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

Dear Friends (okay, so I sound like a presidential candidate right there) –

I hope you can make this event for CDCAN on Monday, December 15th from 4 to 7 PM.  It is in Sacramento in a building right next to the train station.  The building is so much nicer than the way that sentence sounds.  And there is a Starbucks on the first floor too right across the street from the federal courthouse.

Even if you cannot donate – or you already have (and thanks so much)  – please join us.  It will be nice to see people in a setting other than a budget hearing or a memorial service.

And the fund raiser invite mentions “drinks will be provided”.  Before one dashes over to the event just for that, one should also remember that in some parts of the world, like my office,  “drinks” can mean simply unbottled water in a pan.  I think though in this case the drinks will be pretty cool (what else does one call jugs of Ripple?). No – it will be nice.  Drop by – even for just a few minutes – and even if you bring a zip lock bag, that’s okay.  Sort of.  Just make it a small one.

Either way, I hope you can come – this is one event I didn’t organize, which means it will be nice. And I definitely don’t claim credit for the title of it either (“Merry Marty Party” – thankfully people will remember to always include the letter “P” in that last word, otherwise I will be reliving elementary school all over again).
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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

In a story out of Malaysia, the Society of the Blind held a press conference on how to interview those with visual impairments. The focus of the conference was to raise awareness for employers, employees and providing proper contact information to the relevant organizations. According to Dr. Wong Huey Siew, 1% of the public sector employment must be allocated to people with visual impairments to ensure they have equal employment opportunities.

“Many people do not know how to interact with disabled people. At an interview, it’s wrong for interviewers to keep quiet just because they have no experience in interacting with PWDs,” said Wong.

“Get to know the candidate. Some interviewers tend to focus on the interviewee’s disabilities instead of their capabilities and strengths. They should access the candidate’s skills, motivation level, past working experiences as well as ask them how they can contribute to the company,” he said in the interview at the society’s headquarters in Brickfields, KL.

Read the whole story here: Don’t turn a blind eye to them

In a related story, this was also posted:  Working beyond their limitations

The Vietnam Association of Business Enterprises of People with Disabilities, comprised of more than 300 businesses, has created more than 10,000 jobs and 70% of those have gone to people with disabilities.  In three training centers based in Hanoi, Ha Tinh and Ho Chi Minh City have provided training for more than 1,600 war invalids and people with disabilities, 80% of which have obtained stable employment.

The association has not only contributed to a number of policy decisions regarding businesses owned by people with disabilities including tax exemptions, and levies imposed on land and water surface use.  The association also holds yearly job fairs to promote gainful employment.

Read the whole VABED story here:  Vietnamese disabled businessmen create 10,000 jobs

The ACTT program helps teens with disabilities transition from high school into adult life by bringing together a transition team composed of educators, transition specialists, employment specialists, et cetera to make independence a reality.

“We’re giving them information that they typically won’t hear in school, from support services and someone other than a teacher,” said Peggy Steinkamp, ACTT president and transition specialist at Quincy High School.

Read the whole article here: ACTT conference guides transition for high schoolers with disabilities nearing graduation

This was released about 10 days ago and I was sifting through some old email and found it.  It was a press release from Assembly member John Laird’s office in California.

SACRAMENTO –Assembly Speaker Karen Bass (D-Los Angeles) has appointed Assembly member John Laird (D-Santa Cruz) as chair of the 4th Extraordinary Special Session Assembly Budget Committee.  The Special Session was requested by Governor Schwarzenegger in response to the deepening fiscal crisis and its affect on the state budget, and will complete its work before November 30, 2008.

Mr. Laird also released the Assembly Budget Committee’s summary analysis of the governor’s budget proposals to be considered in the special session:

Due to the continuing downturn in the world, national and state economies, General Fund revenue projections have fallen by $11.2 billion in 2008-09 and $13 billion for 2009-10. The Governor has called the 4th Extraordinary Session to immediately begin to address this revenue shortfall, and proposes a mix of solutions, including $4.7 billion in revenue increases and $4.5 billion in budget cuts. These solutions do not completely close the $11.2 billion revenue shortfall, but together with various cash solutions would ensure the state is able to meet all its remaining spending obligations.

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SACRAMENTO (CDCAN) - The Legislature’s budget analyst issued a report – and a warning – that the state budget deficit will grow to over $28 billion by the end of the 2009-2010 State Budget year if the State fails to take action on addressing increases to revenues and more spending cuts to programs. The figure is $4 billion higher than what the Governor’s Department of Finance projected the shortfall to be last week and underscores what the Governor last week said was a budget “state of emergency”. See later CDCAN Report today for more details.

The Assembly Budget Committee, chaired by outgoing Assembly member John Laird (Democrat – Santa Cruz) is scheduled to hold a hearing on the budget crisis, Friday, November 14th, at 1:30 PM at the State Capitol in Room 4202. The specific agenda for the hearing is not yet available and it is not certain at this point what the focus of the hearing will be. The State Senate has not yet scheduled any budget hearings at this point.
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The Washington State Governor’s Committee on Disability Issues and Employment is seeking information about concerns affecting the lives of individuals with disabilities and their families in the Kelso/Longview area, according to a press release from the committee. The group also is interested in learning about positive changes and success stories in the community.

The building is accessible and transportation from the meeting will be provided by CUBS.

Life and work issues faced by people with disabilities will be discussed from 4 to 6 p.m. Nov. 13 in the Cowlitz PUD auditorium, 961 12th Ave., Longview.

The whole article with contact information about the meeting can be found here:  State panel to hold discussion on living with disabilities

Related to an older story focusing on a high school student organizing nights out at local restaurants, the Saginaw MI YMCA is hosting nights dedicated to children with autism.  While the night isn’t primarily focused around them, it certainly provides a kid-friendly zone and allows parents to discuss issues surrounding the spectrum.  It looks to serve more of a parents support group.

The activities start at 6:30PM with no specified end time.  The dates of the activities are:

1. November 24, 2008
2. December 8th, 2008
3. December 22nd, 2008

Participating families do not need a membership to the Y, but are encouraged to register at saginawymca.org

The whole article can be read here:  Saginaw, Michigan, YMCA family nights focus on autism

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