Declaration for Independence

A Call to Transform Health and Long Term Services for Seniors and People with Disabilities





ADA: Pathway to the Future

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by Lex Frieden Each year, around the anniversary of the enactment of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), I am asked by the press and others: “Exactly what has the ADA accomplished?” and “Looking forward, what must be done to realize the vision of full participation that underlies the ADA?” These are thoughtful questions and [...]

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Schools: An Integral Partner in the “Community Chest” of Mental Health Resources

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by Constance Garner Summer is beginning, and the time has opened up for barbecues and family game nights. Just in time for the season, our friendly neighborhood expert on health care and education, Connie Garner offers some of her thoughts on mental health, schools, and a popular board game that we may be playing with [...]

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Alternative Math

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Pat Nobbie writes Mia's Space, a column for Making a Difference, the quarterly magazine of the Georgia Council on Developmental Disabilities We are proud to repost a column written by our friend and colleague Pat Nobbie. This post was originally published in the Georgia Council on Developmental Disabilities award winning quarterly magazine, "Making a Difference" in [...]

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Autism Acceptance Month – Moving Beyond Awareness

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By Reid Knight, Leadership Programs Coordinator, Autistic Self-Advocacy Network April is Autism Acceptance Month!  During the month of April we recognize our friends, family members and colleagues on the autism spectrum and further highlight the importance of a society that is more inclusive and accepting of neurodiversity.   During April you have probably seen many recognitions [...]

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In 2017 Individuals with ID/DD (Still) Want Their Natural Freedom

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by Sharon Lewis, Principal, Health Management Associates Thirty years after President Reagan first declared March as Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month, how far have we come in ensuring the human and civil rights of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (ID/DD), and how far do we still have to go? In recognition of March 2017 as [...]

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The Architect and His Cures — How an eccentric convalescent launched a 100 year old profession.

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by Charles H. Christiansen, EdD This month on March 17 we mark the 100th anniversary of the founding of occupational therapy and the inception of the American Occupational Therapy Association. From its roots in mental health to its current broad scope of practice serving a wide spectrum of children and adults who need support for [...]

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Doing Double Time – A Look at the Unique Stakes of Black and Disability Identity

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by Dr. Cynthia Overton, Ph.D. “Organizations that support an African American stakeholder base are positioned to highlight that disability is a part of life--some experience it earlier and others experience it with age—and that it’s not something to be ashamed of, feared, or ignored.”  February is Black History Month and though there has always been [...]

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Benefits of Medicaid Expansion for Mental Health and Substance Use Disorder

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On March 28, 2016 the Department of Health and Human Services published a brief on the benefits of Medicaid expansion for mental health and substance use disorder drafted by the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation. An excerpt of that brief is published below and the full brief can be found here: https://aspe.hhs.gov/pdf-report/benefits-medicaid-expansion-behavioral-health By: Judith Dey, [...]

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The Most Innovative Initiatives Start with Relationships

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The most innovative projects in the country to support people with disabilities actually arise from common sense. All people need relationships with family, friends and extended community to be productive, engaged, and live safely in their homes and communities. How do we support this engagement in a service system that has incentivized payment for services and [...]

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