November 2025

Welcome to

AJE's Health Justice Project Newsletter!

With the federal government reopening under precarious circumstances, many DC families are emerging from weeks of uncertainty, yet the challenges remain real. Families are still struggling to access healthcare, immigrant parents continue to face traumatic incidents of detainment, kidnappings, and attempted kidnappings at schools and healthcare centers, and food insecurity has intensified as we enter the holiday season.

Even in this climate of fear and instability, Team AJE stands firmly rooted in our mission. Guided by our commitment to educate, advocate, and empower, we continue to uplift parent and youth leadership through our Health Justice Project and AJE’s full spectrum of services, from legal and non-legal supports to community education and systems-change advocacy.

This fall has also been a season of connection. We’ve witnessed powerful collaboration across our ally organizations as we work together to bridge resource gaps, expand mutual aid networks, and help families navigate urgent needs. Our Community Health Advisory Panel (CHAP) remains a vibrant space for partnership, and we are already preparing to welcome a new cohort of Parent Ambassadors in early 2026.

As the DC Council enters an active season of hearings, we encourage all families and partners to stay engaged in the democratic process. Your voices shape the policies that guide our systems of care, and during this difficult moment, please remember that no family is alone. AJE and our community partners are here, committed to supporting healing, resilience, and collective care across the District.

Together, we move forward with hope!

On October 22nd, AJE joined the Save Alliance Coalition to speak with DC City Council members and share stories of what Alliance families are facing. Featured in this picture is Azeb Adere, a mother of a child with autism and a disability rights advocate working to amplify the voices of the Ethiopian and Eritrean communities in Washington, DC, and surrounding areas.

About the Health Justice Project

The Health Justice Project works so that DC’s CYSHCN and their families have the tools, rights, and support to live healthy, self-determined lives. We’re here to help families, especially in underrepresented communities, learn how to:

• Partner effectively with doctors and healthcare providers

• Understand their healthcare rights

• Secure support for their children in schools and communities



• Raise their voices for needed changes in healthcare systems

Community Resource of the Month

Advocates for Justice and Education does not coordinate housing or homeless services; however, we know that this is something that many families need support with. Therefore, we are sharing these housing resources that other AJE families have found helpful. We hope they are helpful to you.

Also, please see below a comprehensive list of basic resources, including mutual aid, food resources, and know your rights information for communities that was compiled by our ally organization, DC's Fair Budget Coalition.

Elevating Family Voice: Recommendations for the SBBH Plan

AJE supports the expansion of behavioral health services in schools and encourages DBH to also address ongoing discrimination that affects families, especially Black and Latino children, as well as youth with special health care needs and disabilities. Chioma explained that many families still view the SBBH program as a set of obstacles rather than support, despite DBH identifying crucial needs, including care based on trauma, workforce development, and data accountability. She made her concerns clear regarding the plan’s intent to place all clinicians under DBH employment by FY2028, pointing out that this change could worsen the current clinician shortage and affect credible community organizations.

Community Health Advisory Panelist Spotlight

Each month, we highlight a member of the Community Health Advisory Panel (CHAP), honoring their contributions to strengthening DC’s systems of care for children and youth with disabilities and special healthcare needs (CYSHCN) and their families.

This month, we are proud to feature Michelle Hawkins. Michelle has over 20 years of experience in the DC disability community. She is currently a Community Liaison Specialist, Intake, and Outreach at the DC Department on Disability Services. She has received the following awards: "Make A Difference Award," "Customer Service Award and the "Advocate for Equity". Michelle is also a board member of Lifeline Partnerships, is a Support Parent for Quality Trust and Family Ties of DC, and is a member of the Supporting Families Community of Practice. Michelle is deeply committed to supporting DC families and regularly mentors families that are navigating the DC disability systems of care, and also assists with the Shared Horizon Scholarship Fund to acquire computers for families. She is the mother of an adult son with special needs.

Parent Ambassadors Program Updates

The Parent Ambassadors Program promotes leadership development for veteran family leaders who have experience navigating the DC systems of care for children and youth with disabilities and special healthcare needs. Our primary goal of the Project is to improve education and healthcare outcomes for children and youth through parent-led advocacy efforts in collaboration with key stakeholders in the DC systems of care and policy decision-makers. Each month, we will share updates of the three leadership tracks of the Parent Ambassador Program, which include: Parent Cafe Leaders, Community Health Leaders, and School-Based Leaders. Here is our next community program:

DC Council Holds Oversight Hearing on OSSE DOT:

Transportation for Students with Disabilities

On Tuesday, October 28, 2025, The District of Columbia City Council’s Committee of the Whole convened a public oversight hearing to examine the performance of the Office of the State Superintendent of Education’s Division of Student Transportation (OSSE DOT) in providing safe, reliable, and efficient transportation for eligible students with disabilities to and from school as “related services” required by the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) (34 C.F.R. § 300.34). The hearing focused on key issues with OSSE DOT, with parents and advocates raising concerns ranging from delays, late drop-offs, communication problems, and safety concerns. 

Maria Blaeuer, Esq., Director of Programs and Outreach at Advocates for Justice and Education (AJE), testified at the hearing, sharing concerns and experiences from the families AJE serves, many of whom continue to face challenges with unreliable transportation, communication breakdowns, and the impact these issues have on students’ access to education and support services. While noting some minor improvements regarding the implementation of the new parent portal that launched this past summer, she also noted the significant issues, such as on-time bus arrivals, and echoed the communication issues highlighted by other testimonies.

Maria also noted that despite some improvements with the Parent Portal, concerns were raised about communication, customer service, and the recent implementation of a 30-day limit on parent reimbursements without prior notice. She recommended that OSSE DOT continue improving communication, customer service, and transparency with families by clearly notifying them of policy and route changes, expanding real-time communication tools like the texting pilot, and developing the long-promised parent tracking app. She urged the agency to modernize its technology for route monitoring, ensure respectful treatment of families by all staff, and maintain strong oversight of private contractors to guarantee quality and reliability. 

To read the blog piece, click here.

About AJE:



Advocates for Justice and Education is the federally designated Parent Training and Information Center and the Health Information Center for DC. AJE seeks to empower families, youth, and the community to be effective advocates to ensure that children and youth, particularly those who have special needs, receive access to appropriate education and health services.

Our passion is empowering families by equipping parents and students with disabilities with the tools they need to be their own advocates.

Have questions? We are here to educate, advocate and empower. Contact us today!