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The Job Accommodation Network: JAN Fact Sheet reports findings from over 1,000 employers interviewed between Jan '04 and Dec '06. Findings include the following: employers want to provide accommodations so they can retain valued and qualified employees, most employers report no cost or low cost for accommodating employees with disabilities, employers report accommodations are effective and employers experience multiple direct and indirect benefits after making accommodations.

The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) has released it annual report covering the period from Oct 1, 2005-Sept 30, 2006 and contains selected measures of agencies’ progress toward model equal employment opportunity programs, including workforce profiles of 59 federal agencies. The report finds that the participation rate for individuals with targeted disabilities (such as deafness, blindness, paralysis, intellectual disabilities, and mental illness) continues to fall.

The Government Accountability Office (GAO) has released detailed briefing slides from a presentation on the New Freedom Program. The GAO examined the extent to which the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) has implemented the program and how FTA monitors program performance. The New Freedom Program is designed to support new public transportation services and alternatives beyond those required by the ADA. Review the progress, developing policies and procedures.

HHS announced an $8.8 million investment to help states provide more affordable choices to individuals struggling to remain in their homes and communities as they age. A total of $5.7 million in federal funding was awarded to 12 states for grants for this nursing home diversion program that will improve state efforts to assist individuals avoid unnecessary nursing home placement, impoverishment and spend-down to Medicaid.

The federal government's one-stop Web site for people with disabilities, their families, employers, veterans and service members, workforce professionals and many others. The site connects people to information and resources needed to actively participate in the workforce and in their communities. Topics covered on the site include: benefits; civil rights; community life; education; emergency preparedness; employment; health; housing; technology; & transportation.

The goal of NFI is to remove barriers to full integration for Americans with disabilities. This report highlights the activities in several areas: increasing access through technology, expanding educational opportunities for youth with disabilities, integrating individuals with disabilities into the workforce, and promoting full access to community life. The report describes initiatives, regulations, grant programs and other efforts to improve integration for youth and adults with disabilities.

This letter is one of a series providing guidance on the implementation of section 6087 of the Deficit Reduction Act of 2005, Public Law Number 109-171. Effective 1/1/07, Section 6087, (Cash & Counseling), adds subsection 1915(j) to the Social Security Act. States have the option to provide self-directed PAS to beneficiaries, without regard to the Medicaid requirements of comparability or statewideness. A State plan amendment (SPA) pre-print is enclosed to assist you in submitting an amendment.

Part of the National Institutes of Health, the NIA website offers up-to-date information on aging research. Visit the site to find out the latest research and which clinical trials are recruiting as well as funding opportunities. Studies are related to aging issues such as Alzheimer’s, muscular diseases, Osteoarthritis, Insulin Resistance, High Blood Pressure, Caregiver Stress, Mobility Limitation, Sleep Disorders and more. The site is also now available in Spanish.

Diverse partnerships ensure that the needs and interests of all aging and developmental disability client groups are represented. The Georgia ADRC developed this resource to help organizations build partnerships between Aging and Developmental Disability groups. Partnerships often emerge naturally between individuals and organizations who share a common vision or concern. This resource provides a series of questions and points to consider when partnering organizations and networks.

The MASS C-PASS Marketing & Outreach Subcommittee (M&O) created a Consumer Forum Series to gather information on barriers to self-direction and community integration from a community perspective. Aside from targeting elders, individuals with disabilities and their families, emphasis was placed on targeting traditionally underserved and un-served racial, ethnic, and linguistic minority groups and rural areas. This report is the narrative account and outcomes from nine consumer forums.