This is an interesting article inDisability Scoopwritten by Michelle Diament about how Social Security benefits won't increase next year. She explains that it's due to inflation. The maximum an individual can get will remain at $733 per month and for couples it's $1,100.

SSI Benefits To Remain Unchanged

By Michelle Diament

For only the third time in decades, individuals with disabilities who receive Social Security benefits will see no increase next year in their monthly payments.

The Social Security Administration said Thursday that there will be no automatic cost-of-living adjustment, or COLA, for 2016. Thats because inflation is too low to warrant an automatic benefit hike, the agency said.

Since 1975, federal law has mandated that Social Security benefits adjust upward annually to account for increases in inflation as measured by the Consumer Price Index. There have been only two other years 2010 and 2011 without a COLA.

Without an adjustment, the maximum federal Supplemental Security Income benefits for individuals will remain at $733 per month. For couples, that figure will continue to be $1,100 per month.

Many states supplement SSI benefits for their residents so actual payments may be higher.

Across the nation, over 59 million people receive Social Security benefits and 8 million rely on SSI.

Source: http://www.disabilityscoop.com/2015/10/15/ssi-benefits-unchanged/20876/

Self-Determination Network News:October2015

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

Changes to Wisconsin Long-Term Care: Whats Next?

On October 12^th, InControl Wisconsin held a webinar withLynn Breedlove, Co-chair of the Wisconsin Long-Term Care Coalition, and Lisa Pugh, Public Policy Director of Disability Rights Wisconsin, about what's next for Long-Term Care in Wisconsin. Weve setup aResource pagein our Wisconsin Long-Term Care section where you can find links to the webinar (both the audio-recording and the Powerpoint) as well as multiple resources to help you understand what's happening. We encourage you to check these out and share your resources as well.

In addition, weve started adiscussionwhere you can ask questions and express your thoughts and concerns regarding Long-Term Care in Wisconsin. Join the conversation today!

Member Spotlight

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.

For this month, we shine the Spotlight on Dennis Granzen. Having the unique perspective of advocating for people with disabilities, but then also needing supports himself, he understands the importance of self-determination and advocacy. Stop by this monthsMember Spotlightand get to know Dennis!

Who should we shine the Spotlight on next?

Take our One-Minute Poll

In our last one-minute poll, we asked what your favorite Halloween candy was. About 26% reported that they liked Reeses Peanut Butter Cups best. M&Ms came in a close second at about 23%, and Snickers and Butterfingers tied at about 13%. About 20% of people said they either liked a different kind of candy or didnt like candy.

As you know, InControl Wisconsin recently offered a webinar focusing on an update of the State budget and its impact on long-term care programs in Wisconsin. As we consider future webinars, wed like to know if there are other topics youre interested in. Take ourone-minute pollnow!

It Only Takes "Five"

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

• Call for Proposals: Proposals are now being accepted for the Autism Society of Wisconsin 27^thAnnual Conference.
• Advocacy Continues: This is a great article about how people continue to voice their concerns about changes to long-term care.
• Power of Networking: This is a great blog about the power of networking for people with disabilities.
• Register Now: Registration is now open for the Across the Lifespan Conference.
• Emergency Preparedness: This is a terrific article about emergency preparation for people with disabilities.
• Disability and Arts: Read about this great Wisconsin organization that provides arts programming for people with disabilities.
• City Ranking: This is an interesting article about a ranking for the best and worst cities for people with disabilities.
• Caregiver Wage Protections: This is a great article about caregiver wage protections finally took effect after many delays.
• Call for Exhibitors: The Across the Lifespan Conference is still looking for exhibitors. Exhibitor registration deadline is November 30^th.
• Post news or start a discussion: It's easy to do and a great way to share information and network with others!

Stacys Journal

This month Stacy shares about howa new IRIS rule has really impacted her life. We encourage you to ask her questions and/or share your experiences as well.

New Members

Stop by to welcomeour newest members:

• He wants to keepinformed about long-term care.
• Thismotherwants to learn about programs for her daughter.
• ThisVocational Coordinatorwants to keep current with whats happening and network with others.
• She wants to assist inpromoting disability rights.
• She joined the SD Networkto gather more information.
• This personworks with people with disabilitiesand wants to understand the upcoming changes.
• She joined the Network tokeep learning.
• She wants to betterunderstand the philosophy of self-determination.
• She's aSDS Specialist.

Do you know someone who should join the Self-Determination Network? Spread the word and invite friends, families and other interested folks!

Upcoming Events

Here's a sample ofupcoming eventslisted on the Self-Determination Network:

• Youth in Partnership with Parents for Empowerment (YiPPE):October 23^rdto 24^th, Sleep Inn & Suites Conference Center, Eau Claire WI
• Mia Mingus Presentation: October 23^rd, 4:15pm to 6pm, Sterling Hall, Madison

• Webinar: Accessible Trails: November 5^th, 1:30pm to 3pm, Online
• Self-Determination Conference:November 9^thto 11^th, Kalahari Resort, Wisconsin Dells WI
• Across the Lifespan Conference: December 3^rdto 4^th, Chula Vista Resort, Wisconsin Dells WI
• Wisconsin Transition Conference: February 18^th to 19^th, Kalahari Resort, Wisconsin Dells WI

Post your eventon the Self-Determination Network and it can be included in future Network News emails to members! Questions? Suggestions? ContactStacy Ellingen.

The Self-Determination Network is powered by In Control Wisconsin and supported financially by ourmembersandSponsors. We couldn't keep this Network going with you! Find out how you can help support the Network.

Meet Dennis Granzen. He has the unique perspective of being on both sideshe was an avid supporter and advocate for people with disabilities, but then he found himself needing support. Having this perspective has helped him understand the importance of self-determination and advocacy. We are so fortunate to have him as a member of the Self-Determination Network!

How are you involved with self-directed supports and self-determination? Why did you join the SDNetwork?

After almost twenty years working as a supporter and advocate for people with disabilities Dennis acquired that label myself, he says. His work had been with individuals, small groups and large groups of people of all ages, from four year olds to older adults, and included their families and friends. We focused on community inclusion, focusing on how people could share their gifts and abilities with those around them, he explains.

In relation to self-determination, this meant helping people create a vision of what they wanted their life to look like, and then coming up with a plan that reflected the vision. He explains that, most of these people were either teens transitioning to adulthood, or older adults trying to find a way to fit disability into their lives. After several difficult life events, he came to fit into the second category. He says that, at this time, I dont yet need formal in home supports those are performed by my wonderful family. Right now, most of his self-advocacy efforts center around doctors and other health care providers.

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

Dennis feels that Wisconsins model to have Self Determined Supports is positive and respectful, but he says, we have to be vigilant in making sure we dont lose it to the ever shifting bureaucracy. He points out thats one of the reasons why joined the Self-Determination Network.

What tip or resource would you like to share with people who want to direct their own supports, or who would want to be more self-determined?

After attempting to teach self-advocacy to others and then finding he needed to practice it for himself, Dennis found it harder to do than to talk about. He says, taking the time to stay calm and think through your thoughts means avoiding the urge, and expectation, to know and share the answers right away. He points out that it means accepting that things may get a little messy--maybe very messy-- before order is restored.

What message would you like to share with themembersof the SDNetwork?

One important thing Dennis has found helpful is that he does better when he involves others in his decision making. A trusted family member or friend goes a long way to making decisions that are thought through and better reflect my values, he explains. He points out that if these people respect and listen to him, the resulting decision is still his--and he feels stronger acting on and sticking to it.

What's your dream vacation?

Dennis dream vacation would be to go with his wife, older son and his girlfriend and travel to New York City to stay a week checking out the music scene. His younger son lives in Brooklyn and is studying drums and percussion at The New School for Jazz and Contemporary Music. I then would go on with just my wife to Sanibel Island, Florida for a week to explore the sun, sand, shells and surf, he adds.

***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.

This is a great article in Disability Scoopwritten by Michelle Diament about how wage protections for caregivers are finally set to take effect. She explains that there has been a lot of controversy over this, but the rule is set to take effect October 13th. The new rule states that "home care workers must be paid at least the federal minimum of $7.25 per hour and earn time-and-a-half for working more than 40 hours per week."

Long-Delayed Caregiver Wage Protections To Take Effect

By Michelle Diament

The U.S. Supreme Court has paved the way for an Obama administration rule mandating minimum wage and overtime for in-home caregivers assisting those with disabilities to be implemented.

Chief Justice John Roberts issued an order Tuesday denying a request from industry groups who sought to delay the new rule.

Under the2013 rulefrom the U.S. Department of Labor, most home care workers must be paid at least the federal minimum of $7.25 per hour and earn time-and-a-half for working more than 40 hours per week.

Previously, under a law dating to the 1970s, caregivers were classified similarly to baby sitters and were not entitled to the same rights as other types of employees.

Trade groups representing agencies that employ many home care workers sued over the changes arguing that the pay hike would make such care unaffordable.

Initially, the new requirements were set to take effect in January, but they were put on hold when a federal judgeruledthat the Labor Department had overstepped its authority. On appeal, however, a three-judge panelsidedwith the Obama administration.

Last month, the groups challenging the rule asked the Supreme Court to postpone implementation of the changes so that they could further appeal the decision. With Roberts order Tuesday, however, the rule is set to take effect Oct. 13.

We are pleased with todays order, U.S. Secretary of Labor Tom Perez said late Tuesday. The final rule is not only legally sound; it was the right thing to do. It will ensure fair wages for the nearly 2 million home care workers who provide critical services, and it will help ensure a stable and professional workforce for people who need those services.

The Labor Department said it will not begin enforcement of the new rule until Nov. 12 and will use prosecutorial discretion through the end of the year to assess whether to bring enforcement actions based on how much effort states and other relevant entities have put toward ensuring compliance.

Source:http://www.disabilityscoop.com/2015/10/07/long-delayed-caregiver-effect/20859/

This is an interesting article inDisability Scoopwritten by Shaun Heasley about a new ranking that list the best and worst cities for people with disabilities. While none of the top or bottom cities are in Wisconsin, it's still interesting to see which cities made the list. It's also interesting to read about some of the factors used to determine the ranking..

Ranking Names Most Livable Cities For People With Disabilities

By Shaun Heasley

A newrankingcrunches the numbers to assess the nations best and worst cities for those with disabilities.

The analysis from the consumer finance website WalletHub compares the countrys 150 most populated cities using 21 different metrics designed to evaluate cost of living, quality of life and access to health care.

Overland Park, Kan. comes in at number one on the list followed by Scottsdale and Peoria, Ariz., Tampa and St. Petersburg, Fla.

Rounding out the bottom five are Worcester, Mass., Moreno Valley and San Bernardino, Calif., Jersey City, N.J. and Providence, R.I.

The analysis gave extra weight to factors including each locales employment rate, poverty level and median earnings specific to people with disabilities. Other considerations included housing affordability, cost of in-home care services, walkability and the availability of doctors and special-education teachers.

WalletHub said the ranking is meant to identify the cities with the most suitable living conditions for people with disabilities.

Source: http://www.disabilityscoop.com/2015/10/01/ranking-livable-disabilities/20842/

This is a great article in theWisconsin State Journalwritten by Jill Carlson about VSA Wisconsin (the State Organization on Arts and Disability). She explains what VSA does and how it got started in Wisconsin. This sounds like a great organization for people with disabilities.

Defining individuals by ability, not disability

By Jill Carlson

VSA Wisconsin conducts arts programming for people with disabilities in more than 20 locations throughout Wisconsin. Field offices are strategically located in Madison and Milwaukee to benefit the nearly 1,900 people who use the services.

Thirty years ago, students with disabilities were educated in self-contained classrooms and many individuals with disabilities were institutionalized.

We have learned so much since then and educating students with disabilities is now a much broader field, especially since the passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act in 1990, said Kathie Wagner, VSA Wisconsin president.

VSA Wisconsin embraced the integration of people with disabilities into classrooms alongside typically developing peers. The majority of VSA programing is done at early learning centers, schools and organizations that provide day services to people with disabilities.

VSA Wisconsin is a member of the VSA Affiliate Network, a program of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C. The organization was founded by Jean Kennedy Smith in 1974 and was originally called the National Committee, Arts for the Handicapped (NCAH). Renamed Very Special Arts in 1985, VSA in 1998 and VSA arts in 1999, the international organization is dedicated to enriching the lives of children and adults with disabilities by providing opportunities in the arts.

Many volunteers from across Wisconsin helped launch the state organization. Individuals from the Madison area that were part of that effort include Mary Ann Shaw, Bob Brennan, Herbert Grover, Mike George, Sue Ann Thompson and Mike Leckrone. Kay Lindblade was hired as the first executive director and led the organization for 15 years.

The participants served by VSA Wisconsin range in age from 3 years old to the senior population.

Participants cross all disability categories including physical cerebral palsy, spinal bifida, muscular dystrophy, visual, speech or hearing impairment, epilepsy, mental emotional and behavioral and cognitive disabilities such as autism, ADHD, Down syndrome, Fragile X, brain injury and other developmental disabilities.

The first Very Special Arts Festival in Wisconsin took place at the Milwaukee Art Center in l977 prior to incorporation.

This festival was one of only 27 pilot sites selected for festivals in 1977 by the National Committee, Arts for the Handicapped. Between l977 and l984 festivals were held in cities including Racine, Kenosha, Milwaukee, Wausau and Sheboygan.

VSA Wisconsin opened an art gallery in Madison in 2011 that enables artists with disabilities to sell their artwork and get public recognition.

VSA Wisconsin also operates a booth at Madisons annual Art Fair on the Square each summer. Artists receive 70 percent of the sales proceeds to encourage continued artmaking efforts.

Disability awareness training and professional development for artists, educators and cultural venues are other services provided by VSA Wisconsin.

The creative arts are a universal language and have the ability to level the playing field and change lives, socially, academically and vocationally, Wagner explained. People with disabilities want to have the same opportunities as everyone else, and they want to be recognized for what they can do, not what they cant do. We take individuals with disabilities who society has told are spectators and we help them transform themselves into performers and visual artists.

Dan Sullivan, a wood carver with a visual impairment, says it best, It continues to amaze me how much my artwork has taken off since associating with VSA Wisconsin. It is such a wonderful experience that as a result of being labeled an artist through your organization, I am now defined more than ever by ability rather than disability.

Source: http://host.madison.com/wsj/business/defining-individuals-by-ability-not-disability/article_5d6717d3-c068-5d9c-8a77-233b5a5eef5c.html