Self-Determination Network News: April 2023
Self-Determination Network News:
April 2023
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Survival Coalition Survey: The Face of Caregiving
2023 Disability Advocacy Day
It was great seeing so many of you at Disability Advocacy Day a few weeks ago. If you weren’t able to attend in-person, we hope you were able to call your legislators. We want to keep the conversation going. By sharing our tips about tricks, we can help one another be stronger advocates! Join the Conversation
State Budget Advocacy
Late in February, Governor Evers released his 2023-2025 budget proposal. There is one more Joint Finance Committee listening session in Minocqua on April 26th. We strongly encourage people to attend if you're able. If you were unable to attend any of the sessions in-person, you can submit comments here. The Survival Coalition put together an analysis of the proposal from a disability perspective. The Caregiver Crisis Coalition also has created a proposal that addresses many aspects of the caregiver crisis. We encourage you to use these documents while submitting your comments and talking to your legislators about what you'd like to see in the budget.
2023 Self-Determination Conference Call for Presenters
Are you interested in presenting at the 2023 Self-Determination Conference? The Wisconsin Board for People with Developmental Disabilities is seeking session proposals for Tuesday, October 17 & Wednesday, October 18, 2023. Proposals are due by noon on May 12th. Submit a proposal today!
The Self-Determination Network includes some very talented members and we want to help you to get to know each other a little better. Member Spotlight is a great way for us to get to know each other better.
This month, we shined the spotlight on Emily. This karaoke singing young lady keeps busy by doing all sorts of fun activities. She loves to travel and play sports. She loves participating in activities with different groups and encourages people to join. Check out this month's Member Spotlight to get to know Emily.
Who should we shine the spotlight on next?
Check out the Latest Videos!
The Self-Determination Channel is a YouTube channel by and for people with developmental or intellectual disabilities. Unlike other channels, the Self-Determination Channel stands stand out from other channels on YouTube because self-advocates host the videos, and decide and create the content. Videos are posted a couple times a month on a variety of topics self-advocates care about such as technology, employment, caregivers, independent living, and advocacy.
Check out the newest videos on the channel:
- Human Rights: #17 Protection within the Law and Your Services
- Disability Advocacy Day/Rally at the State Capitol
- Sydney Unplugged/Disability Advocacy Day
We encourage you to subscribe to the Channel (you can do so by clicking the red Subscribe button on any of the video pages).
Take five minutes to check out what's happening on the Self-Determination Network:
- Seniors Taking Care of Seniors: Older workers are helping fill a labor shortage in the home-care industry that worsened during the pandemic. Read about how more retirees are taking care of their elders.
- Home Care a Sticking Point for Medicaid Spending: President Joe Biden and his administration are using the importance of personal home care as a way to fight back against some Congress members’ desire to cut Medicaid funding. Learn how the White House is trying to keep health care off the chopping block for budget cuts.
- New Fact Sheet: The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has issued a fact sheet that addresses the following areas: COVID-19 vaccines, testing, and treatments, telehealth services, waiver flexibility, hospital-at-home care, provider scope and oversight flexibility, and Medicaid continuous enrollment. Check it out!
- Valuing Family Caregivers: Care provided by millions of unpaid family caregivers across the U.S. is valued at a staggering, estimated $600 billion annually. Learn about some of the efforts underway to strengthen support for family caregivers.
- Hiring People with Disabilities: With labor shortages across the country, overlooking those who can work but need some accommodations comes at a high cost. Find out why now more than ever it's critical to hire and retain people with disabilities.
- Accessibility Professional: The Accessibility professional is not just a change agent but in fact, part of a larger tribe that sees the world through a lens of inclusivity and espouses a new cultural norm that is essential in defining the mindset of the digital economy of the here-and-now and the future of the industry. Learn about how this profession has the responsibility of driving change in the disability economy.
- Waiting Lists a Thing of the Past: A proposal in Congress would do away with Medicaid's institutional bias and guarantee people with developmental disabilities access to services in the community. Read about how a new law would eliminate waiting lists for community-based services over time.
- Massive Confusion over Ballot Assistance: Going into the April 4th supreme court election, Wisconsin voters were still confused about ballot assistance and ballot return assistance. Find out what caused the confusion.
- The Fight Against Subminimum Wages: Advocates are highlighting a system of state tax credits across the US that allow employers to pay employees as low as $3 an hour. Read about how some states have passed laws to ban subminimum wages.
- Professionalizing Caregiving: Could professionalizing caregiving be the answer to the shortage? Learn what advocates say is needed to solve the crisis.
- Lacking Data: Thousands of people in Wisconsin lose the right to vote due to being labeled "adjudicated incompetent." Learn about the state lacks a defined system to track people who receive this label.
- Municipal Clerks Week: Municipal Clerks Week is coming up the first week of May. Do you have a great municipal clerk? Nominate them today!
- Take Survey: The League of Women Voters of Wisconsin and partners are conducting a survey to learn about voters' experience during the April 4th election. Please take the survey!
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Guardianship and Voting Rights: In Wisconsin, people under guardianship retain the right to vote unless a court specifically removes the right. Check out these resources Disability Rights developed that explains how to determine if you retain or lost the right to vote, and, if you have lost the right to vote, how to petition the court to restore it.
Here's a sample of upcoming events listed on the Self-Determination Network:
- Webinar: Overview Of Accessible Formats: April 17th, 3p.m. to 4p.m., Online
- Webinar: Accessible Exterior Routes And Surfaces: May 4th, 1:30p.m. to 3p.m., Online
- Webinar: Plain Language: May 8th, 3p.m. to 4p.m., Online
- Circles Of Life Conference: May 11th & 12th, The Wilderness Resort, Wisconsin Dells, WI
- Webinar: Easy Read Text: June 5th, 3p.m. to 4p.m. Online
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.
