| Volume 07 | Issue 41 | October 15, 2007 |
Welcome to Monday Morning in Washington, D.C., published weekly by The Arc of the United States. We will bring to you news of interest to self advocates and their families, volunteers, professionals, and supporters of the disability movement. Please send any comments to mmwdc@thearc.org. You are welcome to reproduce and distribute items from Monday Morning in Washington, D.C., but please credit Monday Morning in Washington, D.C. (The Arc of the United States, 2007).
The Arc of the United States advocates for the rights and full participation of all children and adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Together with our network of members and affiliated chapters, we improve systems of supports and services; connect families; inspire communities; and influence public policy.
[NOTE: Having trouble reading this newsletter? Read it online.] [Past Issues]
50 STATE SURVEY REPORTS MEDICAID ENROLLMENT DECLINES FOR THE FIRST TIME IN NEARLY A DECADE
BUT 42 STATES ARE PLANNING TO EXPAND COVERAGE FOR UNINSURED
Low Spending Growth and Improved Economy Allow States to Focus on Program Improvements, As Well As Cost Control
WASHINGTON, DC - Enrollment in Medicaid declined for the first time in nearly a decade, according to a new 50-state survey released today by the Kaiser Family Foundation’s Commission on Medicaid and the Uninsured (KCMU). But faced with an improving economy, 42 states expect to expand coverage to the uninsured in the next year.
The survey reports a 0.5 percent enrollment decline in fiscal year (FY) 2007 driven primarily by two factors. States reported that the new documentation requirements were causing significant delays in processing applications, affecting mostly individuals already eligible for the program. State officials also cited the good economy and lower unemployment for reducing enrollment. After an all-time low for Medicaid spending growth in FY 2006, Medicaid spending continued to grow slowly by 2.9 percent in 2007 due largely to the decline in enrollment and the continued transition of prescription drug costs for dual eligibles from Medicaid to Medicare. States expect enrollment and spending to increase in FY 2008 as they move forward with program enhancements.
The budget survey of state officials, conducted by KCMU and Health Management Associates for the seventh consecutive year, found that this year more states than in previous times were pursuing policies to remove restrictions put in place during poor economic conditions and improve their programs. With the nation’s growing uninsured population, 42 states report efforts underway to expand coverage to their uninsured population using Medicaid as a financing vehicle for coverage efforts. Many of these efforts, however, will depend on the outcome of the federal debate on the reauthorization of the State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) in light of the president’s veto.
Medicaid Policy Initiatives for FY 2007 and FY 2008
Unlike their singular focus on cost containment in earlier years, states have moved now to a range of priorities including expanding eligibility and benefits, improving quality, and changing the delivery of long-term care services. All states and the District of Columbia implemented at least one provider payment increase in FY 2007 and almost all (49 states) adopted an increase for FY 2008. More than half of all states for FY 2007 and FY 2008 expanded eligibility, including increases in income limits, new group expansions, or streamlining the application or renewal process. For the first time since FY 2003, no state plans to cut a benefit in FY 2008.
In FY 2007, 35 states expanded long-term care services and 46 states plan to do so in FY 2008. In both years, the most commonly reported expansions were expanding existing home and community based service waivers or adopting new waivers.
To improve care and achieve better value in their Medicaid programs, by FY 2008, 44 states will require health care plans to report performance measures through HEDIS® or CAHPS®. Twenty seven states will have pay-for-performance programs providing incentives for programs like tobacco cessation and payments tied to hospital readmission rates for chronic conditions such as asthma and diabetes.
The Impact of the Deficit Reduction Act of 2005
The Deficit Reduction Act (DRA) of 2005 included several changes to federal Medicaid policy, including a new requirement that states obtain documentation to prove citizenship and identity for individuals applying for or renewing Medicaid coverage. Three out of four states reported that the new rules contributed to slower enrollment growth in FY 2007 and caused significant delays in processing applications and increased the administrative burdens placed on states.
To date, seven states have plans approved using new DRA options on benefits and cost sharing. Kentucky, West Virginia and Idaho moved forward with comprehensive redesigns of their Medicaid benefits and four other states (Kansas, Virginia, Washington, and South Carolina) received approval for more targeted flexibility. For FY 2008, Wisconsin intends to seek approval to offer a modified benefits package for an expansion population.
The DRA also provided more state options for flexibility in long-term care. Nearly half (24) of states reported plans to implement a Long-Term Care Partnership Program in FY 2008 to help increase the role of private long-term care insurance. Take up of new state plan options for cash and counseling and the home and community based services option has been more limited.
Medicaid and Health Care Reform
Declines in employer-sponsored coverage continue to swell the ranks of the uninsured, with 47 million uninsured in 2006. States have been at the forefront in seeking ways to decrease the number of uninsured. Forty-two states said they have plans to expand coverage to this population and three indicated that they were having discussions but had not yet made a decision to move forward yet. Thirty-eight of the 42 states reported that Medicaid would have a role in financing their plans while 34 states responded that Medicaid would play a role in enrollment.
Today’s released report, As Tough Times Wane, States Act to Improve Medicaid Coverage and Quality: Results from a 50-State Medicaid Budget Survey for State Fiscal Years 2007 and 2008, and related materials are available at http://www.kff.org/medicaid/kcmu101007pkg.cfm. In addition, an audio press briefing on the release will be available.
Also released today were:
For further information, please contact Rakesh Singh at (202) 347-5270 or rsingh@kff.org or Kirran Syed at (202) 347-5270 or ksyed@kff.org.
The Kaiser Commission on Medicaid and the Uninsured provides information and analysis on health care coverage and access for the low-income population, with a special focus on Medicaid's role and coverage of the uninsured. Begun in 1991 and based in the Kaiser Family Foundation's Washington, DC office, the Commission is the largest operating program of the Foundation. The Commission's work is conducted by Foundation staff under the guidance of a bipartisan group of national leaders and experts in health care and public policy. The Kaiser Family Foundation is a non-profit, private operating foundation dedicated to providing information and analysis on health care issues to policymakers, the media, the health care community, and the general public. The Foundation is not associated with Kaiser Permanente or Kaiser Industries.
Medicaid Costs Increase by 10.7% in First Half of 2007, According to Report
USA Today - http://www.kaisernetwork.org/fe.cfm?id=7226
CMS Unveils Updated Web Site To Help Medicare Beneficiaries Better Compare Price, Coverage, Quality of Prescription Drug Plans
Palm Beach Post - http://www.kaisernetwork.org/fe.cfm?id=7252
Where Is Long Term Care In Universal Health Care Proposals?
A Modest Proposal That's Long Overdue: Part E Medicare;
Modifications in Existing Medicare; Title 40 Social Security Act.
Information Bulletin #226 [10/07]
The Democratic Presidential candidates are proposing to expand
health benefits for all citizens, but one critical component -
long term care for elderly Americans and persons with disabilities
- has been glaringly absent.
Here are three options, focusing primarily on Medicare, about
which advocates for older Americans and for people with
disabilities might want to ask the candidates.
Part E, Medicare- Long-Term Care Insurance.
Add a new Part E to Medicare to ensure universal coverage for
long-term care through an entitlement program for all older
Americans and people with disabilities. (Presently Medicare does
not provide most LTC services or meet our basic LTC needs.) Part E
services would be provided to help maintain people in an
independent, community-based setting or to prevent the need for
institutional care. Services could include personal care
assistance in home (for bathing, eating, walking), or other home
care services (homemaker, nutritional services). If the person
wishes, s/he could go into a nursing facilities [without the
existing 100 day cap].
Determinations of eligibility would be based on specific
functional eligibility criteria. All persons found to need care
would have the option where they wish to be served, with an
emphasis on maintaining dignity and independence and saving funds.
This insurance program would be financed in the same way as
Medicare's other parts, although States could pay some portion of
program costs. Copayments/supplemental programs could be
considered, similar to Medicare's Parts A, B and D. To minimize
the exclusion of low-income people, all people who fall below
minimum income levels and who are certified to need
noninstitutional services could receive supplemental cash
benefits, similar to food stamps, to assist them in meeting any
copayment requirements.
As a national program with uniform eligibility standards, the
variation in eligibility in each State under Medicaid would not
exist. The ultimate cost of Part E would depend on the definition
of need [3 ADLs? 2 ADLs plus..?] (Activities of Daily Living), the
same as other Parts of Medicare depend, e.g., on how many days a
person requires hospitalization or rehabilitation.
Modifying Existing Medicare
Eliminate all existing Medicare requirements that persons be
"homebound," expand the definition of long-term care services to
include personal care and assistance, and expand concept of
skilled services so all homemaker services could be permitted
after skilled services were no longer necessary.
To minimize the exclusion of low-income people, Medicaid could be
altered to require all states provide reimbursements for LTC
services people require to stay at home, if that were more
economical than institutionalization and the person wanted to
remain at home.
Title 40, Social Security Act, A Comprehensive Long-Term Care
Grant
A new Title 40 would combine Medicaid long-term care funds and
existing funds from Title XX social services to older Americans,
as well as funds from the Older American Act that relate to long-term care needs and Title XX services to people with disabilities.
Each state would be eligible to receive a share of federal funds,
based on the number of aged and people with disabilities in the
state, their income distribution relative to the local cost of
living, local cost of long-term care services, and current federal funds received for long-term care. States would have to match the
federal grant.
As a condition of receiving grants, states would have to establish
long-term care centers which would be the sole channel of federal
long-term care funds. These centers would assess the needs and
authorize levels of care, and monitor quality of services
delivered. Cost-effectiveness would be mandated. Minimum
eligibility for services would be set.
This would eliminate the divisions between health and social
services that are necessitated by current financing arrangements
and establish a uniform set of services to be covered.
The number of people served could be limited by federal
appropriations. This would induce assessments and service
authorizations to focus on the lowest-cost care consistent with
quality. Obviously, if federal funds were not adequate, people
needing services would not be able to get them through this public
program.
By this point, if you're still with this, you probably think this
is totally a dream and without any contact with reality. So let me
tell you that all of the above is virtually verbatim from a 1977
yes, 30 years ago Congressional Budget Office report entitled "Long-Term Care for the Elderly and Disabled." The CBO proposed
these three options and Congress has never responded. So much for
caring about older Americans and people with disabilities!
We have a great opportunity to get the long term care reform issue
on the political radar screen. Democrat and Republican candidates
for President all agree healthcare reform will be an issue in the
November 2008 election.
It is our job to make sure long term care reform (especially
eliminating the institutional bias) is part of every candidate's
healthcare reform agenda. The ideas above are 30 years but have
lots of merit. Obviously there are other ideas to be considered.
A FOUR STEP STRATEGY:
The 1st step is to make the candidates aware that long term care
needs to be part of their healthcare reform package. Have people
tell them their stories.
The 2nd is to get the issue publicly debated. Write some op-eds
and letters to the editors, go on the blogs, and use the above as
you like.
3rd is to develop specific recommendations that candidates can include in their reform package.
4th is to hold
their feet to the fire. Let's not wait another 30 years!
The above 30 year old proposals have these positive aspects:
SOURCE: Steve Gold
For more Long-Term Care issues, see:
http://www.aapd.com/News/longtermcare/index_ltc.php
Residential Treatment Programs: Concerns Regarding Abuse and Death in Certain Programs for Troubled Youth. (GAO-08-146T - October 10)
http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-08-146T
Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d08146thigh.pdf
NCPAD NEWS: October 2007 -
Volume 6, Issue 10
A monthly publication of NCPAD - the NATIONAL CENTER on PHYSICAL ACTIVITY and DISABILITY www.ncpad.org
The Disability Law & Policy e-Newsletter, Vol 4, No. 14 - An electronic publication of The Law, Health Policy & Disability Center at the University of Iowa College of Law - http://disability.law.uiowa.edu/ and The Burton Blatt Institute at Syracuse University http://bbi.syr.eduThe State of Colorado is asking businesses to hire people with disabilities after realizing that half of the 29,299 individuals with disabilities in Colorado are unemployed. To remedy this situation Colorado has set aside $200,000 to educate business owners about the benefits of employing persons with disabilities. In situations where businesses need to expend extra monies to employ people with disabilities, the state has agreed to temporary relief in the form of reimbursing the salary of the employee with disabilities to assist those businesses.
Full Story: Peter Swanson, Colorado Urging Businesses to Hire People with Disabilities, Colorado Springs Gazette, September 28, 2007, available at http://www.gazette.com/articles/people_27832___article.html/disabilities_colorado.html
The Riot! Jobs Issue is now available
To read this issue, click on the links below.
Download The Riot! as an adobe PDF document by clicking here: http://www.hsri.org/docs/Riot_Issue_14.PDF
Download The Riot! as a Rich Text file:
http://www.hsri.org/docs/Riot_Issue_14.RTF You can read past issues of The Riot!, purchase self-advocacy materials, or get your Riot! Gear at www.theriotrocks.org.
From our friends at the National Women's Law Center:
Free Training on Tax Credits for Working Families
Tax credits can provide thousands of dollars to families struggling to make ends meet - but only if families are informed of the credits and claim them on their tax returns. As trusted community members who have regular contact with families, you can help by serving as a resource on tax credits for working families. Every year, millions of families fail to claim federal and state tax credits for which they are eligible, leaving billions of dollars unclaimed.
To make it easy for you to help the families you serve, the National Women's Law Center and the Coalition on Human Needs are hosting a series of free webinars. By participating in the webinars, you will learn about tax credits that can help families put money in their pockets, easy ways to include tax credits outreach in your current work, and how to help families find free tax preparation services.
Part I - Tax Credits: What Working Families Need to KnowWednesday, October 24th at 1:00 p.m. EDT (1 hour)
This webinar will explain how tax credits can give working families a leg up and briefly describe some federal and state tax credits that families should be aware of, including the federal Earned Income Tax Credit, Child Tax Credit, and Child and Dependent Care Credit.
Part II - Tax Credits Outreach: Tips and Tools for Service Providers and Advocates Tuesday, October 30th at 1:00 p.m. EDT (1 hour)
Advocates and service providers can engage in a few simple outreach activities, often building on other networks and campaigns, that can make a big difference for working families. This webinar will help you access the materials you need, discuss successful outreach techniques, and explain how to find free tax preparation services.
Register Today! - http://action.nwlc.org/site/Survey?SURVEY_ID=1680&ACTION_REQUIRED=URI_ACTION_USER_REQUESTS
These online conference calls are free to participants, but registration is required.
Although we recommend that you register for both sessions so you can get the most out of this series, if you have time constraints you can sign up separately for either the October 24th webinar or the October 30th webinar.
Register for both sessions:
http://action.nwlc.org/site/Survey?SURVEY_ID=1680&ACTION_REQUIRED=URI_ACTION_USER_REQUESTS
Register for Oct. 24: http://action.nwlc.org/site/Survey?SURVEY_ID=1740&ACTION_REQUIRED=URI_ACTION_USER_REQUESTS
Register for Oct. 30:
http://action.nwlc.org/site/Survey?SURVEY_ID=1741&ACTION_REQUIRED=URI_ACTION_USER_REQUESTS
These webinars are part of the National Women's Law Center's Citi Education Series on Family Economic Security and Tax Credits Outreach Campaign - http://www.nwlc.org/details.cfm?id=3134§ion=tax
Justice-For-All FREE Subscriptions -
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Supreme Court Deadlocks on Special Education Case
The U.S. Supreme Court split 4-4 over whether school districts
must finance private education for disabled children who haven't
tried a public special education program first.
After hearing arguments on Oct. 1, the justices said in a one-page
statement today they were upholding a lower court ruling that a
man was entitled to be reimbursed for his disabled son's private
schooling in New York City. The action sets no nationwide
precedent. The father, identified in court papers as Tom F., is
former Viacom Inc. Chief Executive Officer Tom Freston, according
to the Associated Press.
"All the school districts in the country would like a more
definitive result," said Leonard Koerner, a lawyer for the New
York City school board, which argued against reimbursement.
The legal question may be raised before the Supreme Court again in
an effort to get a decision with nationwide effect, said Paul
Gardephe, an attorney for the father. Until then, the ruling is
limited to the 2nd Circuit, which covers New York, Connecticut and
Vermont.
"With no clear idea how they would vote, I'm pleased it came out
the way it did," said Gardephe.
Justice Anthony Kennedy didn't participate in the case, giving no
reasons. The court, as is its practice in deadlocked cases, didn't
say which of the other eight justices were on which side of the
case.
To read the rest of the article, go to:
http://www.aapd.com/News/courtdecisions/071010bb.htm
REFERENCE POINTS is an activity of TATRA, a project of PACER Center
Harvard Family Research Project Resources
FAMILY INVOLVEMENT IN MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOL
"Family Involvement in Middle and High School Students' Education" is the newest brief from the Harvard Family Research Project. The third in a series, this brief synthesizes research studies that link family involvement in middle and high school to youth's academic and social outcomes. It profiles evaluated programs to show what works to promote family involvement and student achievement during this critical developmental period and highlights how you can use this research to promote effective policies and practices. The two previous papers investigated family involvement in early childhood and elementary school settings. Taken together, these briefs make the case that family involvement predicts academic achievement and social development as children progress from early childhood programs through K-12 schools and into higher education or postsecondary settings. http://www.gse.harvard.edu/hfrp/projects/fine/resources/research/adolescent.html
FAMILY-STRENGTHENING PROGRAMS THAT WORK
This brief, entitled "Lessons From Family-Strengthening Interventions: Learning From Evidence-Based Practice," complements the "Family Involvement Makes a Difference" series with valuable information about creating successful programs and evaluations. In it, the authors review family-strengthening interventions serving youth that have been rigorously evaluated through experimental studies and find some common elements among successful programs. http://www.gse.harvard.edu/hfrp/projects/fine/resources/research/lessons.html
You can sign up to receive monthly updates from the Harvard Family Research Project's The Family Involvement Network of Educators (FINE) by going to http://www.gse.harvard.edu/hfrp/projects/fine/joinfine.html. The Family Involvement Network of Educators (FINE) is a national network of over 8,000 people who are interested in promoting strong partnerships between children's educators, their families, and their communities. FINE's membership is composed of faculty in higher education, school professionals, directors and trainers of community-based and national organizations, parent leaders, and graduate students. http://www.finenetwork.org
To SUBSCRIBE to REFERENCE POINTS go to http://www.pacer.org/tatra/list/index.asp
JFA Daily, 10/11/07
Study Shows Disabled Less Likely to Be Online
Americans with disabilities and other chronic conditions are less
likely to use the Internet, but those who are online are among the
most avid consumers of health-related information, a new study
finds.
Half of those with chronic conditions use the Internet, compared
with three-quarters of those without, the Pew Internet and
American Life Project said Monday.
That's partly because those with chronic conditions tend to be
older and less educated, two factors linked with lower Internet
usage overall, said Susannah Fox, an associate director at Pew and
the study's main author. Other barriers include difficulties
navigating the Web for those with, say, poor vision or motion
control.
But when they are online, those with chronic conditions are more
apt to seek health information online at least for some tasks.
"It's an indication of what could happen in the future if there
were more universal access to the Internet," Fox said. "This
population is just as likely as anyone else to take advantage of
the technology's promises."
To read the rest of the article, go to:
http://www.aapd.com/News/tech/071011usat.htm
SOURCE: USA Today
The purpose of this Training and Employment Guidance Letter (TEGL) is to provide information and resources to support the use of Registered Apprenticeship by the workforce investment system as an effective approach to building a skilled and competitive workforce in regional economies. It was sent by Assistant Secretary Emily Stover DeRocco to all State Workforce Agencies, State Workforce Liaisons, State Workforce Investment Boards And Staff, Local Workforce Investment Boards And Staff, Business Relations Group State Liaisons, State Rapid Response Coordinators, Office Of Apprenticeship Field Technicians, Office Of Apprenticeship State And Regional Directors, and State Apprenticeship Directors.
The 21st century economy demands a workforce with postsecondary education credentials, and the adaptability to respond immediately to changing economic and business needs. The public workforce system is playing a leadership role in meeting these demands by catalyzing the implementation of innovative talent development and lifelong learning strategies that will enable American workers to advance their skills and remain competitive in the global economy. Registered Apprenticeship, a critical postsecondary education, training, and employment option available in every state in the country, is an important component of these talent development strategies. Registered Apprenticeship is business-and industry-driven, with more than 29,000 programs impacting 250,000 employers and almost 450,000 apprentices —predominantly in high-growth industries that face critical skilled worker shortages now and in the foreseeable future. Full collaboration between the publicly funded workforce investment system and Registered Apprenticeship leverages each system’s strengths to maximize the benefits in the context of regional talent development strategies.
This TEGL provides information, examples, and policy guidance to support the full integration of Registered Apprenticeship into workforce system activities. The document is one of a number of products that the Employment and Training Administration is releasing to assist regions in developing Workforce Investment Act and apprenticeship efforts that are mutually supportive.
DOL Disability Resources: Hiring People with Disabilities
http://www.dol.gov/dol/topic/disability/hiring.htm
The Department of Labor's Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP) provides the following programs to help employers find qualified applicants with disabilities:
RRTC on Work Supports: Workplace Resources
http://www.worksupport.com/resources/index.cfm
The resources in this section are materials and information that facilitate employment and job retention for individuals with disabilities, including new knowledge gained from the Center's research activities. Resources of interest include:
Mapping Access to Programs and Services (MAPS)
http://www.rehab.state.al.us/maps/
MAPS is a collaborative project between the Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs, Easter Seals of the Birmingham Area, and the Alabama Department of Rehabilitation Services for the Alabama Career Center System through a Disability Program Navigator agreement awarded by the U.S. Department Of Labor. The purpose of the project is to implement a statewide Disability Program Navigator network within Alabama to enhance service delivery for jobseekers with disabilities. The project is intended to identify and overcome barriers to employment for Alabama’s citizens with disabilities. This website is designed to provide One-Stop Career Center customers with disabilities and staff serving them with resources to maximize a customer's success in locating any and all services needed by them to become successfully employed.
While the location of services is Alabama specific, the site also offers service providers, specifically One-Stop Career Center staff, with tools, information, and educational materials to better serve customers with disabilities under both the “Resource Documents” and “E-Learning Modules” links. Locate Power Point presentations on subjects related to serving people with disabilities, Fact Sheets on various disabling conditions, Disability Etiquette handbook, Polices and Procedures for Career Centers based on laws affecting people with disabilities, guidelines for determining accessibility, and guidelines for a Universally Accessible Workstation.
JAN’s Portal for Employers
http://www.jan.wvu.edu/portals/private_er.htm
The Job Accommodation Networks (JAN's) mission is to facilitate the employment and retention of workers with disabilities by providing employers, employment providers, people with disabilities, their family members and other interested parties with information on job accommodations, self-employment and small business opportunities and related subjects. JAN's efforts are in support of the employment, including self-employment and small business ownership, of people with disabilities. JAN represents the most comprehensive resource for job accommodations available. JAN’s portal for employers includes information on Accommodations, Human Resources, Legal issues and general resources.
Aging and Disability Resource Centers
An initiative of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
The Aging and Disability Resource Center (ADRC) grant program is intended to stimulate the development of state systems that integrate information and referral, benefits and options counseling services as well as facilitating access to publicly and privately financed long term care (LTC) services and benefits. The forty-three ADRC projects awarded in 2003, 2004, and 2005 serve older adults and individuals with disabilities. As of October 2006, there were over 100 ADRCs operating in 43 states. The program is jointly sponsored by the federal Administration on Aging (AoA) and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), both part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Aging and Disability Resource Centers are also a part of the President's Long Term Care Re-balancing Initiative and New Freedom Initiative.
Access the website and click on any state to locate the ADRC near you.www.adrc-tae.org/
TeleworkTools.org
http://teleworktools.org/
This website is an introductory gateway into the world of Telework for interested jobseekers, service providers, and employers in the United States. This website will:
This site is meant to be a “how to” guide for workforce development boards, employers, jobseekers, workers, veterans, persons with disabilities, and the agencies that serve them.
TeleworkTools.org is a Telework/telecommute Research and Demonstration project of The WorkPlace, Inc. funded by a cooperative agreement from the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL), Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP). Congress designated the cooperative agreement funds to ODEP for the further development of self-employment as an employment outcome for individuals with disabilities. The Telework/Telecommute Research and Demonstration Project is a national research project managed by The WorkPlace, Inc. in Bridgeport which serves Southwestern Connecticut. The WorkPlace, Inc. is one of three organizations nationwide chosen by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Disability Employment Policy to receive funding for this research.
The Telework Research Project's primary partners are: Career Resources, Inc., Connecticut Veterans' Administration, Department of Labor Veterans Services, and the U.S. Department of Veterans’ Affairs Connecticut Health System.
The Medicaid Infrastructure Grant Research Assistance to States (MIG-RATS) center has launched a new website to provide resources and support to states implementing MIGs. The website is designed to help MIG staff find useful research reports and resources, learn about current MIG-RATS activities and initiatives, and connect with fellow MIG researchers. The website includes information on a range of topics such as Medicaid Buy-In programs, outreach and marketing, and youth in transition and also provides links to tools and a calendar of events. http://www.mig-rats.org/
NECTAC eNotes - October 12, 2007
2nd Quarter 2007 Policy Letters of Clarification on IDEA from the U.S. Department of Education
Source: U.S. Department of Education - October 12, 2007
Letters from the U.S. Department of Education received by individuals during the 2nd quarter of 2007, which describe interpretations of the IDEA and its implementing regulations are now available online at http://www.ed.gov/policy/speced/guid/idea/index.html
For links to letters of clarification that address early childhood provisions of the IDEA (Part C and Section 619) go to http://www.nectac.org/idea/clarfctnltrs.asp
Grant Notice - Multi-Year Individualized Education Program (IEP) Demonstration Program
Source: Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services, Department of Education - October 12, 2007
The Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services (OSERS) has published a notice in the Federal Register announcing the availability of applications for a Multi-Year IEP Demonstration Program. OSERS will select up to 15 States to participate in a single one-time only pilot program that will focus on the development of comprehensive multi-year IEPs and the national need to reduce the paperwork burden associated with IEPs while preserving students' civil rights and promoting academic achievement.
Applications Available: October 12, 2007.
Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: February 11, 2008.
For more complete information go to http://www.ed.gov/legislation/FedRegister/announcements/2007-4/101207f.html
Grant Notice - Individuals With Disabilities Education Act Paperwork Waiver Demonstration Program
Source: Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services, Department of Education - October 12, 2007
The Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services (OSERS) has announced the availability of applications for the Individuals With Disabilities Education Act Paperwork Waiver Demonstration Program. OSERS will select up to 15 States to participate in a single, one-time only pilot program to create opportunities to reduce paperwork burdens and other administrative duties in order to increase time for instruction and other activities, while preserving students' civil rights and promoting improved educational and functional results for children with disabilities.
Applications Available: October 12, 2007.
Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: February 11, 2008.
For more complete information go to http://www.ed.gov/legislation/FedRegister/announcements/2007-4/101207g.html
Effective Educational Programs for Young Children: What We Need to Know
Source: Child Development Perspectives - October 12, 2007
The inaugural issue of Child Development Perspectives, a new journal from the Society for Research in Child Development, includes an article entitled Effective Educational Programs for Young Children: What We Need to Know, by Ruby Takanishi and Kimber L. Bogard. The authors review what is currently known and what needs to be determined about factors that contribute to positive outcomes from early education programs. It is available online at http://www.blackwell-synergy.com/doi/abs/10.1111/j.1750-8606.2007.00008.x
Title I and Early Childhood Programs: A Look at Investments in the NCLB Era
Source: Center for Law and Social Policy - October 10, 2007
The Center for Law and Social Policy (CLASP) has published a new paper entitled Title I and Early Childhood Programs: A Look at Investments in the NCLB Era, by Danielle Ewen and Hannah Matthews. This paper looks at the various ways in which school districts are using funds from Title I of the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) for early education through kindergarten and the impact of NCLB on those investments. Recommendations for local educational agencies interested in creating Title I-funded early education programs are included. It is available at http://clasp.org/publications/ccee_paper2.pdf
Free Language and Early Literacy Materials in English and Spanish
Source: Washington Learning Systems - Retrieved October 11, 2007
New (birth-to-three age range) parent-child activity materials to promote early language and literacy development are available on the Washington Learning Systems Web site at http://www.walearning.com/Guide.html. The materials are available in both English and Spanish and may be copied and distributed as long as they are not sold. They are appropriate for young children with disabilities as well as children who are developing typically.
Attitudes change as Special Olympics come to China
http://www.cnn.com/2007/WORLD/asiapcf/10/08/special.olympics/index.html
Until Next week
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