News

Lex Frieden, Disability Rights Icon, On the Future of Disability Employment Policy

“Let’s Get to Work:” A Podcast from the Disability Employment Policy Rehabilitation Research and Training Center (DEP RRTC) – Burton Blatt Institute at Syracuse University.

Lex Frieden, in the inaugural episode of the DEP RRTC’s Let’s Get to Work podcast, discusses his life journey as a pioneering disability rights advocate and national thought leader.

On Saturday night, November 20, 1967, Lex was injured in a car accident and doctors said he’d never walk again. Although Lex recalls, “That did not really have an impact on me at the time,” he soon discovered, “there were barriers literally everywhere . . .. There were steps everywhere, and no accommodations whatsoever.” Continue Reading

BBI Supports Landmark Exhibition Possible Worlds: 20 Years of the Wynn Newhouse Awards

Syracuse, NY – The Burton Blatt Institute (BBI) at Syracuse University is proud to support Possible Worlds: 20 Years of the Wynn Newhouse Awards, a major exhibition on view at the Syracuse University Art Museum, located in the Joe and Emily Lowe Galleries, from January 20 through May 9, 2026.

The Burton Blatt Institute’s support reflects its long-standing commitment to advancing the civic, social, and economic participation of people with disabilities. “By supporting Possible Worlds, BBI affirms the importance of artistic displays that recognize disability as an integral part of human diversity and creative expression.” says Peter Blanck, University Professor at Syracuse University and BBI Chairman. Continue Reading

The Lion’s Den – A Blog by Leo True-Frost: Supported Decision-Making

The lion's Den LogoI am writing to share my experience with Supported Decision-Making New York (SDMNY) and my journey toward independent decision-making as I beginn to make plans and create pathways. Working with Associate Director Joan Cornachio, I identified support needs across work, relationships, healthcare, and finances, and assembled a team of 15 family members and friends to assist me. Continue Reading

Peter Blanck Featured In SU News: Focus on Disability Rights: Q&A With BBI’s Peter Blanck

Syracuse University has long been a leader in disability policy, rights and advocacy. For the past 20 years, the Burton Blatt Institute (BBI) and its chairman, University Professor Peter Blanck, have been at the forefront of this work. A nationally recognized expert in the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and related laws, Blanck joined BBI at its founding in 2005. He is principal investigator on a recent $4.6 million grant from the U.S.
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New ADALive! Episode 147: Top Technical Assistance Questions with the Southeast ADA Center

In this episode, we discuss some of the most common questions the Southeast ADA Center received this year on the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and the legal rights of people with disabilities. We have received over 1,600 questions this year (2025). As a team, we focus on each request for information and send specific resources to help with those questions. Our guest for this episode is Jenny Sykes, Lead Technical Information Specialist for the Southeast ADA Center.
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2025 Book Edited by Dr. Fitore Hyseni, BBI Director of Research, and DEP colleagues, Explores Disability and the Future of Work

Emerald Publishing Limited has announced the release of Disability and the Future of Work, a groundbreaking edited volume that examines how disability intersects with the rapidly changing world of work. Edited by DEP investigators—Fitore Hyseni, Lisa Schur, Douglas Kruse, and Peter Blanck—the book brings together leading scholars and practitioners to explore how technological, economic, and policy transformations are reshaping employment opportunities for people with disabilities. Continue Reading

Jonathan Martinis, senior director of law and policy at BBI, article Supported Decision-Making – Keeping the Promise of the Americans with Disabilities Act

The estimated number of people who have been ordered into guardianship and lost their legal right to make decisions has tripled since 1995. Supported decision-making is an alternative to overbroad and undue guardianships. People can get the advice they need to make their own decisions with supported decision-making. It allows people to choose advisers who will explain options and choices in a way they can understand. Continue Reading

BBI Awarded $4.6M Grant to Lead Disability Employment Center

The national center contributes to the next generation of federal and state employment policies and serves as a hub for forward-looking research, education and training.
Wendy S. Loughlin
Oct. 3, 2025

Recognizing Syracuse University as a national leader in disability rights and policy, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has awarded the Burton Blatt Institute (BBI) with a $4.6 million grant to support the Rehabilitation Research and Training Center on Disability Employment Policy. The funding is administered by HHS’ National Institute on Disability, Independent Living and Rehabilitation Research, the U.S. government’s primary federal research organization for disability.
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New ADALive! Episode 146: In Celebration of National Disability Employment Awareness Month: Transforming Disability Employment Services in Rhode Island

October is National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM). In this episode we will talk about an Olmstead settlement agreement in Rhode Island that has had a profound impact on disability rights and community inclusion. This settlement has guided Rhode Island’s journey to transform its employment system for people with disabilities. We will talk about how a landmark Consent Decree and the work that followed is moving Rhode Island away from sheltered workshops and toward meaningful, competitive employment in the community.
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