Physical Disabilities

This call hosted Emily Fuerste, Executive Director of the No Place Like Home Communities in Minnesota. The NPLHC creates supportive affordable housing for adults with disabilities, helping build financial and emotional equity in independent lives as they travel the road to their full potential. Their goal is to develop a rent-to-own model which will allow all people with disabilities to gain financial equity.

The Ticket to Work Program is a Social Security Administration employment and healthcare initiative for Social Security Beneficiaries who want to work. The goal is to increase opportunities and choices for disability beneficiaries to find employment, vocational rehabilitation, and other support services through a pool of providers known as Employment Networks (ENs). If your organization is interested you can download the Application and RFP. This is a non-competitive, open-ended award process.

This article raises concerns about the impact of Medicare Part D on persons with chronic illnesses or disabilities. The article looks at benefit design and implementation issues. The article appeared in Care Management Journals, Volume 5, Number 2. Summer 2004

This memorandum presents state-by-state data on Medicaid long term care expenditures in Federal Fiscal Year 2004 (October 2003 through September 2004). The accompanying tables present data on Medicaid Expenditures for Long-Term Care services from 1992 to 2004. A new table this year shows the effect of supplemental nursing facility payments in some states on expenditure data. A separate file ranks states based on the proportion of LTC spending for community services.

The West Virginia Inclusion Campaign was created as an initiative to counteract the effects of social bias and discrimination against people with disabilities or people living with long-term illnesses. Part of the project has been to develop outreach materials. Please review their program brochure, Disability Awareness Guide and Reporter’s Guide.

Communities for Everyone is a two-day institute held June 23rd and 24th that will explore innovative approaches to building inclusive communities and creating sustainable systems change to support all residents to be full participants in community life. Workshops and keynote presentations will provide information that reflects current practices as well as future designs to create welcoming, accessible, and inclusive communities that support all residents.

This ILRU publication addresses common myths about abuse against people with disabilities by personal assistance providers and family members. The newsletter also addresses the personal barriers to stopping abuse and violence. This issue is Vol. 3, Issue 1.

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) invite proposals for grants in three categories: a. Family-to-Family Health Care Information and Education Centers b. Systems Transformation Grants c. Aging & Disability Resource Centers. In FY 05, during the consolidated appropriations process, Congress appropriated $39 million to fund a new round of RCSC grants. States and other eligible organizations, in partnership with their disability & aging communities, may submit proposals until 7/7/05.

For older adults and individuals with disabilities, some website designs can pose access problems. Users may be unable to use a website’s navigational menu, fill out online forms, or even access content. Addressing accessibility issues is important. This brief addresses the adaptation of standard website construction techniques to meet the needs of the target populations. It includes considerations & strategies for design that are informative, functional and useful for these populations.

This guidebook is written to provide information about Minnesota’s Personal Care Assistance (PCA) program and the many options consumers have. The state strives for a consumer directed service model. Sections in this guidebook define services, help consumers develop skills and provide resources to help take more control of the important services that allow independent living. This guidebook is current as of September 2004.