Friday Mail News
March
12, 2010
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Work in Washington, DC
Money To Lend!
Get Your Federal
Benefits the Safe, Convenient Way
Events:
House Appropriations Subcommittee on
Community Health Mtg -
March 22 201
Is Your Teen
Ready for Adult Life Training Sessions -
March 26 thru
April 28
Planning for a
Child's Education Training Sessions
- March 27
thru May 1
Special Need Empowerment
Workshops - March 21st
Rethinking Guardianship with Dohn Hoyle
Western U. P.
March 25, 26, & 27
Michigan Academy on Self-Determination
2010 Sessions Announced
Save the Date! AAIDD Annual Conference, Dearborn - March
17 - 18, 2010
Save the Dates! 2010 Arc Michigan Conference -
June 17, 18, & 19,
2010
Other items:
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2010 Arc Michigan Conference
Information
Registration Forms:
Click here for
info and registration form.
Click here for
registration form (pdf).
Keynote Speakers:
Derrick Dufresne is the
founder and senior partner of Community Resource Alliance (CRA)
and President and Ceo of the Institute on Public
Policy for People with Disabilities. He is deeply
committed to assisting providers, advocates, state official
and others in the implementation of the principles of full
inclusion for all persons with disabilities into the
mainstream of community life.
Dr. Beth Harry is a professor
of special education in the Department of Teaching and
Learning. A native of Jamaica, she entered the filed of
special education as a parent of a child with cerebral
palsy, an experience that has been chronicled in her memoir,
Melanie, bird with a broken wing: A mother's story.
Dr. Harry's research and
teaching focuses on the impact of special education on
children and families from diverse cultural and linguistic
backgrounds. Her studies have included Puerto Rican, African
American and a wide range of other cultural groups. Dr.
Harry earned her Bachelors and Masters degrees at the
University of Toronto, Canada, and her PH.D., at Syracuse
University.
top
(posted 03/12/10)
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Education
Department to Step up Enforcement of Disability Rights
Excerpted from
Disability Scoop
The federal government is
redoubling its efforts to crack down on civil rights
violations against students with disabilities and
other minority groups, Secretary of Education Arne
Duncan said Monday.
The Department of
Education’s Office of Civil Rights will be issuing a
series of letters offering guidance to school
districts across the country and ramping up efforts
to reach out to parents and advocacy groups, Duncan
said in a speech in Selma, Ala.
Plans are in place to send
17 letters before the fiscal year ends Oct. 1
advising school districts on issues ranging from
restraint and seclusion to teaching English language
learners with disabilities and working with students
who have attention deficit hyperactivity disorder,
or ADHD.
Read more
here
top
(posted 03/12/10)
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Federal Hiring Event
for People with Disabilities on April 26, 2010
- Have you explored
opportunities to work for the Federal government,
but were overwhelmed by the application process?
- Do you want to
work in an environment that embraces diversity and
inclusion and the talent you offer?
- Are you interested
in a career opportunity with benefits and the
potential for career progression?
- Are you a Veteran
with a 30% or more disability rating who wants to
extend your service to your Nation?
If so, now is the time for
you to begin your career of service. The Office of
Personnel Management (OPM) and the U. S. Department of
Labor’s Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP)
are sponsoring a historic day-long Federal Hiring Event
for People with Disabilities. Representatives from many
agencies will be reviewing resumes prior to the event,
and inviting prospective candidates for interviews.
How
to Participate?
Review the Hiring Event
information, as well as the Individuals with
Disabilities page, or Veterans page on
USAJOBS.gov. You must submit your resume to the
following email address:
hiringevent@opm.gov
no later than March 24, 2010.
Documentation supporting your disability (e.g., proof of
disability and job readiness certification letters)
and/or veteran’s status (e.g., VA letter and DD-214) can
be provided with your resume, or at the time you are
interviewed. [Note: To ensure the hiring process moves
quickly and to expedite the agency's ability to make
tentative offers, you are strongly encouraged to submit
your supporting documentation along with your resume.]
Disabled veterans with less than a 30% rating or with
non-service connected disabilities are encouraged to
submit their resumes, along with proof of disability and
job readiness.
If you need assistance submitting your resume or have
any questions regarding this Event, including the type
of documentation required please forward your inquiry to
the following email address: hiringevent@opm.gov.
What
to Expect Next?
You will receive
notification that your resume has been received.
Agencies will review your resume and any supporting
documentation provided. You may be invited to attend the
Hiring Event via email for an interview with one or more
agencies and for one or more available positions.
Applicants who are scheduled for interviews must bring
the required documentation to the Hiring Event, if not
previously provided.
Continue to check this site for updates.
FAQs
Click here to visit the
FAQs section
top
(posted 03/12/10)
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Money To Lend!
The mission of the Michigan
Employment Loan Fund is to reduce or eliminate barriers to
employment through low-interest loans.
Financial loans can be used to buy equipment for
self-employment or to work for an employer from home or a
telework center.
Loan Facts:
- Loans up to $20,000
- Interest rate is fixed
for the term of the loan
- Current interest rates
are 4.75% to 7.75% depending on credit score and loan
term
- Loan terms can range
up to 5 years depending on the business equipment
purchased and the borrower’s ability to pay
- Monthly payments are
paid to our credit union partner,
Option 1 Credit Union
Eligibility:
- Michigan residents
with all disabilities, including seniors with
age-related functional limitations, are eligible. You
must be at least 18 and/or your own guardian.
- Loans must be used to
buy business equipment, and related education/training
to use the equipment, needed for home-based employment
as an employee or business owner on a full or part-time
basis.
- You must submit a
Promise Letter to Telework or a Business Plan with your
loan application. MELF staff will help you get started
on these items.
- Click here for a
loan application checklist to find out if you are
ready to apply.
How to Apply:
The Michigan Employment Loan Fund is a loan program, not a
grant, which means you will have to repay your loan by
making loan payments to Option 1 Credit Union. You may
choose the day of the month your loan payments are due.
Payments begin the month after your loan documents have been
signed.
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Get Your Federal
Benefits the Safe, Convenient Way
Switch from paper
checks to electronic payments
Source: U.S. Department of the Treasury, Financial
Management Service
Did
you know that last year, more than 440,000 Social
Security and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) checks
were reported lost or stolen and had to be reissued? If
you receive federal benefit checks yourself or on behalf
of someone else, the U.S. Department of the Treasury
wants you to know that there’s a safer, more convenient
alternative – electronic payments. The benefits are
clear:
·
Safer –
No risk of lost or stolen checks
·
Easier
– No need to wait for the mail or to cash or deposit a
paper check
·
More
Control – Money is on time, every time and accessible
from virtually anywhere
The
U.S. Department of the Treasury suggests two electronic
payment options:
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Have a bank
account? The Treasury Department’s
Go DirectÒ
campaign gives you a fast, easy way to sign up for
direct deposit by phone or online. Money goes
straight into your account each month. To sign up,
call (800) 333-1795, go to
www.GoDirect.org or visit your bank or credit
union.
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Prefer a
prepaid debit card?
The Direct
ExpressÒ
Debit MasterCardÒ
card is
recommended by the Treasury Department as another
safe, convenient alternative to paper checks for
Social Security and SSI benefit payments.
Cardholders can make purchases, get cash and pay
bills. No bank account is required. There are no
sign-up fees, monthly fees or overdraft charges.
Some fees for optional services may apply. To sign
up for the card, or to learn more about its fees and
features, call toll-free (877) 212-9991, go to
www.USDirectExpress.com, or visit your local
Social Security office.
Switching to electronic payments is one simple, but
important step you can take to protect your money and
free up your time. Don’t wait – sign up today!
top
(posted 03/12/10)
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The Michigan Developmental Disabilities
Council's (DD Council's) Request for Proposals (RFP)
for
2011 RICC-Endorsed Community Mini-Grants
(rtf)
is now available.
The
2011
RICC-Endorsed Community Mini-Grants
(pdf)
will support one-year
Local projects to organize grassroots
advocacy, coordinate services, or increase capacity for
supports for people with developmental disabilities in a DD
Council area of emphasis.
top (posted 03/05/10) |
US
House Approves Bill To Limit Restraint, Seclusion
In Schools
From
Disability Scoop
A bill imposing
first-ever federal oversight on the use of
restraint and seclusion in schools cleared the US
House of Representatives Wednesday,
paving the way for Senate consideration.
The bill now
called the Keeping All Students Safe Act
passed by a vote of 262 to 153, despite
objections from numerous Republicans who said
the measure was premature and would infringe on
states’ rights to oversee education. The vote
came down largely along party lines even though
the measure was sponsored by lawmakers on both
sides of the aisle. top
(posted 03/05/10)
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Check out
ABILITY Magazine's
interview with
Andrea Friedman, actress with Down syndrome, about the R
word. Also,
www.ABILITYmagazine.com is offering a free digital
subscription to Arc members. On their web site, click on
the Subscribe tab and enter "ARC" as
the coupon code during check out.
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Texas Man With Special Needs Obtains
Injunction Allowing In-Home Care to Continue
A U.S. district court
grants a Texas Medicaid recipient with severe
developmental disabilities' request for a permanent
injunction barring the state from terminating his
community-based waiver services after experts
testified that placing him in a state home would
kill him.
Knowles v. Horn
(N.D. Tex., No. 3:08-CV-1492-K, Feb. 10, 2010).
Ryan Knowles, a
26-year-old man with severe developmental
disabilities, received round-the-clock care in his
home under a Texas Medicaid waiver program
administered by the Department of Aging and
Disability Services (DADS). Because the cost of Mr.
Knowles's care exceeded his individual cost limit
under the waiver program, DADS attempted to place
him in a state school. The U.S. District Court for
the Northern District of Texas granted a temporary
injunction preventing the state from cutting off his
benefits and moving him to a school.
In the meantime, the
state passed a rider to the DADS budget allowing
DADS to continue funding a Medicaid waiver
recipient's costly in-home care if there is no other
living arrangement that would protect the
recipient's health and safety. DADS refused to
reevaluate Mr. Knowles, claiming that he could be
treated in a state school. Mr. Knowles moved for a
permanent injunction. In support of his motion, Mr.
Knowles presented evidence that DADS gave the
supposedly appropriate state school a rating of 22
out of 100, and he also introduced testimony from
his treating physicians that Mr. Knowles would die
if he were moved to the state school.
The same U.S. district
court grants Mr. Knowles's motion, finding that "no
harm could be more irreparable, and no remedy at law
can adequately address the harm" Mr. Knowles faces
if institutionalized. "Thus, despite Defendants'
legitimate concerns over fiscal restraint, the
balance of harms tilts decidedly toward Plaintiff."
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The Arc Michigan Testifies at
Senate Appropriations Community Health Subcommittee
At the February 25,
2010 Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on the
Department of Community Health, Dohn Hoyle
testified on behalf of The Arc Michigan against
proposed reductions in the HAB C waiver, elimination
of Transitional Medicaid Assistance Plus and recent
as well as proposed cuts in Children’s Special
Health Care Services.
Hoyle supported the
Governor's proposed expansion of the MI Choice Home
and Community Based Waiver and opposed the Senate
leadership proposal to restrict or eliminate
optional Medicaid benefits such as the MI Choice
Home and Community Based Waiver. He pointed
out that so-called "optional" Medicaid services are
not “frivolous” or “wasteful” but should be
designated as "mandatory".
He stated that if
Medicaid recipients were forced against their wishes
into mandated nursing home care because Home and
Community Based Waiver services were restricted or
eliminated, it would be far more expensive. He
urged that the state's outdated tax structure be
reformed.
The text of the
testimony is
here.
top
(posted 02/26/10)
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The Arc Michigan Board has adopted
the following proposals by the Education Committee
top (posted 02/26/10) |
The
Internal Revenue Service Volunteer Income Tax Assistance
Program (VITA) offers free tax help for low- to
moderate-income people who cannot prepare their own tax
returns. Volunteers, sponsored by various organizations,
receive training to help prepare basic tax returns in
communities. Click below to find a VITA site near you:
Michigan Earned Income Tax Coalition Web Site—VITA
Locations
Several organizations also
provide free or low cost tax preparation in communities.
Here are a few of those organizations:
AARP-Tax Aide and the IRS
provide free tax assistance to people of all ages with
middle and low-income, with special attention to those
aged 60 and older. To find out about a location close to
you, go to
www. aarp. org/taxaide
or call 1 (888) AARP NOW or 1 (888) 227-7669.
Community Action Agencies (CAAs)
Most CAAs throughout the
state provide free tax preparation for qualifying
low-income residents in their service area. To locate
the CAA that serves your community, please visit
www. mcaaa. org.
Volunteer Accounting Service Team of
Michigan
The Volunteer Accounting
Service Team of Michigan (VASTMI) provides free tax
preparation to low-income families in southeastern
Michigan. To find out if you qualify or for information
about tax sites, please go to
www. vastmi. org
or call (313) 647-9620.
The
Michigan Credit Union League
(MCUL), a statewide credit union trade association, has
invested in the Web-based software program I-CAN!™
E-File to provide low- to moderate income tax filers
free resources to complete state and federal income tax
returns. All that’s needed is a computer, Internet
access, Web browser, and printer. There is no
cost to use this program.
I-CAN!™ E-File is a
Web-based application. This means that you don’t have to
install special software on your computer to use it. All
that is needed to run the software is (1) a computer,
(2) connected to the Internet and (3) a Web browser
(Internet Explorer).
I-CAN!™ E-File is written at a
fifth-grade literacy level, and is available in English
or Spanish. It uses a video guide to read simple
questions about finances and employment to the user. By
answering the questions using a mouse and the keyboard,
I-CAN!™ E-File completes tax returns for anyone eligible
for the federal EITC. It is certified by the IRS and is
available to anyone with access to the Internet at:
www. icanefile. org.
top (posted
02/19/10)
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H1N1 flu has hit kids with
neuromuscular disorders especially hard
Thousands of
children and adolescents with neuromuscular disorders,
asthma and other conditions are suffering consequences
of H1N1 that will linger long after the 2009/2010 swine
flu pandemic ends.
No
one knows exactly why flu has such a devastating effect
on children with neuromuscular disorders. But the
evidence has been mounting since late 2005, when Ron
Keren and Susan Coffin of the
Children's Hospital of Philadelphia and their
colleagues reported that, even in typical flu years,
children with these ailments were six times more likely
than other children to develop severe complications from
flu.
Edwin Travathan, director
of CDC's National Center on Birth Defects and
Developmental Disabilities, says that people with
conditions that affect movement and other motor skills
"take a harder hit" from influenza because they become
so weak that they may lose their ability to cough and
clear their lungs.
top (posted
02/19/10)
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Senate Fiscal Agency Analysis of
Governor Granholm's Proposed FY 2011 Budget
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Governor Presents Executive Budget
Recommendation for FY 2011
February 11, 2009 - This
morning the Governor presented her Executive Budget
Recommendation for Fiscal Year 2011. The proposed Fiscal
Year 2011 budget contains $8. 9 billion of GF/GP spending
and approximately $12. 9 billion for the School Aid
Fund.
The Governor also
announced that her recommendation expands the state
sales tax to include services and would reduce the
current sales tax from 6% to 5. 5%. Her plan would also
phase out the controversial Michigan Business Tax (MBT)
surcharge by the year 2012. Revenue generated from the
expanded sales tax to services would initially be used
to prevent cuts to K-12 schools, with remaining revenue
going towards the MBT surcharge phase out process. The
governor also recommended generating $133 million from
QAAP.
The recommendation also includes a
new fee on rental cars that would generate revenue to
continue the Pure Michigan ad campaign. The Governor
also plans to restore the Michigan Promise Scholarship
by converting the program into a refundable $4,000 tax
credit that is available to any student who completes a
college degree and works for one year in Michigan.
The recommendation would also prevent cuts to operations
for universities and community colleges.
The Governor also
recommended changing the budget process to a two year
cycle to allow legislators time to review and revise $36
million in current tax credit loopholes.
Wiener Associates will be providing additional updates
on the governor's Fiscal Year 2011 Budget Recommendation
throughout the afternoon. The official budget document
is located at:
michigan. gov/documents/budget/2_310743_7. pdf
top (posted
02/12/10)
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House Appropriations Subcommittee on Community Health
Meeting
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Meeting will be held at Sinai-Grace Hospital Auditorium,
6071 W. Outer Drive, Detroit, MI |
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Date/Time |
Agenda |
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March 22, 2010
10:00 am - 2:00 pm |
Public Hearing - FY 2010-11
Budget Recommendation for Department of Community
Health |
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Individuals
wishing to bring written testimony need to supply a minimum
of 25 copies for distribution.
Pursuant to
the Americans with Disabilities Act, disabled individuals
needing special services to fully participate in teh meeting
may contact Rep. Gary McDowell at 517.373.2629. |
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top (posted
02/12/10)
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Rethinking Guardianship with Dohn
Hoyle |
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March 25, 2010
9:00 am - 12:00 pm
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Iron Mountain:
(906. 663. 4652)
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March 25, 2010
5:00 pm - 8:00 pm
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Ironwood:
(906. 663. 4652) |
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March 26, 2010
12:00 pm - 3:00 pm
or
5:00 pm - 8:00 pm
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Houghton - Hancock:
(906. 663. 4652)
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SBCEUs pending
top (posted
02/12/10) |
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Special Needs
Empowerment Workshops -
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These training session will
help attendees gain knowledge concerning person centered
planning and the Individual Education Plan (IEP) process
concerning education. This is a free event! See
Flyer |
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March 21, 2010
3:00 pm - 5:30 pm
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Detroit: Power,
Hope & Grace Bible Church, Special Needs Ministry, 6495
Warren Avenue, Detroit
Call (313) 895-7464 x 124 to
register |
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Michigan Alliance for Families |
Individual Education Plan (IEP)
Basics |
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Wayne State University
Developmental Disabilities Institute |
Person Centered Planning:
valuing the Contributions of Direct Support Professionals
top (posted
02/19/10) |
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Upcoming Training Sessions for Planning for a Child's
Education
Presented by Family-to-Family
Health Information & Education Center in collaboration with
Michigan Alliance for Families, Michigan Protection &
Advocacy Service, Inc. (MPAS), and Michigan Special
Education Mediation Program (MSEMP)
These sessions examine
critical issues in organizing and delivering special
education services for children who have a disability,
special health care or mental health needs including:
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Getting in and Staying in:
Eligibility, Evaluation and Discipline
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Structure of an
Individualized Education Plan (IEP): PLAFF Statement,
Goals and Objectives, Support Services, Implementation
Plan
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Dispute Resolution
To Register for a session,
visit:
www. bridges4kids. org/f2f. Families may call the family
phone line at 800. 359. 3722 See
Flyer
CEUs
Available! This program has been approved for 5 CE hours by
the Michigan Collaborative for Social Workers (Course
Approval #90809-00) and . 5 SBCEUs by the State Board Office
of Certification Services. The cost for CE/SBCEUs is $15. 00.
For more information or to request accommodations, call
800. 552. 4821. For ADA procedures or grievances call MPAS at
800. 288. 5923.
top (posted
02/19/10) |
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March 27, 2010
9:00 am - 3:00 pm |
St. Johns: Clinton
County RESA, 1013 S. US Hwy 27
(989. 224. 6831) |
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April 17, 2010
9:00 am - 3:00 pm |
Clinton Township:
Macomb County ISD, 44001 Garfield Road (586. 228. 3461) |
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April 24, 2010
9:00 am - 3:00 pm |
Cadillac: Baker College
of Cadillac, 9600 E. 13th Street
(231. 876. 3100) |
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May 1, 2010
9:00 am - 3:00 pm |
Waterford: Oakland
Schools, 2111 Pontiac Lake Road
(248. 209. 2501)
top (posted
02/19/10) |
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Upcoming Training Sessions: Is Your Teen
Ready for Adult Life?
Presented by Family-to-Family
Health Information & Education Center in collaboration with
Michigan Alliance for Families and Association for
Children's Mental Health (ACMH).
These sessions are for
families of teens with special health care needs, receiving
mental health services or who have a disability and
professionals who serve them.
Information and practical
suggestions will be shared for help your teen prepare for
the transition from high school to employment or higher
education; from home to independent living; and from child
to adult community services including: Health Care Coverage
and Skills, School based transition planning, Mental Health
Programs, Post secondary Training, Employment, Housing,
Human Services, and Family Planning and Parenting
Assistance. For more information or to request
accommodations call 800. 359. 3722.
CEUs Available! This program
has been approved for 5 CE hours by the Michigan
Collaborative for Social Workers (Course Approval
#013108-21) and . 5 SBCEUs (Course Approval #2008274-2)
by the State Board Office of Certification Services. The
cost for CE/SBCEUs is $15. 00.
To Register for a session,
visit:
www. bridges4kids. org/f2f. Families may call the family
phone line at 800. 359. 3722. Click
here for flyer. |
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March 26, 2010
9:00 - 3:00 pm |
Saginaw: Saginaw
ISD, 6235 Gratiot Road
(989. 793. 3760) |
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April 12, 2010
9:00 - 3:00 pm |
Lawrence: Van Buren ISD,
490 Paw Paw Street
(269. 674. 8091) |
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April 26, 2010
9:00 - 3:00 pm |
Traverse City: Traverse
Bay Area ISD, 1101 Red Drive
(231. 922. 6393) |
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April 28, 2010
9:00 - 3:00 pm |
Holland: Ottawa Area
ISD, 13565 Port Sheldon
(877. 702. 8600)
top (posted
02/12/10) |
Michigan Academy on Self-Determination
2010 Sessions Announced
The Michigan
Academy is an enterprise that was started several
years ago with DD council funding. The purpose of
the Michigan Academy is to promote the
principles of self determination and to help
participants to come together to learn about how to
use tools of self determination to organize support
for a meaningful life. What makes this learning
experience somewhat unique is that participants
learn about these tools by using the tools for their
own real planning and action.
This year in addition to the traditional sessions
for teams to come and learn about the tools and then
use them in practice, there will be a special two
day session on relationships and belonging and a two
day session on facilitating process that leads to
full lives.
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The Importance
of Belonging – March 23 & 24
Location: The Carriage House in
Midland’s Heritage Park
-
The Art of
Independent Facilitation – April 22 & 23
Location: United Way of Midland,
220 West Main Street, Midland
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Summer
Institute for Academy Graduates & Allies –July 22 &
23
Location: Northwood University in
Midland, 400 Whiting Drive, Midland
-
Michigan
Academy for Self-Determination –
Oct & Nov (Dates to be determined)
top (posted
02/010/10)
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2009 H1N1 Flu - Technical
Assistance Guidelines
The Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released new
technical assistance guidelines announcing that
people with certain disabilities, including
intellectual disabilities, are at risk of
contracting the 2009 H1N1 flu and should be
considered in the priority group to receive the H1N1
vaccine.
The announcement also
clarified that direct support professionals and
"others" in constant contact with these individuals
with disabilities are in the priority group to
receive the vaccine. Parent caregivers are part of
the "others" category.
See:
www. cdc. gov/h1n1flu/disabilities/ and
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Direct Action
Organizing Training
Mad as hell
and don't want to take it any longer?
Don't
mourn. . . organize! Attend the ADAPT Direct
Action Organizing Training in Memphis,
Tennessee in the spring of 2010.
Topics to
be covered
include:
The Power relationship,
Picking an Issue,
Winning Strategies/Tactics,
Organizing a “Direct Action”,
Negotiating – Getting to Yes,
Forming an ADAPT Group,
and Pitchfork Approach to Social
Change. See
the attached
brochure
(doc),
(pdf)
or contact Bob Liston at 406-544-5137 or
adaptbob@gmail. com
top
(posted 10/09/09)
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Notify The Arc
Michigan of e-mail address changes:
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