Posted Sep. 16, 2014 | The Department of Labor is seeking nominations for the Advisory Committee on Increasing Competitive Integrated Employment for Individuals with Disabilities, created by the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA). The purpose of the committee is to study and prepare findings, conclusions and recommendations for the secretary of Labor on (1) ways to [...]
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House Committee Advances Legislation Aimed at Helping People with Disabilities
Posted Aug. 5, 2014 | Last week the House Ways and Means Committee unanimously approved legislation that would create tax-advantaged savings accounts for individuals with disabilities. The Achieving a Better Life Experience Act (ABLE) would make tax-free savings accounts available to cover qualified expenses such as education, housing, medical and transportation. The bill’s sponsors intend [...]
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What We’re Reading: Dec. 21, 2015
Kaiser Health News: Baby Boomers Set Another Trend - More Golden Years in Poorer Health After the last of the baby boomers become fully eligible for Medicare, the federal health program can expect significantly higher costs in 2030 both because of the high number of beneficiaries and because many are expected to be significantly less [...]
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What We’re Reading: Sep. 21, 2015
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution The Invisible Epidemic It’s an invisible epidemic, as devastating as diabetes but out of the public eye. Look around you, at your family, your neighbors, your coworkers. Chances are excellent that you’ll see someone suffering from mental illness. Nearly one in five adults in Georgia battles mental illness in any given year. [...]
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What We’re Reading: Aug. 31, 2015
Disability Scoop Feds Clarify Rights Of Parents With Disabilities Technical assistance issued jointly this month from the U.S. Department of Justice and the Department of Health and Human Services clarifies that children should not be taken from their moms or dads simply because a parent has a disability. Similarly, federal officials said that people with [...]
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What We’re Reading: Aug. 3, 2015
Last week was filled with celebrations of the 50th anniversaries of Medicare and Medicaid on Thursday, July 30. In his weekly radio address and a separate video, the president celebrated the anniversaries, praising the two programs for “sav[ing] millions of our people from poverty and hardship.” The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services also celebrated [...]
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What We’re Reading: June 22, 2015
This week we’re on SCOTUS watch (along with everyone else), as the Supreme Court prepares to issue a decision on federal insurance subsidies. We’re also reading about innovative solutions to accessible housing; breaking the “school-to-prison pipeline”; the anniversaries of the ADA and Olmstead; and recommendations for expanded rehabilitation benefits for older adults. Kaiser Health News, [...]
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What We’re Reading: June 8, 2015
This week our focus is still on mental health following Thursday’s news of the latest in mental health reform legislation. We’re also gearing up to celebrate the 16th anniversary of the Supreme Court’s Olmstead decision later this month, we’re reading up on the intersection of disability and employment, with a cover story from Governing magazine. [...]
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What We’re Reading: June 1, 2015
It’s a week full of announcements! This week we’re reading up on the Medicaid managed care regulation released last Tuesday, news from Google of a $20 million investment in universal access, and changes at the Administration for Community Living (ACL). Spoiler alert: ACL announced the new Administration on Disabilities. Called “epic” and a “milestone,” the [...]
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What We’re Reading: May 26, 2015
Returning from an extended holiday weekend, we’re deep in catch-up mode. This week we’re turning the focus to states’ implementation of mental health parity in Medicaid and CHIP, the incarceration of individuals with mental health and substance use conditions, the rise in hospital observations, and recent advocacy on voting and access rights. Once the public [...]
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