Disability Policy Consortium

A wheelchair is not a luxury. It is how people get to work, attend school, care for their families, and participate in their communities.

Today, we are grateful to GBH for highlighting the ongoing wheelchair repair crisis affecting people across Massachusetts, including DPC Community Organizer Destiny Maxam, who shares her own experience navigating months-long repair delays and the medical consequences of these delayed repairs.

Right now, two wheelchair repair bills, S2662 and H4358, are before the Senate and House Ways and Means Committees. These bills would help reduce repair delays by defining and enforcing a repair timeline of 10 days, strengthen consumer protections, and provide much-needed accountability in a system that too often leaves wheelchair users stranded for weeks or months.

No one should lose their independence, health, employment, or community connection because they are waiting for a wheelchair repair.

Read the article below and help us keep pushing for change.

https://www.wgbh.org/news/local/2026-06-15/mass-wheelchair-users-wait-months-for-simple-repairs-critics-say-private-equity-is-to-blame

Mass. wheelchair users wait months for simple repairs. Critics say private equity is to blame The wheelchair repair market in Massachusetts is dominated by two companies.

Why It Matters Monday: The Supports Behind Independence

Most people see independence as the outcome.

They see someone at work, spending time with friends, attending community events, advocating for change, or living in their own home. What often goes unseen are the supports that make those things possible.

For many people with disabilities, independence is built on a foundation of services, accommodations, equipment, technology, and community support. When those supports are working, they can fade into the background. A wheelchair that functions properly isn't something most people notice. Neither is an accessible entrance, reliable transportation, communication access, personal care assistance, or a service dog quietly doing its job.

Because these supports often go unnoticed, they're frequently viewed as extras. Something helpful. Something nice to have. Something that can wait. But that's only because people are seeing the support itself instead of what the support makes possible. A wheelchair repair isn't just about fixing equipment. It's about getting to work, attending medical appointments, caring for family, and participating in the community. Transportation isn't just a ride. It's access to employment, education, healthcare, and connection. Personal care services aren't simply assistance with daily tasks. They are often the difference between living independently and being forced to rely on others for basic needs.

When supports are viewed as benefits instead of necessities, they become easier to delay, easier to limit, and easier to cut.

The impact of those decisions is often invisible to the people making them, but not to the people whose lives are built around those supports. Independence doesn't happen because people try harder. It happens when people have consistent access to the tools and supports they need to participate fully in their communities.

What is one support, service, accommodation, or tool that helps make your daily life possible? Share in the comments below.

State Representative Steve Xiarhos

Myth vs. Fact

Myth: Independence means doing everything by yourself.

Fact: Independence means being in charge of your own life.

For generations, people with disabilities have often been excluded from decisions about their own lives. Too often, others have assumed they know what is best without taking the time to listen to the person most affected.

But needing support does not mean giving up the right to make choices.

Independence is not about doing everything alone. It is about having the ability to direct your own life, express your preferences, set your goals, and make decisions about what matters to you. Sometimes people make those decisions independently. Sometimes they rely on trusted family members, friends, professionals, or supported decision-making to help them understand their options.

The important part is that the person's voice remains at the center.

Being supported and being in control are not opposites. In fact, the right support can create more choice, more freedom, and more control over your life.

What does being in charge of your own life mean to you? Share your thoughts in the comments below.