News

Researchers at Brandeis University are conducting a study on the experiences of people with disabilities who self-direct Medicaid-funded HCBS during the pandemic. Please see the attached flyer for more information.

	Seeking Participants for Self-Direction and COVID
	Brandeis COVID Flyer (3).pdf, 330KB ∞

Vaccine rollout in Wisconsin is going study, but there has been a lot of confusion about who is eligible when. People who are in long-term care programs, such as IRIS and Family Care, became eligible on March 1st, but many providers were unaware of that. People who were eligible were trying to schedule their vaccine were being denied because the provider didn't know that they became eligible. The Department of Health clarified it's priority list, but advocates say there are still many barriers to getting vaccinated. 

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The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has launched an Emergency Broadband Benefit Program to help households struggling to pay for internet service during the pandemic. This new benefit will connect eligible households to jobs, critical healthcare services, and virtual classrooms.

The Emergency Broadband Benefit will provide a discount of up to $50 per month towards broadband service for eligible households and up to $75 per month for households on Tribal lands. Eligible households can also receive a one-time discount of up to $100 to purchase a laptop, desktop computer, or tablet from participating providers if they contribute $10-$50 toward the purchase price.

The Emergency Broadband Benefit is limited to one monthly service discount and one device discount per household.

A household is eligible if one member of the household:

• Qualifies for the Lifeline program;
• Receives benefits under the free and reduced-price school lunch program or the school breakfast program, including through the USDA Community Eligibility Provision, or did so in the 2019-2020 school year;
• Received a Federal Pell Grant during the current award year;
• Experienced a substantial loss of income since February 29, 2020, and the household had a total income in 2020 below $99,000 for single filers and $198,000 for joint filers; or
• Meets the eligibility criteria for a participating providers' existing low-income or COVID-19 program.

The program has been authorized by the FCC, but the start date has not yet been established. The FCC is working to make the benefit available as quickly as possible. Please continue to check the program webpage for updates.

Recently, President Biden signed a big pandemic relief bill that will send billions of dollars to special education and home-and-community-based services. This is the first major relief bill that addresses disability services since the pandemic started. Advocates have been begging for more funding since the pandemic started last spring. After a full year, some funding is finally coming. Adults with disabilities who are considered dependents will qualify for the checks. Additionally, special education will receive $2.5 billion. It also includes money to help states with COVID testing and vaccine distribution. 

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ACL's National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research (NIDILRR) has opened two new funding opportunities for Disability and Rehabilitation Research Projects (DRRP) on on Reducing Social Isolation of People with Disabilities and National Research Center for Parents with Disabilities.

The purpose of the DRRP program is to plan and conduct research, demonstration projects, training, and related activities (including international activities) to develop methods, procedures, and rehabilitation technology that maximize the full inclusion and integration into society, employment, independent living, family support, and economic and social self-sufficiency of individuals with disabilities.

DRRP on Reducing Social Isolation and Loneliness Among People with Disabilities: Under this particular DRRP priority, the grantee must conduct research to identify categories of people with disabilities who are most at risk of social isolation. The grantee must also conduct research that will inform the development of in-person, community-based solutions and approaches to reduce social isolation and loneliness among people with disabilities.

View more details and application instructions.

Please visit the link above for more details about the grant opportunity and application process. This grant opportunity closes on May 7, 2021.

February 28th was a special day for Wisconsin's Long-term care system. The very last person on the waiting list for long-term care enrolled in the IRIS program. This ended all waiting lists for adults who are eligible for long-term care services in Wisconsin. 

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For the first time, adult dependents will now be eligible to receive a stimulus check. The stimulus checks are meant to be spent to help boost the economy, but many people with disabilities may want to put their money in an ABLE account. ABLE accounts are allow people with disabilities to save money in an account without it counting against their benefits. There are many requirements of an ABLE account, but it allows people to save money in an account for disability related expenses. 

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HUD’s Office of Lead Hazard Control and Healthy Homes has announced $30 million in grant funds and training resources to non-federal entities to establish the Older Adults Home Modification Grant Program. The grant program will assist experienced nonprofits, state and local governments, and public housing authorities in programs that make home modifications and limited repairs to meet the needs of low-income older adult homeowners.

The goal of the program is to help these homeowners "age in place" through low-cost, low barrier, high impact home modifications that:

• Reduce the risk of falls.
• Improve general safety.
• Increase accessibility.
• Improve older adults' functional abilities in their homes
  

  HUD’s Office of Lead Hazard Control and Healthy Homes has announced $30 million in grant funds and training resources to non-federal entities to establish the Older Adults Home Modification Grant Program. The grant program will assist experienced nonprofits, state and local governments, and public housing authorities in programs that make home modifications and limited repairs to meet the needs of low-income older adult homeowners.

  The goal of the program is to help these homeowners "age in place" through low-cost, low barrier, high impact home modifications that:

  • Reduce the risk of falls.
  • Improve general safety.
  • Increase accessibility.
  • Improve older adults' functional abilities in their homes
    

    HUD’s Office of Lead Hazard Control and Healthy Homes has announced $30 million in grant funds and training resources to non-federal entities to establish the Older Adults Home Modification Grant Program. The grant program will assist experienced nonprofits, state and local governments, and public housing authorities in programs that make home modifications and limited repairs to meet the needs of low-income older adult homeowners.

    The goal of the program is to help these homeowners "age in place" through low-cost, low barrier, high impact home modifications that:

    • Reduce the risk of falls.
    • Improve general safety.
    • Increase accessibility.
    • Improve older adults' functional abilities in 

Applications due May 4th. 

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• Adults, 18 and over, with any type of disability, chronic illness/disease, mental or physical health condition are encouraged to participate.
• The survey should take about 20 minutes to complete.
• Responses are anonymous.
• The survey may look familiar to you. It was posted in 2018 and 2019, and is being posted for a third time now. We welcome participation from those who completed it before and those who have never done it before.

By now, it is widely known that COVID has disproportionately affected those with disabilities and those in long-term care. This report details some of the statistics and explains where vaccine distribution is within the disability community. It has some interesting tables and maps. 

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