Developmental/Intellectual Disabilities

Are citizens with disabilities able to participate in all desired aspects of community life in the town in which they live? The Real Choice System Change Community Inclusion Assessment was launched “to determine the level and quality of inclusion in Connecticut communities.” Consumers with disabilities and their families were recruited to answer this survey both on-line and via telephone.

As part of the New Freedom Initiative, 17 states have been awarded Real Choice System Changes grants. The $25.8 million in grants is to help people of all ages with disabilities or long-term illnesses live in their homes and participate fully in community life. Review the list of Systems Transformation Grant Awardees and Family to Family Health Information and Education Center Awardees.

In the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, the unique needs of people with disabilities must be surveyed and responded to. If you’re seeking help, review our collection of resources, initiatives and written material about available assistance and supports.

Dr. Margaret Giannini, Director of the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Office on Disability needs our help to locate hurricane survivors who were placed in nursing homes and other restrictive facilities. HHS is enlisting our help so they can work with HUD to get these folks back out of the nursing homes and into temporary housing in the community. The attached memo details ways you can send specific information about survivors.

This Issue Brief summarizes the results of a recent descriptive study, Medicaid and Family Caregiving: Services, Supports and Strategies Among Aged/Disabled HCBS Waiver Programs in the U.S. (Feinberg & Newman, 2005). This issue brief is the first to characterize and analyze the role of Medicaid HCBS waiver programs in supporting family and informal caregivers of frail elders and adults with disabilities. The brief highlights key findings and summarizes conclusions.

Organizations interested in applying to become Employment Networks (EN) can now do so directly with the Social Security Administration, no longer having to process requests through MAXIMUS. All Request for Proposal (RFP) applications can be downloaded from the Federal procurement web site. This press release provides detailed instructions and contact information.

The Dept. of Education is accepting requests for grant supplements from RSA-funded Centers for Independent living that are involved in serving persons with disabilities displaced by Hurricane Katrina. Awards range from $150,000 to $300,000. Applications are due by September 23rd and should arrive on form ED 524.

This AARP Public Policy Institute fact sheet and report outlines the need for publicly funded respite services for family caregivers and describes the types available. The research concludes that publicly funded caregiver support programs play an important role in sustaining and strengthening the unpaid, informal care provided by families.

This website is a comprehensive evolving resource on information for people with disabilities who need help and also information for those who want to help and need to know how. The page includes numerous links to websites, agencies and experts that can offer assistance.

The National Council on Disability (NCD) released this report on April 15, 2005. This report provides an overview of steps the Federal Government should take to build a solid and resilient infrastructure that will enable the government to include the diverse populations of people with disabilities in emergency preparedness, disaster relief, and homeland security programs.