A grassroots effort has started in Maryland after gathering in a basement of a local church to discuss the upcoming budget issues and the problems people with disabilities will soon face.  A few of the issues noted were the lack of COLA changes and local direct support workers’ wages frozen at $9 per hour.

More than 18,000 developmentally disabled Maryland residents sit on the Developmental Disabilities Administration’s waiting list, on hold for state-funded services.

The article also notes that more than half are in crisis mode, meaning they may be without a home or care very soon.  Despite these issues, Governor Martin O’Malley is preparing a $200 million cut with more expected to follow next week.

Many families have applied for state assistance both with and without income restrictions, once accepted they just have to wait and find out.  Though the state is one of the wealthiest in the United States, it ranks as one of the worst for providing funding to those with disabilities services.

Read the whole article here:  People with disabilities suffer from inadequate funding

In a settlement on Friday, the Department of Justice is requiring District of Columbia to spend costs in an estimated $4 million to $5 million to provide adequate accommodations. The District of Columbia did not contest the lawsuit rather settled on the above stipulations as well as requiring personnel training, developing policies to ensure accessibility and improve communication to those with disabilities. The settlement also requires the District improve oversight on contractors and conduct hearings on plans of accessibility.

“It’s a very high-level acknowledgment of the importance of people’s civil rights,” Ms. Harding [Washington Legal Clinic staff attorney] said. “Something as simple as a [wheelchair] ramp is the difference between someone having a roof over their head when it’s freezing outside or having to stay out on the street.”

Read the whole story here: D.C. shelters to accommodate disabled

Florida has unveiled its new system to apply for food stamps, temporary family assistance and even Medicaid monitor Medicaid application statuses.  The system was implemented to decrease the high call volume of many agencies, as at least the Department of Children and Families reported one million more calls than October one year ago.

Read the whole article here:  Public assistance system now online

View ACCESS Florida here:  Department of Children and Families - ACCESS Online Tool

In a recent heated debate between actresses Jenny McCarthy and Amanda Peet about children’s vaccinations linked to autism, Peet has decided to team up with Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia’s Paul Offit. In an attempt to refute allegations that vaccinations and autism are linked, the two decided to use Peet’s star-power to diffuse the vaccination situation.

Peet says she was bewildered and frustrated by “the disparity between what I was hearing from other moms here in Hollywood and what I was hearing from the doctors.”

While Offit has created the vaccine for rotavirus, this is the reason most advocates say he can’t be trusted. Offit refutes with money spent on disproving the link between vaccination and autism could have been better utilized in figuring out what does cause it. As well, the times that parents don’t have their children vaccinated has caused a resurgence in preventable diseases.

Read the whole piece here: Defending Vaccines: Actress Dispels Link To Autism

The Cove is a treatment center for those on the autism spectrum.  Using technologies such as soft LCD lighting and bubble tubes, a soothing atmosphere is used to provide a stress free learning environment.  Organizers of The Cove hope its success will lead to other state of the art facilities around the country.

“I think this will become more and more popular here in the U.S. With more and more research. What they found is at least 50 percent of individuals will be less aggressive after entering a place like this. So I think it’s something for the future,” said Bob Irvine, Executive Director of California Vocations.

The Cove’s grand opening is today from 5:00pm to 7:30pm in Paradise.  The whole story with video can be read here:  Cool New Center Hopes to Help Treat Autism

Armed with professional dancers as partners, 14 people with disabilities danced their tires off in a recent dance contest for a grand prize of about 5,000 pesos or $100 (US).  After a month of training with professionals, dancers were not necessarily based on “foot movement,” rather a whole slew of other criteria such as head movement, eye contact, timing and coordination.

“I hope people don’t judge us based on physical appearance. With the help of dancing, we can show our real emotions and share it with others,” Juanito Mingarine, a national wheelchair basketball champion who has won pentathlon gold at the Southeast Asian Paralympics, told Reuters.

“Their bodies cannot function completely, as they’ve lost the sensation in their legs. But they can turn quickly. They can move their hands and heads quickly. They double their effort, and I really appreciate it,” said professional dancer and instructor Victoria Huyatid.

Read the whole article here:  Filipino disabled groove to the jive for confidence

In an article posted on the New York Times, those that use headphones or ear buds (inner-ear headphones) develop hearing loss by their mid-twenties. Though the article cites that we live in a noisy world with power tools, lawn mowers, leaf blowers, movie theatres, etc. there are preventative measures that can be taken such as wearing ear plug-type devices when around those types of activities.

Toys that meet the safety standards of the American Society for Testing and Materials can produce sound up to 138 decibels, as loud as a jet taking off. Yet workplace rules require hearing protection for those exposed to noise above 85 decibels.

The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health says 110 decibels can produce hearing damage after just 1 minute, 29 seconds of exposure. The League for the Hard of Hearing cautions that “noise levels above 85 decibels will harm hearing over time” and that levels above 140 decibels - the pain threshold - can damage hearing after just one exposure.

The article also mentions that even ear phones that produce noise by conducting it through the skull may not solve the problem and once the receptors inside the ears are damaged, they can never be replaced. Enduring this kind of damage can make it harder hearing higher-pitched noises such as children or even women.

Read the whole story here: All That Noise is Damaging Children’s Hearing

While it’s not certain yet, the Bush administration could allow Rhode Island to try a pilot project that would allow more freedom with federal Medicaid monies.  The proposed project would give the state its Medicaid monies in a lump sum in exchange for less oversight; the federal government benefits by capping expenditures over the life of the project (3-5 years).

The downside to the project is that if the monies are mismanaged, the state could be left with having to cut services or raise revenues to pay for the shortfall.  The plan’s major savings in helping seniors stay in their homes rather than in nursing facilities.  The 24-hour care provided by nursing facilities are not necessarily needed by seniors, rather help at specific times of day which could help decrease the costs care.

Read the whole story here:  R.I. May Get Medicaid Overhaul

You can read a previous post on the same subject here:  Rhode Island Attempts Medicaid Overhaul

In an effort to persuade the Governor and legislators to limit the impact of budget cuts and revenue increases against people with disabilities.  As funding gets cut on all the essential services allowing people to live independently, potential elimination of cost of living increases with the addition of new tax increases, the budget cuts disproportionately affect those with disabilities.  The California SCDD has made its position clear in saying that in past fiscal years, it is always health and human services that sustains the disproportionate amount of cuts compared to other services.

Attached to this post are PDF copies of letters delivered to legislators and the Governor:

• California SCDD Letter to the Governor Opposing Proposed Budget Cuts for Fiscal Year 2008-2009
• California SCDD Letter to Top Legislators Opposing Proposed Budget Cuts
• California SCDD Proposed Budget Cuts Talking Points
• California SCDD Temporary Senate Roster - 2008-12-01

Allsup, one of the largest providers of Social Security consultation and health care services to people with disabilities, is now venturing into providing a comprehensive information base and community for people with disabilities.  The site is geared to offer information about disabilities, tracking services (Social Security, Medicare, etc) and acting as a community portal.

It will also tailor itself to specific updated news depending on the medical conditions related to them.  A demo can be viewed to familiarize yourself with the types of features provided, but registration is required to get full access with customized information.

The full story can be read here:  Allsup Place Offers Unique, Customizable Community for Individuals with Disabilities

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