Bill boosting financial security for individuals with disabilities clears U.S. House, awaits passage in Senate. When his daughter Audrey was 4 years old, Rick Hodges went to a financial planning seminar — “like a dutiful dad,” he recalled. But he knew immediately it was of no help. “All these plans are designed for people with normal lives,” the Arlington father said. “First they grow up, then they go to college, then they support themselves, then they retire. And that was probably not going to be Audrey’s life.” UPDATE: The bill, the Achieving a Better Life Experience (ABLE) Act, passed the Senate December 16. For more on what the ABLE Act does, see this Vox article. (The Washington Post, Dec. 16)
Pediatric coverage a “patchwork” under the Affordable Care Act. The approach used to establish the Affordable Care Act’s pediatric essential health benefit has resulted in a state-by-state patchwork of coverage with inconsistent exclusions, particularly of services for children with mental or developmental disabilities. (Medscape, Dec. 8)
Four challenges for Congress from retiring U.S. senator Tom Harkin. This is part of the text of Iowa Senator Tom Harkin’s final speech from the floor of the U.S. Senate, which includes further priorities relating to “the under employment of people with disabilities.” (Nonprofit Quarterly, Dec. 15)
Feds inch closer to disability hiring goal. More than 16,000 people with disabilities were hired by the U.S. government during fiscal year 2013, according to a new report from the Office of Personnel Management. That brought the total number of federal workers with disabilities to 234,395. (Disability Scoop, Dec. 15)
Some states retreat on mental health funding. A survey of state spending published by the National Alliance on Mental Illness found that 29 states plus the District of Columbia increased their spending on mental health in fiscal year 2015. A year earlier, 37 states plus D.C. did so. (Stateline, Dec. 15)
Virginia psychiatric bed registry not working as intended, state officials say. The registry was created to provide clinicians real-time information to help place Virginians in need of involuntary commitment in public and private hospitals. Health and Human Resources Secretary William A. Hazel Jr. told a four-year study committee that the registry is being used about 2,500 times a month but that its effectiveness has been stymied by confusion about what “real-time” means. (The Washington Post, Dec. 16)
Report details boomers’ disabilities. Nearly 40 percent of people age 65 and older had at least one disability, according to a U.S. Census Bureau report that covered 2008 to 2012. Of those 15.7 million people, two-thirds say they had difficulty walking or climbing. Difficulty with independent living, such as visiting a doctor’s office or shopping, was the second-most cited disability, followed by serious difficulties in hearing, cognitive functions, bathing or dressing and serious difficulty seeing. (The Spokesman-Review, Dec. 15)
New prenatal tests called into question. Sparked by the sequencing of the human genome a decade ago, a new generation of prenatal screening tests has exploded onto the market in the past three years. But a three-month examination by the New England Center for Investigative Reporting has found that companies are overselling the accuracy of their tests and doing little to educate expecting parents or their doctors about the significant risks of false alarms. (Disability Scoop, Dec. 16)
Kansans with disabilities concerned about proposed KanCare changes. Groups that advocate for Kansans with disabilities and older adults say they will file objections to proposed changes in the waivers defining the State’s approach to Medicaid-funded services that help them live in community-based settings rather than in nursing homes. (Kansas Health Institute, Dec. 15)
This punk rock singer is documenting the true disabled accessibility of ever music venue. Sean Gray, the owner of two well-regarded punk rock record labels, launched his latest grassroots venture last month: Is This Venue Accessible on Tumblr. (Fusion, Dec. 16)
Working while on disability not a paradox. If someone has a disability and receives Social Security Disability Insurance, he or she can’t possibly work – right? But actually, the government provides incentives to encourage those who want to work back into the workforce. (Bankrate.com, Dec. 16)
Inside the special education classroom: How tech can help students with disabilities. Assistive technology can look like many things in an elementary special education classroom, both low-tech and high-tech. No two students are the same, and they will have different experiences while trying to use technology. (edSurge, Dec. 15)