On Target is a monthly publication
of the Indiana Governor's Council for People with Disabilities.
We welcome your suggestions for newsletter content and
ideas concerning the actions of the Council. On Target is made available
in accessible formats upon request.
Suellen Jackson-Boner
Executive Director
Christine Dahlberg
Associate Director
Paul Shankland
Grants Manager |
Advocates brace for budget cuts
While the widespread support for home and community-based care has encouraged advocates during this legislative session, House Bill 1001 - the "budget bill" - is cause for concern. As passed by the House and the Senate Finance Committee, HB 1001 contains flat line funding for Medicaid and requires any and all cuts to be made equally from optional Medicaid services.
The language in HB 1001 would require cuts of about $263 million in state dollars from the list of optional Medicaid services, according to the ARC of Indiana.
Optional Medicaid services that could face cuts include:
- Case management
- Dental coverage
- Emergency hospital services
- Eyeglasses
- Hospice care
- Intermediate care for people with developmental disabilities
- Occupational and physical therapy
- Prescription drug coverage
- Prosthetic devices
- Psychological services
- Rehabilitative services
- Speech, hearing and language disorder services
- Transportation services
- Waiver services
"What this really means is that many of the programs and services that are vital to people with disabilities are going to face significant cuts if this bill is passed," said Nancy Griffin, AARP state director.
She encourages On Target readers to contact their local representatives and senators to let them know these services are vital to people with disabilities. It might be helpful to frame the need for Medicaid waivers in terms of economic benefits for the state.
"We know from looking at other states that provide more Medicaid funding for waivers that those waivers contribute positively to the state's economy," said John Cardwell, chairman of the Home Care Task Force.
"We're hoping the state recognizes that Medicaid represents an investment in terms of federal dollars coming into the state."
To follow the progress of bills in the Indiana General Assembly, visit www.in.gov/serv/lsa_billinfo.
IDEA Rapid Response Network
As the debate over IDEA reauthorization heats up this spring, the Disability Rights Education and Defense Fund (DREDF) will continue to recruit people for the IDEA Rapid Response Network.
The Network is seeking parents of children with disabilities and other supporters nationwide who can be called on to respond to proposed amendments or changes to IDEA that might weaken, eliminate or compromise the civil rights of children with disabilities during the reauthorization process.
If you wish to receive e-mail information about reauthorization activities and/or participate in the Network, please e-mail the Network at preserveIDEA@dredf.org. Include your name, contact information (postal address, telephone number, and e-mail address) and indicate if you want only updates, or would like to participate in the Network. Visit www.dredf.org/index.html to review past alerts.
Commission awards mini-grants, completes plan
The Governor's Commission on Home and Community-Based Care is impacting Indiana communities by awarding mini-grants to support inclusion of people with disabilities.
In February, the Commission awarded 12 mini-grants equaling more than $430,000 to promote home and community-based care for people with disabilities and senior citizens.
The grants, up to $40,000 each, were distributed statewide to communities whose grant proposals included innovative ways to address housing, transportation, supported employment and other issues affecting people with disabilities.
Another round of grants will be awarded May 15.
The Commission, created by Gov. Frank O'Bannon, is also completing a comprehensive plan to address the needs of people at risk of being institutionalized. That plan is due in June.
"Right now we are hearing testimony to assist us in preparing the plan," said Commission member and Council board member Karen Vaughn. "It will affect the plan tremendously."
Vaughn said people with disabilities have several opportunities to get involved in the work of the Commission. They can join one of 10 work groups that report to the Commission on various topics, or they can attend Commission meetings (see box for dates and locations).
"This plan will be passed to the next governor, so the public needs to be aware of what's in the plan and what's going on in the Commission so they can hold FSSA accountable," Vaughn said. "We need to do our part. No one can hold them accountable but us."
Upcoming Commission meetings
All meetings will take place in Indianapolis from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. A box lunch can be ordered in advance by e-mailing Linda Church at lchurch@fssa.state.in.us.
- April 24 - Indiana Government Center-South, Conference Room A, 402 W. Washington St.
- May 22 - Easter Seals Crossroads Rehabilitation Center, 4740 Kingsway Dr.
- June 19 - Easter Seals Crossroads Rehabilitation Center (see above)
Guidelines for IDEA reauthorization outlined
In February, U.S. Secretary of Education Rod Paige announced a series of guidelines for the reauthorization of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), which guarantees a free and appropriate public education to all children with disabilities.
"Every child in America deserves the highest-quality education, including children with disabilities," Paige said. "Our goal is to ensure accountability, more flexibility, more options for parents and an emphasis on doing what works to improve student achievement."
Highlights of Paige's guidelines include:
- Children with disabilities must be regarded first and foremost as general education students.
- Children with disabilities must be included in state accountability systems (like Indiana's ISTEP+ tests) to ensure strong academic standards.
- IDEA should be simplified to eliminate unnecessary paperwork and put the focus on results. It should also include better mediation and dispute resolution options for parents.
- Reauthorization should simplify discipline requirements while protecting the rights of students with disabilities.
- IDEA should promote early intervention for and reduce the misidentification of children with learning disabilities.
To read the full text, visit www.ed.gov/Speeches/10-2001/011004.html.
Apply now for Partners in Policymaking
If you are passionate about promoting change and are a person with a disability or the parent of a child with a disability, you should apply for Partners in Policymaking (PIP). This program teaches participants to become powerful, effective advocates in their communities.
"We teach participants how to go before school boards, city councils and other organizations and advocate for their cause without spinning their wheels," said State Coordinator Kathy Clark.
The deadline to submit applications is Friday, June 6. PIP will select 40 participants - 20 people with disabilities and 20 parents of children with disabilities. Hundreds of Hoosiers have graduated from the program in just over a decade.
Participants complete intensive training over eight weekends learning about various advocacy topics, beginning with the history of the disability rights movement and the ADA. Other topics include local and national legislation and lobbying, special education, social services, inclusion, employment and community organization. Participants gain not only knowledge, but also the skills to make a difference.
Clark stresses that, while gaining these skills is important for the individual, the ultimate goal is to make a larger difference.
"We want participants to learn this for themselves and make their lives better, but we also want them to go back to the community and make other people's lives better," she said.
"We like the squeaky wheels."
PIP trainee Mary C. Marx said, "PIP training is helping me to educate my associates about disability-related issues. Our school sponsored a disability awareness day and we had 90 people giving presentations throughout Northwest Indiana."
For more information or an application, call Partners in Policymaking at (317) 632-3578 (voice) or toll-free (800) 821-6708 (voice), or visit www.in.gov/gpcpd and click on the Partners in Policymaking banner.
Media award encourages responsible reporting
In today's society, the media helps define not only what issues are important, but how we should feel about those issues. Because the media helps shape attitudes and opinions about people with disabilities, the Council offers an annual media award to encourage excellence in reporting on disability issues.
"The media award gives reporters and editors something to work toward - stories that increase awareness about disability issues while being respectful of the disability community," said Council Executive Director Suellen Jackson-Boner.
Through stories that are readable, effective, accurate and complete, award winners set the standard for other media who report on disability issues.
The 2002 media award winners were Jennifer Boen of the Fort Wayne News-Sentinel, Doug Wilson of the Bloomington Herald-Times and NBC 33 in Fort Wayne. Boen was nominated for an article about a woman at risk of being institutionalized, while Wilson was honored for an article about a school class that includes students both with and without disabilities. NBC 33 won for a series about the city's transportation issues for people with disabilities.
To submit an entry, send the article/program title, date of publication/air date, name of reporter/news organization and reason for the nomination. Include your name and contact information. Nominated pieces must have run/aired between April 1, 2002, and March 31, 2003. Send entries to Jamaison Schuler, Borshoff Johnson Matthews, 47 S. Pennsylvania St., Suite 500, Indianapolis, IN 46204, or (317) 631-6499 (fax). For more information, call Jamaison at (317) 631-6400 (voice).
Bloomington named one of nation's most accessible cities
For the second consecutive year, Bloomington was selected as one of seven finalists in the National Organization on Disability's Accessible America Contest. The contest honors communities that promote comprehensive, innovative efforts to include people with disabilities more fully in the community.
The winner of this second annual competition was Irvine, California. They will receive $25,000 to promote increased accessibility for people with disabilities.
According to the National Organization on Disability (N.O.D.), contest applicants are asked to demonstrate an exceptional commitment to offering citizens with disabilities full and equal opportunities to participate in their community, including access to jobs, education, religious worship, voting, transportation, housing and the entire range of social, recreational, cultural and sports activities.
For more information on the Accessible America Contest and other N.O.D. programs, visit www.nod.org or call (202) 293-5960 (voice).
Of Note
Medical Board drops Supreme Court appeal
On Feb. 28, the Medical Board of California voted to drop its appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court in the case of Medical Board of California v. Hason. The case was expected to determine whether state agencies are constitutionally protected from ADA lawsuits. Without the appeal, the ninth U.S. Circuit Court decision in favor of Dr. Michael J. Hason, who was denied a medical license because of his depression, may stand.
Lilly grant boosts Indiana School for the Blind
A grant from the Lilly Endowment, totaling nearly $2 million, will help the Indiana School for the Blind (ISB) establish a low-vision clinic that will provide equipment for ISB students and students from other local school corporations. This lab will greatly reduce the need for costly large-print reading materials. Vision-specific Braille devices such as Braille-N-Speaks, Braille Notes and Pack Mates will provide students with technology specific to their needs.
New Fair Housing Act resource
The Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) recently created Fair Housing Accessibility FIRST, a resource program providing information on training sessions, education materials, and links to other Fair Housing Act and accessible housing resources. The program also provides guidance and training on the Act, including its design requirements. For more information, visit www.fairhousingfirst.org, call toll-free (888) 341-7781 (voice or TT), or e-mail contact@fairhousingfirst.org.
Count Us INCountdown
The Indiana Primary election will be May 6.
The deadline to register for the Nov. 4 general election is Oct. 6.
Save the date!
The 2003 Conference for People with Disabilities will be held Dec. 2-3 at the downtown Indianapolis Westin hotel.
Indiana Governor’s Planning
Council for People with Disabilities
150 West Market Street, Suite 628
Indianapolis, Indiana 46204
(317) 232-7770 voice
(317) 232-7771 TT
E-mail: GPCPD@gpcpd.org
Web site: www.state.in.us/gpcpd
|