Tag Archive

Eye and Health Care

Resources in the Community

Youth focus group about disability benefits. Feb. 18 and 19 at WID.

The World Institute on Disability invites students & their circle of support to participate in a focus group discussion about youth with disabilities and their benefits. We are redesigning our school and work website calculator (www.db101.org). We want input! Tell us your concerns about life planning and addressing gaps in information when seeking employment for yourself or someone you know.

Focus groups (FG) will take about 2 hours, and have a maximum of 8 participants in each focus groups, ages 16-28 and their circle of support. This will take place on February 18 & 19 at the World Institute on Disability.

Focus Group Blocks & Time:
World Institute on Disability
510 16th St. 2nd Fl.
Oakland, CA 94612

Thursday, February 18, 4-6pm:
16-22 yr olds

Thursday, February 18, 7-9pm:
23-28 yr olds

Friday, February 19, 7-9pm:
Circle of support: Family members, teachers, service providers

Participants will each receive a $50 VISA gift card.

We encourage youth and their circle of support from all backgrounds and different types of disability to participate. We are especially seeking those who are determined by Social Security as disabled, but encourage those who are not determined to still contact us. We want to ensure that when redesigning our calculator we have an inclusive process.

If you (or someone you know) are interested, please contact Silvia Kim, Projects Coordinator at the World Institute on Disability no later than February 10. Please provide the following information:

Which focus group will you be attending?

Please select which best describes you:
Youth with a disability
Family member of a child with a disability
Friend of person with a disability
Service Provider
Teacher
Other

Thank you,

Silvia Kim
World Institute on Disability
Phone: (510) 251-4325
Silvia@wid.org

Resources in the Community

Project L/EARN Offering College Students Paid 10-Week Summer Internships in Health Research at Rutgers

Are you a visually impaired college student with an interest in health information sytems? Why not apply your unique perspective to this field by challenging yourself with the following summer internship program?

Program aims to enhance diversity in health-related graduate school programs.

College students who want to skip the mindless low-wage job this summer and learn valuable skills in health research now have a new option. Those from disadvantaged backgrounds who have an interest in health-related careers are eligible to apply for a summer health research training program at Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey.

That’s because Rutgers and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation have come together to offer this alternative to uninspired summer breaks through Project L/EARN, which will accept 10 students this year who are minorities, first generation college attendees or who are from low-income families. Participants will assist faculty with research projects and attend daily research training classes. For their work, they will receive the cost of tuition, room and board, a stipend of $3,900, and three academic credits.

Applications are due Feb. 16; selections will be announced this spring.

Read the full article here.

Resources in the Community

Professional Development: Fellowship in disability informatics and policy, post-doctoral

FELLOWSHIP ANNOUNCEMENT

The University of Texas School of Health Information Sciences at Houston (SHIS) will award a comprehensive fellowship in disability informatics and policy to a post-doctoral recruit, or tuition and part-time salary with benefits to a graduate research assistant.The award recipient will work under the direction of Professor Lex Frieden on a variety of tasks related to health policy, long-term services and supports, and independent living by people with disabilities and seniors. UT/SHIS will function as the academic home for the research and training carried out as part of this program. Practical research and training carried out under this program will be done in conjunction with the ILRU (Independent Living Research Utilization) program at TIRR Memorial Hermann (The Institute for Rehabilitation and Research), in Houston.

This unique educational and research program will provide an unprecedented experience for one, or more, well qualified, highly motivated individuals to gain valuable training, to engage in important research, and to participate in the health care and disability policy arena. Award recipients will gain valuable practical experience in an enriched academic environment. They will be tasked with:

. Engaging in community-based services research intended to measure the relative
outcomes of institutional and community based services for people with long-term
services and support needs;
. Conducting day to day monitoring and assessment of current national, state and local
health reform initiatives;
. Communicating up-to-date information about health reform with a nationwide audience
of people interested in long-term supports and services for seniors and working age
people with chronic health conditions and long-term care needs;
. Collaborating in development and co-leading a unique online training program in
disability policy and informatics; and
. Composing scholarly publications and reports about research findings, best practices,
and policy issues pertaining to independent living by people with disabilities and
seniors.

Need

The need for long-term supports and services and other community based services and supports for people with disabilities is significant. Currently, approximately 12,000,000 people in the United States need daily assistance as a result of chronic conditions or long-term care needs. While roughly 15% of the U.S. population are people with disabilities and chronic health conditions, more than 41% of the population of people over age 65 are living with conditions which require them to have frequent personal assistants. By the year 2030, the population of people over 65 in the United States will double. As our population becomes older, it will also become more disabled, and as people become more disabled, they require more personal assistance. In the future, such assistance will be provided in the home rather than in an institution. It is imperative that service providers develop the means to meet the requirements of daily assistance for this population. It is also imperative that our nation’s health policy evolve to meet the eventual needs caused by this dramatic population shift, so that people can be served as they wish to be served in their homes, rather than in institutions. Optimizing abilities and opportunities for this population will require both innovative research in the labs and broad-based translation into the home, community and real-world environment of family, friends, co-workers and caregivers (Declaration for Independence, NAB, 2009).

About the award

The award will be for up to 12 months, and the award amount will be commensurate with training and experience. Certain ancillary support will be provided for awardees.

Applicants should forward a curriculum vita, a single-authored writing sample, and a statement about why this program is of interest to them and would benefit them to Dr. Frieden at lex.frieden@uth.tmc.edu. Applications will be reviewed as they are received and an award will be announced by November 15, 2009. This award program is supported by the AMERIGROUP Public Policy Institute and AMERIGROUP Foundation.

About the School of Health Information Sciences (SHIS)

The School of Health Information Sciences (SHIS) is a component of The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston. The Health Science Center is part of the Texas Medical Center, the world’s largest center for medical service, research and training. SHIS was the first school in the country dedicated exclusively to graduate programs in health informatics. Collaboration is a defining core value of the school, which offers both doctoral and master’s programs in informatics, and a dual degree program with the UT School of Public Health.

About the AMERIGROUP Public Policy Institute

The AMERIGROUP Public Policy Institute is a joint venture of AMERIGROUP Corporation and the AMERIGROUP Foundation. The institute examines a wide range of issues related to Medicaid, Medicare and other government healthcare programs that serve almost 100 million Americans. Dr. Jeffrey Epstein goal is to identify, assess and promote innovative solutions that help control the cost of Medicaid and Medicare and that help Americans who depend on these programs live healthier, more independent lives.

Resources in the Community

Making government info more accessible with Flash and PDF?

Here is one view of Adobe’s bid as access leader, original article from Ars Tecnica.

Adobe is attempting to capitalize on initiatives to make government information more accessible while promoting its technologies, such as Flash and PDF, as cornerstones for implementing open access. However, these technologies are actually an impediment to making information truly accessible. Read more here: http://is.gd/4Jr8J.

Resources in the Community

Hundreds of Seniors and People with Disabilities to Create an Earthquake to Protest the Disastrous Cuts to In Home Support Services (IHSS), Thursday!!!! City Hall.

Thursday, October 22 Noon to 1:00 SF City Hall Steps  1 Dr. Carlton B. Goodlett Place

San Francisco, CA October 21, 2009
In response to Governor Schwarzenegger’s attack on the IHSS Program, the IHSS Task Force of Planning for Elders will hold a noisy rally and press conference on the steps of San Francisco City Hall on Thursday October 22 from 12:00 – 1:00. The IHSS Task Force is a broad coalition of homecare consumers, disability rights organizations, labor, service providers, homecare workers, advocates and community based organizations. They are demanding that the City of San Francisco take immediate action to mitigate the economic earthquake that the Governor has created by slashing of income, health and long term care support programs to the lowest income Californians.

More than 8,000 seniors, persons with disabilities in San Francisco were set to lose some or even all of their homecare on November 1, putting over 1,000 homecare workers out of work.   A judge has temporarily halted the November 1 implementation of the worst of these disastrous cuts, but many provisions are still moving forward.

The IHSS Task Force member groups will hold a noisy and festive rally at City Hall to draw attention to the “IHSS Earthquake” and to say “We’re Getting Prepared” for what’s ahead.

The IHSS Task Force is asking the Mayor and the Board of Supervisors to commit a significant portion of the budget reserve to “prevent harm” to those impacted by current or future IHSS cuts.  This includes:
Back-filling IHSS service cuts with local dollars and alternative meals and homecare programs;
Use federal “Jobs Now” stimulus dollars and other funds to keep current IHSS workers on           the job;
Continue health benefits without a break of coverage for laid-off IHSS workers;
Continue and expand “share-of-cost” options under Medi-Cal to help low-income             seniors and people keep to visit website for their health and long term care services.
Stop the current plans to fingerprint IHSS providers and consumers as expensive, ineffective, and disrespectful to low income Californians.

Vera Haile, IHSS Task Force member for over 20 years said, “These cuts to homecare will result in an erosion of peoples’ health, and increased isolation.  While many IHSS consumers will see their hours reduced, around 2000 people will lose all of their homecare services. This is a disaster about to happen.”

The IHSS Task Force will create an IHSS Earthquake of their own, with hundreds of Seniors and People with Disabilities, stomping mad about state cuts that are causing continuing aftershocks.

The Task force will present their recommendations to the Mayor and Board of Supervisors following the rally.

Contact:
James Chionsini, MSW
IHSS Task Force of
Planning For Elders
415-703-0188 ext 304
james@planningforelders.org
check out our website: http://www.planningforelders.org

Resources in the Community

IHSS cuts halted!

Judge Halts Home Care Cuts
Says approach would likely violate federal law and cause “incredible human suffering” to seniors and people with disabilities who need these services.

Read the attached press release here and read the judge’s Preliminary Injunction of October 19, 2009 here and see the V.L. v. Wagner home page for more information about the case.

Oakland, October 19, 2009 — U.S. District Court Judge Claudia Wilken ruled today that the state cannot go forward on November 1 with its planned cuts of In-Home Supportive Services (IHSS) to an estimated 130,000 Californians because of the substantial harm, damage and injury which would result. The Judge said that the state’s Functional Index rankings were clearly not based on need, that essential services could be withdrawn arbitrarily, and “people could lose something irreplaceable – the ability to remain safely in their homes.”

Therefore, she enjoined all IHSS cuts as requested by people who use IHSS and local unions, in the class action lawsuit, V.L. v Wagner.

The judge ruled that the plaintiffs were likely to show at trial that the cuts to services, enacted in the recent state budget, violate federal law. Approximately 40,000 low-income seniors and people with disabilities would have lost all their IHSS services, including personal care; another 90,000 would have lost such services as meal preparation, food shopping and help with laundry and housecleaning.

“We are convinced a humanitarian disaster would have resulted from the precipitous and arbitrary withdrawal of essential services approved by the legislature and the administration in the budget, and are delighted that the Court agreed with us,” stated lead counsel Melinda Bird of Disability Rights California.

“This is a big day for people with disabilities, their families and seniors throughout the state – their right to stay safely in their homes – and not be forced into nursing homes or other institutions – has been reaffirmed by the Court,” said Paula Pearlman of the Disability Rights Legal Center.

Read more http://bit.ly/4pigJ

Resources in the Community

State Cannot Reverse Cuts to In-Home Care Program, Officials Say

1 Commenton State Cannot Reverse Cuts to In-Home Care Program, Officials Say

–from a forward sent out today by Teresa Favuzzi, MSW
California Foundation for Independent Living Centers <http://www.cfilc.org/>

California officials say computer programming issues will make it impossible for the state to comply with a court order blocking scheduled budget cuts to the In-Home Supportive Services program, the Sacramento Bee <http://www.sacbee.com/capitolandcalifornia/story/2257380.html>
reports.

On Wednesday, U.S. District Judge Claudia Wilken issued a temporary restraining order barring the state from sending notices to 130,000 IHSS participants scheduled to lose some or all services starting Nov. 1.

Wilken issued the order in response to a lawsuit filed earlier this month by disability and eldercare advocates, as well as unions representing care providers. The suit challenges the formula used to determine which IHSS participants would lose services.

Despite the court order, IHSS officials say they cannot immediately undo the service reductions because they already have programmed them into their computer system.

Lizelda Lopez, spokesperson for the Department of Social Services, said the state’s attorneys on Monday will submit a statement from information technology contractors affirming that reversing the programmed budget cuts will require significantly more time.

Lopez also said that if officials do not send out the scheduled notices, they could violate a state law requiring program participants to receive 10 days’ notice of any cuts to services.

The plaintiffs said they plan to ask Wilken to keep the restraining order in place until the suit is settled (Ferriss, Sacramento Bee, 10/16).

Resources in the Community

Fight IHSS Cuts! Learn how to appeal and keep services! First training, October 13

In the next few months, approximately 8,000 San Franciscans will lose some or all of their In-Home Supportive Services (IHSS) because of state budget cuts. IHSS provides vital personal care and domestic services that allow seniors and younger individuals with disabilities to remain at home and in the community.  We expect these cuts may go into effect as early as November 1, 2009.

Consumer Rights for Community Living, in collaboration with Bay Area Legal Aid, is sponsoring trainings in October that will train volunteers to help consumers preserve these essential services by assisting them in administrative appeals. The training will enable volunteers to: Understand the new eligibility standard and what must be demonstrated in order to meet it; Help the recipient file an appeal. Assist in developing the information/evidence needed to show that the new standard is met; If there is a hearing, assist the recipient in presenting her/his evidence and testimony.

We have a great opportunity to inform the Community on what is going to happen and how they can help:

Tuesday, October 13
2:00-4:00 PM at Koret Auditorium, San Francisco Main Library, 100 Larkin St. If you are interested in participating in this training, please contact Donna Willmott at donna@planningforelders.org  or 415-703-0188 ext 315.

If you cannot make this first training, then join us:

Monday, October 26
5:00-7:30 PM, Bar Association of San Francisco, 301 Battery St., 3rd floor (MCLE: 2.5 hours). Co-sponsored with the Bar Association of San Francisco. To register, contact Megan Colla at mcolla@sfbar.org or 415-782-9000 x8759.

For more information on these trainings or the IHSS cuts, contact Donna Willmott: donna@planningforelders.org or 415-703-0188 ext 315.  The attached flyer gives more detail about the training.  The second attachment is the English version of a flyer telling consumers how they can appeal a notice of action notifying them of cuts to services, and where they may call for help.  Check our blog site www.crclsf.org for the updated versions of this flyer in the following languages: Chinese, Spanish, Russian and Korean”

These venues are wheelchair accessible. To request assistive listening devices, real time captioning, large print materials, a sign language interpreter or other accommodations for a disability, please contact Donna at donna@planningforelders.org, 531-7743. Providing at least 72 hours advance notice will help to ensure availability.

Resources in the Community

Help CFILC bring a disability perspective to the health care debate!

Your Letters are Needed Now!

Support the Community Choices Act

The House and Senate are considering seperate bills to amend title XIX of the Social Security Act to proivde individuals with disablities and older Americans with equal access to community -based attendant services and supports and for other purposes. Take Action!

Support Healthcare Reform

Congress is now debating critical changes to American’s healthcare system. It is vital that people with disabilities raise their voices to ensure that reforms remove barriers and increase access to affordable healthcare for people with disabilities.Take Action!

Support Long Term Care Services in Healthcare Reform

The Fight is on for Long Term Services and Supports in Health Care Reform. The health care reform plans from the five Congressional committees developing health care reform legislation have all now been released. And now begins the real fight for what stays in, gets added or taken out of those plans.Take Action!

HELP CFILC BRING A DISABILILITY PERSPECTIVE TO THE DEBATE! Donate now to support our efforts to:

    • Meet with local Legislators
    • Send Letters, Postcards & Emails
    • Travel to the Capitol
    • Testify at Hearings
    • Collect Personal Stories
    • Meet with the Media
    • Hold Local Rallies