Announcement/Press release

Using the media to get the word out about employment events for people with disabilities is a great marketing tool. The state of Nevada created the attached press release to announce an event being held to develop work skills of individuals with disabilities. A sample of this document is attached and could serve as a template for other states looking into marketing their events or programs.

The City of New Haven’s Department of Services for Persons with Disabilities along with Metro Taxi, the state’s largest, full-service taxi company, jointly launched Connecticut’s first wheelchair-accessible cab, MetroAccess. To find out more see the attached Press Release.

The West Virginia Bureau of Senior Services developed this communications plan for their Cash & Counseling project. The plan includes information on an internal and external scans, messaging, communications activities, and a timeline.

This memo outlines the three provisions in the DRA of 2005 relating to the availability of federal Medicaid funds for the provision on Cash & Counseling and related non-institutional long-term care services to low-income elderly and low-income individuals with disabilities.

Annual survey of all 50 States finds that during this time of recession the number of people on Medicaid is greatly increasing, as is the amount of money being spent on the program by individual States. Despite federal assistance from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA), this leads to further strain on already tight State budgets. This trend is expected to continue & States should be expecting a predicted increase of 6.3% on Medicaid spending in the 2010 fiscal year.

ADAPT is a group of self-advocates working for civil rights for people with disabilities. Follow the link to see their arguments and evidence in support the Community Choice Act. The Act would establish a national program of community-based attendant services and supports, regardless of a person’s age or disability, and allow them to choose where they receive services. Materials include talking points, summaries, links to the bills, and updates on status and actions related to the Act.

<i>NOTE: The effective date for this rule has been postponed to April 3, 2009 and the comment period has been reopened, pending review by the Obama administration. See "Interim Rule" below.</i> CMS issued a Final Rule giving states the flexibility to define the scope of medical assistance covered by Medicaid by offering coverage of benchmark or benchmark-equivalent benefit packages to certain recipients. The file contains the official text of the rule as entered into the Federal Registry.

This press release, dated May 2008, summarizes a collection of data related to American’s living with disabilities. This information is released each year in advance of the anniversary of the passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act. Use this guide as quick reference to data and statistics.

The Department of Health and Human Services announces $36 million in new grant programs to 28 states to help older Americans, veterans, and people with Alzheimer’s disease to remain in their homes and communities. About $19 million of this involves a collaboration between the Administration on Aging and the Department of Veterans Affairs. The grants are designed to reach people who are not eligible for Medicaid but are at high risk for nursing home placement and to spend-down to Medicaid.

A final rule that would allow more Medicaid beneficiaries to be in charge of their own personal assistance services, including personal care services, instead of having those services directed by an agency, was published in the Oct 3, 2008 Federal Register. The rule, effective Nov. 3, 2008, guides states that wish to allow beneficiaries who need help with activities of daily living to hire, direct, train or fire their own personal care, workers including qualified family members.