Government officials have released new guidelines for the COVID vaccine at facilities serving people with disabilities. Long-term care facilities must educate staff and residents about the vaccine as well as offer it. They also have to report vaccination status of residents and staff to the CDC on a weekly basis. The guidelines don't require people to get the vaccine. For now, the rule only applies to certain types of facilities, but CMS is taking public comment on making a similar rule for places such as group homes and supervised apartments. 

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States have lots of flexibility on what they can use the extra $12.67 billion for Medicaid home-and-community-based services on. The funding is part of the American Rescue Plan. States can use the money for everything from getting people off waiting lists to increasing wages for caregivers. Funding must be used to “supplement, not supplant” existing services, the guidance states, meaning that it has to be spent on home and community-based services that were not available under the Medicaid program as of April 1.

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A new report released this week by the National Academy for State Health Policy (NASHP) shares information collected from family caregiver listening sessions. The listening sessions were designed to provide multiple forums for family caregivers to share their challenges and needs, and recommendations for services, supports, and policies to address these needs. This report, which was written by the University of Massachusetts at Boston and Community Catalyst, is a component of the Recognize, Assist, Inform, Support, and Engage (RAISE) Family Caregivers Act of 2017, and is part of ACL’s work to implement the Act.  

The family caregiver listening sessions included a range of diverse caregivers, from teen caregivers to grandparents providing care, and caregivers of varying racial and ethnic backgrounds. The listening sessions directly captured the emotional and financial stresses caregivers experience, and their priorities and concerns, including respite, caregiving education and training, and financial considerations, including direct pay for caregiving, workplace flexibility, and tax policy changes that support caregivers.  

Visit the RAISE Act Family Caregiver Resource and Dissemination Center to read the report.

The Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response (ASPR), in the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Office of the Secretary has announced it is establishing two new committees to provide advise and recommendations to support and enhance public health preparedness, response, and recovery to meet the needs of older adults and people with disabilities.

National Advisory Committee on Seniors and Disasters

This advisory committee will provide recommendations to the Secretary of HHS for meeting the unique needs of older adults. ASPR shall provide management and administrative oversight to support the activities of the advisory committee. See the detailed announcement published in the Federal Register.

The Office of the Secretary is accepting application submissions from qualified individuals who wish to be considered for membership on the advisory committee. Up to seven new voting members with expertise in senior medical disaster planning, preparedness, response, or recovery will be selected. Please visit www.phe.gov/​nacsd for all application submission information and instructions. Application submissions will be accepted until June 12, 2021.

For additional information contact: Maxine Kellman, DVM, Ph.D., PMP, Designated Federal Official for National Advisory Committees, Washington, DC, Office (202) 260-0447 or email maxine.kellman@hhs.gov.

National Advisory Committee on Individuals with Disabilities and Disasters

This advisory committee will provide recommendations to the Secretary of HHS about the medical, public health, and accessibility needs of individuals with disabilities related to emergencies. ASPR shall provide management and administrative oversight to support the activities of the advisory committee. See the detailed announcement published in the Federal Register.

The Office of the Secretary is accepting application submissions from qualified individuals who wish to be considered for membership on the advisory committee. Up to seven voting members with expertise on disability accessibility, disaster planning, preparedness, response, or recovery will be selected. Please visit www.phe.gov/​nacidd for all application submission information and instructions. Application submissions will be accepted until June 12, 2021.

For additional information contact: Maxine Kellman, DVM, Ph.D., PMP, Designated Federal Official for National Advisory Committees, Washington, DC, Office (202) 260-0447 or email maxine.kellman@hhs.gov.

The American Association on Health and Disability (AAHD) has released two research products that resulted from the AAHD Vaccine Hesitancy Survey Among Adults with Disabilities, a rapid, real-time online study of the perspectives of adults with disabilities on the COVID-19 Vaccine.

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The Emergency Broadband Benefit is a Federal Communication Commission (FCC) program to help families and households struggling to afford internet service during the COVID-19 pandemic. This new benefit will connect eligible households to jobs, critical healthcare services, virtual classrooms, and more.

The FCC has announced that eligible households can apply for the program starting May 12, 2021 in three ways: 

1. Contact your preferred participating broadband provider directly to learn about their application process.  
2. Go to GetEmergencyBroadband.org to apply online and to find participating providers near you.
3. Call 833-511-0311 for a mail-in application, and return it along with proof of eligibility to: Emergency Broadband Support Center, P.O. Box 7081, London, KY 40742. 

Individuals who use videophones and are fluent in American Sign Language (ASL) may call the FCC’s ASL Consumer Support Line at (844) 432-2275 (videophone).  

On April 13, the FCC and ACL hosted a webinar that provided an overview of the benefit, eligibility criteria, how to apply, and the FCC’s partner toolkit materials. Webinar materials are now available:

• Webinar recording
• Webinar transcript
• Webinar slides: PDF, Word

An interesting op-ed was published in The Hill about how the pandemic has brought the need for home-and-community-based services to the Forefront. The American Rescue Plan Act has over $12 billion for states to expand Medicaid home-and-community-based programs. This is a great opportunity to invest in a solution. For many people, self-directing their home-and-community-based services can be the best option to remain independent and safe. The pandemic has highlighted the importance of self-directed. People who self-direct are able to feel safe knowing their workers have taken precautions..

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A Wisconsin lawmaker is asking the Assembly to allow him to participate in floor sessions remotely. The accommodation was made many times during the pandemic. Over a year ago, they changed the rules to allow people with disabilities to participate in committee meetings over the phone, but didn't allow it for other meetings. 

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