20 Years of #GoGreen4CP: Cerebral Palsy Awareness Month 2026

This March marks a milestone: the 20th Anniversary of National Cerebral Palsy Awareness Month. What began in 2006 as a parent-led initiative by Reaching for the Stars has grown into a nationally recognized movement that has driven stronger disability protections, increased research funding, and a sustained push for accessibility across every area of life.

On March 25, 2026 — National CP Awareness Day — communities across the country are wearing green, sharing stories, and continuing to call for greater federal investment in research and care. The Cerebral Palsy Foundation (CPF) issued a bold call this year: cerebral palsy remains the most common lifelong physical disability in the world, yet its prevalence in the United States is not declining, and concerns about severity and mortality are increasing.

Cerebral Palsy by the Numbers

Understanding CP is the first step toward building appropriate support:

• Approximately 764,000 children and adults in the United States live with one or more symptoms of cerebral palsy

• CP is the most prevalent childhood physical disability

• 1 in 345 children in the U.S. is diagnosed with CP

• More than half of people with CP walk without assistance; about 11% use hand-held mobility devices; 31% use a wheelchair

• Roughly 50% of children with CP have an associated intellectual disability — but CP affects each person differently, and many have typical or above-average intelligence

• Low birth weight and infections during pregnancy are significant risk factors

CP and the Legal Landscape: Birth Injury, Liability & Planning

Cerebral palsy is frequently caused by a brain injury occurring before, during, or shortly after birth — including due to oxygen deprivation, infection, or delivery complications. As a result, CP is one of the most common conditions that enters the legal system through birth injury and medical malpractice litigation.

For trial lawyers and litigation attorneys: Settlements on behalf of individuals with CP must be carefully structured. A direct payment to a child or adult with CP can immediately disqualify them from SSI and Medicaid — the very benefits that fund therapies, home and community-based services (HCBS), and medical equipment. Settlement proceeds must be directed to a Special Needs Trust or Pooled Trust.

For families and guardians: If your loved one receives a settlement, inheritance, or personal injury award, contact a special needs trust administrator before funds are accepted. The rules on lump-sum income and asset limits are strict and unforgiving.

For HUD and housing agencies: People with CP often require accessible housing — modifications may include roll-in showers, ramp access, and widened doorways. Trust funds can be used for home modifications that are not covered by Medicaid or HUD programs without affecting benefits.

For Social Security and Medicaid administrators: Since September 30, 2024, SSI no longer counts food expenses paid by a trust as income under In-Kind Support and Maintenance (ISM) rules. This gives Pooled Trust administrators — like Shared Horizons — significantly more flexibility to pay for groceries, meal delivery, and nutritional needs without reducing a beneficiary's SSI payment.

Shared Horizons' Commitment to the CP Community

Many of our beneficiaries live with cerebral palsy. We understand that CP planning is a lifelong endeavor — from childhood therapies, to transition to adulthood, to aging with a disability. Shared Horizons' Pooled Special Needs Trust is a flexible, federally compliant tool designed to grow alongside a beneficiary's evolving needs.

This Cerebral Palsy Awareness Month, we stand with the CP community — honoring 20 years of advocacy, and recommitting to another 20 years of protecting futures, preserving dignity, and building brighter horizons.

Follow #GoGreen4CP and #CPAwarenessMonth on social media to join the national conversation.

Citations & Resources

1. Cerebral Palsy Foundation — 20th Anniversary CP Awareness Day, March 25, 2026: cerebralpalsyfoundation.org

2. Cerebral Palsy Guide — CP Awareness Month 2026: cerebralpalsyguide.com

3. Hampton King — CP Awareness Month Statistics: hamptonking.com

4. SSA — Final Rule on Food and ISM (September 30, 2024): ssa.gov

5. 42 U.S.C. § 1396p(d)(4)(C) — Pooled Special Needs Trust authority