President Signs Autism CARES Act into Law (AUCD blog, Aug. 9)
President Obama signed into law the Collaboration, Accountability, Research, Education and Supports or Autism (CARES) Act into law. This law reauthorizes the Combating Autism Act for another five years and makes some small improvements.
Schumer: People with disabilities should have savings (The Hill, Aug. 7)
Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) called on Congress to pass legislation that would allow people with disabilities and their families to set up tax-free savings accounts without losing federal disability benefits.
Boost for Vets’ Health: Obama signs new law (The Washington Post, Aug. 7)
Tens of thousands of military veterans who have been enduring long waits for medical care should be able to turn to private doctors almost immediately under a law signed by President Barack Obama.
Washington State Supreme Court strikes down ‘psychiatric boarding’ of mentally ill (The News Tribune, Aug. 7)
Psychiatric boarding — the practice of warehousing mentally ill patients in hospital emergency rooms due to a lack of available treatment space — is unlawful, according to the [Washington] state Supreme Court.
Gov. Dayton orders state agencies to dramatically increase hiring of workers with disabilities (Minnesota StarTribune, Aug. 7)
Gov. Mark Dayton has directed state agencies to hire more employees with disabilities, seeking to reverse an alarming decline in the state’s hiring of disabled people. The governor this week signed an executive order that directs state agencies to increase employment of people with disabilities to 7 percent by 2018, up from 3.2 percent in 2013.
House Calls Keep People Out Of Nursing Homes And Save Money (NPR, Aug. 7)
When it comes to reining in medical costs, delivering more health care and bringing it right to the patient’s home can, for a select group of patients, save money.
Medicaid expansion creates explosion in demand for mental health care (Health News Colorado, Aug. 6)
Mental health centers in Colorado are seeing a surge in new clients seeking services under the state’s expansion of Medicaid. And while center officials say they expected an increase, the number of new calls surprised them, so they have ramped up efforts and instituted new programs to meet the demand.
Former Walgreens exec backs disability jobs (The Tennessean, Aug. 5)
As Tennessee tries to provide more employment opportunities for people with disabilities, some corporations are offering more jobs to them as they find how strongly they contribute to the workforce.
Governor Reviewing Mass. Bill That Would Expand Autism Supports (WBUR Boston, Aug. 4)
Many parents of children on the autism spectrum are celebrating passage of a bill that is among dozens already on Gov. Deval Patrick’s desk.
Insurers face tougher mental health coverage fines (Miami Herald, Aug. 4)
A bill approved Monday by the [Florida] legislature would increase penalties for health insurance companies that provide substandard benefits for mental health care.