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 |
Gov. Frank O’Bannon announced in July the formation of a Governor’s Commission on Home and Community-based Care.
The Commission’s charge is to increase home and community-based care options for people with disabilities to ensure they can live as independently as possible – a positive first step in implementing Olmstead in Indiana.
“The Commission will help state agencies work with communities and providers to offer new choices for people who are in institutions or at risk of being institutionalized,” O’Bannon said.
But some are concerned the timeline may limit success.AARP State Director Nancy Griffin, a Commission member, said the timing of the Commission’s reports will have a negative impact on what the Commission will be able to accomplish.
“The interim report is due December 30, too late to have an impact on the state budget process. And the final report is due in June 2003, after the legislative session is over and budget decisions have been made for the next two years,” Griffin said.
The Commission will look for ways to:
- Increase the availability of accessible housing
- Improve access to transportation
- Create employment opportunities
- Establish self-directed care
- Find and retain trained caregivers
- Provide caregiver support
Specifically, the Commission will hold public meetings, create recommendations for long-term care initiatives, and distribute $400 million in grants to support local pilot projects.
State agencies involved include the Family and Social Services Administration (FSSA), the Commission for Higher Education, and the departments of Workforce Development, Commerce, Transportation and Education.
“Because of the nature of the grants and the focus of the Commission, FSSA will take the lead in facilitating the efforts of the Commission and its task forces,” said Todd Siesky, FSSA communications manager.
“It will increase access to assistive technologies, expand educational and employment opportunities, and increase the ability of people with disabilities to become more fully integrated into community life,” Siesky said.
The Commission is funded with grants from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services under the New Freedom Initiative, including the Real Systems Change, Nursing Home Transition/Access Housing and Community-based Personal Assistance grants. For more information, visit www.in.gov/fssa/community.
Commission members:
Bryan Blanchard, president,
Vincennes University
Sally Blankenship, prosecutor,
Ohio and Dearborn circuit
Billie Breaux, state senator
Vincent Caponi, CEO, St. Vincent Hospital
Cleo Duncan, state representative
Nancy Griffin, state director, AARP
Katie Humphreys, consultant
Allan Kauffman, mayor of Goshen
Connie Lawson, state senator
Jim Leich, president, Indiana Association
of Homes & Services for the Aging
Louis Martinez, president,
Lake Area United Way
James McCormick, assistant executive
director, Dunn Mental Health Center
Rose Meissner, president, Community Foundation of St. Joseph County
Sharon Pierce, president/CEO, The Villages
Stephen Rappaport, physician
Roosevelt Sanders, minister
William Sheldrake, president/CEO,
Indiana Fiscal Policy Institute
Russell Stillwell, state representative
Albert Tolbert, executive director, Southern Indiana Center for Independent Living
Karen Vaughn, advocate
Richard Wherry, parent advocate
Census 2000: More Americans have disabilities
Census 2000 was the first census in almost a century to collect data on childhood disability. Of children ages 5 to 20, 6.7 percent reported having a disability, both nationally and in Indiana.
Previous counts included disability statistics for only two age groups: 16 to 64, and 65 and older. But experts point to a sharp rise in special education enrollment and increased Supplemental Security Income (SSI) payments to children with disabilities as signs that childhood disability is on the rise, HeraldNet reported.
The percentage of seniors with disabilities also has increased. In 2000, 40.1 percent of people age 65 and older reported having a disability, compared to 20.1 percent in 1990. That is an increase from about 6 million seniors with disabilities to more than 13 million.
Indiana’s incidence of disability among seniors is slightly higher than the national average, at 43.1 percent.
Experts are uncertain to what extent greater recognition and changing definitions of disabilities, as well as increased willingness to report having a disability, have contributed to the increase, according to HeraldNet.
Actual percentages for both children and seniors with disabilities are estimated to be higher than census figures, as the census did not collect information about children younger than 5, people living in institutions, or people with certain mild disabilities.
Pilot program guides regional collaboration
The new Southeast Regional Planning Council – a Family and Social Services Administration (FSSA) pilot program – is developing a collaborative service system for people with disabilities in 18 southeast Indiana counties. The system will enable service providers and government agencies to collaborate across county borders to best meet the needs of people with disabilities and their families – from respite care to vocational training.
“What we learn from this activity about regional planning and collaborative services will be useful when FSSA creates other regions in the state,” said Dr. Vicki Pappas of the Indiana Institute on Disability and Community. The Institute is assisting the new Council with organizational and plan development.
The Council’s primary task is to develop a regional service delivery plan that emphasizes collaboration among the 18 counties. The process is expected to take about a year according to Pappas, but the Council has already begun examining existing services and collaborations.
In addition, the Council is finalizing its organizational and governance structure.
“The Council has been analyzing membership needs in an effort to get more people with disabilities and family members on the Council and to make sure that all the counties and focus areas are represented,” Pappas said.
For more information, contact Pappas or Dr. Phil Stafford at (812) 855-6508 (voice), or pappas@indiana.edu or pstafford@indiana.edu.
Housing issues highlighted
During September and October, “A Place to Call Home: Strategies for Affordable and Accessible Housing” will offer opportunities to learn about available resources, hear new ideas, and meet people with a personal stake in the availability of affordable and accessible housing for people with disabilities. Event locations and dates include:
- Vincennes – Sept. 17 (Quality Inn)
- Fort Wayne – Sept. 24 (League for the Blind and Disabled)
- Richmond – Oct. 17 (Leland Hotel/Residence)
- Indianapolis – Oct. 23 (Indiana Historical Society)
- Merrillville – Oct. 31 (Lake County Library)
The workshop is sponsored by the Council, the Back Home in Indiana Alliance and the Indiana Institute on Disability and Community. The $5 cost includes lunch. For information or to register, contact Leah Fulkerson at (800) 825-4733 (voice) or ldfulker@indiana.edu .
Family Support Council seeks input on 2003 report
Each year, the Family Support Council develops a report on state programs and policies that impact people with disabilities and their families. Now, the 2003 draft report is posted online, enabling people who use or need to use disability-related programs to submit input before the final report is released. Visit www.in.gov/fssa/servicedisabl/supportreport.html to read the report and submit comments and suggestions by Sept. 30 to OfficeoftheSecretary@fssa.state.in.us.
Mental Health Commission launches Web site
The President’s New Freedom Commission on Mental Health has launched its Web site, www.mentalhealthcommission.gov. Site visitors can track the Commission’s study of the nation’s public and private mental health service delivery system, as well as access information about the Commission’s mission, leaders and meeting schedules. Visitors also can submit comments about the mental health system and make suggestions for improvement.
Grant assists Southwest Indiana
Gov. Frank O’Bannon announced July 29 that WorkOne Evansville, a one-stop center for matching job seekers with employers, has been awarded more than $780,000 to expand employment and training opportunities for people with disabilities.
“This exciting project will benefit people with disabilities who are seeking competitive employment and employers who are seeking reliable workers,” O’Bannon said.
The two-year grant from the U.S. Department of Labor will be used to:
- Hire specialists to assist at least 180 people with disabilities with job development, placement and readiness
- Seek people with disabilities and potential employers in Perry, Posey, Spencer, Vanderburgh and Warrick counties
- Make WorkOne’s buildings and technology accessible to people with disabilities
“We’re especially pleased that this grant lets us reach out
to people in this five-county area to take advantage of sophisticated services that will be tailored to their individual needs and strengths,” O’Bannon said.
Of Note
Count Us IN working to register voters before the October 7 deadline
Count Us IN is busy organizing local leadership teams at the county level to work with service providers and advocates to conduct voter registration before the Oct. 7 deadline. After Oct. 7, teams will work to get out the disability vote for the Nov. 5 general election. If you have an event or meeting planned that would be appropriate for voter registration activities, please contact Julia Vaughn at (317) 234-2226 (voice) or CountUsIN@gpcpd.org (e-mail).
Watch for Conference registration forms in the mail
Registration forms for the Conference will be in the mail to On Target readers by mid-September. Scholarships are available to people receiving SSDI, SSI or TANF. The deadline for scholarship applicants is Oct. 11.
We are pleased to announce that Ray Kurzweil, inventor of the first computer screen reader, will be a keynote speaker. Other speakers include Bobby Silverstein, Bob Kafka, Jim Dickson, Robin Jones and Rob Chalmers. The opening session will include a tribute to Justin Dart. Sixteen workshops have been scheduled. CEUs will be available.
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
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