News

The following information was shared byDAWN (Disability Advocates: Wisconsin Network).*

The Joint Committee on Finance has announced the schedule for public hearings about the proposed biennial budget.This is your opportunity to make your opinions known about the freeze on Family Care expansion and cap onenrollment, cuts to education, and other issues.Check out the DAWN webpagefor a summary of the proposed budget.
The dates, times and location of the hearings are:

• Thursday, April 7 (10 am _ 6 pm). UW-Stevens Point (Lee Dreyfus University Center, Melvin Laird Room, Stevens Point)
• Friday, April 8 (10 am _ 5 pm). Northwood School Richard's Auditorium, Highway 53, Minong.
• Monday, April 11 (10 am _ 6 pm). State Fair Park, Expo Center Hall A, West Allis.
• Wednesday, April 13. (10 am _ 6 pm). Arcadia High School Auditorium, Arcadia.

The committee notice said it will stop taking testimony at the time specified. Written comments can be emailed to the committee at: budgetcomments@legis.wisconsin.gov or sent by US mail to: Joe Malkasian, Room 305 East, State Capitol, Madison, WI 53703.

*DAWN is a grassroots, statewide network of people who care about disability issues and is a project of the Wisconsin Board for People with Developmental Disabilities (BPDD). You can also sign up for theDAWN email networkto receive announcements directly.

On March 16, 2011, the FCC's Emergency Access Advisory Committee (EAAC) released a national on-line survey to determine the most effective and efficient technologies and methods by which persons with disabilities may access Next Generation 9-1-1 emergency services systems. Among other things, the survey asks about accessing emergency services via video, text, and voice. The results of the survey will inform the EAAC as it develops recommendations for the FCC to draft rules to ensure that people with disabilities can access NG 9-1-1 services. The survey is available in English, Spanish and American Sign Language (ASL) video).

This survey will be available until April 24, 2011. We encourage people with disabilities to complete this survey, and share information about the survey with other people with disabilities and organizations that represent persons with disabilities.

Link to the survey in English and ASL:

http://fcc.eaac.sgizmo.com/s3

Link to the survey in Spanish:

http://fcc.eaac-es.sgizmo.com/s3

The following information was provided by theDBTAC-Great Lakes ADA Center (www.adagreatlakes.org) for your information.

Real Lives, Real Work and a Real Smart Wisconsin

Sponsored by Survival Coalition of Wisconsin Disability Organizations

Disability Advocacy Day is designed to connect you with your legislators so you can share your story with them. You are the expert in sharing how legislative policies affect people with disabilities in their everyday lives.

We will set up your visit and brief you before you go to the Capitol. We will provide you with information and talking points about current issues before your meeting, so choose one of the briefing times below for April 6 (9 a.m. or 11 a.m.) when filling out this form. Make sure your legislative visits are scheduled to occur after your briefing with us.

If you can attend, fill out the registration form: Disability Advocacy Day Registration Form. If you can't attend but know someone who might be interested, send this invitation to them!

Hello!

Here's a link to a workbook for youth with disabilities all about disclosing their disability. It's called The 411 on Disability Disclosure.

Hope you find this helpful.

Enjoy the day,

Cheryl

http://www.ncwd-youth.info/411-on-disability-disclosure

There's a new Easter Seal study that's just been released. The information I received about the study highlighted what the study learned from parents of adults with disabilities - the challenges that people with disabilities face and the concerns of their parents. The study reported:

In every measure of comparison, we found parents of adult children with disabilities had significantly higher levels of concern for their children than parents of adult children without disabilities. There is a consistent, notable gap between the two groups across every aspect of life.

However, as I looked through the Key Findings Report of the study, I found they also included responses from 400 adults who have disabilities. These adults had higher levels of education and were older than the children of the parents who participated in the survey. They found some interesting responses:

• 59% of adults with disabilities classify the quality of their life asexcellent or good
• Strong majorities of adults with disabilities are independent in theirlife decisions, finances, and living situations, have transportation andmobility in the community, and feel adequately prepared for life
• Most adults with disabilities own/rent their own home and liveindependently (82%) and another 45% have a life partner/spouse
• The vast majority of adults with disabilities feel their educationprepared them, either a little or a lot, for gainful employment (81%)and living independently (70%)
• A strong majority of adults (85%) with disabilities mostly or alwaysattended mainstream classes when attending school

The Key Findings went on to report:

Of those surveyed, adults with disabilities are primarily concerned with their future financial well-being, health, and quality of life and less concerned with longevity, friendships, and education. And the fears most commonly cited, if any, by adults with disabilities regarding their parent or guardian dying are emotional stability (33%), quality of life (29%), receiving necessary support (27%), and living situation (27%).

Yet, given adults with disabilities education, independence, quality of life, and ability to access to transportation, only 47% of adults withdisabilities are employed, 42% are unemployed statistics far from the overall average unemployment rate. Two-thirds of adults with disabilities (66%) feel their employment situation is a good fit with their capabilities, while 34% feel they are under-employed and capable of more.

There's much more information to be found in this study. I'd like to know what you think about the findings. Do these finding reflect your experience? More importantly, do they have an effect on your hopes, dreams, and plans for your future or the future of someone you know who has disabilities? How can we use this information to build lives that include independence, choice, and a high quality of life? Please share your thoughts with us.

The report can be found at: Easter Seals Living with Disabilities Study

Hello -

If you have not yet seen this great transition resource, check it out. It's a Transition Toolkit written by youth for youth.

I hope you find it helpful.

Take Care,

Cheryl

Pennsylvania Youth Leadership Network 2nd Edition Transition Toolkit

http://pyln.org/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/PYLN2ndTransitionToolkit.pdf

Hello!

For those of us working with youth with disabilities who are in high school, in transition, out of school, working, in college, etc. please let them know about the Wisconsin Youth First website and Facebook page!

Wisconsin Youth First has been developed by youth, for youth as a place for youth with disabilities to come together to talk about things that really matter to them. They'll find great information about IEPs, school, college, work, youth leadership, the Speakers Bureau, how to get involved, resources, connecting to other youth and more!

Here are the links:

http://www.wiyouthfirst.org

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Wisconsin-Youth-First/112551915462404.

We are searching for more youth to join us on the Facebook page so please let them know and let them know about the great information they can find on our web-page too!

Thank you and GO WISCONSIN YOUTH GO!!

Cheryl Schiltz

Co-Facilitator of the Wisconsin Youth First Practice Group

Peer Power Coordinator

Independent Living Council of Wisconsin

http://www.facebook.com/pages/In-Control-Wisconsin/115857761792842