• Health News & Events  Update:  CMS Awards Grants to 13 States for Alternatives to Nursing Home Care

• Community Life News & Events  Update: Disability Empowerment Day

• "AAC for People with Autism" Webinar Featuring Guest Speaker Dr. Patricia Wright - May 22 at 2:00 PM EST

• New Resources on Children and Family Health Coverage Released at Policy Briefing

• Facts From NLTS2: Secondary School Experiences of Students With Autism

• Notice of Public Meetings About the Proposed Part C Regulations

• Side-By-Side of Proposed Part C Regulations - Initial Draft

• Final Report from the National Early Intervention Longitudinal Study

• Grant Notice - National Research and Development Center on Response to Intervention in Early Childhood Special Education

• Grant Notice - National Center to Inform Policy and Practice in Special Education Professional Development

• New Report on State Early Childhood Policies

• Cost-Benefit Study of Pre-Kindergarten Programs

• Review of Economic Analyses of Pre-Kindergarten Programs

• Recommendations to Support High-quality Early Education Programs Through Reauthorization of the No Child Left Behind Act

• New GAO Testimony on Child Welfare

• ADVANCED REHABILITATION RESEARCH AND DISABILITY POLICY TRAINING

• Portrait Competition at the National Portrait Gallery

• MN GCDD Publications Update

• Good Resources

• HOME Funds for Housing Vouchers: One Idea to Increase Deinstitutionalization from Nursing Homes. Information Bulletin, #209 (5/07).

• Protections in Medicaid Estate Recovery: Findings, Promising Practices, and Model Notices

• New funding opportunities has been added to the Quality Mall web site

• Intersection: Navigating the Road to Work

• Grants

• "Harnessing Technology to Expand Employment Opportunities for Persons with Disabilities"

• Help with Spinal Cord Injury Research Project

• FYI-Future of Disability Statistics: What we Know and Need to Know

• Postsecondary Opportunities for Students with Cognitive/Intellectual Disabilities

DisabilityInfo.gov

Health News & Events  Update:  CMS Awards Grants to 13 States for Alternatives to Nursing Home Care

Thirteen states and the District of Columbia will get more than $547 million in grants over five years to build Medicaid long-term care programs that will help keep people at home and out of institutions. This information has recently been updated, and is now available. - http://www.disabilityinfo.gov/digov-public/public/DisplayPage.do?parentFolderId=138

Community Life News & Events  Update: Disability Empowerment Day

May 17, 2007 is AmeriCorps Week Disability Empowerment Day. Today we pause to bring attention to those with disabilities serving or who have served in AmeriCorps. This information has recently been updated, and is now available - http://www.disabilityinfo.gov/digov-public/public/DisplayPage.do?parentFolderId=193

"AAC for People with Autism" Webinar Featuring Guest Speaker Dr. Patricia Wright - May 22 at 2:00 PM EST

We invite you to join us for an exciting web presentation by Dr. Patricia Wright, the National Director of Autism Services at Easter Seals! Dr. Wright has a passion for education and advocacy, and has dedicated her career to ensuring that individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) and other disabilities are fully included in society.

During this session, Dr. Wright will present a basic introduction to how people with Autism can use AAC to make choices, communicate needs and wants, functionally participate in daily activities, and interact in a variety of environments. Her ideas and examples will inspire participants to implement these new strategies in their own settings!

Speech-Language Pathologists, clinicians, teachers, parents, caregivers and individuals with Autism will benefit from the strategies that will be discussed. To register for this Webinar, please go to http://www.dynavoxtech.com  and click on Educational Offerings in the upper right corner on the homepage. Then, go to DynaVox U Online (Virtual Classroom). You can also access the session directly at http://dynavoxtech.webex.com .

New Resources on Children and Family Health Coverage Released at Policy Briefing

The State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) reauthorization debate is focusing on the role of Medicaid and SCHIP in covering uninsured children, while a renewed interest by states in expanding coverage to the rest of their uninsured residents is fueling even broader discussion.   

To focus on these key health policy issues, the Kaiser Family Foundation's Commission on Medicaid and the Uninsured (KCMU) held a briefing on state coverage trends and initiatives for children and families to highlight state actions.  Several new resources were released in conjunction with the event, which featured a keynote address from Pennsylvania Governor Edward Rendell followed by a panel discussion featuring Ruth Kennedy, Medicaid deputy director of Louisiana; Kristen Golden Testa, director, California Health Program, The Children's Partnership; and Nicole Ravenell, president and CEO, Southern Institute on Children and Families.

The new materials include:

• A web-based tracking tool, State Coverage Initiatives for Children;

• The report, Enrolling Children in Medicaid and SCHIP:  Insights from Focus Groups with Low-Income Parents;

• A report from The Children's Partnership and KCMU, E-Health Snapshot:  Harnessing Technology to Improve Medicaid and SCHIP Enrollment and Retention Practices;

• The report, SCHIP Turns 10:  An Update on Enrollment and the Outlook on Reauthorization from the Program's Directors;

• The fact sheet, Impacts of Medicaid and SCHIP on Low-Income Children's Health;

• An issue paper, Family Coverage Under SCHIP Waivers;

• The policy brief, Health Insurance Coverage and Access to Care for Low-Income Non-Citizen Children; and

• The updated tables, based on revised US Census data, Insurance Coverage of Children by Race/Ethnicity and Poverty Level, 2005:  National and State Level Estimates.

You may view all of these policy resources and a webcast of the policy briefing here [http://www.kff.org/medicaid/kcmu051607pkg.cfm].  For further information on these and related policy issues, contact us at kcmu@kff.org.

For further information, contact Rakesh Singh, rsingh@kff.org or 202-347-5270.

Facts From NLTS2: Secondary School Experiences of Students With Autism

The National Center for Special Education Research at the Institute of Education Sciences has released a new fact sheet on the National Longitudinal Transition Study-2 (NLTS2) entitled Facts From NLTS2: Secondary School Experiences of Students With Autism. This fact sheet provides a national picture of the secondary school experiences of students with autism using data from the NLTS2. This study has a nationally representative sample of more than 11,000 students with disabilities. Approximately 1,000 youth with autism are included in the sample. The fact sheet provides information on such topics as the courses taken, instructional settings, the nature of the curriculum and instruction, teacher perceptions, and the types of accommodations and supports provided for students with autism.  To view, download, and print the full report as a PDF file, please visit: http://ies.ed.gov/ncser/pubs/  

NECTAC eNotes - May 18, 2007
Notice of Public Meetings About the Proposed Part C Regulations

Source: Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services, U.S. Department of Education - May 18, 2007
The Secretary of Education announces plans to hold a series of public meetings to seek comments and suggestions about the proposed Part C regulations. Four public meetings will be held on June 4, 2007, June 6, 2007, June 11, 2007, and June 14, 2007. For complete information on where and when these will take place, and how to participate go to the Federal Register notice at http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/01jan20071800/edocket.access.gpo.gov/2007/E7-9566.htm 

Side-By-Side of Proposed Part C Regulations - Initial Draft

Source: Council for Exceptional Children - May 17, 2007
A May 2007 initial draft side-by-side comparison of the current and the proposed Part C regulations has been prepared by the Council for Exceptional Children (CEC) in collaboration with the Division for Early Childhood (DEC) and the IDEA Infant and Toddler Coordinators Association (ITCA). It is meant to serve as a tool to assist readers in preparing their own analysis related to the proposed Part C regulations. Please note that these are not final and may be updated. It can be accessed at http://www.cec.sped.org/Content/NavigationMenu/PolicyAdvocacy/IDEAResources/ideapartc.htm.

Final Report from the National Early Intervention Longitudinal Study

Source: NEILS - Retrieved May 17, 2007
The comprehensive final report from the 10-year National Early Intervention Longitudinal Study (NEILS) was recently posted online. This report summarizes some of the key findings from the study and notes their implications for policy, practice, and additional research. It available at http://www.sri.com/neils/pdfs/NEILS_Report_02_07_Final2.pdf 

Grant Notice - National Research and Development Center on Response to Intervention in Early Childhood Special Education

Source: Institute of Education Sciences, U.S. Department of Education - May 17, 2007
The Institute of Education Sciences' National Center for Special Education Research (NCSER) has recently released the following FY 2008 Request for Applications:

Title: National Research and Development Center on Response to Intervention in Early Childhood Special Education.
Submission Deadline for Applications: November 1, 2007.
URL: For additional information see pages 12-17 of the Request for Applications available at http://ies.ed.gov/funding/pdf/2008324_randd.pdf 

Grant Notice - National Center to Inform Policy and Practice in Special Education Professional Development

Source: Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services, U.S. Department of Education - May 14, 2007
The following grant opportunities from the U.S. Department of Education was recently published in the Federal Register:

Title: National Center to Inform Policy and Practice in Special Education Professional Development
Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: June 13, 2007.
URL: For more information see the Federal Register notice at http://www.ed.gov/legislation/FedRegister/announcements/2007-2/051407e.html 

New Report on State Early Childhood Policies

Source: National Center for Children in Poverty - May 16, 2007
A new report from the National Center for Children in Poverty (NCCP), State Early Childhood Policies: Improving the Odds, provides unique, detailed information about the policy choices that states make to promote the healthy development and school readiness of young children. The report and accompanying state profiles show that most low-income children are not getting the supports they need to build a solid foundation for future growth and achievement.

Read State Early Childhood Policies: Improving the Odds - http://nccp.org/publications/pub_725.html 
View the Early Childhood Profile for your state - http://nccp.org/projects/improvingtheodds_stateprofiles.html 

Cost-Benefit Study of Pre-Kindergarten Programs

Source: Economic Policy Institute - May 14, 2007
In a new book from the Economic Policy Institute, Enriching Children, Enriching the Nation: Public Investment in High-Quality Prekindergarten, Robert G. Lynch examines the costs and benefits to society of both universal prekindergarten programs and prekindergarten programs targeted to disadvantaged children. He shows that while both would have positive impacts on the economy, crime rates, the educational achievement of children and the earnings adults, universal pre-K programs would yield higher returns by the year 2050. To view highlights of this research report online go to http://www.epi.org/books/enriching/mediakit/lynch_fact_sheet.pdf 

Review of Economic Analyses of Pre-Kindergarten Programs
 

Source: Pre-K Now - May 14, 2007
A new report published by Pre-K Now examines the findings of ten major economic impact studies of high-quality preschool education programs. The report illustrates how investing in young children yields significant financial returns for the children and their families, communities, and governments. It is available online at http://www.preknow.org/documents/DollarsandSense_May2007.pdf.

Recommendations to Support High-quality Early Education Programs Through Reauthorization of the No Child Left Behind Act

Source: Center for law and Social Policy - May 17, 2006
The Center for law and Social Policy (CLASP) recently published a paper entitled Recommendations to Support High-quality Early Education Programs Through Reauthorization of the No Child Left Behind Act. It is based on two years study of the relationship between Title I and high-quality early education and offers recommendations for the reauthorization of NCLB. It is available online at http://www.clasp.org/publications/nlcb_ee_recs.pdf 

New GAO Testimony on Child Welfare

Source: Today's GAO Reports - May 15, 2007
The Government Accountability Office (GAO) recently released the following testimony: Child Welfare: Additional Federal Action Could Help States Address Challenges in Providing Services to Children and Families. It is available at http://www.gao.gov/new.items/d07850t.pdf. Highlights are available at http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d07850thigh.pdf.

ADVANCED REHABILITATION RESEARCH AND DISABILITY POLICY TRAINING

This is a unique opportunity that provides advanced training in rehabilitation and disability policy research, with a particular focus on participation of people with disabilities in their communities. This individualized training program offers to accommodate the needs of various postdoctoral researchers and others with advanced degrees. Researchers and others who hold leadership positions in rehabilitation and related fields may also apply. Trainees must be willing to locate to Syracuse, New York, and will receive a stipend for the academic year ($27,000 for the first year), up to 12 credits of tuition, and full Syracuse University benefits. Persons with disabilities and/or other underrepresented groups are encouraged to apply.

Training activities can include: advanced coursework project seminars participation in ongoing research and policy projects independent writing and research.

Trainees can select advanced training in one of two strands: rehabilitation research and disability policy research. Each strand includes 9-15 credits of optional coursework in advanced rehabilitation research methods or disability policy research (with a Certificate of Advanced Study in Disability Studies), practica in the editorial review process and in research ethics, and an internship at a rehabilitation or disability policy research project.

Requirements for this training include: Doctorate or other advanced degree; other advanced rehabilitation and disability leaders may also apply Must relocate to Syracuse, New York for duration of training Evidence of appropriate achievement and potential for future achievement. Applications should include: Letter addressing selection criteria as well as applicant goals and interests Current vita Sample publications or other written work Two letters of reference Graduate transcript, if applicable  Applications should be sent by July 15, 2007 to:

James Bellini, Ph.D., Co-Director, c/o Center on Human Policy, Law, and Disability Studies, 805 South Crouse Avenue, Syracuse, NY 13244-2280.
315-443-9655, FAX 315-443-4338, Jlbellin@syr.edu  

Portrait Competition at the National Portrait Gallery

This portrait, Sam and the Perfect World, http://www.portraitcompetition.si.edu/exhibition/PeoplesChoiceAward/EntryDetails.aspx?RID=25

is the winner of the competition.  It is a portrait of a boy with Down syndrome by David Lenz, the boy's father. 

The artist's statement: "My wife Rosemarie had just given birth to our son Sam, and although he appeared perfectly healthy, something, nevertheless, didn't seem right. There was an awkward silence in the room, no words of congratulation or comments about how cute he was-even though he was cute. Five minutes later the diagnosis was given: Sam has Down Syndrome. "Are you going to keep him?" a nurse asked. Later that evening someone else came by to "console" us. "It's every mother's worst nightmare," she said.

Welcome to the world, Sam.

In America today, perfection is highly valued. We dump loads of chemicals on our lawns to try and get rid of every weed, every dandelion. Models and supermodels are tall, impossibly fit, their clothes stylish and wrinkle-free. Images like this tend to change our perceptions, our ideals, until finally they leave us looking around at the peeling paint on our own houses, and our less than fit bodies, and it leaves us wanting.

Perfection, I would submit, is overrated. And besides, I like dandelions.

In the painting Sam assumes the role of presenter, host, even tutor, of this most revealing examination of the civilization man has made for himself. Sam is not society's accepted definition of perfection. In spite of that, or perhaps because of that, he really does have an important message for everyone to hear."

MN GCDD Publications Update

Publications for MN Governor's Council on Developmental Disabilities. This information has recently been updated, and is now available - http://www.mnddc.org/extra/publications.htm

Social Security Information- www.socialsecurity.gov     Information about the Supplemental Security Income (SSI) disability program is at http://www.socialsecurity.gov/notices/supplemental-security-income/ .  Information about Social Security disability is at http://www.socialsecurity.gov/disability/ .    Electronic forms to help in applying for either program are at http://www.socialsecurity.gov/applyfordisability/Announcing the final rule establishing a new disability determination process for the Social Security Administration.   Commissioner Jo Anne B. Barnhart announced that the final rule establishing a new disability determination process is on public display at the Office of the Federal Register.  To learn more visit www.socialsecurity.gov/disability-new-approach

Children's Health Coverage: New Interactive Tools from statehealthfacts.org and Kaiser Commission on Medicaid and the Uninsured. As Congress takes up the reauthorization of the State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP), the Kaiser Family Foundation has prepared a diverse set of resources dedicated to children's health coverage including two new online tools: Children's Health Insurance Timeline- http://www.kff.org/medicaid/childrenshealth_timeline.cfm?CFID=13207185&CFTOKEN=21587340 

This new interactive timeline presents enrollment and major policy developments in health insurance coverage for children in public programs during the last 40+ years. As major developments occur, the timeline will be updated. The timeline provides links to related resources and can be easily printed. Link to the timeline from your website- http://www.kff.org/medicaid/childrenstimeline_link.cfm 
Children's Health Data and Customized Fact Sheets- http://www.statehealthfacts.org/cgi-bin/healthfacts.cgi?action=children,  http://www.statehealthfacts.org/linking.html  For additional resources pertaining to children's health coverage and the ongoing SCHIP debate, visit kff.org - http://www.kff.org/medicaid/schipresources.cfm 

New Publication on Medicaid and SCHIP Coverage for Older Adolescents-Incenter Strategies, an affiliate of the Maternal and Child Health Policy Research Center, is pleased to announce the release of a new fact sheet on Medicaid and SCHIP eligibility policies affecting older adolescents. The Public Health Insurance Cliff for Older Adolescents By Harriette B. Fox, Stephanie J. Limb, and Margaret A. McManus This fact sheet examines the mandatory and optional eligibility pathways for older adolescents ages 19 and 20 under Medicaid and SCHIP. Drawing on information from a variety of sources, it provides new information on states' use of these pathways. It documents that, in the majority of states, older adolescents who do not qualify as pregnant, parents, or disabled only have access to public insurance if they meet the criteria for working adults with disabilities. Moreover, in states that do cover all older adolescents as a group, income eligibility levels are usually well below those of younger adolescents. This and other recent publications are available at www.incenterstrategies.org. For more information about the publication or Incenter's ongoing work, please contact Stephanie Limb at slimb@incenterstrategies.org.

New FPG Snapshot - Poverty and Early Childhood Intervention-Source: FPG Child Development Institute - April 23, 2007 Research shows that children raised in poverty are likely to suffer in a multitude of ways. This new Snapshot from the FPG Child Development Institute summarizes the findings on what happens to children living in poverty and reviews the research on how intensive early childhood educational intervention can positively influence outcomes for these children. It is available online at http://www.fpg.unc.edu/~snapshots/snap42.pdf 

The Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services (OSERS) invites comments on the following proposed information collection request: Performance Report: Personnel Development for the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). Interested persons are invited to submit comments on or before June 26, 2007. Complete information is available at http://www.ed.gov/legislation/FedRegister/other/2007-2/042707d.html 

Applying Practical Solutions for Employment Success-This new document from the U.S. Department of Labor Office of Disability Policy (ODEP) is the second in a series of Customized Employment portfolios. It expands on the topics presented in the first in the series, Practical Solutions for Employment Success with Customized Employment and provides ideas on how to use these strategies with job seekers for their own Customized Employment success. This portfolio provides an overview of the following topics: Job Seeker Exploration; Self-Representation and Customized Employment; Negotiating with Employers Developing Self-Employment and Microenterprise; Securing Assets for Customized Employment Resources; Available on the ODEP web site at http://www.dol.gov/odep/categories/workforce/CustomizedEmployment/successful/index.htm

The Center for Law and Social Policy (CLASP), the Child Welfare League of America, the Children's Defense Fund, Lutheran Services in America, and Voices for America's Children recently published a joint set of recommendations for improving educational outcomes for children living in foster care through amendments to the McKinney-Vento Act/Education Reauthorization in the No Child Left Behind Act. The authors discuss the need for schools to better understand the unique situations and experiences of children in foster care and for child welfare agencies to focus more on the educational needs and outcomes of the children they are serving. The recommendations are available online at http://www.clasp.org/publications/rec_nclb.pdf 

Consumer-Directed Home and Community-Based Services-AARP Public Policy Institute has developed a two page Fact Sheet that offers a short overview of consumer preferences, program characteristics, the role of fiscal agents, and the ways consumer direction is expanding.  http://www.hcbs.org/moreInfo.php/nb/doc/1610

Facts About Measuring Income and Poverty in the United States- http://nccp.org/publications/pub_707.html   First, you've got to know what you're up against. The official poverty measurement "dramatically understates how much it really takes to make ends meet," says the National Center on Children in Poverty. This new fact sheet examines the current approach and outlines steps for improving it. 

HOME Funds for Housing Vouchers: One Idea to Increase Deinstitutionalization from Nursing Homes. Information Bulletin, #209 (5/07).

Since 1992, Congress appropriated nearly $5 Billion for the HOME Investment Partnerships program. How those funds were spent in the past, and more importantly, how they will be used in the future, impacts on people leaving institutions and residing in the community.

In an earlier Information Bulletin, we explained of the total HOME funds allocated to your State, 40% are allocated to your State "participating jurisdiction" to administer statewide and 60% of the total HOME funds are allocated local "participating jurisdictions" to administered locally.  Therefore, both your State-wide and local agencies must be reviewed. If you do not know the name of the housing agency in your area that administers HOME funds, telephone your nearest HUD office and ask them.

While most of the $5 Billion HOME funds were used for new construction and rehabilitation for either home ownership or multifamily rentals, since 1992 only 2% of the total HOME congressional appropriation has been used for Tenant-Based Rental Assistance. The TBRA is a housing voucher that persons can use, like a Section 8 voucher, to rent their own units and therefore to leave nursing homes and live in communities.

How HOME funds are used, whether for new construction or rehabilitation of either single family or multiple family units or Tenant-Based Rental Assistance, is entirely discretionary. Therefore, if you want your "participating jurisdiction" to increase its TBRA, you have to participate in your Consolidated Plan process.

Tenant-Based Rental Assistance, like Section 8 and other HUD vouchers, subsidizes the rent so a low-income person with a disability or older American can rent an apartment. The person pays 30% of her/his income, and the TBRA subsidizes the rest of the rent.

Only 165,970 vouchers have been issued by participating jurisdictions in the past 15 years! Only 11,000 a year nationwide!

Some participating jurisdictions did NOT use all of its HOME funds - nearly $28.7 million were returned to HUD as unused!. Why would a participating jurisdiction return HOME funds to HUD instead of using these funds for housing vouchers? This unused $28.7 million could have generated an additional 9,500 TBRA housing vouchers. That's a lot of people who could be living in the community with a TBRA voucher.

Since affordable, accessible, integrated housing has been identified throughout the country as a major barrier, for persons with disabilities and older Americans who are in nursing facilities, to return to their communities, advocates must make sure that, at least in the future, both State and local participating jurisdictions do not return HOME funds but use these funds for housing vouchers to help people leave nursing homes.

Also, State agencies that have been awarded Money Follows the Person grants should be working with their sister state agency that administers
the HOME program and with local participating jurisdictions to use HOME funds to transition persons out of nursing homes in the future.

Remember, your participating jurisdiction can legally establish a TBRA "preference" for persons with disabilities who are institutionalized in nursing homes. Such targeting is a legitimate tenant selection policy, and deinstitutionalization from nursing homes is an acceptable criteria. Such targeting is clearly permitted by HUD's federal regulations.

You can find below whether or not your state and/or local area has issued any TBRA between 1992 and 2007, and if so, how many. Many "participating jurisdictions" are not listed because they have never used any of their HOME funds to provide housing vouchers, even during the  years your "participating jurisdiction" might have returned unused HOME funds.

Go to http://www.stevegoldada.com/stevegoldada/archive.php?mode=A&id=209;&sort=D to find your state information.

AARP Policy & Research Update - Volume 3, Issue 10
Protections in Medicaid Estate Recovery: Findings, Promising Practices, and Model Notices

Promising practices and procedures that can be replicated throughout the country for protecting individuals and families affected by federally required state efforts to recoup long-term care and other related Medicaid costs from the estates of deceased recipients are reviewed in this AARP Public Policy Institute Issue Paper by Erica F. Wood and Ellen M. Klem of the American Bar Association Commission on Law and Aging. More on this report - http://www.aarp.org/research/assistance/medicaid/2007_07_medicaid.html

New funding opportunities has been added to the Quality Mall web site:

Institute on Technology Effectiveness for Children With Disabilities: Web-Supported Instructional Approaches
http://www.qualitymall.org/funding/fundingdetail.asp?postingid=434

Intersection: Navigating the Road to Work

V. 4 No. 3 May 15, 2007

Welcome to Intersection: Navigating the Road to Work, the electronic newsletter of the National Collaborative on Workforce and Disability for Youth (NCWD/Youth). The newsletter and the NCWD/Youth website - http://www.ncwd-youth.info  offer information to improve services to youth and especially youth with disabilities. http://www.ncwd-youth.info/intersection/current_issue.html
 

The Roundtable on Religion and Social Welfare Policy - Digest of Federal Grants with Faith-Based and Community Organization Eligibility

Grants

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES - Administration for Children and Families

Qualified faith-based and other organizations may apply for a grant through ACF's Administration on Developmental Disability to provide training and technical assistance to Protection and Advocacy Systems in their promotion of full participation in the electoral process for individuals with disabilities. The Help America Vote Act (HAVA) Training and Technical Assistance (T/TA) to Assist Protection and Advocacy Systems (P&As) to Establish or Improve Voting Access for Individuals with Disabilities grant will be used to assist P&As conduct the following activities: registering to vote, casting a vote, and accessing polling places; developing proficiency in the use of voting systems and technologies as they affect individuals with disabilities; demonstrating and evaluating the use of such systems and technologies by individuals with disabilities (including blindness) in order to assess the availability and use of such systems and technologies for such individuals; and providing T/TA for non-visual access.

A total of $338,115 will be awarded for 1-4 grants. Letters of intent are due June 7, 2007 and applications are due July 9, 2007. Complete details are in the program announcement at http://www.acf.hhs.gov/grants/open/HHS-2007-ACF-ADD-DH-0034.html. 

DEPARTMENT OF LABOR - Office of Disability Employment Policy

Qualified faith-based and other organizations may apply to establish a National Technical Assistance Center on Transition and Employment for Youth with Disabilities. The national technical assistance center will build capacity within and across both generic and disability-specific youth service delivery systems to help youth with disabilities successfully transition from high school to post-secondary education and/or employment in high-demand career areas. The center will conduct research, disseminate information, and provide technical assistance to a wide range of stakeholders on topics relevant to improving post-school outcomes for youth with disabilities including, but not limited to: effective practices, such as the emerging use of individual learning or graduation plans, for aligning and improving the education and workforce development systems to better meet employer demand; innovative service strategies which workforce development, and secondary and postsecondary programs and systems can utilize to better meet the needs of transitioning youth; professional development strategies for practitioners who work with youth; and effective models of multi-disciplinary interagency collaboration and systems coordination needed to support youth in achieving positive post-school outcomes through comprehensive service delivery.

Up to $1. 7 million will be awarded to a single successful applicant for a two year project. In addition, this initiative may be funded for up to three additional option years at approximately $1,000,000 per year, depending on performance, identified need and the availability of future funding. Applications must be received by June 25, 2007. The program announcement is at
http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/01jan20071800/edocket.access.gpo.gov/2007/pdf/E7-9117.pdf. 

"Harnessing Technology to Expand Employment Opportunities for Persons with Disabilities"

Save the Date! June 8: Technology and Employment Forum

Date:     Friday, June 8, 2007
Time:     10:00 AM to 12:00 PM
Location: Cornell University Government Affairs Office, Hall of States, Room 333, 444 North Capitol Street, North West, Washington, DC 20001

Moderator: Jeff Rosen, Esq., Snap! VRS (a division of Snap Telecommunications, Inc.)

Speakers will include:
          Susanne Bruyere, Cornell University, Employment and Disability Institute
          Paul Schroeder, American Foundation for the Blind
          Kelby Brick, Esq., HandsOn Video Relay Service
          P.J. Edington, IBM Human Ability and Accessibility Center
          Steven James Tingus, National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research (Invited)

Contact:  Michele Cowen, Administrative Support, Cornell University, Employment and Disability Institute, email: mtc11@cornell.edu, telephone: (607) 254-8311

We request that you RSVP to ensure adequate seating, security clearance and to request any necessary accommodations by June 1, 2007.
Source: AAPD, Cornell University

Help with Spinal Cord Injury Research Project

Good afternoon.

The Harris Poll is interested in speaking with fifteen people who have sustained spinal cord injuries, concerning your day-to-day needs and challenges.

We would like to invite people over the age of 18--both with and without caregivers--to complete a three-week diary and one one-hour follow-up telephone interview.  Both injured and caregiver will be given a cash honorarium of $225 (each). 

I promise that this is not a sales presentation of any sort--strictly medical opinion research.  All we are interested in is the opinion of the respondent.  All responses will be kept completely confidential are will be used in the aggregate, only.  My company--pfc Medical Opinion Research--is a member in good standing of both the MRA and the AMA. 

If you, or anyone you know, is interested in participating, please be kind enough to pass along my contact information.  I can always be reached at 212.289.0087.

Thank you and best regards, David Leonard, Director, pfc, Opinion Research, New York, NY  10128, Tel: 212-289-0087, Fax: 212-410-1382
www.pfcopinionresearch.com

FYI-Future of Disability Statistics: What we Know and Need to Know

The Cornell Stats RRTC is pleased to announce the release of several new products related to disability statistics:

1. Transcripts, Power Point slides and audio files from our State-of-the-Science Conference are available at http://www.ilr.cornell.edu/edi/p-srrtc-2006conference.cfm  This was a two-day conference held last October, entitled " The Future of Disability Statistics: What we Know and Need to Know."

2. For those interested in surveying people with disabilities, you may be interested in reading "Surveying Persons with Disabilities: A Source Guide (Version 1)," by Jason Markesich, James Cashionm amd Martha Bleeker of Mathematica Policy Research, Inc.  The Source Guide is a structure annotated bibliography of studies that address survey methods and disability.  It is available at http://digitalcommons.ilr.cornell.edu/edicollect/1222/.

3. We have also added a comprehensive set of statistics to our web site, www.DisabilityStatistics.org.  These statistics take advantage of the massive sample size of the 2005 American Community Survey.  We provide prevalence and employment statistics by state, race, Hispanic, education level, age groups, gender, and disability type. 

For more information about disability statistics and StatsRRTC products and publications, please feel free to email us at DisabilityStatistics@cornell.edu  or call us at (607) 255-1540. Sincerely, Andrew J. Houtenville, Ph.D.Senior Research Associate Employment and Disability InstituteILR School Cornell University 303B ILR Extension Building Ithaca, New York  14853-3901 USA Telephone: (607) 255-5702Fax: (607) 255-2763TTY/TDD: (607) 255-2891 E-mail: ajh29@cornell.edu  http://www.ilr.cornell.edu/edi/disabilitystatistics/

Postsecondary Opportunities for Students with Cognitive/Intellectual Disabilities

SAVE the DATE & SPREAD the WORD

November 4 and 5, 2007
Symposium on Postsecondary Opportunities on College Campus for Students with Intellectual/Cognitive Disabilities

The Developmental Disabilities Institute (DDI) is pleased to announce an upcoming Symposium on Postsecondary Opportunities on College Campuses for Students with Cognitive/Intellectual Disabilities. The first ever Michigan event will take place November 4th & 5th, 2007 on the campus of Oakland University in Rochester, MI. http://www.ddi.wayne.edu/postsecondary_symposium.php .

This Symposium brings together leading experts, researchers, practitioners and consumers on postsecondary education (PSE) to provide an overview of PSE opportunities and discuss current trends, issues, and solutions for PSE initiatives. Two of the pioneers and researchers in the field, Dr. Meg Grigal, Director of the Postsecondary Research Center (www.transitiontocollege.net) and Dr. Debra Hart, Educational Coordinator at the Institute for Community Inclusion, University of Massachusetts will present at the Symposium. Exemplary models of learning on college campuses for students with cognitive/intellectual disabilities will be showcased. The goal of the symposium is to foster the growth of the knowledge and interest in providing opportunities for students with cognitive/intellectual disabilities to continue to learn in inclusive, post high school settings.

Nationally, there is a strong surge in the interest and implementation of PSE opportunities for students with cognitive disabilities  (www.thinkcollege.net). This model of learning on a college campus is characterized by high expectations, increased and meaningful opportunities to strengthen skills and an opportunity to learn and live with same-aged peers in an inclusive setting. DDI, Michigan's University Center for Excellence in Disabilities (UCEDD) is dedicated to the development of inclusive communities, the enhancement of the quality of life of people with disabilities, and the enrichment of the field of disability research and service.

We invite interested stakeholders to attend this symposium. Movement forward on PSE for students with cognitive/intellectual challenges comes from the collective effort of diverse stakeholders: students, families, advocacy groups, higher education, school personnel (especially related to transition), vocational rehabilitation, community mental health, and other related groups. The rich diversity of presenters and participants will strengthen the efforts to enhance the lives of all students, with and without disabilities.

For updates on the Symposium, visit www.ddi.wayne.edu/postsecondary_symposium.php 
To request a conference brochure, contact Latosha Marshall at DDI at du8586@wayne.edu 
For more information about the Symposium, please contact Janice Fialka, Symposium Coordinator, at ruaw@aol.com  or phone (248) 546-4870.
To learn more about PSE Initiatives on the campus of Oakland University, contact Associate Dean Robert Wiggins at wiggins@oakland.edu  or 248-370-3095.

The Symposium Planning Council includes representatives from the following organizations: Oakland University, Oakland Schools, University of Michigan-Dearborn, Michigan Department of Labor and Economic Growth, Washtenaw ISD, Kent ISD, Michigan Transition Services Association, Michigan Department of Education - Office of Special Education, The Arc of Northwest Wayne County, United Cerebral Palsy of Michigan, Michigan Developmental Disabilities Council, Michigan Protection and Advocacy, CAUSE, Michigan Alliance for Families, Michigan Partners for Freedom, Oakland County Community Mental Health Authority, The Arc of St. Clair County, Michigan Disability Rights Coalition, Family and Community Members.

 
For more information about PSE opportunities, please visit: www.thinkcollege.net, www.transitiontocollege.net, www.education.umd.edu/oco,
www.transitioncoalition.org, www.STEPS-Forward.org

Until Next week