disabilities. -
Delaware North committed to a $100,000 donation to support unified sports programs in local schools. -
If you’ve ever been to a fundraiser at a restaurant, you know it’s a chance to have a great time with friends and support a cause. But for a local woman with a disability, a trip to Tully’s Good Times in Cheektowaga for a Special Olympics fundraiser, ended up being a bad time, as she was left to eat her meal off of a chair. -
One hundred years after a league we all know, the National Football League, was founded, another league launched with the hope of expanding access to football. WBFO’s Emyle Watkins shares how this new sport held a national tournament in New York State for the first time ever this October. -
Five months after WBFO published an investigation into at-its-face violations of the Americans with Disabilities Act, the City of Buffalo quietly welcomed its first full-time ADA coordinator. WBFO’s Disability Reporter Emyle Watkins sat down with her to learn more about her background and goals for the city. -
This back-to-school season, Walmart announced sensory hours. WBFO asked parents and neurodivergent adults if these sensory hours were helpful to their experiences. -
Summer - it is a time of year widely romanticized in books, movies and TV. Grand adventures, grand gestures, falling in love…. But how much feels really authentic, like something you could have gone through? This summer, a local author has a new book that brings a fresh and relatable take on the great summer romance novel. WBFO’s Emyle Watkins has more.
