Housing security is vital for the health, wellbeing,  and community integration of people with—and without—disabilities. The Community Living Policy Center released a brief about the housing disparities for people with disabilities. It has many interesting stats and information. 

Read brief

The 30th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act ( ADA) is this month. One of the many things it is to require public transportation to be accessible. While there have been giant improvements made in this area, there are still many things that need to change. 

Read more

Meet Duane. When he’s not biking, kayaking, or playing hockey, he strives to assist people with disabilities have choices through the help of technology. He’s a strong advocate of self-determination and believes it’s the best practice for people with disabilities to live the best life possible. We’re so fortunate to have Duane as a member of the Network! 

What's your story?  Tell us a little bit about yourself.

Duane began working with people with disabilities as a junior in high school. He started as a Direct Support Provider at St. Francis School for Exceptional Children in Freeport, Illinois and eventually became the residential director there. He went on to be a Qualified Mental Retardation Professional for an agency in northern Illinois and while attending graduate school at the UW-Madison, was hired by the Waisman Center to assist in the design, development and implementation of the Sound Response Program. He explains that Sound Response was the first documented Remote Supports service in the United States. The Sound Response program would evolve into Night Owl Support Systems, LLC and he is one of the owners of that organization. He spent the first part of his career helping students/children by teaching skills that would foster their independence and allow them to live in the community when they became adults. “Choice has always been a big part of my value system and it’s integrated into the way I think. The latter part of my career has been involved with providing technology to people with disabilities to empower them to make choices and the technology allows for more self-direction,” he shares. 

How are you involved with self-determination? Why did you join the SD Network?

Duane was a part of the self-determination movement in Dane County when most people receiving waiver services shifted from the legacy waiver to self-direction. That being said, he explains that as people shifted to self-direction, they were offered more choices and could utilize Remote Supports as one of their options. His involvement was from the perspective of a Remote Supports provider. This would allow people more independence by not having staff 24-hours a day.

He joined the Self-Determination Network to stay connected with the self-determination movement. He’s a strong advocate for self-determination and recognizes that not all places offer self-determination as an option for people. He wants to be able to continue to advocate that self-determination is best practice for people with disabilities to live their best life. Joining the SD Network allows him to keep updated on the latest activities and advocacy. 

Tell us some good news - what's the most exciting thing happening for you (or in Wisconsin) in terms self-determination?

Duane says that there are a lot of exciting things going on right now. He explains that the last couple of years have shown an explosion in the awareness and use of enabling technologies. There are new technologies offering more sophisticated Remote Supports, there are many new devices people use day-to-day and new apps for making life much easier. From residential supports to vocational supports and transportation, the technologies are more readily available than ever. Wisconsin, like some other states, is promoting the use of enabling technologies through technology conferences and technology fests.  “I believe the push for technology will only enhance self-determination” he tells us.  

What tip or resource would you like to share with people who want to be more self-determined?

"Technology,” Duane exclaims! Having been a part of the technology evolution regarding enabling technologies and Remote Supports, he has been able to see the benefits that technology has provided to people with disabilities allowing more self-determination. “Many people do not have a choice of where and with whom they can live. Technology offers that opportunity,” he says.    

What are some of your hobbies?

Duane enjoys bicycling, swimming, kayaking and playing his guitar. He also can often be found playing hockey in Sun Prairie, WI.

***We love hearing the views and opinions of Network members. We need to mention that the views and opinions expressed on this site are those of the person who is sharing them. They do not necessarily reflect InControl Wisconsin or any of our supporters and funders.

The Great Lakes ADA Center is conducting a research to identify emerging practices to support disability inclusion in the context of the pandemic. They are looking for members of disability employee resource or affinity groups, and diversity and inclusion professionals to interview. Participation includes a 30-40 minute interview via a web-based platform where participants will be asked about their work experiences, success stories, and resources to support disability inclusion in the workplace. 

 Findings will be disseminated widely through the center and various disability and business-related networks. All responses will remain confidential and anonymous, with all shared results being de-identified. For more information contact: Courtney Mullin, Research Assistant, Great Lakes ADA Center at cmulli4@uic.edu.

The Task Force on Caregiving is asking for public input on draft policy proposals to help support and strengthen the direct care workforce, increase access to care, and improve the quality of caregiving in Wisconsin. The Task Force wants feedback from people in Wisconsin with a wide range of perspectives and experience, including family caregivers, paid direct support professionals, people receiving care, communities of color, and people living in urban and rural settings.

Materials on the Policy Proposals and a Public Input Meeting on June 29 have been posted to the website. A Public Input Survey will be available from June 29 through July 14.

Many parents of children with disabilities worry about their child's future. What happens to him / her when I'm gone? Will he/she be able to get a job? It's becoming increasingly popular for parents to start businesses so that their son or daughter with a disability will be able to work. This father-son duo has three businesses going. This father wanted to teach his son skills he would need to live his best life and make him as independent as possible. 

Read more

Recently, there has been some confusion about Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) and the Pandemic Unemployment Assistance. PUA is the additional $600 per week the federal government is paying in unemployment assistance, even to people who typically do not qualify for state unemployment benefits.  However, Wisconsin was one of two states that had a blanket ban prohibiting SSDI Recipients from receiving this regular unemployment compensation. The Department of Workforce Development reversed its position, but has not received guidance from the Department of Labor's national office. 

Read more

ACL's National Paralysis Resource Center (managed by the Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation) will open the new grant application cycle for the High Impact Innovative Assistive Technology (HIIAT) grants program on July 13. Eligible applicants are restricted to state programs funded through the State Assistive Technology Act, including implementing agencies and agencies subcontracted for Assistive Technology activities.

Launched in 2015 in partnership with ACL, the National Paralysis Resource Center’s HIIAT grant program is a competitive grant program that awards a small number of one-year grants of up to $75,000. These additional grant funds will help state programs expand their reach in the field of assistive technology through new innovations that will impact people living with paralysis in their homes and communities. Funding for this new cycle of grants was made possible through a cooperative agreement with the Administration for Community Living.

Awarded grant funds support innovative programs or services that:

• Target a specific, well-defined underserved population within the broader disability community in their state;
• Through assistive technology devices or services, increase access to services, increase the independence or inclusion of people within the underserved population within their communities; and
• When complete, will have a demonstrable, direct impact on people affected by the project.

Applications are due September 15.