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A review of state records, court documents and department policies, as well as interviews with frontline employees working in the state, reveal a dysfunctional developmental disability system riddled of accusations of abuse, neglect, and in some cases, concerning deaths. From 2017 through 2023, 74 people with developmental disabilities died in some sort of accident while in state care, according to state records obtained by the River City Journalism Fund. Additionally, nine homicides and seven suicides occurred amongst this population during that time, according to the records. Another 2,200 died of natural causes and 392 had an “undetermined” cause of death. (Skipworth, 2/24)

Rising health costs are squeezing states' budgets to the point where some are considering raising premiums for hundreds of thousands of teachers and public employees for the first time in more than a decade. (Goldman, 2/25)