This year, as Fello celebrates 65 years of supporting people with disabilities and building inclusive communities, we’re reflecting on the history of the disability rights movement and the milestones that helped shape the work we do today. 

The 2000s brought cultural change for people with disabilities across the United States. As more institutions closed and community supports expanded, people with disabilities gained new opportunities and began to feel like they truly belonged. 

By 2010, many people with disabilities who once lived in institutions were now active members of their communities. People with disabilities increasingly had the opportunity to direct their own lives as laws, policies, and support systems evolved to advance greater independence, choice, and inclusion. 

Policy Furthers Participation 

As community support services received more funding and institutions continued to close, people with disabilities began to make more decisions about where they lived, worked, and how they spent their time. New legislation helped make those choices possible.  

In 2010, the Affordable Care Act (ACA) became law, marking a significant advance in health care access for people with disabilities. For the first time, young adults could stay on their parents’ insurance until age 26, and insurers were prohibited from denying coverage or charging more due to a pre-existing condition.  

The ACA also expanded protections against discrimination in health care and created new Medicaid options—including the Community First Choice (CFC) option—to help states provide home and community-based services that support people living in their communities rather than institutions. 

The 2014 Home & Community-Based Services (HCBS) Settings Rule continued the shift away from institutions by requiring that Medicaid-funded services be delivered in truly integrated community settings. States developed transition plans that brought services into compliance with the rule while giving people greater choice and control over their lives. Fello had embraced these principles nearly a decade earlier through Chesapeake Neighbors (now Fello Communities), which separated housing from support services and gave residents more control over where and how they lived. 

Texas enacted the nation’s first Supported Decision-Making law in 2015—giving people with disabilities the right to make their own choices with guidance from trusted supporters, rather than having a guardian make decisions for them. More than half the country would go on to pass similar laws. Economic doors began to open as well—the ABLE Act of 2014 allowed eligible people with disabilities to pursue greater financial independence by opening tax-free savings accounts without risking their benefits.  

Together, these policy changes reflected a growing national commitment to dignity, autonomy, and full community participation. At Fello, we saw the same momentum in Maryland and continued to expand programs and partnerships that helped make inclusion a reality.   

Leading Fello Forward 

By 2010, Fello had spent nearly 50 years supporting and advocating alongside people with disabilities. Over the decade, we strengthened that commitment and laid the groundwork for who Fello is today. 

After nearly 20 years of leadership, Executive Director Kate Rollason retired. In 2017, Jonathon Rondeau joined Fello as President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO), bringing a renewed vision to advance equity and expand opportunities for people with disabilities across Maryland. 

During his first year, Jonathon introduced a strategic plan built on three priorities: creating seamless support for people with disabilities and their families, building an excellent employee experience, and establishing a strong foundation for sustainable growth. 

One of the earliest and most impactful initiatives to emerge from this work was the launch of the Family Fund in 2017. Designed to help cover the costs of therapies, adaptive equipment, and vital services not covered by insurance, the Family Fund quickly became a lifeline for families across Maryland. Nearly a decade later, it remains a powerful example of that early commitment in action, with 2026 marking its most successful year yet. 

Jonathon’s leadership shaped the years that followed. As demand for community-based support grew across Maryland, we expanded where and how we showed up—whether in workplaces or in daily life. 

Working for Fair Wages 

For nearly a century, Section 14(c) of the Fair Labor Standards Act has allowed employers to pay people with disabilities less than minimum wage (i.e., subminimum wage), often limiting employment opportunities to sheltered workshops. Ongoing advocacy—especially throughout the 2010s—led to real progress toward fairer workplaces. 

Between 2010 and 2019, the number of employers participating in the federal subminimum-wage program was cut in half—a sign that U.S. companies increasingly recognized the value people with disabilities bring to the workforce.  

States also began taking action. In 2015, New Hampshire became the first state to eliminate subminimum wages. Other states followed, enacting legislation to end or phase out the practice—including Maryland in 2016. 

Fello continued to build on the employment initiatives launched in the 2000s. Early in the decade, Fello partnered with Project SEARCH to help young adults successfully transition into meaningful employment—a partnership that continues today.  

We also expanded our workforce development program to reach more people, creating new job opportunities and strengthening relationships with businesses across Maryland. By the end of the decade, both the number of people in the program and the number of employer partners had doubled. 

Community Impact 

The progress of the 2010s reflected a growing national belief: people with disabilities deserve equal rights, equal opportunity, and equal respect. 

Legislative victories, fairer wages and employment options, and continued advocacy helped people with disabilities participate more fully in their communities. 

At Fello, those same principles shaped the work we did every day. Building on the vision of our founders, we invested in new programs, strengthened community partnerships, and continued creating opportunities for people with disabilities to live with greater independence and connection.  

The decade closed with a clear sense of momentum. The foundation had been laid for even greater transformation—and Fello was ready to lead it. 

Next in the series: The 2020s—a global pandemic that reshaped community-based care, mounting pressure to end subminimum wages, and a new chapter as Fello.