FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                                                  CONTACT:       Tom Masseau

OCTOBER 22, 2025                                                                                                     501-492-5750

Statement from Tom M. Masseau, Executive Director, Disability Rights Arkansas
October 22, 2025

Due to the ongoing federal government shutdown and the absence of Fiscal Year 2026 appropriations, Disability Rights Arkansas (DRA) is facing unprecedented funding challenges. We have been operating on limited carryover funds from FY 2025, which are now nearly exhausted. Without new federal funding, we are forced to make difficult decisions to preserve our ability to serve existing clients and maintain core operations.

Effective October 21, 2025, DRA will pause acceptance of new cases. This measure allows our remaining staff to focus on current investigations and advocacy efforts already underway.

Additionally, beginning November 1, 2025, we will furlough staff impacted by the loss of funding to three of our most critically underfunded programs. These furloughs are a painful but necessary step to ensure the sustainability of our services during this fiscal crisis.

We recognize the profound impact this will have on Arkansans with disabilities who rely on our support, and on the dedicated professionals who serve them. We remain committed to our mission and will continue to advocate for the restoration of funding and the resumption of full operations.

We urge those affected by these changes to contact their members of Congress and express the importance of timely funding for disability rights programs. DRA will continue to monitor developments and provide updates as more information becomes available.

Thank you for your understanding and continued support during this challenging time.