Press Release: 11/19/2025
MDDC to Testify on "Turning 22" Legislation
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
11/18/2025
MEDIA CONTACT
Jackson Crilley, Communications Coordinator
Phone
Call Jackson Crilley, Communications Coordinator at (617) 770-7676 ext. 104
Online
Email Jackson Crilley, Communications Coordinator at Jackson.Crilley2@mass.gov
BOSTON — The Massachusetts Developmental Disabilities Council (MDDC) presented testimony on H.752/S.313 – An Act strengthening transitional planning and increasing accountability for persons with disabilities and their families in front of the Joint Committee on Education at their Nov. 18 hearing.
These bills, sponsored by Representative Susannah Whipps (I-Athol) and Senator Joanne Comerford (D-Northampton would improve reporting on people with disabilities approaching age 22 and create a commission to improve transition planning and outcomes. In a 2021 survey conducted by the MDDC that polled people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) and their families, out of 572 respondents, 20% indicated that “preparation for adulthood” was one of their top priorities.
MDDC Chairperson Raquel Quezada expressed her fears and unease in regard to the experience of having a transition age child in her testimony submitted to the committee. “Transition planning should not be a crisis—it should be a process of empowerment. Our young adults need continuity, dignity, and opportunity as they move into adulthood. Families deserve to plan ahead with confidence and to know that their loved ones will not fall through the cracks of a broken system,” said Quezada. “Schoan has taught me that disability is not a limitation—it is a call for society to be more organized, more compassionate, and more accountable. S.313 and H.752 have the potential to make transitional planning a true bridge, not a barrier, for individuals with disabilities and their families,” she added.
In her testimony, Liz Fancher, MDDC Program Coordinator shared the stories of the individuals and families she has met through her work at the MDDC. “Transition planning is a long and complicated process that creates enormous stress on students with disabilities and their families. When students are transitioning out of state mandated special education services, and it can often be difficult to navigate the complexities of entering the adult service system. In the disability community, Turning 22 is commonly known as “falling off a cliff,” she said.
H.752 and S.313 were included in the MDDC’s list of priority legislation for the 2025-2026 legislative session since it was adopted in March. The MDDC will continue its work of educating and informing policymakers on the impact legislation would have on the lives of people with disabilities and their families.