federal – Page 4 – Stepping Stones Center

September 30, 2026· Behavioral Health

Federal Policy Shift From "Artificial Intelligence" to "Super Intelligence" Risks Subverting Human Agency

Recent policy changes within the federal government have introduced a subtle yet profound alteration in how advanced technology is framed and discussed. Through an executive order, President Donald Trump has officially shifted the terminology utilized by federal agencies from "Artificial Intelligence" to "Super Intelligence." While this adjustment may appear at first glance to be little…

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September 28, 2026· Learning Disabilities

Federal Officials Launch Ambitious SPECTRA Initiative to Transform Autism Diagnosis and Care

Federal health officials are rolling out a major new research effort aimed at fundamentally transforming how autism is diagnosed and treated across the United States. The ambitious program, known as Systems for Phenotypic Evaluation, Clinical Trajectories, Response, and Agency, or SPECTRA, will bring together a vast array of biological, clinical, behavioral, and real-world data alongside…

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September 28, 2026· Inclusive Education

Federal Government Agrees to Strip Community Integration Rules for People with Disabilities in Legal Settlement

The federal government has agreed to eliminate federal regulatory requirements ensuring that individuals with disabilities are served and supported within community settings. The move, finalized through a court-approved settlement with a coalition of states, has drawn swift and sharp condemnation from disability rights advocates who warn that the decision actively undermines decades of established civil…

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September 28, 2026· Child Welfare and Advocacy

Children’s Defense Fund and Civil Rights Coalitions Push Back Against Federal Overhaul of Head Start Program

WASHINGTON, DC — The Children’s Defense Fund (CDF), operating as a leading national youth advocacy organization, has issued an urgent and resounding call to federal leaders, pressing them to preserve, protect, and defend Head Start, the landmark early learning and health services program that has served American families for more than six decades. This urgent…

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September 25, 2026· Inclusive Education

New Federal Medicaid Guidance Fails to Ease Fears Over Work Requirement Exemptions for Individuals with Disabilities

New federal guidance detailing how states must apply stringent Medicaid eligibility rules is doing little to assuage widespread concerns about how the impending changes will impact individuals with developmental and physical disabilities. The comprehensive 33-page document released this month by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services outlines the procedures states should follow to evaluate…

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September 25, 2026· Inclusive Education

Federal Initiative Launches $51 Million Effort to Expand Dental Care Access for Children with Developmental Disabilities

By Shaun Heasley | September 25, 2026 A significant new federal initiative backed by $51 million in funding is now underway to dramatically increase access to specialized dental care for children with developmental disabilities in communities across the United States. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services announced this week that its Health Resources…

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September 24, 2026· Inclusive Education

Federal Judge Steps In as Millions in Education Research Funds Face Expiration Deadline

For months, education advocates, researchers, and disability rights organizations have harbored mounting concerns that the U.S. Department of Education could allow millions of dollars earmarked for specialized educational research to quietly lapse. Now, as the looming fiscal deadline approaches, a federal judge is stepping directly into the fray to demand accountability and transparency from the…

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September 20, 2026· Child Welfare and Advocacy

Children’s Defense Fund Urges Federal Leaders to Protect Head Start Amid Administration’s Proposed Overhaul

WASHINGTON, DC — The Children’s Defense Fund (CDF), a leading national youth advocacy organization, has issued an urgent call to federal leaders to preserve and protect Head Start, the landmark early learning and health services program that has supported American families for more than six decades. The defense of the program comes in response to…

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September 19, 2026· Child Welfare and Advocacy

CDF Opposes Federal Proposal That Would Allow Contractors to Body Search Unaccompanied, Detained Youth

The federal policy change, which was officially entered into the Federal Register by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ (HHS) Office of Refugee Resettlement on June 26, has sparked intense alarm among child welfare advocates. According to the Children’s Defense Fund, the proposed rule threatens to fundamentally alter the system established to care…

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