| Volume 08 | Issue 15 | April 14, 2008 |
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]
FVND Share the Wealth E-news Week of April 7th
The Kaiser Family Foundation has recently posted their March 2008 health policy picks.
The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) invites children to participate in a national art contest with a chance to win a trip to Boston, Massachusetts.
The contest theme is "How I Can Be Active." The contest is open to boys and girls in two groups: grades 3-5 and 6-8, and the winner in each group and their parents/guardians will be invited to attend the 2008 AAP National Conference & Exhibition in Boston on Saturday, October 11, 2008. Winners from both groups will receive $500 and up to $1,000 for travel-related expenses. The two second-place winners will each receive $250. Entry Deadline: July 31, 2008 For more information, please go to: http://www.aap.org/75/2008artcontest/
Children's Stake in Social Security
Most of us think "retirement" when we hear about Social Security, but 6.5 million children under age 18 - or nearly 9 percent of all U.S. children - received part of their family income from Social Security in 2005. And 1.3 million children were lifted out of poverty by Social Security disability and life insurance benefits. Also: the Social Security Administration's Ticket to Work program offers funds to help youth transitioning to employment; Connect for Kids has a Q&A.
National and State Surveillance Efforts to Monitor Oral Health Disparities in Children.
Speakers will present data on the oral health status of children at the national and state levels, discuss trends in children's use of and access to dental health care. This program will take place on Wednesday, April 16th, 2008, at 2:00 p.m., EDT. To register for this event, please go to DataSpeak registration at: http://www.mchb.hrsa.gov/mchirc/dataspeak/register.htm When you register, you will receive the details on how to participate in the Web conference. For full program details, please visit the MCHIRC Web site at: http://www.mchb.hrsa.gov/mchirc/dataspeak/
HHS Releases National Statistics on Child Abuse and Neglect for 2006-
http://cbexpress.acf.hhs.gov/articles.cfm?article_id=1528&ref=htmlEml
NEW CD - SELF EMPLOYMENT FOR INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABILITIES
This CD, developed by T-TAP, provides the viewer with information on self-employment for individuals with disabilities. The CD contains audio and video presentations, fact sheets, related web links, and important contact information. Topics include Self-Employment for Individuals with Disabilities, Using Work Incentives to Fund Micro Enterprises, Developing a Business Plan, and Self-Employment as a Customized Employment Outcome. To purchase the CD, go to http://www.worksupport.com/store/index.cfm
The National Institute for Early Education Research (NIEER) has published its 2007 State Preschool Yearbook, the fifth in a series of annual reports profiling state-funded prekindergarten programs in the United States.
This latest Yearbook presents data on state-funded prekindergarten during the 2006-2007 school year. It can be accessed online at http://nieer.org/yearbook/.
LRE: What it means, how to decide it
Module 15, LRE Decision Making
http://www.nichcy.org/training/contents.asp#IEP15
This module finishes out Building the Legacy, it's the last one! (Modules 3 and 4 have been postponed, pending reauthorization of NCLB.) It also rounds out the five-module series on the IEP. As usual, the module includes a detailed discussion and explanation (in this case, of IDEA's provisions regarding least restrictive environment, or LRE), a PowerPoint slideshow you can use to train others on this subject, and handouts for audience participants.
We hope you've found Building the Legacy helpful in your work or personal life. Now that the curriculum is completed, we'd like to ask you to take a moment and give us your feedback on how well it's served your needs and how you've used it (or not!). Please share your impressions and experiences online at: http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=N1eWc0qWHY2aYul6drnQ3g_3d_3d
As always, please feel free to call or email us with your disability-related concerns, or visit our Web site, at: www.nichcy.org.
NICHCY,
P.O. Box 1492,
Washington, DC 20013,
1.800.695.0285 (V/TTY), nichcy@aed.org,
www.nichcy.org
[fridayschildnews] Friday's Child: April 12, 2008
In this edition of Friday's Child we share information about the release of the National Survey of CSHCN chartbook and some exciting happenings in RI and NJ. Also featured are several national health observances for April that focus attention on issues of importance to families: Minority Health, Child Abuse Prevention, and Autism.
You can download a print version of this newsletter at http://www.familyvoices.org/pub/fc/FC_2008-04-12.pdf. If you have any difficulty viewing this email, please visit http://www.familyvoices.org/pub/fc/html/Friday's%20Child.htm.
[nectac-enotes] NECTAC eNotes - April 11, 2008
REFERENCE POINTS:
World Institute on Disability resources on Abuse
Prevention and Empowerment
The World Institute on Disability (WID) received funding from the National Institute on Disability Rehabilitation and Research (NIDRR) to develop a new Curriculum on Abuse Prevention and Empowerment (CAPE). The completed curriculum (anticipated for fall of 2008) will explore fundamental issues of abuse, best-practices training approaches, and stories of disabled people confronting and resisting abuse. CAPE also helps teachers adapt learning activities for use at disability and community events, rehabilitation sessions, schools and independent living training sessions.
Some CAPE resources are now available for free use via the WID website. these include excerpts from the forthcoming book, Sticks and Stones: Disabled People's Stories of Abuse, Defiance and Resilience, a collection of stories showing how people with disabilities have successfully resisted abuse; a teaching guide; movies, comic book scenes, quizzes and games to accommodate various levels of literacy.
Resources are available in English and Spanish. For more information go to the WID web site.
http://www.wid.org/programs/health-access-and-long-term-services/curriculum-on-abuse-prevention-and-empowerment-cape/curriculum-on-abuse-prevention-and-empowerment-cape
REFERENCE POINTS:
Approximately 2.8 Million Persons With Intellectual Disability In The U.S. Receive Residential Support From Family Caregivers; An Estimated 715,000 Of These Persons Reside With Caregivers Over 60 Years Of Age
With almost 60% of people with intellectual disability in the U.S. receiving residential support from family caregivers and the number of persons over age 65 more than doubling within the next 30 years, the demand for services for people with developmental disabilities who reside with aging family caregivers will significantly increase within the United States, reports the new 2008 State of the States in Developmental Disabilities study. Increased longevity of persons with intellectual disability is also stimulating demand for services and supports. The study is a detailed and only one-of-its-kind investigation of public spending, revenues, and programmatic trends of intellectual and developmental programs and services within the United States since 1977. It is particularly known for a 4-page "report card" on each state's intellectual and developmental disability spending. The latest edition of the State of the States (2008), published by the American Association on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (AAIDD), covers data until year 2006. For more information go to AAIDD's website at http://bookstore.aaidd.org/BookDetail.aspx?bid=73 -
Source: AAIDD e-newsletter
REFERENCE POINTS:
New Videos Featuring Youth Sharing Their Success Strategies
The New England ADA Center and No Limits Media have released informative videos featuring students with disabilities sharing their strategies for successfully staying in school, graduating and getting jobs. Students reveal their struggles with self-reporting their disability, and negotiating accommodations in school and at work. These videos can be used as part of trainings (each video is 7-9 minutes) and shared with students and other professionals. The videos are open captioned and can be viewed at http://adaptiveenvironments.org/neada/site/student
The direct support workforce crisis: Can unions help resolve this?
Taylor, S. J. (2008, February). [A Policy Paper from the Center on Human Policy]. Syracuse, NY: Center on Human Policy, Syracuse Univ.
This policy paper examines the controversy of national initiatives to unionize direct support workers in the private sector in developmental disabilities services. It explores the historical roots of efforts to address direct support workforce issues, reviews the role of unions in the field in the past, considers the fit between disability rights and worker rights, examines emerging support models, and comments on current union efforts. This paper is available as either plain text (http://disabilitystudies.syr.edu/RESOURCES/DSWorkforceCrisis.aspx) or as a PDF (http://disabilitystudies.syr.edu/docs/directsupportworkforcecrisis.pdf)
Reader's Digest Foundation: Make it Matter
Know anyone making an extraordinary contribution to your community? Tell the Reader's Digest Foundation about them and the story selected by RDF may be featured in Reader's Digest. Plus, RDF will give $100,000 to a deserving charity in their name. Over the next ten months, the Reader's Digest Foundation will donate $1 million to nonprofit organizations in Make it Matter grants, all based on your inspiring stories. Nominate someone now! http://www.rd.com/jsp/rdcom/makeItMatterLanding.jsp
DisabilityInfo.gov
Benefits News & Events Update: GovBenefits.gov 6th Anniversary Webcast
This 6th anniversary webcast will highlight GovBenefits.gov's new features, and how the site helps citizens easily access essential government benefits including Food/Nutrition, Housing Assistance, Healthcare, Disaster Relief, Education and Veteran Programs. The webcast will take place on April 24, 2008 at 1:30 p.m. EST. This information has recently been updated, and can be accessed by visiting this link: http://www.disabilityinfo.gov/digov-public/public/DisplayPage.do?parentFolderId=165.
These links contain some ADAPT History Project videos and a preview of the
I AM ADAPT Show, May 1st, 2008.
-History,
http://www.endeavorfreedom.tv/video/video/listForContributor?screenName=timmwheat
-Preview,
http://www.endeavorfreedom.tv/video/video/show?id=942302%3AVideo%3A23353
For more about ADAPT's 25th anniversary go to http://www.adapt25.org
Mark Johnson,
Director of Advocacy,
Shepherd Center,
404-350-7490
A National Audio-Conference -
Tuesday April 15 -
2 - 3:30 pm EST
Speaker:
Howard Kallem, Chief Regional Attorney , D.C. Enforcement Office, Office for Civil Rights, U.S. Department of Education
Transitioning from high school to college is tough enough; for students with disabilities who may not know their rights and responsibilities under federal law, the experience can be even tougher. This presentation will compare the rights and responsibilities of students with disabilities in high school and in college. By understanding the differences, students, parents, teachers, counselors, service providers, and administrators can be better prepared and increase student's chances of graduating.
Cost per site (regardless of the number of participants at each site)
$25 for nonprofits, individuals and government agencies
$40 for businesses
Sessions are 90 minutes and delivered by telephone (call in to a toll free phone number). Participants are in "listen-only" mode until the question and answer period. The sessions are offered real-time captioned on the web.
Audio conferences are a great way to get information without traveling. You sit in your office or home or at any telephone and call in. If you have a speaker phone invite your colleagues to participate.
www.ada-audio.org
If you have problems/questions with registration: the Great Lakes ADA Center at 312-413-1407 voice/tty or email gldbtac@uic.edu.
CEU Credits: CRC
You are welcome to come to our office at 200 Portland Street in Boston to participate at no cost, we've already registered. Please call or send us an email. Want to join us at the office? Need more info? ADAinfo@NewEnglandADA.org or 1-800-949-4232 voice/tty.
New and Updated Data in FCA's “Caregiving Across the States” Interactive Database
The National Center on Caregiving at Family Caregiver Alliance (FCA) is pleased to announce the addition of new and updated data in its on-line resource, "Caregiving Across the States."
The database includes a separate profile for each State and the District of Columbia. Profiles contain the State's background characteristics related to caregiving and aging, as well as information on publicly-funded caregiver support programs. You'll find the updated data in the "Selected State Background Characteristics" sections of the State Profiles. NEW State-by-State data include:
In addition, key updates for each State include:
This interactive database, accessible in map format on the FCA website, is a valuable resource to inform State administrators and policymakers about support programs for family caregivers of adults with chronic illnesses or disabilities. It also allows caregivers and service providers to access information they need to seek assistance and benefits for themselves or their clients.
To learn more about the family caregiving landscape in your State, visit FCA's Caregiving Across the States webpage at:
http://www.caregiver.org/caregiver/jsp/content_node.jsp?nodeid=1274.
For more information, contact Amy Friedrich-Karnik at 800-445-8106 or email afriedrich@caregiver.org.
Virtual Job Fair Available For College Students with Disabilities In Western States
April 23, 2008 - http://www.workforceatm.org/sections/pdf/2008/virtualonlinejobfair.pdf
A virtual online job fair for college students with disabilities transitioning from school to work will be held on Wednesday, April 23, 2008. The virtual job fair is sponsored by disABLEDperson, Inc., a non-profit foundation with a mission to reduce the extremely high unemployment rate for people with disabilities. A primary goal is to connect individuals with employers who are proactive in hiring persons with disabilities. disABLEDperson, Inc. is a partner of DirectEmployers Association. More information about disABLEDperson, Inc. is available at www.disABLEDperson.com .
The virtual online job fair is available - at no cost - to applicants and employers in ten (10) states: Arizona, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah, Washington, and Wyoming. A letter of invitation to participate and a memo describing the logistics to participate is available by accessing the URL.
http://www.workforceatm.org/PDFaccess.cfm?pdf_path=http://www.workforceatm.org/sections/pdf/2008/virtualonlinejobfair.pdf
GovBenefits.gov 6th Anniversary Webcast
Thursday, April 24, 2008/ Time: 1:30pm Eastern Daylight Time - http://www.mobilevideo.net/govbenefits/registration.html
Join on April 24, 2008 for a webcast to commemorate the 2002 launch of GovBenefits.gov. GovBenefits.gov continues to make government programs more accessible to the American public and in the process has become a leading e-government initiative. In fact, over the past six years, GovBenefits.gov has helped more than 26 million Americans obtain free and easy online access to vital benefits and assistance information.
The 6th Anniversary webcast will highlight GovBenefits.gov’s new features and, most importantly, how it continues to help citizens readily access essential government benefits covering a broad range of categories such as Food / Nutrition, Housing Assistance, Healthcare, Disaster Relief, Education, and Veteran Programs.
As every US citizen can benefit from GovBenefits.gov, please forward this invitation to your colleagues, friends and family.
Reserve your space today! Pre-register at: http://www.mobilevideo.net/govbenefits/registration.html
For assistance registering or viewing the webcast, please contact govbenefits@mobilevideo.net or call (202) 331-8882.
Presentation Materials: Ticket to Work 2008 Partners Summit
http://www.cessi.net/ticketpartnerssummit/
The Ticket to Work Partners Summit, which took place March 10-13th in Louisville, Kentucky, brought together over 400 of Social Security’s partners who actively engage Social Security disability beneficiaries in work through the Ticket to Work Program. The presentation materials for the Summit have been posted for your use and dissemination. As finalize workshop summaries are finalized and new tools developed, the Summit website will continue to be updated.
Summit presentations and materials can be viewed and downloaded by accessing the following site: http://www.cessi.net/ticketpartnerssummit/wrapup.htm.
Video Case Studies Show Integration of Accessibility into the Workplace
Microsoft Accessibility Update, April 2008
Accessible technology solutions in the workplace help employers attract and keep a high quality workforce. View videos of Microsoft employees discussing their use of assistive technology on the job:
More video case studies http://go.microsoft.com/?linkid=8646268
Video case studies let you see and hear from successful business people who use accessible and assistive technologies on the job. Accessible technology solutions in the workplace help employers attract and keep a high quality workforce.
Universal Design and Universal Strategies
By Christopher Button, PhD - U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Disability Employment Policy - October 2007
http://www.dol.gov/odep/alliances/universal.htm
Good customer service means providing a welcoming environment, respectful treatment and needed information. Universal Design provides an important toolset for companies seeking to provide these advantages for their customers and for their employees, who also want to feel welcome and respected, and who require adequate and timely information to do their jobs. Access the URL to find the answers to the following questions:
Facts for Features-- Older Americans Month: May 2008
U.S. Census Bureau - March 3, 2008
http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/releases/archives/facts_for_features_special_editions/011603.html
A meeting with the National Council of Senior Citizens resulted in President John F. Kennedy designating May 1963 as Senior Citizens Month, encouraging the nation to pay tribute in some way to older people across the country. In 1980, President Jimmy Carter’s proclamation changed the name to Older Americans Month, a time to celebrate those 65 and older through ceremonies, events and public recognition.
Access the URL to see current facts on older Americans including basic stats, income and wealth, serving our nation, jobs, education and more.
GovBenefits: Your Benefits Connection
GovBenefits.gov is a partnership of Federal agencies with a shared vision - to provide improved, personalized access to government assistance programs.
Are there government benefit programs available to help you? GovBenefits.gov will help you answer that question. Our online screening tool is free, easy-to-use, and completely confidential. We do not require your name, phone number, Social Security number, or any other information that could be used to identify you. You answer a series of questions about yourself, and then GovBenefits.gov returns a list of government benefit programs you may be eligible to receive along with information about how you can apply.
Whether it's a direct payment, loan, insurance, training, or other services - there may be government benefit programs available to help you. To get started, go to the homepage, choose either Locate Federal or State Benefits, Browse by Category, or Get Results by Questionnaire.
Improving Access, Transition, and Success: Meeting the Challenges Facing College Students with Disabilities
Update on Research and Leadership Vol 19. No. 1 by Christine D. Bremer, Joe Timmons, and Donna Johnson, Institute on Community Integration, University of Minnesota http://occrl.ed.uiuc.edu/Newsletter/2007/fall/fall2007_2.asp
This article explores rates of participation by students with disabilities in postsecondary education, some of the barriers they encounter, and ways to improve access. Postsecondary education has been shown to lead to better employment and improved life outcomes, but for many individuals with disabilities, college remains an unrealized dream. Compared to those without disabilities, only two-thirds as many working-age adults with disabilities have attended college, and fewer than half as many have attained a bachelor’s degree or higher
HUD's Notice Re "Reasonable Accommodation" and Increasing Housing Voucher
Payments for Persons with Disabilities.
Information Bulletin #243 (4/08)
HUD recently issued a new Notice (PIH 2008-13) entitled "Requests for
Exception Payment Standards for Persons with Disability as a Reasonable
Accommodation."
As many of you know, persons with disabilities who require mobility
accessible housing units and who have a Housing Choice Voucher (aka
Section 8 tenant-based voucher) often have great difficulty locating a
unit that meets their needs. When they do find such a unit in the private
market that would accept a voucher as payment, the rent most often exceeds
the payment standard of the voucher.
In previous Information Bulletins, we explained that the federal
regulations authorize Housing Authorities (the local agencies that
administer the voucher program), on their own, to increase the value of a
voucher up to 110% of the Fair Market Rent (established by HUD for each
local area). To increase the voucher from 110% up to 120% of the FMR, the
Housing Authority must request the HUD Field Office for permission and to
increase the voucher above 120% the HA must request HUD's national
headquarters for permission.
In the past there have been several problems which we believe (and hope)
that the recent HUD Notice will correct: (1) Housing Authorities
unwillingness to increase the value of the voucher so a person with a
disability could rent an accessible unit, and (2) when HAs' were willing
to increase the voucher's payments, the HUD process for requests above
120% of the FRM was so cumbersome that by the time national HUD acted, the
rental units were gone.
HUD's Notice 2008-13 (Google it and read it in its entirety) addresses
both of these problems in ways that disability advocates must be aware of.
First, HUD emphasized that increased payments for vouchers for persons
with disability to use with accessible units were a "reasonable
accommodation" under Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act. By
recognizing that increased payments were often necessary to achieve equal
access and equal opportunity in using vouchers, and therefore were a civil
rights issue, this should force Housing Authorities to increase the
voucher payments.
If you have an accessible unit and if the HA refuses to increase the
payment as a reasonable accommodation or if the HA refuses to request HUD
for permission to pay over 110% or over 120% of the FMR, the HA has
potentially violated the civil rights' protections for persons with
disabilities in Section 504 and can be sued. It is no different than if
the HA refused to put up grab bars or a ramp as a reasonable
accommodation.
Second, the Notice provides a specific person in national HUD office and
her fax number and email address for voucher payments exceeding 120% of
the FMR. We hope this will significantly expedite the process so persons,
who finally find an accessible unit, do not lose it because HUD has taken
too long to respond.
The Notice provides an example of the calculation process which should be
followed and lists the types of documentation that should be provided.
These changes are potentially very important and should facilitate the
equal opportunity for persons with disabilities to use vouchers in
accessible units.
Steve Gold, The Disability Odyssey continues
Back issues of other Information Bulletins are available online at
http://www.stevegoldada.com with a searchable Archive at this site divided into different subjects. To
contact Steve Gold directly, write to stevegoldada@cs.com or call 215-627-7100.
MUSIC WITHIN" DVD IS NOW AVAILABLE
"Music Within," the story of Richard Pimentel
It’s currently listed for sale for $17.99 plus shipping at Amazon.com: You can also check online with your local stores like Best Buy ($17.99), Wal-Mart ($23.78), etc.
Until Next week
The Arc of the United States,1010 Wayne Avenue, Ste. 650,Silver Spring, MD 20910, Phone: 301-565-3842, Fax: 301-565-3843, Email: mmwdc@info.thearc.org, Web: www.thearc.org
Disclaimer: MMWDC publishes information about issues and events that we believe to be important and likely to be of interest to advocates and others interested in inclusion of persons with disabilities in all parts of society. However, MMWDC and The Arc of the United States and TheArcLink Incorporated do not necessarily endorse all events, sponsoring organizations and reports which appear.