News
ADMINISTRATION FOR COMMUNITY LIVING: Input Needed: Wireless Emergency Alerts Template in Languages Including ASL
By SD Network, 2024-05-29
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is seeking comments on emergency message templates for multilingual Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEA), which the FCC proposes to provide in English, the 13 most commonly spoken languages in the United States, and American Sign Language (ASL).
In October, the FCC adopted rules to require participating wireless providers to make certain WEA available in these languages and to allow consumers to opt-in to receive them in ASL. Currently, WEAs are only available in English and Spanish. Providing WEAs in additional languages will help ensure these messages are accessible to as many people as possible.
For the video messages signed in ASL, the FCC seeks comment on the effectiveness of the ASL videos, as well as the format and production of the ASL videos. The proposed templates for ASL are not final and are presented solely for the purpose of seeking comment on what the final templates should be.
Comments on the 18 proposed WEA emergency message templates can be submitted online or by mail until June 12, and the public may respond to submitted comments until July 12. All filings must reference PS Docket Nos. 15-91 and 15-94. People with disabilities who need assistance to file comments online may request assistance by email.
WISCONSIN DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH SERVICES: Electronic Visit Verification Hard Launch Announcement
By SD Network, 2024-05-29
Home health care services and personal care nurse supervisory visit code 99509
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Electronic visit verification (EVV) hard launch for home health care services (service codes 92507, 97139, 97799, 99504, 99600, S9123, S9124, T1001, T1021, T1502) and personal care nurse supervisory visits (service code 99509) begins in Wisconsin on October 1, 2024. On and after hard launch, the Wisconsin Department of Health Services will impose consequences when EVV information is not captured for required services. Consequences include claim denial and exclusion from future HMO and managed care organization capitation rate setting development. Hard launch is required by the federal government for Wisconsin Medicaid to continue to receive its full federal funding. |
DISABILITY SCOOP: Advocacy groups aim to tackle mental health, heart issues among those with IDD,
By SD Network, 2024-05-27
National developmental disability advocacy groups are inking multimillion-dollar partnerships with some big players in health care in a push to better address co-occurring conditions. The Arc of the United States said it will work with the United Health Foundation to improve mental health for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities..
Experts discussed solutions to improve jobs for the nation’s direct care workers at the National Skills Coalition’s 2024 Skills Summit. The approximately 5 million direct care workers—predominantly women (especially women of color) and, increasingly, immigrants—will fall short of the demand represented by the nearly 9 million projected job openings in direct care through 2031, including the addition of over 1 million new jobs, more than any other occupation in the U.S.
Apple announced a range of new capabilities aimed at making life easier for people with disabilities including an option to control a phone or tablet using only a person’s eyes. Other features include Vocal Shortcuts which allows users to tell Siri to launch shortcuts or complete various tasks using custom sounds and Listen for Atypical Speech which uses machine learning to understand a wider range of speech patterns. Live captioning is also being added to FaceTime and other apps.
WISCONSIN DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH SERVICES: Connect with health care workers by joining WisCaregiver Connections!
By SD Network, 2024-05-22
Join and Connect with Workers
WisCaregiver Connections is a no-cost solution to Wisconsin's caregiver crisis!
WisCaregiver Careers offers free training for certified direct care professionals (CDCPs) and certified nurse aids (CNAs).
One valuable component of the program is the WisCaregiver Connections online workforce platform that gives hiring providers exclusive access to certified workers.
Almost 1,000 providers have already signed up!
Sign up now for free exclusive access
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WisCaregiver Connections makes it easy for eligible HCBS providers* like you to find CDCPs to fill your open positions and gain a competitive edge in finding certified caregivers—at no charge. This one-stop platform lets you:
Our CDCP program is growing with more than 7,000 students signed up to gain the knowledge needed to start their health care career. After completing the program, students can find employers through WisCaregiver Connections. Training is available for your current employees Enhance the skills of your current team by offering them this professional development opportunity. Your current employees can take the 30-hour, online CDCP training, gain critical knowledge in 14 core competencies, and earn bonuses of up to $500 at no cost to you. All you need to do is register as an eligible provider. Watch this short video to learn more about the program. CDCP training is also available in Spanish Research published by the National Institutes of Health's PubMed suggests people who have providers of their same race or demographic background have greater satisfaction, a higher quality of health care, and more trust in their provider. That’s why Wisconsin’s CDCP courses are also available in Spanish. According to the 2020 Census, 18.7% of Wisconsin’s population is Hispanic. Through WisCaregiver Connections, providers can find Spanish-speaking certified caregivers to better serve their participants. The CDCP program was created by the Wisconsin Department of Health Services (DHS) and our academic partner, the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay, to address the state’s caregiver shortage. Questions? Contact us at cdcp@uwgb.edu if you have questions or would like to learn more about the Certified Direct Care Professional (CDCP) program and the WisCaregiver Connections workforce platform. |
The Social Security Administration is making several changes to the Supplemental Security Income program, which will take effect in September. Under a new rule, more people will soon qualify for Supplemental Security Income and some current beneficiaries will see their monthly payments increase.
THE CAP TIMES: Madison startup adapts clothes for people with disabilities, differences
By SD Network, 2024-05-20
When people pick out what clothes they're going to wear, most take things like the weather, plans for the day, and their mood in to consideration. However, not many people think about how many buttons something has or how hard the zipper is on a certain piece of clothing. For people who have dexterity limitations or physical limitations, things like that really matter. That’s the problem Hilary Pham set out to solve when she started Equability, a startup that moved to Madison last November when Pham relocated from Champaign, Illinois. Customers mail in or drop off their clothes, and a professional sewist replaces zippers and buttons with closures like Velcro, magnets and snaps.
Each year, Global Accessibility Awareness Da spotlights the urgent need for digital access and inclusion for the over one billion people worldwide living with disabilities. For many businesses, this is a prompt to evaluate how well their digital platforms, physical spaces, and customer experiences accommodate individuals of all abilities. But creating accessible digital products and services is just one piece of the puzzle. In truly inclusive organizations, the same principles and practices that guide product development of should also be applied to building inclusive workplaces where everyone can thrive.
WISCONSIN PUBLIC RADIO: With election on the horizon, Wisconsin’s caregivers seek better health care options
By SD Network, 2024-05-16
With the election a few short months away, caregivers of all types are seeking better health care options. According to one report, home health care and child day care are both in the top 10 industries with the largest number of working Medicaid enrollees. Medicaid expansion and health care affordability is an issue on many people’s minds. Wisconsin is one of 10 states that haven’t accepted federal money to expand Medicaid. If it did, many could get Badgercare. Some say that would allow caregivers to work more without worrying about losing their health insurance.