News

Deadline to apply: November 1, 2024

The Wisconsin Department of Health Services (DHS) is seeking qualified applicants to fill vacancies on two state long-term care advisory councils. The deadline to apply is Friday, November 1, 2024. 

Wisconsin Long-Term Care Advisory Council (WLTCAC)

The WLTCAC serves as an advisory body to DHS on existing and emerging aging, disability, and long-term care systems issues. Members provide advice and make recommendations to the DHS secretary regarding long-term care policy, programs, and services. Learn more about WLTCAC.

IRIS Advisory Committee (IAC)

The IAC is a workgroup established to provide recommendations to the DHS program staff on issues related to administration of the IRIS program. IRIS (Include, Respect, I Self-Direct) is a self-directed program for adults with disabilities and elderly people. IAC members are individuals who have relevant knowledge, experience, expertise, and community relationships that allow them to present ideas, opinions, or facts for the betterment of the IRIS program. Learn more about the IAC.

We are accepting applications to fill one open seat to represent IRIS participants.

How to apply

Applications of interest to serve on these two councils can be found on the DHS website:

• Application for the WLTCAC (Word)
• Application for the IAC (Word)

If you would like to request a paper application or need an accommodation or assistance with completing your application, please contact DHS Long-Term Care at 608-267-7286 or DHSDMSLTC@dhs.wisconsin.gov. Please include the name of the council to which you are applying.

WisTech, Wisconsin's Assistive Technology Act Program, is starting to plan for the 2025 assistive technology (AT) trainings and your input is needed. These trainings are intended to provide high-quality content that supports and develops the skills of AT professionals and other service providers. The WisTech 2025 Training Survey is now open!

Please complete this survey by Wednesday, November 20, 2024, at 5 p.m. If you have any questions, need this information in an accessible format, or need assistance completing this survey, please contact Laura Plummer by email at laura.plummer1@dhs.wisconsin.gov or phone at 608-514-2513. All trainings provide participants with Continuing Education Units (CEUs) and Certified Rehabilitation Counselor credits (CRCs) at no cost. Thank you in advance!

Fear of losing Medicaid benefits is a factor in debates over law allowing certain workers with disabilities to be paid lower than minimum wage — advocates urge Wisconsin lawmakers to pursue expansion. There are 49 employers in Wisconsin with a special certification known as a 14(c) which allows employers to pay workers with disabilities based on productivity, even if it is less than minimum wage. This has been a controversy for years. Many disability advocates feel that people with disabilities should be paid at market rates no matter what.

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The President’s Committee for People with Intellectual Disabilities (PCPID) has prioritized high-quality home and community-based services (HCBS) for their report to the president with a focus on four key areas: direct support professionals, employment, community living, and federal support. To adequately meet the growing demand for HCBS, the report suggests that HHS should offer guidance and technical assistance to support individuals in self-directing their care in Medicaid HCBS programs as part of the workforce solutions.

Read report

Self-Determination Network News:

October 2024

Connect | Share |Learn | http://sdnetworkwi.org

Stacy’s Journal

Take five minutes to check out what's happening on the Self-Determination Network:

• Updated Guidance on Housing Voucher: Recently, the Department of Housing and Urban Development has updated its guidance for the Mainstream Voucher program which creates new alternative requirements and waivers to allow public housing agencies to better utilize the vouchers by helping people with disabilities avoid institutional settings and live in the community. Learn more about the guidance.
• Guardrails to People on Medicaid: People who receive Medicaid are regularly evaluated to determine eligibility. Read about the new guidance outlining steps states should take to make sure that people with disabilities are not accidentally dropped from Medicaid home and community-based services.
• Voters with Disabilities Continue Battle for Electronic Ballots: Two months ago, many voters with disabilities in Wisconsin were looking forward to being able to receive and mark a ballot electronically. However, an appeals court disrupted the plan.  Learn about how advocates continue to fight for access to electronic ballots.
• Right-of-Way Guidelines: The General Services Administration (GSA) recently published a final rule adopting the public right-of-way accessibility guidelines issued by the Access Board. Find out what the guidelines include.
• Input Needed on AI: The Access Board is seeking feedback on the benefits and risks of artificial intelligence (AI) for people with disabilities. Comments due October 31st.
• The Autism CARES Act of 2024: The U.S. House of Representatives has taken a crucial step forward in supporting the autism community by passing the Autism Collaboration, Accountability, Research, Education, and Support (CARES) Act of 2024. Learn what this Act includes.
• Wisconsin Medicaid Managed Care Quality Strategy: The Wisconsin Department of Health Services is seeking public comment on the 2025-2027 Wisconsin Medicaid Managed Care Quality Strategy. Comments due October 25th.
• Free At-Home COVID Tests: The Department of Health and Human Services Administration for Strategic Preparedness and and the United States Postal Service is offering free at-home COVID tests. Find out how to get yours.
• Best Cities: The annual ranking for best cities for people with disabilities was recently released. Check out to see which cities ranked highest.
• Wisconsin Disability Policy Internship Program: The Wisconsin Disability Policy Internship Program is a 4-6 month, part-time paid internship designed to provide an early public policy career level experience in disability policy. Applications are due on October 28th. Learn more and apply today!
• Call for Presenters: The 2025 Circles of Life Conference is May 8th & 9th in Wisconsin Dells. Proposals to present are now being accepted. Applications are due October 25th.

Upcoming Events 

Here's a sample of upcoming events listed on the Self-Determination Network:

• Webinar: Ask an ADA Professional: Other Power-Driven Mobility Devices (OPDMD): October 9th, 1p.m. to 2p.m., Virtual
• Webinar: Bringing People to Golf - Creating Accessible and Inclusive Environments: October 10th, 1p.m. to 2:30p.m., Virtual
• Lunch & Learn Webinar: Make Your Plan to Vote: October 15th, 12p.m. to 12:45p.m., Virtual
• FOCUS 2024 Conference: November 20th-21st, KI Center, Green Bay WI

Post your event on the Self-Determination Network and it can be included in future Network News emails to members! Questions? Suggestions?  Contact Stacy Ellingen. 

The Self-Determination Network is powered by InControl Wisconsin and supported financially by our members and Sponsors. We couldn't keep this Network going with you!  Find out how you can help support the Network.

Circles of Life is Wisconsin’s annual conference for families who have children with disabilities and the professionals who support them.

Our theme for 2025 is overcoming barriers. We’re starting the search for presenters with interesting stories to tell now.

We look forward to seeing you May 8-9, 2025 in the Wisconsin Dells for Circles of Life 2025. 

Calling All Presenters

Apply NOW to present at the 2025 Circles of Life Conference!

Parents, family members, professionals and anyone with experience and information to share are encouraged to apply. Presenters receive free registration to the conference.

All topics related to families who have children with disabilities are welcomed. 2025’s focus is overcoming barriers. Proposals on a wide variety of other topics will also be selected. (Never Presented Before? Ask about a mentor.)

Presenter Application 

The annual ranking for best cities for people with disabilities was recently released. The ranking is based on the 33 indicators of disability-friendliness including things such as cost-of-living, employment for people with disabilities, cost of health care and in-home services as well as accessibility in over 180 cities. The data is from government agencies, disability nonprofits, and other sources.

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A hug from your child. A text message from your teenage son saying “I love you, mom.” Going to your daughter’s soccer game. Taking your kids to Disneyland. Having your little one run to you when you pick them up from school or daycare. Watching your child giggle at something funny. What do all of these things have in common? These are events that commonly bring adults my age joy. Most parents don’t even realize how often they get that little jolt of joy, but it usually happens multiple times a day. Kids have a way of bringing a little joy into the world even on your worst days. What happens when people aren’t able to have kids? At times, it’s not easy to do, but speaking for myself, I try to live vicariously through my sister and friends who have kids. For people with significant physical limitations, interacting with small kids is always a little bit of a gamble.

“Stacy,” with emphasis on the C ("Stay Ceeeee"), my almost two-year-old nephew squealed over FaceTime while his four-year-old brother anxiously waited to show me the school bus he had just drawn. With that five-minute FaceTime call, no matter how bad my day had been, it was made! A few years ago—I guess about four years ago now—I wrote about the yearning to be a mother. My sister had just had her first baby and I had become an aunt. I didn’t know how my nephew would interact with me. I didn’t know what to expect. Would he be scared of me? Not being able to talk or physically take care of him like many aunties do, how could I form a relationship with him? What would that look like? Questions like these swirled in my head.

Four years later and another little adorable nephew (if I do say so myself) added to the mix, I can tell you that those two little boys are the apples of my eye. Being an aunt is awesome. Like with some of my friends’ kids, since they never knew any different, my nephews just know me as Aunt Stacy. Do they realize I’m a little different than most people? Of course they do. Honestly, I think they realized something was different about me when they were just a few months old, but they’re still too young to articulate the questions.

My four-year-old nephew may be starting to ask questions about me to my sister and brother-in-law, but, so far, in front of me, he hasn’t really asked about why I’m different. I know he will and I want him to ask all the questions he has. Of course, the depth of our answers will depend on his age. For a couple years, telling him that I was born this way will be sufficient for him. When he gets older, we’ll introduce the term cerebral palsy and explain what it is. Will we ever share my birth story with him? Probably eventually way down the road, but we’ll wait until he asks.

Are my nephews afraid of me? That’s a difficult question to answer. When it’s been a while since they’ve seen me in-person, when they initially see me, they often step back and shy away. While I understand that they’re just not used to seeing someone with a significant physical disability, admittedly, it stings a little. Usually, with some prompting and coaxing from other adults, the boys warm up pretty fast and I can get a fist bump or a high five. If I’m around them long enough, I sometimes can even get a hug! It just depends on the scenario. I know this will get better with age and they’ll be less and less timid.

While I may not be able to do traditional things aunts do like babysit or take them on fun adventures, I continue to find ways to interact with my nephews. Whether it’d be giving them rides on back of my wheelchair, having them help open my birthday gifts, or giving them high fives, I cherish every little interaction I have with the boys because not only does it fill my heart with joy, I also know it helps them understand who I am. Right now, they are at the age where ramps are pretty cool, so they love it when I come visit because my sister and brother-in-law set up a portable ramp so I can get in the house with my power chair, and the kids love riding their bikes up and down the ramps.  They also enjoy running up and down the ramp in our van. Things like this are unique to having an aunt who has physical limitations.

Will my nephews be accepting to people with disabilities because they have me in their lives? I can’t say for sure, but I hope so. Will my relationship with the kids be different from the typical aunt? Yes, but know what? That’s okay. I know the exorbitant amount of joy they bring to my life; I only hope that I can bring a jolt of joy to theirs!

***The views expressed here are strictly those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of InControl Wisconsin, the Network or any of our sponsors.