Want to know about a hip magazine for active wheelchair users? Check out New Mobility. You can order a subscription but they also have a number of interesting articles right on theirwebsite.

Comments:

Make It Work Milwaukee Coalition Transit Survey

At the last Make It Work Milwaukee Coalition meeting, Coalition members reviewed a proposed survey to be completed by people with disabilities and older adults in Milwaukee County who use transit services. The purpose is to better understand how the transit services in Milwaukee County meet their needs and to understand if access and quality are changing. Survey findings will be compiled and results will be shared with the disability and aging community and policy makers to help guide our transportation advocacy work.

There is an online format survey that can be filled out by clicking on the link. Make It Work Milwaukee Coalition Transit Survey

We need your help!

If you are a person with a disability or an older adult who uses transportation services in Milwaukee County, please complete this survey and return ASAP.

Please share this survey with your friends, colleagues, and clients who use transportation services in Milwaukee and ask them to complete the survey.

Our graduate student Kim Brown is coordinating the survey, and can also visit meetings, program sites, etc, to explain the survey, and, if needed, assist consumers with completing the survey - contact me if you would like to schedule a visit from Kim! barbarab@drwi.orgor 414-773-4646

Thanks for your help in ensuring we get a great response to the survey!

Thanks to Cathy Steffke from DRW for sharing this information with us!

Although we didn't have many people respond to this question, they were completely unanimous in their responses - YES! And we saw great results last week in the Wisconsin state legislature, as they passed the bill lifting the caps on Family Care and IRIS. That bill, with an amendment, was signed into law this past Monday by Gov. Walker. We'll soon have more information on this bill, as well as others that were passed and defeated last week.

Let Your Voice Be Heard!

DHS Town Hall Meetings: Long-Term Care Sustainability Plan

The Department of Health Services (DHS) will hold a series of town hall meetings. DHS is seeking input from consumers, community partners, and providers on its Long-Term Care Sustainability Plan. This is an opportunity to share your ideas so the quality of Wisconsins long-term care services can remain high and still be cost-effective.

Survival Coalition has a new information sheetto help you be ready to share your thoughts.

Thursday, March 8,3 p.m. to 6 p.m.: Green Bay
The Ray & Joan Kroc Corps Community Center
1315 Lime Kiln Road
Multi-Purpose Room
Green Bay, WI 54311

Friday, March 9,2 p.m. to 5 p.m.: La Crosse
UW-La Crosse
1725 State Street
Cartwright Center, Room 339
La Crosse, WI 54601
Free Parking: Lot C-2

Monday, March 12,2 p.m. to 5 p.m.: Madison
Goodman Community Center
149 Waubesa Street
Evjue Room D
Madison, WI 53704

Tuesday, March 20, 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.: Milwaukee
Milwaukee Center for Independence
Conference Center
2020 West Wells St.
Milwaukee, WI 53233

Friday, March 30, 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.: Wausau
Northcentral Technical College
Auditorium
1000 West Campus Drive
Wausau, WI 54401

Individuals interested in speaking at the town hall meeting will have up to five minutes to share their ideas. You can also submit feedback by completing an online survey.

Background information about the 2011-2013 Long-Term Care Sustainability Plan is available on the DHS website. This information includes a plan for employment supports.

People who require special accommodations to attend or participate in the meeting should notify DHS at 608-266-9622 (TTY 888-701-1250) by the day prior to the event

There are lots of ways that SDS can be used. When we asked this question, your answers were spread out pretty evenly over the choices that were given.

One answer that written in on the poll captures it best -With SDS, you get what you need to live your life the way you choose.

Our recent poll asked about our hopes and dreams. Looking at your responses, we can see that other people play an important role. We want to have friends in our lives. We also want to give to others.... Helping each other was as important as having friends.

As you consider your life (or the lives of the people you support), think about how your actions are helping you to make these dreams come true.

Family Care Hearing Thursday!

People with disabilities in Wisconsin need your help to lift the caps on Family Care and IRIS! On Thursday, Feb. 9, the Senate Committee on Health will hold a hearing on the Lift the Caps Bill, Senate Bill (SB) 380, at 11 a.m. in Room 201 SE of the Capitol. SB 380 will lift the caps on enrollment in Wisconsins Family Care, IRIS, and Wisconsin Partnership programs and expand them statewide.

Please attend this critical hearing. The hearing will provide disability advocates with the opportunity to tell their story about why long-term care programs are important to them. If you would like support developing your testimony before the hearing, the Wisconsin Board for People with Developmental Disabilities (BPDD) can help. Just go to BPDDs office at 9 a.m. on Thursday to prepare testimony and then walk together as a group to the hearing.

Other Ways to HelpIf you cant attend the hearing, there are other ways for you to help lift the caps:

• Contact members of the Senate Committee on Health and Assembly Long-Term Care Committee directly and tell them why lifting the caps is important to you.
• Participate in Lift the Caps Call-In Days by calling 1-800-844-2847 on Feb. 7 through Feb. 9 and ask your legislators to lift the caps. (see the previous announcement about the call-infor more details)

Thanks to DAWN (Disability Advocates: Wisconsin Network), an initiative of the Wisconsin Board for People with Developmental Disabilities for this information.