Caregiver wage, overtime protections struck down. U.S. District Judge Richard Leon said this week that the U.S. Department of Labor overstepped its authority when it moved to mandate pay protections for caregivers. (Disability Scoop, Jan. 16)
Congress seeks to limit transfers between Social Security and Disability funds. A sweeping rules package the House approved at the start of the 114th Congress includes a provision that would stop House lawmakers from transferring money from Social Security’s Old-Age and Survivors Insurance Trust Fund to the program’s Disability Insurance Trust Fund unless lawmakers took steps to “improve the actuarial balance” of both funds. (Kaiser Health News, Jan. 12; includes FAQs about SSDI)
Kaiser Permanente-Fresno mental health workers begin seven-day strike. More than 18,000 Kaiser nurses and nurse practitioners in Northern and Central California are planning to strike January 21-22. The nurses say Kaiser has cut hospital services, restricted admission of patients and has discharged patients who still need care. (The Fresno Bee, Jan. 12; read more on similar strikes in San Francisco)
Mentally ill wait in jails for treatment despite ruling. A federal judge ruled December 22 in a civil case challenging the wait lists that holding mentally ill people in jails without treatment violates their constitutional rights, but Washington has yet to implement changes. (Associated Press, Jan. 10)
Disability rights group sues for access to NY agency docs. Disability Rights New York announced the lawsuit in a Facebook post, saying that the New York State Justice Center for the Protection of People with Special Needs is heavily redacting or outright refusing to provide timely investigational records of abuse against mentally ill and disabled persons in state custody. (Law360, Jan. 12)
800 boxes: Tom Harkin’s papers arrive at Drake. The work of organizing and making Harkin’s papers accessible will take many months. But Drake University archivists are aiming to make at least the documents relating to the Americans with Disabilities Act available this summer — in time for the 25th anniversary of Harkin’s signature legislative accomplishment. (The Des-Moines Register, Jan 5.; with image slideshow of box delivery)
IBM’s cognitive computer Watson could use skills to help treat veterans with PTSD. The VA has launched a two-year pilot program to study new ways of searching electronic medical records and medical literature. The pilot is intended to evaluate how the IBM technology can speed up clinical decisions. IBM is trying to transform the game-playing system into a commercially viable technology, and the VA is exploring whether doctors at all VA medical centers and clinics should eventually be linked to it. (The Baltimore Sun, Jan. 10)
Man who lost all four limbs received double arm transplant. “I feel such happiness. Every time I look and see my arms, I get giddy almost,” Will said. “I wonder whether this man was aware of how beautiful his arms were, or are, because I look at them every day as a complete gift.” (WBUR “Here & Now,” Jan. 5; with audio recording of interview and image slideshow of Will Lautzenheiser)
January is national birth defects prevention month. Birth defects are congenital medical disorders caused by complex factors, which include genetic makeup, health behaviors, and environmental exposures…. Reducing the human and economic costs of birth defects represents an important public health opportunity to improve the overall quality of life for all of Florida’s families. (The News-Press, Jan. 4)
Opinion: Americans with Disabilities Act turns 25 this year. “During the past 25 years since the introduction of the ADA, people with disabilities and those not disabled have been slowly integrated as one into our society. But there is more to be done and it will take more than education to accomplish a fully accessible community throughout the county.” (Times-Standard, Jan. 3)
Disability rights movement gets rare spotlight in Augusta. An exhibit commemorates the 25th anniversary of the Americans with Disability Act by telling the story of 10 Mainers. (Portland Press Herald, Jan. 6)