Working from home has become the new norm for many people. Due to the pandemic, many employers didn't have a choice but to figure out how to let employees work from home. Before the pandemic hit, working from home wasn't an option when people with disabilities asked for it as an accommodation. Now, many are wondering if things will change after the pandemic. The hope is that employers will be more open to letting people work from home. 

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The Wisconsin Department of Health Services (DHS) is pleased to release our informational video about Electronic Visit Verification (EVV). Please share with members, participants, workers, and others who may be interested.

With coronavirus rapidly moving through the country, a federal civil rights agent warns that states may not use discriminatory tactics to decide who will be treated. An investigation was just launched March 28 to be sure states are not basing medical care on disability or other protected classes. Washington's and Alabama's laws dealing with coronavirus medical plans are what caused this investigation.

The fear of a shortage of breathing machines sparked these care rationing plans after Italy allowed doctors to choose who lives and who dies. In the US, it is reminded, we may not base these choices in a discriminatory way.

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The Administration for Community Living recently released Annual Report on Centers for Independent Living is available by clicking here.  The report reflects the more than 236,000 individuals who, in Program Year 2018, benefited from community-based services to live independently in communities across our nation.

The report includes:

- The extent to which CILs receiving funds under Part C (Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended) have complied with the standards and assurances in section 725 of the Act;
- The identification of individual CILs in the analysis contained in that information; and
- Results of onsite compliance reviews, identifying individual CILs and other recipients of assistance under Part C.

In 2019 the Department of Health and Human Services’ (HHS) Administration for Community Living (ACL) and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) requested that the National Quality Forum (NQF) convene a committee of experts with lived and professional experience in long-term services and supports (LTSS), and with the acute/primary/chronic care systems. This Committee aims to provide ACL, CMS, federal and state entities, and the general public with a consensus-based, multistakeholder view of multiple areas of person-centered planning.

The Committee addressed five key concerns related to designing practice standards and competencies for person-centered planning:

• Person-first definition of person-centered planning
• Core set of competencies for persons facilitating the planning process
• Systems characteristics that support person-centered planning
• Framework for quality measurement within person-centered planning
• Research agenda to advance and promote person-centered planning in long-term services and supports

The Person-Centered Planning and Practice Final Draft Report (PDF) 36-day comment period is open through May 15, 2020 at 6:00 pm ET.

The public is invited to submit comments on the project page. Registration is required for submitting comments. 

Comments may also be submitted through the attached feedback form (PDF). The completed form should be emailed to pcplanning@qualityforum.org.

The Committee will convene on June 1, 2020 from 1:00-3:30 pm ET to review and adjudicate comments submitted on the draft final report and the Committee’s recommendations. 

Person-centered planning is especially important in the context of the nation’s COVID-19 public health emergency, where individuals with unique long-term services and supports needs across the care continuum are receiving care in a variety of settings.

Contact pcplanning@qualityforum.org with questions, concerns, or accessibility difficulties for reviewing the report and submitting comment.

As we continue coming together to support people with disabilities through the COVID 19 Crisis in Wisconsin, we must look for creative ways to meet the changing needs of this new normal.  An essential and growing need is resources for caregiver matching/temporary hires and collaboration regarding workforce and PPE needs.

Please see the following resources:

Help and Be Helped Communication Tool * with key resources, including:

• • In-home Supports Connection Registry
    • Respite Care Association of Wisconsin (RCAW) has modified its Respite Care Registry to connect temporarily displaced workers and others during the COVID-19 pandemic with in-home service provider agencies and self-directed consumers
      • If you or someone you know is interested in providing in-home supports during the COVID 19 crisis, whether that be via direct hire with consumer or in-home provider agency, please sign up here to join the RCAW Registry
      • If you are someone who needs in-home supports, please subscribe here to search RCAW’s Registry

• • Assisted Living Employment Opportunities
    • WCCEAL (Wisconsin Coalition for Collaborative Excellence in Assisted Living) has a comprehensive listing of assisted living member agencies with permanent and temporary employment opportunities to provide supports in an assisted living setting. 

• • Searchable Listing of Residential and Non-residential Organizations in Wisconsin
    • • Disability Services Provider Network (DSPN) has compiled a spreadsheet that can be filtered by city, county and home setting type
      • See Provider Listing attached* – also available soon on DSPN website!
      • We encourage agencies to use this connection tool to offer or ask for help from one another

• • “Listen and Share” Virtual Meetings - WI APSE (Association of People Supporting Employment First) is hosting weekly provider “Listen and Share” virtual meetings throughout April – see Help and be Helped for more info.

• • Latest PPE Information from the Wisconsin Department of Health Services 

We are in this together!

Sincerely,

Communication & connection workgroup:

RCAW – Lisa Schneider & Rachel Watkins Petersen

DSPN – Jeff Kaphengst

TMG – Patti Becker

INCLUSA – Tish Burmeister

WI APSE – Molly Keaveny

The U.S. Access Board has extended the deadline for comments on its update of accessibility guidelines for rail cars to allow the public and interested parties more time to submit feedback. As indicated in a notice published in today's Federal Register, an additional 60 days is being added to the comment period.

In February, the Board initiated rulemaking through an Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking to update requirements in its ADA Accessibility Guidelines for Transportation Vehicles that apply to rail cars, including those used in rapid, light, commuter, and intercity rail systems. The notice outlines the Board's plan to update these guidelines according to recommendations from an advisory panel it chartered, the Rail Vehicles Access Advisory Committee. The advance notice seeks comment on the committee recommendations to enhance provisions that cover vehicle communications, boarding and alighting, on-board circulation, seating, and rooms and spaces. It also poses a number of questions from the Board on specific topics.

Comments are now due July 14, 2020, instead of May 14. The advance notice, which includes instructions for submitting comments, is posted on regulations.gov (Docket ATBCB-2020-0002). For more information, contact Juliet Shoultz at (202) 272-0045 or shoultz@access-board.gov for technical questions or Wendy Marshall at (202) 272-0043 or marshall@access-board.gov for legal questions.

The National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research (NIDILRR) at ACL has opened a new funding opportunity for a Disability and Rehabilitation Research Projects (DRRP) on Assistive Technology to Promote Independence and Community Living, and two Rehabilitation Research and Training Centers (RRTCs) on Employment of People Who Are Blind or Have Low Vision and Home & Community Base Services (HCBS) Outcomes Research & Measurement. 

The purpose of the DRRP program is to plan and conduct research, demonstration projects, training, and related activities (including international activities) to develop methods, procedures, and rehabilitation technology that maximize the full inclusion and integration into society, employment, independent living, family support, and economic and social self-sufficiency of individuals with disabilities.

DRRP on Assistive Technology to Promote Independence and Community Living: Under this particular DRRP priority, NIDILRR aims to sponsor research and development activities toward technologies that support community living and independent living of people with disabilities – particularly people who are aging with disabilities. With these DRRP grants, NIDILRR has a particular interest in funding research and development toward technologies that support people with disabilities in rural, frontier, or tribal communities.

View more details and application instructions.

Please visit the link above for more details about the grant opportunity and application process. This grant opportunity closes on May 26, 2020.

The purpose of the RRTC program, which are funded through the Disability and Rehabilitation Research Projects and Centers Program, is to achieve the goals of, and improve the effectiveness of, services authorized under the Rehabilitation Act through well-designed research, training, technical assistance, and dissemination activities in important topic areas as specified by NIDILRR. These activities are designed to benefit rehabilitation service providers, individuals with disabilities, family members, and other stakeholders. 

RRTC on Employment of People Who Are Blind or Have Low Vision: The purpose of this particular RRTC is to conduct research, training, technical assistance, and related activities to generate new knowledge about the efficacy of programs and interventions designed to improve employment outcomes for individuals who are blind or have low vision.

View more details and application instructions.

Please visit the link above for more details about the grant opportunity and application process. This grant opportunity closes on June 1, 2020.

RRTC on Home and Community Based Services (HCBS) Outcomes Research and Measurement: The RRTC grant made under this priority will conduct research and related activities that will lead to improved quality of home and community based services (HCBS) for people with disabilities. The grantee will work closely with the Administration for Community Living and NIDILRR to continue the development of HCBS quality measures that emphasize the importance of community living outcomes among HCBS beneficiaries. The grantee will also conduct research to generate new knowledge that can be used to improve the quality and efficacy of HCBS.

View more details and application instructions.

Please visit the link above for more details about the grant opportunity and application process. This grant opportunity closes on June 1, 2020.