News
Technology has come so far that most people rely on the Internet on a daily basis. Making sure that websites and apps are accessible to people with disabilities has become a big emphasis. This article explains the difference between "accessibility" and "usability" when it comes to websites and apps. It explains that "accessibility" is the act of making websites and apps usable for people with disabilities. While "usability" is a measure of how easy a website or app is to use. The article also explains why developers have to consider the kind of people who will be using the website or app. Various factors of user personas should be thought about in the development process.
Massachusetts recently launched its program for ABLE accounts (accounts that allow people with disabilities to have a savings account without jeopardizing their benefits). In Massachusetts, the program is known as "The Attainable Savings Plan." Accounts can be used for disability-related expenses that will increase and/or maintain a person's health, independence, or quality of life. The Attainable Savings Plan will be available to people with disabilities nationwide.
After nearly 10 years of no increases, a personal care rate increase is being debated by the state legislature this THURSDSAY! This short video explains how the care worker shortage is directly impacting thousands of people in the state.
Wisconsin is closer than ever to getting a rate increase, but we need your help to make this happen. If no rate increase is approved this Thursday, it will be at least another TWO years before the legislature will reconsider this issue.
The powerful Joint Finance Committee will vote on the Governor’s proposed 2% per year increase to the personal care rate on Thursday, May 25th. This is an important first step in addressing the workforce crisis but a 15% increase is needed. The current Medicaid personal care rate of $16.08 per hour is $2.50 below the actual cost of providing care.
Call your state senator and state representative today!
- Ask your legislator to please make a motion to increase the personal care rate by 15%. Let them know the Joint Finance Committee is voting on personal care on Thursday, May 25th.
- Ask that the $330 million Medicaid surplus and any savings from the new Independent Assessment be re-invested in the personal care program to help fund the rate increase.
- Thank them for their time and consideration.
To look up your legislators’ phone numbers go to the legislative website or for assistance call the legislative hotline: 1-800-362-9472
Find out who represents you in the state capitol:
The first step in contacting your legislator is knowing who your legislator is. The easiest way to do this is the tool found on the Legislature’s home page. In the right-hand side of that page is a link that says Find My Legislators! Type your address in the box below that link to get the names of your state representative and senator.
Attend the Vote on May 25th to Show Your Support:
We need to pack the room on May 25th!! The Joint Finance Committee will begin voting at 11 a.m. in Room 412 East of the State Capitol. Please let us know if you can attend the vote on Thursday. Our goal is to fill the hearing room. Contact Erin Fabrizius if you plan to attend the vote or if you have any questions: efabrizius@mblumenfeld.com or 608-257-1888.
On April 25th, The Arc Wisconsin hosted an on-line conversation with The Survival Coalition of Wisconsin Disability Organizations and the Wisconsin Long-Term Care Coalition to update Wisconsin residents on the latest threats to Medicaid. This training featured the latest information direct from The Arc US lobbyists who have been spending time on Capitol Hill.
Congress is considering proposals that are estimated to cut federal Medicaid funding by 25%. Wisconsin currently operates more than 20 Medicaid programs; one in five people use some form of Medicaid which can include Birth to 3 services, Family Care, IRIS, school therapies, Katie Beckett, autism supports, personal care, mental health supports and more…
You can listen to a recording of the training by going to this link.
See the presentation slides: http://www.survivalcoalitionwi.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/Next-Steps-for-Advocates-Protecting-Medicaid-4-25-17.pdf
Job Opening: WBPDD Program and Policy Analyst (Disability Community Organizer)
By SD Network, 2017-05-17
The Wisconsin Board for People with Developmental Disabilities (BPDD) looking for a Program and Policy Analyst (Disability Community Organizer) . This professional position functions to coordinate the Board’s advocacy and community organizing activities, including support, training and technical assistance to people with developmental disabilities, family members, and grassroots disability partners. This position provides leadership and coordinates a wide variety of program development, training and outreach coordination, and evaluation activities.
This position acts as the agency liaison to other grassroots and advocacy groups. This position requires excellent oral and written communication skills, including the ability to present complex information in accessible formats. It requires the ability to exercise sound judgment, the ability to work cooperatively and effectively with a wide range of individuals and organizations, and the ability to prioritize and complete tasks on time with high levels of accuracy.
Application deadline is June 5th.
May 2017
Connect | Share | Learn | http://sdnetworkwi.org/
Register now for the 4th annual Aging Empowerment Conference: Living a Self-Determined Life which will be held June 6th (full conference) and June 7th (Self-Determination Summit) at the Glacier Canyon Lodge Conference Center at the Wilderness Resort in Wisconsin Dells. Sponsored by InControl Wisconsin, this unique event gathers older adults, their families, and the professionals who support them and explores self-determination and empowerment in aging. Registration closes June 1st. Learn more and register today!
Changes to Medicaid and the AHCA
Recently, the U.S. House passed a health reform bill (AHCA) that cuts Medicaid funding by 25%, and jeopardizes the important Medicaid supports that makes it possible for people with disabilities to live and work in the community instead of being forced into nursing homes or institutions. People with intellectual and developmental disabilities rely on Wisconsin’s 20 Medicaid programs— including Family Care, IRIS, MAPP, BadgerCare—and the ForwardHealth card to stay healthy, become employed, and remain in their homes. Medicaid also provides essential therapies, equipment, special education services and equipment from physical therapists to feeding tubes, and many other services critical to people with disabilities and often makes the difference between caregivers being able to keep their jobs or leaving the workforce to care for family members. The House bill caps and cuts federal funding for the entire Medicaid program without placing any controls on rising health care, prescription, and other increasing costs. The bill suggests per capita caps and block grants to Medicaid, which will force states to make decisions on who should be covered under state Medicaid programs, whether people have to wait for services, and what community based services and supports are included.
The version of the bill passed by the House also allows states to charge people with pre-existing conditions more for their health care and lets health insurance plans stop providing Essential Health Benefits like prescription drugs, speech, physical and occupational therapies, and mental health and substance use disorder treatments. The AHCA has now moved to the Senate, where a 13-member working group has been established to draft a Senate health care bill that will draw 51 votes of support. We encourage people to contact the Wisconsin Senators to ask questions and share their thoughts about this bill.
Eating is a necessity of human survival, but it’s also a very social activity. In this month's entry, Stacy discusses some of the many challenges that people with disabilities face during mealtime. We encourage you to share your experiences as well.
Take five minutes to check out what's happening on the Self-Determination Network:
- New Approval Process for Personal Care Services: The process for accessing personal care services through Medicaid is changing for those who are enrolled in “fee for services” Medicaid. Learn how this will impact people.
- Interesting Court Case: An interesting court case has recently surfaced about how the McDonald's website and mobile app violate the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Find out why McDonald's is being sued.
- Waterproof Wheelchair: A new wheelchair has been invented that is lightweight, waterproof, and does not require batteries. Read about how this chair works.
- Economic Barriers: A recently released report finds that 27 years after the Americans with Disabilities Act was signed into law, people with disabilities still face many hurdles to financial inclusion. Learn what else the report reveals.
Here's a sample of upcoming events listed on the Self-Determination Network:
- Aging Advocacy Day: May 17th, 10a.m. to 4p.m., State Capitol, Madison WI
- Webinar: Understanding Saving And Investor Choices For ABLE Account Owners: May 24th, 1p.m. to 2:30p.m., Online
- 2017 Aging Empowerment Conference: June 6th-7th, Glacier Canyon Lodge Conference Center at the Wilderness Resort, Wisconsin Dells WI
- Adaptive Water Skiing: June 14th, 10a.m. to 4p.m., Brittingham Park, Madison WI
- Adaptive Water Skiing: June 28th, 10a.m. to 4p.m., Brittingham Park, Madison WI
- Wisconsin Youth Leadership Forum: July 9th to 14th, Edgewood College, Madison, WI
- Adaptive Water Skiing: July 12th, 10a.m. to 4p.m., Brittingham Park, Madison WI
- Adaptive Water Skiing: July 26th, 10a.m. to 4p.m., Brittingham Park, Madison WI
- Adaptive Water Skiing: July 26th, 2p.m. to 6p.m., Fischer Park, Burlington, WI
- Adaptive Water Skiing Picnic: July 30th, 10a.m. to 8:30p.m., Fischer Park, Burlington, WI
- Adaptive Water Skiing: August 9th, 10a.m. to 4p.m., Brittingham Park, Madison WI
- US Wake Sports Festival: August 15th to 16th, Traxler Park, Janesville WI
- Adaptive Water Skiing: August 16th, 2p.m. to 6p.m., Fischer Park, Burlington, WI
- Adaptive Water Skiing: August 23rd, 10a.m. to 4p.m., Brittingham Park, Madison WI
- Adaptive Water Skiing: September 6th, 2p.m. to 6p.m., Fischer Park, Burlington, WI
- Red Roskopf Day AbilityFest Celebrating Communities And Families: October 1st, The Golf Club at Camelot, Lomira WI
- Veterans' Resource Fair: October 16th-17th, Waukesha County Expo Center Arena, Waukesha WI
- 2017 Self-Determination Conference: November 1st to 3rd, Kalahari Resort, Wisconsin Dells 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.
DISABLED WORLD: Adults with Disabilities Remain Outside Economic Mainstream
By SD Network, 2017-05-09
The National Disability Institute recently released a new report titled Banking Status and Financial Behaviors of Adults with Disabilities: Findings from the 2015 FDIC National Survey of Unbanked and Underbanked Households. The report finds that, in the 27 years since the landmark Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) was signed into law, ensuring all individuals with disabilities the opportunity to achieve "economic self-sufficiency," this population still faces numerous financial hurdles and roadblocks to financial inclusion.
The report highlights include:
- Among those who are banked, more than 40 percent have a checking account, but do not have a savings account.
- Only 40 percent of households with a disability save for unexpected expenses, compared with 61 percent of other households. In addition, savings are more likely to be kept at home or with family and/or friends rather than in a savings account.
- Almost half of households with disabilities have no credit and are twice as likely to lack credit as households with no disability.
- Households with disabilities face a digital divide; only half of households with a disability have internet access at home or a smart phone, compared with three-quarters of households without disability. Even among those who have access to technology, those with a disability are much less likely to use internet or mobile banking.
- Forty percent of households with a disability use alternative financial services (AFS), compared with 25 percent of those without a disability.
A new wheelchair has been invented that is lightweight, waterproof, and does not require batteries. The PneuChair, created by the University of Pittsburgh Human Engineering Research Laboratories, debuted this month and is a promising product. While traditional power chairs cannot handle wet conditions and take hours to charge, PneuChair is completely waterproof and is charged in minutes using an air compressor. The PneuChair can travel three miles before needing to be recharged. Additionally, the PneuChair weighs only 80 pounds and can travel up to five miles per hour.
Although the PneuChair is not yet commercially available, it is currently assisting the patrons of Morgan's Wonder World, an accessible theme and splash park in San Antonio. Production is scheduled to begin by the end of the year. The designer sees a future for the PneuChair in stores, parks, airports, and nursing homes, and as a primary wheelchair for some users. After mass production, the designer believes the PneuChair could change the lives of many people with disabilities around the world.
Whether it’s a fancy restaurant or a fast food restaurant, going out to eat is a common activity for most people. Eating is a necessity of human survival, but it’s also a very social activity. No matter what kind of event people attend, it’s very common for eating and drinking to be involved.
For people with some disabilities, eating can pose a variety of challenges. Depending on the circumstances, some people cannot eat orally and have to be tube fed. Fortunately, I’m able to eat orally. In fact, my friends and family will say that I love to eat! People are surprised how much I eat because I don’t gain much weight. The reason why is because my body never stops moving unless I’m sleeping. I do need assistance eating though. I’m not able to prepare meals or feed myself.
Needing assistance eating has its challenges as well. One of them being that unlike most people I can’t just grab a snack whenever I want. When I have care shifts, I need to make sure I get enough to eat and drink to last me until the next attendant comes.
There are a few finger foods I can eat on my own, but because of my poor fine motor skills, I often drop things on either myself or on the floor. Sometimes, I can handle things such as string cheese, beef jerky sticks, and hard candy myself. Though, again, those things have to be unwrapped and placed where I can easily grab them. Recently, because of staffing issues, there have been a few times where I’ve fed myself breakfast. The meal consisted of string cheese, fruit snacks, and pretzels. Not the most nutritious breakfast, but those are things that I kind of eat myself. Due to an aide calling in sick late the night before and nobody picking up the morning shift (I was stubborn and didn’t want my parents to come up to help), I slept in my wheelchair one night. The night before I had my night aide put finger food on my table for the morning, but I also had her put my morning pills on the table. I also had her duct tape a cup of water to the table. Now, people have to understand that I take five small pills, and having pretty limited fine motor ability, picking up these small pills and getting them into my mouth takes talent. Somehow, that morning, I was able to get all five pills in my mouth without dropping a single one! I think it was luck more than anything; I probably couldn’t do it again.
Because cerebral palsy affects all of my muscles in my entire body, muscles in my mouth are affected too. Sometimes, I uncontrollably roll food off my tongue. Food often gets on my clothes. When I’m at home, I usually wear a towel on my shirt when I eat or drink anything. When I’m out to at a restaurant or in public, I try using napkins instead because it’s more acceptable.
Having to be fed has some psychological effects as well. My friends and family don’t have a problem feeding me in public though. Until a few years ago, my friends and I would go out to eat all the time and they’d feed me. Now, since most of my friends have significant others and families, it’s a little different. I usually have my mom come to feed me because it’s just different. I’m sure they would have no problem still feeding me, but I feel weird having them assist me when they have their own children to worry about. It’s just one of those awkward situations.
When I go out to eat, people do stare. It does make me self-conscious, but I try to not let it bug me. It’s just one of those things that I kind of ignore. Obviously, some foods are messier to eat than others. Normally, I don’t take that into consideration when choosing what I want to eat simply because I figure I should be able to eat what I want.
Healthwise, up until a few years ago, I had no food restrictions. When I started having serious gastrointestinal Issues a few years ago, I had to adjust my diet. I have acid reflux (which is common among people with cp), so I have to avoid acidic foods. I also don’t eat fast food anymore because we It doesn’t sit well with me. Certain textures of food do mess with my gag reflux. For years, I thought it was just something with me, but I’ve learned others with CP have the same problem. Things with certain textures, such as pies, yogurt, and filled donuts, I can’t eat because those kind of things make my gag reflux bad.
Many people don’t even think twice about grabbing a snack from the fridge. For many people with disabilities and health conditions, mealtime isn’t always an easy time, but since eating is an essential part of life, we do what we have to!
***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.
Missouri recently launched its program for ABLE accounts (accounts that allow people with disabilities to have a savings account without jeopardizing their benefits). In Missouri, the program is known as "MO ABLE." Accounts can be used for disability-related expenses that will increase and/or maintain a person's health, independence, or quality of life. This program is only available to Missouri residents.