It is pretty known that Wisconsin is experiencing a crisis-level shortage of direct care workers.  Elders and people with disabilities aren't getting the care they need to survive.  More than 85% of people who rely on direct care in Wisconsin report that they can't find enough  workers.  This commentary article explains that the state has always been a national leader in supporting people with disabilities and older people in the community, but this care worker crisis jeopardizes that.  It suggests that high worker turnover rates and growing job openings contribute to the crisis.  Agencies struggle to keep up  with the increased costs of doing business and to pay workers competitive wages with the current reimbursement rate.   The demand for direct care is expected to increase by 28% by 2024 according to this commentary. It suggests that Wisconsin must take action now!

Read full commentary

There is a new shift trending in supporting people with disabilities in our communities.   Rather than purely focusing on their needs, it's important to consider the strengths, talents, and assets of the person.  In this blog, InControl Wisconsin board member, Patti Becker, reflects on her experience at this year's TASH conference.  TASH is an international advocacy organization for people with disabilities and advocates.  She explains that she led a session which engaged people in using tools to make a path to inclusion, employment, and community connections.

Read her blog

We thank the Great Lakes ADA Center for providing us with the information regarding a Final Rule that was recently signed that clarifies the Americans with Disabilities Act title lll regulation of requiring movie theaters to provide appropriate auxiliary aids and services for people with disabilities.

On November 21, 2016, Attorney General Loretta Lynch signed a Final Rule revising the Justice Department’s Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) title III regulation to further clarify a public accommodation’s obligation to provide appropriate auxiliary aids and services for people with disabilities. The Final Rule requires require movie theaters to: (1) have and maintain the equipment necessary to provide closed movie captioning and audio description at a movie patron’s seat whenever showing a digital movie produced, distributed, or otherwise made available with these features; (2) provide notice to the public about the availability of these features; and (3) ensure that theater staff is available to assist patrons with the equipment before, during, and after the showing of a movie with these features.

Title III of the ADA requires public accommodations, including movie theaters, to provide effective communication through the use of auxiliary aids and services.  This rulemaking specifies requirements that movie theaters must meet to satisfy their effective communication obligations to people with hearing and vision disabilities unless compliance results in an undue burden or a fundamental alteration.  For a summary of the Final Rule and its requirements, see the “Final Rule Questions & Answers.”

An advance copy of the Final Rule can be viewed on-line at:  https://www.ada.gov/regs2016/movie_rule.htm

An Frequently Asked Questions document regarding this final rule can be found on-line at:  https://www.ada.gov/regs2016/movie_captioning_qa.html

The official version of the Final Rule will be published in the Federal Register, and the Final Rule will take effect 45 days after publication.

 Source:  https://www.ada.gov/regs2016/movie_captioning_rule_page.html

Survival Coalition conducted a survey about the direct care workforce crisis and received over 500 responses. Overwhelmingly, the results showed that people are not getting the help they need to live safe, healthy and independent lives in the community.

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With service dogs becoming seemingly more and more popular these, there are lots of misconceptions out there about service animals.  A service dog trainer complied a list of common misconceptions people have about service dogs.  She does a nice job of explaining  why the misconceptions are wrong.

View list

A new free app helps people with hearing impairments detect dangerous sounds, communicate with people, make emergency calls and dance to music. One of the app's founders is deaf and has been essential in developing it.  The app, BeWarned, has four main features:

1. Sound Monitor-- it detects possible dangerous sounds and alerts the user with flashing lights and vibration signals
2. Connect--this allows users to communicate with others by using a special chat feature
3. Dance-- this feature allows users to enjoy music which is converted into vibration signals or flashing lights 
4. Emergency Call-- allows users to inform family and friends about an emergency situation he/she is in

 BeWarned is free and is currently available for Android and iOS.

Read more about this app

 Self-Determination Network News:
November 2016

Connect | Share | Learn | http://sdnetworkwi.org/  

Proposed 40 Hour Work Week Rule

The Wisconsin Dept. of Health Services (DHS) has proposed a new 40-hour rule for IRIS, limiting the amount of time that a staff person may work for you. At this point, DHS is putting it on hold while they work on revisions of this rule. The Survival Coalition, a cross-disability advocacy coalition, has made recommendations about the proposed rule.  After you read more about the proposed rule and recommendations, share your thoughts about it in this discussion.

Diehard Award Winners

We want to congratulate this year's Diehard Award winners who were recognized at the Self-Determination Conference.These individuals received a Diehard Award for going above and beyond in supporting the lives of people with disabilities. Please help us congratulate and thank these people for their outstanding advocacy efforts:

• Beth Wroblewski
• Olivia Quigley
• Nikki Vander Meulen
• Sherry Gundlach
• Kristy Bridenhagen

 Upcoming Events                                    

Here's a sample of upcoming events listed on the Self-Determination Network:

• Public Transit-Human Services Coordination: November 29th, 9:30a.m. to 3:30p.m., Milwaukee County Zoo Zoofari Conference Center, Milwaukee WI
• AbilityWI Now:  November 30th, 9p.m. to 10p.m., Online Radio Broadcast
• Transportation and Equality Summit:  December 3rd, 9a.m. to 5p.m., Milwaukee Area Technical College, Milwaukee WI
• Wisconsin Council on Physical Disabilities Quarterly Meeting:  January 26th, 9a.m. to 4:30p.m., Skype, Telephone, or Crowne Plaza, Madison WI
• 2017 Multiple Perspectives Conference:  April 13th to 17th, Ohio State's Columbus Campus, Columbus OH 

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. 

 Stacy’s Journal

In this month's entry, Stacy discusses misconceptions many have about people with disabilities and how she handles them.  Have you been in similar situations? We encourage you to share your experiences as well.

Take five minutes to check out what's happening on the Self-Determination Network:

• Person-Centered Planning:  Person-Centered Planning is becoming more and more popular.  Learn about a new approach to help people evaluate risk and the power of having choices.
• ABLE Act Changes Draw Backlash: Many disability advocacy groups are opposing changes to the ABLE Act.  Find out why.
• Event Accessibility:  Whether it's a large convention or a small meeting, event planners often struggle to make sure that events are accessible to all people. Read about a document that has been created to help event planners ensure events are accessible to all people.
• Benefits Increase:  Find out how much Social Security benefits will increase next year.
• Communications Technology Accessibility Report:  The Consumer and Governmental Affairs Bureau of the Federal Communications Commission released its report on the state of accessibility of communications technology under the Twenty-First Century Communications and Video Accessibility Act of 2010.  Learn what the report entails.
• Voting Rights:  Even though the election is over, this is an interesting blog about problems voters with disabilities had in the 2012 election.  Did you or someone you know experience problems while voting this year?
• MiABLE:  Michigan recently launched its program for ABLE accounts.  Learn about the program.
• Service Dog Case:  A very interesting case about the right to have a service dog in school is making national headlines.  Read about this historic case.
• Air Travel Rule:  Thanks to a final rule by the Department of Transportation, some air travel challenges for people with disabilities may be relieved.  Find out how this rule will help.  

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.

Some air travel challenges for people with disabilities may be relieved thanks to a final ruling by the Department of Transportation.   The ruling requires large domestic airlines to track and report information about wheelchairs and scooters.   Beginning in 2017, airlines will report how many wheelchairs and scooters that are put in cargo on a monthly basis.  They will be also required to report  how many wheelchairs and scooters are lost, damaged, etc...  The hope is that this data will show what specific areas training needs to happen to reduce damages and meet the requirements of the Air Carrier Access Act.

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