House and Senate Calendar confirmed

Yesterday the House and Senate passed HR 473, setting the calendar until April 17th.

BE IT RESOLVED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF GEORGIA that, unless otherwise provided by subsequent resolution of the General Assembly, the meeting dates and dates of adjournment for the 2007 regular session of the General Assembly for the period of March 1, 2007, through April 17, 2007, shall be as follows:
March 1, legislative day 27
March 2 through March 18, in adjournment
March 19, legislative day 28
March 20, legislative day 29
March 21 through March 26, in adjournment
March 27, legislative day 30
March 28, legislative day 31
March 29, legislative day 32
March 30, legislative day 33
March 31 through April 9, in adjournment
April 10, legislative day 34
April 11, legislative day 35
April 12, legislative day 36
April 13 through April 16, in adjournment
April 17, legislative day 37

IDEA Supreme Court Update

On February 26, National Council on Disability (NCD) chairperson John R. Vaughn released a statement regarding the U.S. Supreme Court oral argument, which was heard on February 27, on whether parents may, without a lawyer (pro se), file a lawsuit to enforce their child's rights under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA).

The case of Winkleman v. Parma City School District (No. 05-983) addresses a split among circuit courts, one circuit deciding that there are no limitations on the parents' ability to prosecute pro se an IDEA case in federal court, several circuits ruling that under IDEA parents can only represent pro se their own interests and not those of their child, and the Sixth Circuit saying in Winkleman that parents cannot represent themselves or their kids in court under IDEA.

As an independent federal agency that is statutorily charged with the responsibility of promoting disability laws and programs, NCD is concerned about maintaining the ability of parents to obtain the rights and benefits guaranteed to their children under IDEA.

Chairperson Vaughn concluded by urging that the resolution of the Winkleman case give full effect to the educational guarantees of IDEA by supporting the rights of parents to pursue the interests of their children regardless of whether they have a lawyer to assist them.

The entire statement with links to related NCD publications is available.

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office on Disability

The Health and Human Services Office on Disability was created in October 2002 in response to President Bush's New Freedom Initiative (NFI). The office oversees the implementation and coordination of disability programs, policies and special initiatives pertaining to the over 54 million persons with disabilities in the United States. The New Freedom Initiative established seven distinct domains in the area of disability: community integration, education, employment, health, housing, technology, and transportation. The Office on Disability focuses its efforts on these seven domains.


Under the section Disability Topics, you can access links to the following areas:

Advocacy
Community Integration
Education
Employment
Health and Human Services
Health and Wellness
Medicare/Medicaid Services
Housing
Information Technology
Transportation

Harkin Introduces Bill to Support Community-Based Services

Legislation Would Increase Access for People with Disabilities and Older Americans

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 7, 2007

Contact: Maureen Knightly / Tom Reynolds 202-224-3254

Washington, D.C. - Senator Tom Harkin (D-IA) today introduced the Community Choice Act of 2007, bill number S.799. The legislation, co sponsored by Senator Arlen Specter (R-PA), would increase access to community-based services and other supports for Americans with disabilities and older Americans.

"I strongly believe that it is important to level the playing field and give eligible individuals equal access to community-based services and supports," Harkin said. "This legislation is needed to truly bring people with disabilities into the mainstream of society and provide equal opportunity or employment and community activities."

Specifically, the Community Choice Act of 2007 gives individuals who are eligible for nursing home services or other institutional care equal access to community-based services and supports. The legislation also provides enhanced federal matching funds to help states develop their long-term care infrastructure and grant funds to help states increase their ability to provide home and community-based services. Finally, this bill creates a demonstration project to evaluate service coordination and cost sharing approaches for those eligible for both Medicaid and Medicare services.

"This vital legislation will open the door to full participation by people with disabilities in our neighborhoods, workplaces, economy, and our American Dream," Harkin said.

The following Senators co-sponsored the Harkin-Specter legislation: Edward Kennedy (D-MA), Daniel Inouye (D-HI), Ken Salazar (D-CO), Joseph Biden (D-DE), Joseph Lieberman (ID-CT), Hillary Clinton (D-NY), Charles Schumer (D-NY), and Christopher Dodd (D-CT).

Source: Senator Tom Harkin - Iowa

Governor Perdue Announces February Revenue Figures

ATLANTA – Governor Sonny Perdue announced today that net revenue collections for the month of February 2007 (FY07) totaled $961,225,000 compared to $886,113,000 for February 2006 (FY06), an increase of $75,112,000 or 8.5 percent.

The percentage increase year-to-date for FY07 compared to FY06 is 6.7 percent.

Partners and Voices - March 2006

Graduates:

February was a real whirlwind of advocacy activity here in Atlanta and around the state.
Our first Legislative Day at the Capitol on the 7th was a great success with over 40 advocates and 45 8th grade girls from the Atlanta Girl's School working the Capitol for Unlock the Waiting Lists. Since this was our first year holding this event, we wanted to keep it small in order to be able to support advocates. We hope to grow this event next year to include all advocates that want to attend.


We recruited for this event from the Town Hall Meetings around the state, and our goal is to double the amount of advocates attending next year.

February 14th was a celebration at the Capitol for House Resolution 144, a resolution honoring the work of caregivers, especially mothers, of children with disabilities and was supported by Representative Sharon Cooper. This was another first time event sponsored by the Atlanta Alliance on Developmental Disabilities. We hope this will be an annual event to celebrate all of the great advocacy work you all are doing across the state. If you have any thoughts on corporate sponsors that would be interested in underwriting a lunch for moms for next year, please email Rita.

February 20th was a Town Hall Meeting in Savannah organized by Mary Poncy, Vicki Sumner, and Johnnie Moore Douglas. Around 200 people attended the meeting in White Bluffs Elementary School, and it received both television and newspaper coverage. The meeting centered around the new waiver that Georgia has applied for and Unlock the Waiting Lists!
Thank you ladies for your hospitality!

Dave Blanchard is following the budget, focused on the Unlock the Waiting Lists agenda. Everything is stalled due to the uncertainty of PeachCare funding (see previous posts). The Governor has recommended 1,500 new services - with the multiple year funding plan calling for 2,000. Please make sure that you are calling your state legislators, letting them know how important this issue is to so many who are waiting for help.

I am continuing to follow SB10 on private school vouchers. Last week during the House subcommittee meeting, two Partners grads, Rachel Barron and Paula Krone, gave testimony. Representative David Casas and Senator Eric Johnson worked together to offer some changes to the bill. It looks like it will most likely pass out of committee and then be voted on the House floor before the end of the session.

Also, the Deaf community in Georgia is actively working with the current Georgia legislature to pass legislation recognizing American Sign Language (ASL) as one of the languages that can be used to fulfill the foreign language requirements of college students in Georgia through the Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia. One of our current Partners, Henrietta Bellows is involved in this effort. The bills are SB 206 and SB 170.

To submit ideas for future Partners/ Voices events, if you want to host an event in your area, or to give us an update on what advocacy you have been involved in lately, click here.

Babies Can't Wait is asking graduates to please fill out a survey on their services that will provide feedback needed to shape services in the future. The survey is 10 minutes and your responses are anonymous. http://surveybcw.caresolutions.com/

Disability Day on February 22 was a huge success! Please give the DD Council your feedback at: http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.asp?u=181193386114

Be sure to sign up to receive the blog automatically by entering your email in the box on this page. Notice the information on our last Partners weekend with new resources on employment and housing along with the ability to order reference books through Amazon.com.

What are your recommendations for books that you found helpful in your advocacy work?

We will take your reviews and post them with the book and a link on how to purchase it.

Recommended Reading

Often times, we run across books that you need in your library. Launched in 1996, Associates is Amazon.com's affiliate marketing program.



By linking to Amazon products and services we hope to add compelling and relevant content for your enjoyment and we will receive up to 10% in referral fees that will support the training of parents and individuals with developmental disabilities. While you read and learn, know that you made a difference in Georgia.

Partners in Policymaking Weekend: Sunday

One weekend out of each month, a group of amazing people get together to learn from each other about how to make a difference together. This weekend, we had the pleasure to hear Derrick Dufresne on Saturday and Cary Griffin on Sunday. During this weekend, there is so much that we walk away with...if you are interested in being a part of this wonderful experience send us an application.

During the day, a lot of resources were shared by the participants and by our speaker, Carey Griffin.

Look on the right column of the blog to see recommended books from the day. By purchasing the book through our referral, you are helping give families and individuals access to advocacy training to make a difference right here in Georgia!

Applications for membership on the State Advisory Panel (SAP) are available on the GaDOE website, Exceptional Students page. Panel membership is established in compliance with Federal and State regulations which mandate that, “Parents of children with disabilities and individuals with disabilities shall compose a majority of panel membership.” Other panel members are to include teachers, state and local education officials, special education administrators, and representatives of organizations and agencies involved with services for children with disabilities. Members should represent each congressional district and be representative of the State population. Please see complete details on the SAP webpage. Please pass this information on to anyone who might be interested in applying for membership on the Panel. Applications will be accepted until April 1, 2007. For further information contact Julie Moilanen at j.moilanen@grady.k12.ga.us or Ginny O’Connell at voconnel@doe.k12.ga.us.

Benefits Navigator Program with the Shepherd Center houses the Work Incentives Planning and Assistance (WIPA): a cooperative agreement between the Social Security Administration and Shepherd Center's WIPA Program to provide accurate work incentive information to people between the ages of 14 and 65 who receive Supplemental Security Income (SSI), Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI), or both which is based on a medical condition.

Griffin's questions to discover your personal genius: List 2 things most people dont know about you? When and where are you at your best? Other than your immediate family, who knows you best? When and where do you have your highest support needs? What gets you out of bed in the morning, besides work?

Some people in Georgia who have a national reputation for thinking about job development: Patty Cassidy at the University of Georgia or Briggs and Associates.

Other web resources on employment recommended by Cary Griffin : www.griffinhammis.com
http://ruralinstitute.umt.edu/transition
www.passplan.org
www.start-up-usa.biz
www.centerforsocialcapital.org (coming soon)

Unlock the Waiting List Update

Over the past couple of weeks, advocates have been very busy, however legislators dealing with the budget are moving at a turtle's pace. Due to the uncertainty of the PeachCare, the schedule for the coming weeks will include weeks of recess moving the end of the session beyond April 17th.

The consistent response that we are hearing about our request for 2,000 new services for MRWP to unlock the waiting list is that because of the unknown impact of the deficit for Georgia due to PeachCare, they cannot make a commitment to adding an additional 500 services to the Governor's recommended budget.

We are hearing that the Georgia's Congressional delegation is working on this issue - not definitive news yet...stay tuned.

Partners in Policymaking Weekend: Saturday

One weekend out of each month, a group of amazing people get together to learn from each other about how to make a difference together. This weekend, we had the pleasure to hear Derrick Dufresne on Saturday and Cary Griffin on Sunday. During this weekend, there is so much that we walk away with...if you are interested in being a part of this wonderful experience send us an application.

Derrick made the points that three things affect price: "cost of property," "interest rate," and "existing subsidies." Some of the resources to address these three elements...

DCA's Dream Homeownership Program makes purchasing a home more affordable for low-to-moderate income families and individuals by offering fixed, low-interest rate mortgages loans. In addition, the Georgia Dream Homeownership Program offers down payment and closing costs assistance to eligible borrowers, which can greatly reduce the out of pocket expense to the buyer.

American Dream Downpayment Initiative (ADDI): Program Contacts in Georgia - Funds made available under the ADDI statute have been allocated to State and local governments to assist families with incomes below 80 percent of the median income for their area and are first-time homebuyers.

USDA Rural Development for Georgia - USDA Rural Development invested over $184 million in Georgia's rural communities during Fiscal Year 2006. This investment has resulted in improved water and sewage services, new and improved community facilities, affordable rental housing for senior citizens and low-income families, homeownership for families, new jobs, new industries, and sustainable communities.

U.S. Department Housing and Urban Development information page for people with disabilities - Learn about renting, buying and making your home accessible, and about your Fair Housing rights.

HUD approved housing counseling agencies for Georgia - A list of counselors in Georgia that can help with finding housing within HUD.

HUD Home ownership information - Owning a home is a big part of the american dream. Here are some resources that can help you buy, maintain and keep your home.

AAIDD National Conference information...

Medicaid Estate Recovery - Estate recovery is a program, required by federal law, whereby Medicaid members with qualified assets reimburse the taxpayers for long term care and home and community-based services provided through Medicaid. Funds are recovered from the member’s estate, after death, for the cost of these services. Important: No action to recover assets (including homes or property) will be taken while the member, member’s spouse or qualified children are living in the home. Estates valued under $25,000 will not be subject to recovery. The Soft Second Loan Program is a joint initiative of the public and private sectors in the state of MA to increase affordable housing opportunities for low- and moderate-income homebuyers.

Georgia Community Trust - The Georgia Community Trust was established to assist families in their planning to provide financial assistance to a family member with a disability. Individuals receiving SSI and Medicaid are limited as to the amount of income they may receive and the amount of assets they may own. Assets transferred to the Trust and earmarked for the intended beneficiary, are not considered assets of the beneficiary for the purposes of SSI and Medicaid.